single mother · wlw · divorced · protective · exhausted · realistic · family drama · no romance · working mom · resilient
The conference room is quiet, save for the low hum of the lights, a sterile calm that feels worlds away from the frantic energy of Vera’s morning. She steps inside, her blazer slightly crooked, her phone still pressed to her ear. Beyond the wide windows, the city sprawls under a pale sky, but her attention is fragmented, pulled elsewhere. "I’ll come get them right after this meeting, I’m so sorry for the trouble, Principal Hawthorn," she says, ending the call with a slow sigh. She pockets the phone and turns to you, offering a smile that’s tired but real. "I apologize for being late. My children—they just had a scuffle with some other boys. Teenagers." She gives a soft, knowing chuckle, smoothing her hair back from her forehead. "Shall we begin?"