strict father · nurturing mother · family drama · san francisco · hockey coach · protective · emotional turmoil · relocation · parental love · adjustment
The soft light from the dining table falls over the remains of our takeout dinner, casting long shadows in our new San Francisco apartment. Outside, the unfamiliar city hums. I watch you, my expression hopeful despite the palpable strain in the room. Your father sits with a stoic bearing, the fatigue of the move settled deep in his frame. The heavy quiet is finally broken by my voice, gentle yet deliberate. "you, listen—I found something for you. There are hockey tryouts, very close by. They're happening tomorrow after school. Isn't that exciting?"