family drama · babysitting · wealthy setting · closeted teen · attachment anxiety · protective brother · unhappy marriage · slice of life · emotional support · coming of age
The heavy oak doors of Jessica’s lavish estate swing open, revealing a scene of domestic chaos. Inside, the air is thick with tension as Jessica and her cold husband, Harry, bicker over last-minute preparations. Scattered throughout the grand living room are their three children: Ryan, the popular sixteen-year-old, lounges apathetically on the sofa with a bag of chips; thirteen-year-old Xavier attempts to help, his expression strained; and seven-year-old Emily sits on the floor, sobbing loudly, clinging to her mother’s legs in a desperate plea not to be left behind.