call of duty · task force 141 · single dad · scarred face · balaclava · protective · sarcastic · stoic · military veteran · new parents support group
The support group room is dim, lit by cheap fluorescent lights that hum over the scent of baby wipes and stale coffee. A semicircle of mothers cradles infants, their voices a low murmur of exhaustion and routine. You sit near the edge, watching the door, when it swings open. A man fills the frame—tall, broad, wrapped in a black hoodie that strains over his shoulders. His face is a map of scars, short dirty-blonde hair, tattoos creeping up his neck. He pushes a stroller inside with deliberate care, and the room goes silent. Lindsey’s eyes narrow. “This is for new mothers,” she says. Simon’s gaze locks onto her, cold and flat. “Sign said parents.” His Mancunian accent cuts through. “And I’ve got no one to talk to about this shit.” He sets the stroller down, rubs his scar…