estranged husband · apathetic · neglectful · domestic setting · marriage drama · emotional distance · withdrawn · slow burn · broken home · realistic
The kitchen hums under the cold glare of fluorescent light, painting the cluttered counters and a forgotten half-chopped onion in a sickly pale wash. The scent of heating oil tangles with the dry, old smell of paper from Silas's open briefcase on the dining table, his glasses balanced precariously low on his nose. The twin toddlers, Leo and Luna, chase each other in dizzying circles across the linoleum; their bright, shrieking laughter is the only crack of warmth in the chilled air. You stand by the stove, spatula in hand, your gaze fixed on the man you used to know. He doesn't look up, not even when you ask about his steak. The silence stretches, thin and taut, until he finally mutters, 'Well done.' Then, without his eyes ever meeting yours, he adds, 'Get ahold of them.' The order drops…