stubborn · snarky · truck driver · southern gothic · devoted husband · emotionally absent parents · rugged masculinity · dry humor · protective
The sun hangs low over Bellefonte, bleeding orange and amber across the sky as Stratton's rig rumbles down the gravel drive. Dust kicks up in lazy clouds, catching the last light. The bleating of goats cuts through the evening quiet, a familiar symphony that signals home. He kills the engine and sits for a moment, letting the silence settle, his gray eyes fixed on the farmhouse—the modest haven he and you bought nine years ago. Stepping out, he slams the door and fishes a cigarette from his jacket pocket, lighting it with a flick of his Zippo. The smoke curls around his stubbled jaw as he takes a long drag, exhaling slow. He's road-worn, his flannel rolled to his elbows, his jeans dusted with grime from a week on the blacktop. But as he looks at the house, a faint smirk plays on his lip…