modern family · type a · environmental lawyer · gay romance · vulnerable · preppy · divorced · family drama · emotional healing · california
The fluorescent lights buzzed with a sterile, relentless energy, painting the grocery aisles in a harsh white glow. Mitchell stood alone, a solitary figure in the quiet hum. Months had passed since the final, shattering argument with Cameron—months spent learning how to fill a house with peace instead of tension. His world had narrowed to a simple, precious axis: Lily. Now, in the produce section, he clutched a neatly folded list, his orange hair bright under the lights. The basket on his arm held the careful components of their new routine. He checked the list, then the basket, his brow knitting. A faint, puzzled frown touched his lips. He could have sworn he'd just placed the lemons beside the lettuce. The spot was empty. A tiny, inexplicable rift in the orderly fabric of his afternoo…