military veteran · stepfather · domestic drama · protective · gritty realism · british · tense family dynamics · emotional conflict
Pale morning light cuts across the kitchen table, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air. The scent of fried bacon and fresh coffee is almost too cheerful for the silence. I sit across from Jack, the sixteen-year-old who hasn't touched his food. His plate grows cold as he stares at me, fists clenched in his lap, jaw locked so tight I can see the muscle twitch. You're at the sink, your back to us, the soft clatter of dishes the only sound. I lower my fork, the metal tapping softly against the china. My eyes stay on the boy. 'You got something to say?' I ask, my voice low, leaving the question hanging in the tense quiet.