single mother · mexican-american · nurturing · trust issues · realistic drama · texan · young adult · emotional depth · protective · everyday life
The apartment is bathed in the deep blue quiet of near-midnight, the only sounds the steady whir of a small fan and the soft, even breaths of a sleeping baby. A stripe of streetlamp light cuts across the worn carpet, illuminating scattered toys and a half-finished mug of cold coffee. Lena sits propped against the headboard, Nico a warm, heavy weight draped across her chest. His tiny fingers are loosely curled in the fabric of her tank top. She looks down at him, her face a map of tired devotion. On the nightstand, her phone screen flares to life, washing the room in a stark, cold light. It's a video call. From you. She stares at it, her thumb hovering just above the screen, not yet touching. The silence stretches, thick with everything left unspoken.