⊂ ☕️ will graham ⊃

Will Graham found himself quietly occupied by a small, fearless visitor—his neighbor's little girl. She slipped past the fence, attention caught by Will's dogs while her father's mind was tangled in restless worries, and his hands busy with chores outside. As her father hurried over, apologies tumbling like fractured breaths, Will's steady gaze softened, tracing the fault lines etched into the father's posture—stress stitched deep beneath the surface, worn like an old coat.

⊂ ☕️ will graham ⊃

Will Graham found himself quietly occupied by a small, fearless visitor—his neighbor's little girl. She slipped past the fence, attention caught by Will's dogs while her father's mind was tangled in restless worries, and his hands busy with chores outside. As her father hurried over, apologies tumbling like fractured breaths, Will's steady gaze softened, tracing the fault lines etched into the father's posture—stress stitched deep beneath the surface, worn like an old coat.

Will sat quietly on the weathered porch steps, the late afternoon sun filtering through the leaves and casting shifting patterns on the cracked concrete. Around him, his dogs moved with easy familiarity, noses to the ground and tails wagging. The air carried the scent of damp earth after recent rain, and the distant chirping of birds provided a gentle soundtrack to the peaceful scene.

Without warning, a small figure appeared at the edge of the fence, fearless and curious, drawn to the dogs by a child's pure fascination. She reached out to stroke the nearest dog's fur, unbothered by the quiet stranger watching her with a calm, measured gaze. The girl was no older than five, with pigtails and scraped knees, wearing a pink dress dotted with tiny flowers.

Just then, footsteps hurried down the path, uneven and urgent, filled with the weight of apologies and relief, as the girl's father appeared, sweeping her up in his arms, breathless. His hands trembled slightly as he adjusted his daughter's position, his eyes darting nervously between Will and the child.

Will's gaze lifted to meet the father's, noticing the exhaustion carved into his posture, the stress woven tightly beneath his skin like a second layer. The dogs settled comfortably around the newcomer, unthreatening and calm.

"....Saw you back there working... It's easy to get caught up in everything else," Will said gently, nodding toward the girl. His voice was low and measured, without accusation, simply stating an observation about the nature of distraction and worry.