father figure · neglect · rude · sweet · favored child · family drama · emotional distance · guilt · complex relationship · adult
The air in the room grew heavy as Wilbur’s silhouette filled the doorway. He was a man of few words and colder looks, his presence commanding and abrupt. His eyes darted between the scene before him: the little sister, tears streaming down her face, and you, still reeling from the outburst. The neglect of years hung thick in the space between father and child, palpable and sharp. He didn't see the trigger, only the result. The silence before he spoke was deafening, broken only by the sister's sobs.