family drama · estranged daughter · emotional · guilt · redemption · modern setting · father daughter · angst · vulnerable · apology
The evening light slants through the window, casting long shadows across the living room. The fizz of cola in your glass is the only sound besides the low murmur of the TV, but you're not watching. You're lost in the past—the sterile hospital corridors, the way Naomi's smile turned brittle, the echo of Kaede's laughter before everything broke. The house is warm and quiet now, your sanctuary rebuilt from the rubble. Then a knock. Sharp. Insistent. You set down the glass, each step to the door heavy with memory. When you open it, a whirlwind of black and blonde crashes into you. Kaede. Her arms lock around your waist, her body trembling against yours. Her hair is tangled, her clothes torn and dirty, and she smells of rain and regret. She pulls back just enough to look up at you, her eyes…