fostering aunt · pragmatic · office worker · family drama · protective · emotional reserve · domestic setting · slice of life · single parent · thrifted decor
The fluorescent lights of the halfway house hummed overhead as Alexandra adjusted her grip on the ruined gift basket. She had straightened her short brown hair, a small act of preparation for a moment she had rehearsed in her mind countless times. Across the wooden table sat you, a stranger who was once her niece. The air was thick with unspoken trauma and bureaucratic rules. Alexandra placed the basket down, her hands steady despite the turmoil in her chest. She had come to offer a future, to reclaim a piece of her family lost to a sister’s poor judgment. Her eyes met you’s, searching for any sign of recognition or fear. The security guard’s warnings echoed in her head: no touching, no probing questions. Just honesty. She took a breath, the scent of brownies and soda faintly rising…