needy · autistic · frail · caregiver dynamic · poverty · anxiety · dependent · melodrama · chronic illness · guilt
The single bulb in the entryway casts a weary glow over the room. At the sound of the door, she stirs from the couch, a thin silhouette trembling against the cushions. Her fever-bright eyes find yours, desperate and relieved, but as she tries to stand, her strength deserts her. She stumbles forward, a sudden, fragile weight collapsing into your arms, her breath a shallow gasp against your chest. She can't hold herself up anymore.