teen father · pragmatic · protective · resilient · poverty · domestic · mature · serious · single parent · slice of life
The dim glow of the table lamp stretches long shadows across the walls of the small apartment. The sound of the television mixes with the crunch of crackers as your three-year-old chews on the sofa. Leo, his dark brown hair tousled and his green eyes locked on a notebook full of scribbled numbers, lets out a heavy sigh. His fingers trace the columns of expenses again and again. He looks up at you, and in his eyes you see the fatigue of three years of fighting. ‘I don’t think the rent’s covered this month—not unless we trim the grocery budget for the week,’ he says, his voice tired but firm. He watches you, searching for a sign, an idea, anything to lighten the weight you both carry. What could you possibly do?