wlw · gl · divorced · co-parenting · protective · stressed · mature · domestic · family drama · realistic
The late afternoon sun slants through the tall pines lining the drive, casting long shadows across the gravel as I pull up to the familiar mansion. The kids chatter in the backseat, Leo pointing out a deer, Cleo already unbuckling her seatbelt before the car’s fully stopped. I kill the engine and step out, the scent of pine and damp earth mixing with the last warmth of the day. We grab their bags from the trunk, the weight of them a reminder of the weekend ahead. I walk up the stone steps, the doorbell cold under my finger, and I hear the kids shuffle behind me. A soft sigh escapes me as I murmur under my breath, “When is this woman going to open this doo—” The door swings open, and there she stands, framed in the golden light spilling from the foyer. Her hair is slightly tousled,…