Veronica leaned back in the booth, resting her hands around her half-finished coffee as she watched Julian disappear down the hallway toward the restrooms. A small smile pyed on her lips.

  He seemed… different now.

  Not in a bad way—just noticeably changed. Before, he would barely talk to her unless he had to, often brushing her off with short replies or that tired, distant look in his eyes. But today? He joked. He made eye contact. He actually talked to her.

  It warmed her in a way she didn’t realize she’d been craving.

  “Sixteen,” she murmured to herself, exhaling. “They grow up too fast.”

  She chuckled softly, brushing a hand through her brown hair and sipping her coffee again.

  That’s when she noticed a man near the counter waving down a waitress, his face pale, movements jittery and urgent as he pointed toward the hallway Julian had gone down.

  Veronica’s brow creased.

  She slid out of the booth, leaving her coffee behind, and started moving toward them.

  “Ma’am—please, I saw her push him in,” the man was saying, voice tense and panicked. “She forced him in there. That’s not okay.”

  Veronica’s heart dropped.

  He didn’t say Julian’s name—but her son had just walked that way. And the timing… it lined up too perfectly.

  She stepped up just as the waitress gave a dismissive sigh and crossed her arms.

  “He’s probably just seeing things,” the waitress said ftly. “He’s a man. They get confused easily.”

  Veronica’s eyes narrowed.

  “Open. The. Door.”

  The waitress blinked, clearly caught off guard.

  “Now,” Veronica said sharply, stepping closer, her voice cool and dangerous. “Or I swear, if you make me say it again, you won’t have a job to come back to.”

  The waitress faltered, her smugness quickly draining from her face.

  “…Alright. Fine. This way.”

  They moved quickly, weaving through the lobby toward the hallway. Veronica didn’t speak. Her steps were fast, focused, fists clenched at her sides.

  The unisex bathroom was at the end of the corridor, a cheap, metal door with a minated sign. The waitress fumbled with the keys.

  Veronica’s pulse thudded in her ears.Maybe it’s nothing, she told herself. Maybe he just slipped or something.Maybe—

  The lock clicked.

  The door swung open.

  And whatever maybe she had vanished the second she saw her—that woman—shoving Julian into the wall, her body pressed too close, her hands grabbing too much.

  Veronica didn’t think. She moved.

  “Get the fuck off of him!” she shouted, her voice cracking the air like a whip.

  The woman barely had time to turn her head before Veronica smmed into her, knocking her aside with a force she didn’t know she still had. The woman stumbled, hitting the floor hard.

  Julian’s back hit the wall again as he slid down it, wide-eyed, trembling, shirt torn and face wet with silent tears.

  Veronica’s heart shattered.

  Her baby—her boy—looked so lost. So small. So hurt.

  She dropped to her knees beside him.

  “Julian,” she breathed, cupping his face gently. “It’s okay. I’m here. You’re safe now, sweetheart. She’s not touching you again.”

  The woman on the floor groaned, scrambling to get up, her eyes darting toward the hallway.

  Veronica was up in an instant.

  “Oh no you don’t.”

  She grabbed the woman by the colr just as she tried to bolt, yanked her backward, and with one swift, practiced motion—Crack.

  The woman colpsed, unconscious.

  Veronica didn’t waste another second.

  She tore off her coat and crouched back beside Julian, carefully wrapping it around him. His hands clutched at the sleeves like they were a lifeline. He was still shaking.

  “Come on, baby,” she whispered, helping him to his feet, keeping one arm steady around his shoulders. “Let’s get you out of here.”

  They stepped out into the hallway, then through the lobby. People stared—but no one said a word.

  Julian was crying now, quietly, his face pressed into her side as she led him toward the front doors.

  Veronica gnced over her shoulder as they passed the waitress.

  “She’s out cold,” Veronica said ftly.

  The waitress nodded, eyes wide. “I-I called the cops already. They’re on their way.”

  Veronica gave her one st look—sharp, unreadable—then pulled Julian closer and walked him out into the parking lot.

  The cold air hit them like a wave. Julian didn’t flinch, just leaned into her side, eyes bnk, legs moving on autopilot. She popped the passenger door open and gently guided him inside.

  He didn’t speak. Didn’t look at her. His arms were still clinging to her coat, knuckles white.

  Veronica crouched beside the open door and pulled him into a hug, holding him tightly. He didn’t resist—just melted into her touch like he was too tired to do anything else.

