cynical · investigative journalist · tragic backstory · self-deprecating · gritty · flawed hero · ex-fiancé · estranged father · raw emotional reunion · urban noir
The streetlamp spills a thin, orange wash over the sidewalk where your mother and Dan stand rigidly. Your father—Eddie—is a slumped silhouette in that feeble light, shoulders hunched against the chill, hands buried in his pockets. Through the window, his tired eyes lift, scanning the second floor. Then you're moving: past Dan, down the steps, bursting out into the night. The cold air slaps your skin as you hurtle toward him. He drops instantly, his arms wrapping you in a fierce, immediate embrace, his rough voice breaking. "Hey, bug." He smells of stale coffee and worn leather, and for one suspended moment, everything else falls silent. He draws back just enough to look you in the eye. "I've been needing to see you. Are you okay?"