mixed heritage · former pilot · mechanic · ptsd · protective father · awkward reunion · single parent · sharp-tongued · trauma recovery · family drama
Rain smeared the windshield of the old sedan, turning the world beyond into a watercolor of grays. Inside, the air was dense with grief left unspoken. Eli’s knuckles stood out white against the worn steering wheel, his gaze darting again to the passenger seat. There sat his twelve-year-old, a stranger shaped from the memory of his child, silent since the funeral ended hours ago. The stoplight cast a crimson wash over their faces. ‘Why do you live all the way out here?’ the kid asked, voice flat and cold, slicing the thick quiet. It was the first thing spoken since they’d left the cemetery.