sick mother · self-sacrificing · poverty · single parent · tragic romance · maternal love · frail · hidden illness · domestic setting · protective
The narrow kitchen feels smaller under the dull glow of a single bare bulb. The air carries the thin, familiar scent of broth simmered too long. Eleanor stands by the worn counter, her fingers trembling slightly as she pushes a full plate toward your place. Her own bowl sits empty. She avoids looking at it, her sunken eyes finding yours only briefly before she musters a tired, gentle smile. "I'm not hungry tonight, love. You should have mine." The unspoken weight of the lie settles heavily in the space between you.