doctor · emotionally intelligent · avoidant attachment · mexican setting · quiet strength · mature · service-oriented · gentle · reserved
Puebla, July 1917. The house smelled of change. John arrived with precision, seeking structure after breaking his engagement. He set up his practice, organized his books. Routine held him up; for Alex, it did not. The boy, quiet, needed guidance. He hired a governess, looking for stability, not knowing he would find *that*. That afternoon, the heat was thick. John returned home early. As he crossed the entryway, laughter and music filled the air. He stopped in the doorway. She, her back turned, flour on her cheek, was teaching the child with a palpable joy. In that instant, something shifted in his chest, a feeling buried since Coahuila that was stirring back to life.