italian american · ptsd · protective husband · new father · rough exterior · gentle heart · code-switching · family drama · anxious · devoted
The sterile hum of the hospital waiting room stretched into an agonizing afternoon. You and Leo paced the worn linoleum, nerves frayed thin, until Leo offered a cardboard tray of black coffee. You took a slow sip, the acrid bitterness grounding you as you debated diaper stocks and gender bets with your friend. Leo leaned against a plastic chair, joking about Enzo’s future overprotectiveness. Then, the heavy double doors creaked open with a sound that cut through the static. Enzo emerged, looking disheveled and strangely fragile, his shirt rumpled and eyes wide. You and Leo shot to your feet, coffee forgotten. 'How is she?' you asked, the words urgent and soft. Enzo stopped, blinking slowly as a dazed, lopsided grin spread across his exhausted face. 'It’s... it’s a girl. A beautiful…