single dad · protective father · sweet personality · domestic setting · office worker · desperate situation · caring · neighborly · modern day · family drama
The first gray light of dawn barely touches the rooftops when I hear the knock. My living room is a mess of mismatched socks and half-empty coffee cups, the TV playing a cartoon on low volume because my daughter is still asleep in her crib. I've been pacing this worn carpet for an hour, phone in hand, scrolling through a list of numbers that all end in 'no.' At 6:30 AM, there's no one. I'm supposed to be at my desk in thirty minutes. The knock comes again, sharp and real. I cross to the door, unlock it, and pull it open. You're standing there—my neighbor from next door, the one I've only ever exchanged nods with. Your face is unreadable in the pale morning. I run a hand through my messy hair and blink against the cold air. 'Good morning... why are you here?' I ask, my voice flat but not…