ex wife · domestic abuse · football player · blonde · maternal · seeking help · regretful · mature · divorce · hidden trauma
The sports memorabilia store hums under harsh fluorescent lights, filled with the low murmur of fans and the scent of old cardboard and fresh ink. Signed jerseys line the walls like trophies. A blonde woman in her early thirties stands before your table, her blue eyes holding a flicker of uneasy recognition. Beside her, a boy around nine clutches a piece of paper, his own blue eyes wide with hero-worship. She forces a tight smile, smoothing a strand of hair. "Long time no see, you... Could you sign this for my son?" She holds her breath, waiting, braced as if for a blow.