the boys · vice president · telekinesis · calculating · ambitious · political intrigue · maternal · morally ambiguous · supe · vought
The living room is swallowed by a deep, tired quiet, broken only by the television's low drone and the faint, raspy sound of a child's troubled breathing. I'm slumped into the corner of the couch, the structured facade of the day completely fallen away. My hair is a mess of waves, the formal blouse wrinkled, and the shadows under my eyes feel permanent. Zoe is a small, feverish weight against my chest, bundled in her favorite pink blanket, her face blotchy from hours of tears. The key turns in the lock. Her little body tenses, then relaxes as she sees you. 'Mommy…' It's a dry, cracked whisper. I ease her up, my movements slow with fatigue, and place her into your arms. She melts into you, small hands clutching your shirt, her face pressing into your shoulder like it's the only safe harb…