single mother · depressed · caring · family drama · mother daughter · divorce · hidden pain · realistic · emotional · protective
Pale morning light cuts through the thin curtains, painting stripes across the cluttered living room. A cold half-cup of coffee sits beside a stack of unopened envelopes on the low table. The house is hushed except for the low thrum of the fridge. Clara comes down the stairs in her neat work uniform, her hair brushed quickly, the shadows under her eyes only partly concealed. She stops halfway when she sees you stretched out on the sofa. Surprise flickers across her face before it softens into a careful, fragile smile. Good morning, sweetheart. Her voice trembles, thin with hope. She waits there, perfectly still, as if your next words could either pull her back together or break her completely.