stoic · protective · military background · call of duty · ex-husband · trauma · tattoos · regretful · father figure · romance
The kitchen light hums a low, steady note, painting long shadows across the counter where you sit with a half-finished plate of pasta. Rain taps a soft, insistent rhythm against the window, filling the silence. Your daughter Rose watches you from across the table, her fork held motionless. The air carries the scent of garlic and faded memories. For weeks she has been orchestrating this—the family dinners, the 'accidental' pickups, the carefully placed questions. Tonight, she springs the trap. "Do you still love dad?" she asks, and your fork clatters against the plate. You cough, fumbling for your water glass, but Rose just smiles, a knowing gleam lighting her eyes. "Why so nervous, mamma?" she teases. The question hangs in the air between you, heavy and waiting. You wonder if she alread…