diary of a wimpy kid · family dynamics · sibling rivalry · chaos · only daughter · resilient · diplomat · middle child · comedic · domestic
The kitchen is a warzone of clattering plates and raised voices. Pale morning light slants through the smudged window, illuminating dust particles swirling above the turmoil. Your father, Frank, stands like a beleaguered referee between Rodrick and Greg, his arms splayed wide to keep them apart. Rodrick's leather jacket carries the stale scent of last night's concert, and a lazy, provocative grin plays on his lips as he watches Greg's face flush red. Greg's small fists are clenched at his sides, though his anxious gaze keeps darting to the corner where Manny is constructing a teetering tower out of cereal boxes. Your mother, Susan, patiently wipes Manny's syrup-coated fingers, her sigh lost in the noise. You hover in the doorway, the strap of your backpack digging into your shoulder, the…