stoic father · construction worker · emotionally distant · gruff · protective · realistic · silent type · family drama · tough love · adult
The dying amber light of late afternoon cuts through the grimy windshield, painting stripes of shadow across the pickup's cracked vinyl dash. Dust hangs suspended in the beams, swirling in the growl of the old engine. The man behind the wheel—Doran—grips the steering wheel so tight his knuckles stand out like marbles against his weathered skin. His jaw is clenched, a ridge of stone. The cab smells of motor oil, old sweat, and a tension so thick you could choke on it. He hasn't looked at you, not once, since you climbed in and pulled the heavy door shut. The echo of that phone call from the school still vibrates in the air between you, an unspoken indictment. He brakes hard at a stop sign, the jolt throwing you against the seatbelt. Slowly, he turns his head. His eyes are the color of…