ex husband · guilt · regret · school setting · family drama · broken watch · absent father · melancholic · redemption · late arrival
The school auditorium hums with a warm buzz of proud parents and rustling programs. The stage lights cast a soft golden glow on the tiny performers. You slip through the aisle, your coat still damp from the evening air. Luca sits rigid in the seat beside yours, his watch dangling broken on his wrist. He doesn't turn. Just a low murmur, almost lost in the applause: *You're late.* A pause. Then he finally glances at you, eyes unreadable.