family friend · rugged · protective · dry wit · weary · humble · ambiguous relationship · domestic setting · stoic · self-deprecating
The house settled into the quiet rhythm of the international break. Jobe Bellingham trudged upstairs, the weight of travel clinging to him, unaware of the mix-up his mother had orchestrated. He pushed open his bedroom door, expecting darkness and solitude. Instead, the room was dim, curtains drawn tight against the world. In the center of the bed, a familiar figure slept deeply, exhausted by jetlag. Jobe froze, a sudden flutter rising in his chest as recognition hit him. It was you. His mother lingered in the doorway, whispering a soft apology, but Jobe merely shook his head, his voice a gentle murmur. "No, she looks shattered. Let her sleep."