  “I’ve got you, baby,” she murmured against his temple, brushing a hand through his messy hair. “You’re okay now. Just breathe, alright? You’re safe.”

  She stayed like that until his shoulders stopped shaking. Even then, she hesitated, making sure he wasn’t just forcing himself still.

  Only when he finally loosened his grip did she slowly back away.

  Veronica walked around the car and slid into the driver’s seat. She gnced at him once more before starting the engine.

  Silence filled the cabin, heavy and raw.

  As they pulled out of the lot, Veronica’s grip tightened around the steering wheel. The lines of her face softened, but her jaw remained clenched. Julian stared quietly out the window, eyes distant.

  “Y’know,” she said softly, trying to keep her tone light, “you’ve been getting a lot better at joking with me tely.”

  No response.

  She gnced at him, then looked back at the road. “I mean it. You used to just grunt and lock yourself in your room.” But today… you actually smiled. I’ve missed that.”

  Still nothing. But his shoulders weren’t as tense anymore.

  She tapped her fingers on the wheel, then reached toward the screen on the dashboard. “Hang on…”

  A few button presses ter, soft music began pying through the speakers—something acoustic, stripped-down, raw.

  Julian blinked, eyes slowly shifting toward the stereo.

  The melody was simple, a little off-key, but warm. A guy’s voice—young and unsure—started singing over the chords. The lyrics were clumsy but honest, like someone had written them in their bedroom at 2 a.m., heart on their sleeve.

  Julian tilted his head. “Wait…”

  A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

  “…Did I make this?”

  Veronica smiled gently. “You did. A year ago. One of your first recordings.”

  He let out a soft, breathy ugh. “God, it’s terrible.”

  “Hey,” she said, feigning offense. “It’s not that bad.”

  “No, it’s really bad,” he said, voice raspy, but that faint smile remained. “Like… I was trying to sound deep, but it just sounds like I stubbed my toe while holding a guitar.”

  Veronica ughed—a real, grateful ugh—and for the first time since they left the restaurant, the air in the car felt a little lighter.

  “Still,” she said, gncing at him again, “I’ll take that ugh over silence any day.”

  Julian didn’t say anything more, but he leaned back in the seat, eyes still distant, yet not as hollow as before. The music pyed on, shaky vocals filling the space between them as the road stretched out ahead.

  And for now… that was enough.

  The quiet hum of the car filled the space between them. Julian leaned his head against the window, breath fogging a small patch of gss. Veronica kept gncing over, her hand resting nearby in case he needed it again.

  “...Mom?”His voice was low, hesitant.

  Veronica looked at him, her heart already tightening at how fragile he sounded.

  “Yeah, sweetie?”

  “Can you… not tell Dad?”He didn’t look at her when he said it. His eyes stayed on the gss, fingers fidgeting in his p. “I don’t want him to worry. He’s already been through enough.”

  Veronica blinked. That soft tone—so careful, so concerned for someone else—cut deeper than he probably knew. Even now, after everything, he was thinking about his father’s feelings before his own.

  She gave a small nod, her throat too tight for words at first. “Okay,” she finally said. “I won’t say anything… not unless you want me to.”

  Julian nodded once, slowly. The rest of the drive passed in near silence, save for the soft thrum of tires on the road.

  When they pulled into the driveway, the morning sun casting soft shadows across the front wn, Veronica gave him one more gnce.

  “You okay?”

  Julian hesitated. Then he nodded, just barely. “Yeah.”

  He wasn’t. She could see it. But she also knew pushing right now wouldn’t help. Instead, she stepped out and came around to his side. He moved on instinct, falling into step beside her as they walked toward the front door.

  Before they even made it up the steps, it swung open.

  Two girls stood in the doorway, their expressions lighting up at the same time.

  “There he is!” one of them beamed—tall, with long dirty blonde hair and sharp hazel eyes that immediately scanned him up and down.

  The other girl practically pushed past her, her brown eyes wide. “Julian! You’re finally back!”

  Both sisters had clearly been waiting, anticipation all over their faces. Julian blinked at them, still dazed. The taller one reached out and gently tugged him inside by the arm, not yet seeing the heaviness in his eyes.

  Veronica lingered for just a moment longer, watching the three of them with a bittersweet ache in her chest.

  Her son was finally home.

  cuzzies

  Don't we all want a Veronica, props to her!