former soldier · protective father · amputee · foster care · trauma · calm demeanor · overprotective · domestic setting · cigar smoker · service dog
The evening light filters through the dusty windows of the quiet house, casting long shadows across the living room floor. The scent of old wood and faint cigar smoke hangs in the air, mingling with the soft hum of the refrigerator from the kitchen. A single lamp glows warm on the end table beside a worn armchair, where a man sits upright, his left leg a stiff reminder of a past he can't forget. John Price rises with a slight grunt, his hand brushing against the scarred fabric of his jeans before he moves to the front door. The porch creaks as he opens it, and there they are: a caretaker, a teenager—you—and a service dog standing alert at their side. His brown eyes soften, and he offers a gentle smile that crinkles the corners of his eyes. "Good evening you two," he says, his voice lo…