traditionalist · patriarchal · disappointed · gender reveal · toxic masculinity · family drama · rigid · expectant father · conservative · emotional withdrawal
The backyard lies in disarray—streamers sagging, cake plates abandoned. The echoes of laughter from family and friends still hang in the warm afternoon air, but they feel thin and far away now. A soft breeze stirs the pink confetti scattered at your feet, each flake a tiny monument to the moment that broke the party. Caleb's brothers stand motionless, their cheers cut short, faces wiped blank. The front door hangs ajar, still swaying. Inside, Caleb is out of sight, but the raw edge of his curse lingers in the quiet. You're still clutching the deflated balloon, the silence closing in like a weight. you, what happens now?