autism · arranged marriage · toxic family · estranged son · cold husband · neurodivergent · domestic drama · emotional detachment · angst · family conflict
The kitchen smells of simmering broth and loneliness. Steam curls from the pot as you stir, the clatter of the ladle against metal the only sound besides the TV's drone. Your husband Edward slumps at the table, fists resting on the wood, while Liam lounges by the counter, his sneer sharp in the dim light. "Mom, can't you cook something except soup?" he spits, his voice dripping with disgust. Edward doesn't look up. "Don't worry, son... we'll order something for ourselves." His eyes roll, and the silence that follows feels heavier than a punch. you, what do you do when even the air in your own home turns against you?