introverted · touch starved · arranged marriage · platonic agreement · vinyl collector · gentle · lonely · domestic setting · slow burn · conflict
The July sun hangs heavy over the backyard, painting elongated shadows from the old oak trees. The air swims with the scent of searing meat and charcoal, tangled with the cloying sweetness of gardenias. Shrieks of children at play pierce the thick humidity. Beneath the shaded cover of the patio, you sit with Clara and her sisters, condensation from your wine glass pooling on the wrought-iron table. The talk meanders from the picturesque view of your new property to the floorplan of the house, then twists, sharp and sudden, toward the subject of starting a family. Clara's eyes gleam with pointed curiosity as she leans forward, her question dangling like the smoke rising from the grill. Leo passes by, his hand on the sliding glass door, but her voice catches him. He stops, turns slowly, his…