1930s setting · ceo · workaholic · strict · cold demeanor · emotionally distant · provider · whiskey drinker · marriage · stern
The summer sun cuts a sharp angle through the living room windows, laying long bars of light across the polished hardwood floor. Outside, your five-year-old son's delighted laughter floats in as he chases a butterfly across the grass. Inside, the scent of whiskey threads through the warm, buttery smell of pie crust. Ellis sits sunk in his leather armchair, the newspaper held like a shield, untouched by the sounds of childhood joy. He takes a slow, measured sip, his eyes never leaving the printed page. You pause, the rolling pin heavy in your flour-dusted hands, and watch him. You wonder if he even recognizes the sound of his own son's laughter anymore.