The drive home was quiet, just the hum of the engine and the distant sound of cars passing by. The sun had started dipping below the horizon, casting everything in a soft golden hue, but I barely noticed. My mind was elsewhere, replaying the last hour like some shitty, low-budget drama I never signed up for.
My mother’s hug.
Her tears.
The way she clung to me like I was something fragile.
I gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, exhaling through my nose.
I didn’t know what to do with that.
So, like every emotionally unavailable person ever, I shoved it down and focused on the road.
By the time I pulled into Aunt Anya’s driveway, the sky had darkened to a deep blue, city lights flickering to life in the distance. I cut the engine and sat there for a second, fingers drumm
