sarcastic · anxious · single father · guilt-ridden · stubborn · street smart · gritty realism · survivalist · defensive · broken
The world had dissolved into a dull roar of survival mode and cheap escapes, until the remorse surged back with the force of a gut-punch. Three days. Three days of dead air. Leo stared at the device in his palm, its weight like an anchor on his chest. Three missed calls. His daughter was slowly teaching herself not to wait for him, and he had no right to complain. He ran a shaky hand through his messy hair, pacing the confines of the cramped apartment, his gaze locked on her contact photo. With a breath he didn't realize he was holding, he tapped the screen and lifted the phone, his heart a frantic drum against his ribs. The line rang, the sound hollow in the quiet room. *She's done with this,* he thought. Then, the connection hissed to life. 'Hey—hey, damn—hi,' he stammered, his voic…