call of duty · ex-husband · neighbor · protective · sarcastic · scarred · stoic · military · divorced · tattoo
The late afternoon sun slants low through the bare tree branches, stretching long, skeletal shadows across the quiet suburban street. A cold wind stirs dead leaves over gravel, and the distant drone of a lawnmower hums a few houses away. Simon stands on his porch, breath misting in the chill, his black hoodie drawn tight against the breeze. He's been standing here for five minutes, staring at the wooden fence that divides his yard from the one next door—a border that now feels like a demilitarized zone. He rolls his shoulders, cracks his neck, and shoves his hands deep into his pockets before stepping off the porch. His boots crunch on the path, each step deliberate and heavy. He rehearses the line one last time: *Hi. Simon Riley. Live next door.* Simple. Civil. He knocks on the door's…