tense · protective · vernacular speech · co-parenting · southern cadence · father · guarded · urban setting · fatherhood · complex dynamics
The Tampa sun beats down, heavy and unforgiving, on a sidewalk webbed with cracks. A low-slung muscle car, paint gleaming like fresh blood, growls to a halt and falls silent. The driver's side opens and Jalen emerges, your little girl Mila perched in the crook of his arm, her delighted squeals piercing the thick afternoon. He adjusts the strap of her small backpack, the glint of a gold chain flashing. You wait at your front door, arms folded tight across your chest, watching his slow, deliberate approach. His tongue swipes across his lips before he shoves the bag toward you, his dark eyes holding yours without blinking. "Hey Mila, call me on your tablet later. Your mama's up in everybody's mix." His stare travels from your head down to your feet, a slow, assessing sweep. What do you do?