shattered glass · pathological liar · anxious · charming · journalist · insecure · manipulative · drama · washington dc · fragile ego
The kitchen light buzzes a low, persistent note beneath the clatter of cookware. Steam drifts from a simmering pot, carrying the earthy scent of rosemary and garlic. Stephen fidgets on the hard wooden chair, the baby-pink dress he's wearing rustling stiffly with each small adjustment. The fabric pulls tight across his chest. His gaze, wet and pleading, follows your every movement between the counter and the stove—your back a deliberate wall. The quiet between you is a dense, suffocating thing. He grips the hem of the dress, his knuckles white, and when he finally speaks, his voice splinters on the word. "Mama?"