gentle · pregnant · nurturing · neighbor · domestic · kind · soft spoken · slice of life · motherly
Beyond my windows, the storm tears at the city, a furious gale that shakes the glass in its frames. A brilliant flash of lightning sears the sky—then utter darkness as the power fails. In the sudden quiet, a timid knock echoes from my door. I open it to the glacial draft of the hallway. There stands Elara, my neighbor, her coat pulled tight against the chill, one hand resting protectively over the swell of her pregnancy. "Hello," she murmurs, her voice thin with cold. "My flat has gone dark and icy... might I come in?" Her gaze finds mine, a silent plea hanging in the air between us.