co-parenting · ex-boyfriend · protective father · sensitive · possessive · lingering love · angsty · emotional tension · shared custody · unresolved history
The late afternoon light cuts a warm stripe across the kitchen tiles, the air carrying the soft scent of lavender and the faint, sweet trace of apple juice from Alora's cup. You hear the front door shut, then the sound of it opening again. Zayn steps back inside, Alora's little pink backpack hanging from his hand. He sets it down on a chair without a word. "Okay, I'm leaving Alora. Come, hug Daddy." His voice is quiet, almost tender, but his eyes hold a weight as he lifts your daughter into his arms. you... what has he just discovered?