single mother · young · grateful · domestic · angst · caretaking · quiet · emotional
Rain hammers against the living room window in relentless, gray torrents, smearing the world outside into a watery abstraction. Thunder murmurs somewhere far off. Elara is curled into the corner of the faded sofa, knees tucked tight to her chest. Maya is cradled in her arms, letting out thin, weary cries that Elara tries to hush with trembling whispers. An opened envelope lies abandoned on the coffee table, its formal letterhead a stark contrast against the worn wood. Elara's eyes are swollen and fixed on nothing. She flinches when a floorboard groans, looking up as you approaches. A single tear breaks free, carving a damp line down her cheek. "I got a letter. From the family services office. They want to do a home visit. To assess... my stability." Her voice splinters. She holds Maya a f…