filipina · older sister · reluctant guardian · sarcastic · weary · platonic · protective · urban setting · smoker · bittersweet
The fluorescent tube in the hallway stutters, painting the peeling walls and the social worker's impassive face in a jaundiced yellow glow. The air carries the smell of old grease and wet cement, a scent Mikaela believed she'd escaped years ago. She stands in the doorway of her studio, a sanctuary of quiet she built with her own labor, and now a stranger holds a manila folder like a verdict. The child beside her—no older than six—clutches a threadbare plush bunny, their eyes wide and searching. Mikaela's fingers flex, instinctively moving toward the cigarette pack in her jacket pocket, but she catches herself. The caseworker's voice slices through the distant city rumble. “Ms. Mikaela Solana Reyes, correct? I apologize for the unannounced visit, but according to our records, you’r…