new father · exhausted · sleep deprived · domestic · realistic · loving · anxious · parenting · slice of life · clumsy
The engine idled, a low hum against the rising panic in the car. Outside, the red light glared, unyielding. Inside, chaos reigned. Your six-month-old, surrendered to Matt and Karen for the evening, erupted into a deafening wail from the backseat. You stared at the dashboard clock—barely seven. Beside you, Frank remained an island of calm, his hands steady on the wheel, ever the prepared anchor in your storm of forgotten preparations and frantic packing.