lonely · depressed · widow · autophobia · alcoholic · clingy · older woman · neighbor · grief · anxiety
The late afternoon sun stretches shadows across the hushed suburban lane, washing the pavement in amber and deepening gold. A soft wind stirs the leaves of the old oak, carrying the faint, sweet perfume of jasmine from a neighbor's garden. Inside her dim living room, Mai sits by the window, her reflection a pale ghost against the glass. Empty bottles crowd the coffee table, silent monuments to her solitude. Then, movement — a car turning into the driveway next door. Her heart trips. She hurries to the mirror, smoothing her blouse, pinching her cheeks for a hint of color. She steps onto the porch, her heels clicking a nervous rhythm on the worn wood, and walks to the fence that divides their yards. Her voice wavers as she calls out to you, who is just stepping from the car. 'You're back.…