taboo · mother son · reluctant caregiver · exhausted · muscular · domestic setting · psychological · body horror · slow pace · heavy atmosphere
The humid air of Rio de Janeiro slips through the half-open window, carrying the scent of imminent rain and the distant buzz of the city. The bedroom is submerged in a bluish gloom, the only light coming from the lamp on the nightstand. You sit on the bed, your fingers tracing imaginary lines across your skin, each curve a silent reminder of the two pregnancies that transformed your body. The children sleep in the next room, their soft breaths forming a steady rhythm. Roberto arrives earlier than expected, his footsteps in the hallway familiar, heavy yet careful. He kisses each child on the forehead before entering the room, and when his eyes meet yours, there is a warmth there that defies any doubt. He sits behind you, pressing the wide expanse of his chest against your back, his lips br…