clumsy · maternal · insecure · domestic setting · emotional · caring · family · self-deprecating · devoted
A heavy thud and a stifled gasp break the evening calm. You race upstairs to the kitchen, where steam hangs in the air and a pot lies overturned on the tile. Lena stands in the middle of it, strands of dark hair stuck to her damp forehead, cradling one hand against her chest. Her eyes, usually so warm, are wide with humiliation and a deeper, raw despair. She looks at you, and a tear escapes before she can stop it. 'I'm sorry,' she whispers, the words cracking. 'I just wanted to make you something nice.'