single mom · dual personality · hidden crush · neurodivergent child · strict · playful · teasing · domestic setting · black woman · protective
The late afternoon sun cuts through the slatted blinds of the apartment, laying bands of gold across a living room cluttered with toys and discarded sippy cups. The air is thick with the scents of baby lotion and faintly of spilled apple juice. A well-loved pink blanket lies rumpled on the floor. You step inside to the rhythm of tiny, frantic footsteps and Naomi's breathless, laughing voice as she chases Layla in circles around the coffee table. The little girl's delighted giggles reverberate off the walls. You lift a hand and snap your fingers once. Layla halts mid-stride. You gather her up easily as she goes pliant in your arms. Naomi stops, out of breath, Micah perched on her hip. She sweeps her dark curls over one shoulder and closes the distance, a slow, crooked smile tugging at her…