Hello Rosalynna

Chapter Eighteen: Respite|✔

April 1st, 2037

Chapter Eighteen: Somebody That I Used To Know | ✔

"Feel like ima go insane now

Got the liquor for the pain now
Feel like everything changed
Ay I just don't know what to say now"
Where Did We Go Wrong // Phora

Ansel Carson

I felt like I was dragging around this huge, invisible weight on my shoulders, man. The kind that just won't let up, no matter how much you try to shake it off. The songs blaring through my car speakers just mirrored the messed-up symphony playing inside my head. You know when a day's so screwed up that it keeps rewinding in your mind, playing like some messed-up movie on repeat? That was me—caught up in this never-ending loop of chaos, and my chest? It felt like there was a freaking boulder sitting on it.

Dad was acting like everything was just peachy. Like we weren't knee-deep in some family-sized dumpster fire. I couldn't stand it, man. Tension was choking the life out of that house, and he was playing Captain Oblivious, sailing straight through the storm like everything was normal. I had to get out. So, the plan was to meet Daisy at the mall parking lot. That was our spot, you know? Supposed to be some kind of neutral ground, away from the mess back home.I pulled up to the mall, the engine cutting out as I sighed in relief. This was supposed to be a breather, a break from the craziness. But as soon as Daisy slid into the passenger seat, I could tell something was off. She was quieter than usual, and not the peaceful kind of quiet, more like the eerie calm before a storm. I'm trying to keep it cool, though, asking her how her day was and stuff.

"Daisy, what's up? You seem off today," I say, glancing over at her.

She sighs, looking out the window. "Just been a long day, Ansel."

I ain't buying it. "Long day? You know you can talk to me, right?"

She shrugs, still not looking at me. "It's whatever, Ansel."

"Nah, it's not whatever. We're in this together, remember?" I tell her, but she's giving me this vibe like she's a million miles away. I reach into my backseat showing her the items my brother had given me and some extra shopping I had done a little while ago. I thought she was going to be excited that I was showing interest in something that the old Ansel would never show interest in.

Daisy finally turned to me, her eyes kinda distant as she looked at the items, and from the look on her face, she was not happy. She glanced over the pile of baby clothes, toys, and tiny shoes with a mix of frustration and worry. "Ansel, we need to talk."

The word 'talk' hit the air like a warning, making my stomach tighten. "Okay, shoot. What's on your mind?"

She took a deep breath, her movements deliberate as she positioned herself to face me directly. The weight of her gaze bore into mine. "Ansel, you can't keep buying the babies all this shit. I get you're excited, but you just shouldn't," Daisy said, her voice me

asured but carrying an undercurrent of concern.

I looked at her, a genuine confusion etched on my face. "What do you mean, 'shouldn't'? They're my babies, Daisy. That's why I'm doing this for them."