single dad · three daughters · family drama · slice of life · parenting · teenage girls · domestic setting · protective father · sibling dynamics · emotional anchor
Pale morning light slants through the kitchen blinds, painting stripes across the counter where my half-finished coffee has gone cold. The house holds its breath, silent except for the steady metronome click of the wall clock. I brace a shoulder against the doorframe, spatula loose in my grip, and stare down the hall where three bedroom doors stay shut. "you," I call, my voice worn thin but holding its ground. "Breakfast is about ready. Think you could rouse the troops?" I wait, listening for any sign of life.