Tiny Glowing Screens|Daniel.Seavey

Shes electric- oasis.

We haven't left yet, I was planning on going shopping at 8 so I could be down with it. But now we're in the kitchen making breakfast while Johnny and Daniel dance around and forget about their food.

"Guys the eggs." I said with a mouth filled with coffee. "I got it." Johnny pulled me away, leaving Daniel with the cooking.

There was a knock on the side door. Only Beth could get to that and she's always quite angry so god knows what I've done now. "Hi. Are you okay?"

"I was just- I was wondering, if I pay you, do you think you could babysit?" I smiled. "You don't have to pay me. You got the friend's discount. Who am I babysitting?"

"My niece, she's only 6 but she's not too troubling, her name is Annalise." Beth stepped to the side. The little girl stood with her fingers in her mouth. "Did you want to come in for breakfast or are you busy?"

"I'm busy. Thank you. For- babysitting. Thank you for the breakfast yesterday, also. And, the other days." Annalise slowly made her way in. Standing awkwardly by my side. "She's shy."

"That's okay. I'm making dinner for a bunch of people. You're more than welcome to join us if you would like. We can wait for you."

"I'll see." She wasn't really angry, apparently it was just her face. "Behave. I'll be back later." Kissing Annalise on the head, she rushed off, driving quicker than she usually does.

"She must be late." I laughed. "She has lost of things to do." I hummed. "Makes sense. You want something to eat?"

"I ate before." I pulled her hands from her mouth, trying to smile without seeming weird. "That's okay. You can eat some more. Food is fuel."

"Are you vegan?" Johnny asked with a mouth full of bacon, turning away to laugh as Daniel did the same. "Ignore them. They're idiots. What would you like?"

She was quite small for her age. I can't imagine she enjoys it. She seemed pretty mad about the fact that she couldn't see the top of the counter.

"Oh my cod. Ginny you've finally found somebody shorter than you." Lifting Annalise from the floor, I swung her forward, watching them both run toward the back. "That's what I thought."

Sitting her on the counter, Daniel made his way back over, kissing my cheek. "What you want Anna?" He mumbled. "I don't know."

"She can't have orange juice remember. Or tomato's." I had to write it down or I'd forget. The fridge was so full it was impossible to find a place for it. "Bacon and hash browns? I can make you a nice sauce if you wanted to try something."

"What sauce?" She pouts. "Maybe a barbecue sauce? Yeah. I saw the little light in your eyes. I'll make you some sauce-" smacking Daniel's hand away, I watched him turn to me.

Trying to act serious with a smile on his face. "That hurt quite a lot." Johnny had taken Annalise. Dancing around the kitchen without a care in the world.

She was so small, it was impossible not to smile at the size difference between them. Her hand was the size of his ear. "You wanna go shopping at twelve? We can get some lunch while we're out."

"I don't have the money. I barely have enough to get my food for the week." I said, trying not to complain because I had a good amount. "I'll buy lunch, I offered."

"You can get Annalise's lunch. I will see if I can get mine. If I go in my pyjamas do you think they'll judge me?"

"Who cares? I'm still in mine too. We all are actually. We can all just stay in our pyjamas. If you don't think you can go today then we can go tomorrow. Okay?"

"No I need to get it done. Do you have a car seat?" He pouts at me, humming quietly. "No."

"Shit- wait. No I think my mum might've left one here. It's gonna be so old. Weakest car seat in the world."

"It'll be fine. Anna, don't be acting like a dick while we're out cause i know where your dad's farm is and I know which goats don't fuck with you."

"Stop swearing. Seriously." She just kept following me around like a little puppy. She didn't speak much, sometimes I think people just don't have a lot to say.

She seemed pretty happy with just sitting and listening. "Why do you keep putting stuff back?" Daniel asked. "It's like three dollars."

"Olay?" It felt pretty stupid to even think it, so saying it out loud wasn't really an option. "I don't want it." Inflation has taken over my life. Also tax, because now I had to watch for two things.

I had more than my mum usually has so it should be okay. But the prices were just the same over here as they were there. So I might be screwed.

"This cannot be your food for the month." The month? The fuck does he think I am. "I should've gone on my own."

He scoffs, snatching the list from my hand. "There's like six things on here. How the hell are you still alive? I'm helping you."

"I don't want you to help. I said the same to Tyler. I'm saying the same to you." He hums. Reaching into my back pocket. "Don't remember asking actually. Seriously I'm surprised you haven't withered away. What do you eat for your dinner?"

"I- I don't know. I haven't really had to." Johnny had gone to the end aisle with Annalise. I'm not sure what they were doing but part of me was glad that they weren't here to witness it.

"Listen, you are allowed to ask for help. I really need you alive and well. If it makes you feel better, Johnny is gonna be eating this food too. He's at your house all the time."

"I don't want to. It feels weird. You can't be standing that close to me cause people gossip." He took one step back. "We're out of town, nobody cares. But I'll give you space. You don't need to stress, okay? Everything's fine."

"I feel like I could last at least two weeks with what I've got." His lips pursed, shaking his head at me. "No. Baby that's not even enough for three days. It's no wonder you're always tired."

"I'm always tired because my father haunts me in my sleep. My eating habits are my own." He really wasn't letting it go. I've never actually seen that much food in my own cart before, it just feels weird.

Paying was even worse. 30 was the limit I could have. I did the maths right so what I got was right and the tax was right.

It physically pained me, seeing those three numbers. Daniel didn't even flinch. Like it was the most normal thing in the world to spend that much on food.

I miss Tesco, I miss the 15p bread and the 20p soups. I miss the shitty chocolate. "Now we have to wait here for Johnny and Anna."

"300 dollars." I spoke quietly, my heart sinking the more I thought about it. "They're all essential, I made sure to only get foods you would class as essential. Stop worrying."

"I don't think I'm physically capable. I can feel myself getting weaker." Daniel gave up after a minute of waiting. We just waited in the car. We got everything packed in and I got to start panicking. He still wasn't back. "Ginny."

"It's easy for you to just spend that. I have spent my whole life checking every price and putting it back if it's higher than one. I hate taking money, it took me an hour to take Tyler's."

"You work, when you help Tyler with drinks or when you carry the deliveries in. When you stay until close and help with the dishes. You warm the money you're given. I understand that it's hard and I know I won't ever be able to understand it. But I can tell you now that you have done enough to afford that food."

"My mother had to work two jobs to afford half of what I just got." It was starting to hit me that I just got out of years of hard work she's put in.

"You have to think about the fact that she was paying for other things too, rent and debt and food, water and heating. No doubt that your father wasn't much help. You deserve to live a better life. She would not be mad at you for accepting some help. It's not even help because you have literally worked for the money."

"Feels wrong still." Kissing my forehead, he brushes his finger over my cheek. "I'm not saying it's easy. I'm saying you deserve it. It will get easier. I promise it gets easier."