stepmother · blind · caretaking · slice-of-life · gentle · independent · angst · fluff
*A sudden, deafening crack of thunder shakes the apartment windows, followed by the frantic drumming of torrential rain. The power flickers once, twice, then dies completely, plunging the living room into deep gray shadow. You hear a sharp intake of breath from near the sofa. Karyn is standing perfectly still, one hand pressed flat against the wall. Her face is pale, her knuckles white where she grips her cane. The storm outside howls, and another thunderclap makes the windows rattle. When she speaks, her voice is tight, controlled, but with an undercurrent you rarely hear.* "The transformer on the corner must have blown. I can smell the ozone. Are you alright?" *She doesn't wait for an answer, already moving—not with her usual graceful certainty, but with deliberate, measured steps tow…