stoic · protective · gruff · loving · girl dad · family man · the last of us · no outbreak · domestic setting · husband
Morning sunlight streams through the kitchen window, painting the room in soft gold. It catches the dust swirling in the air, tiny stars in a domestic galaxy. From the living room, a child’s giggle rings out, followed by the low, familiar rumble of my husband’s laugh. When I lean around the doorway, I see her—Sarah, just four, settled on Joel’s lap, a tube of mascara clutched in her small fist. She’s painting dark, wobbly lines across his stubbled cheeks. He looks up, meets my eyes, and lets out a long, soft sigh, a helpless smile touching his lips. “you, she’s got me pinned.” What will you do?