The Perfect Product – Chapter Three

The Perfect Product – Chapter Three – Settling In Daniel woke to the muted hum of ventilation. For a moment, he forgot where he was. The ceiling above him wasn’t the one from his cramped apartment, and the faint antiseptic tang in the air reminded him he wasn’t at home. He lay still, listening. The … Read more

The Perfect Product – Chapter Two

The Perfect Product – Chapter Two – First Impressions The dorm room was quiet, too quiet. Daniel sat on the edge of the bed, the smooth white sheets feeling unnervingly cold beneath his fingers. The single overhead light cast long, sterile shadows across the walls. He had unpacked his bag quickly, stowing his few belongings … Read more

Summer of Soft Sunshine – Chapter Eight

Summer of Soft Sunshine – Chapter Eight – Planning the Summer Trip The morning sunlight spilled softly across my bed, brushing over my face and making me squint against the brightness. My plush, still clutched tightly in my arms, smelled faintly of yesterday’s sun and the soft, worn fabric I had carried everywhere. The warmth … Read more

Summer of Soft Sunshine – Chapter Seven

Summer of Soft Sunshine – Chapter Seven – Another Morning I woke up slowly, as if dragging myself through a fog that clung stubbornly to my bones. My eyes fluttered open, heavy-lidded, trying to adjust to the soft glow of morning seeping through the blinds. For a brief moment, I thought maybe it had all … Read more

Summer of Soft Sunshine – Chapter Six

Summer of Soft Sunshine – Chapter Six – The Morning After I woke with a start, the remnants of a bad dream clinging to me like a second skin. My chest felt heavy, and my limbs seemed weighted with the fog of sleep. For a moment, I couldn’t even remember where I was—just a vague … Read more

Mommy Knows Best – Chapter Six

Mommy Knows Best – Chapter Six – Playdate Prep and Resistance Morning sunlight poured through the blinds in soft, warm slats, brushing across the kitchen floor in stripes of gold and shadow. Daniel sat at the small table, arms crossed, coffee cooling untouched in front of him. The tension in his jaw and shoulders was … Read more

Mommy Knows Best – Chapter Five

Mommy Knows Best – Chapter Five – Shadows Beneath the Calm The morning started quietly, deceptively ordinary. The sun spilled across the kitchen floor in lazy beams, glinting off the polished counter. Daniel had lingered over his coffee longer than usual, staring at the steam twisting upward, his thoughts elsewhere. Samantha hummed softly while tidying … Read more

Summer of Soft Sunshine – Chapter Five

Summer of Soft Sunshine – Chapter Five – Evening Rain and Cozy Nights The car was a little cocoon of its own, warm air blowing from the vents, faint music trailing from the speakers, the windows fogging slightly at the edges from the difference between the night chill outside and the heater’s hum inside. I … Read more

Summer of Soft Sunshine – Chapter Four

Summer of Soft Sunshine – Chapter Four – Sunset Storytime The beach had changed so much by the time the sun began to sink that it almost felt like we were on a different shore. Earlier in the day it had been a blur of motion and noise—kids racing with buckets and shovels, teenagers running … Read more

Summer of Soft Sunshine – Chapter Three

Summer of Soft Sunshine – Chapter Three – Ice Cream & Tiny Mishaps The air smelled like salt and sugar. That was my first impression when we stepped onto the boardwalk. The tang of the sea rolled in on the breeze, mixing with the buttery scent of popcorn, fried dough, and something sweet I couldn’t … Read more