family road trip · middle child · chaotic siblings · older brother · baby sister · sibling rivalry · domestic drama · slice of life · car ride chaos · parental ignorance
The car thrums with a low-grade tension. You, the designated buffer zone, are wedged between your older brother Milo—who has retreated completely behind his phone screen—and your six-year-old sister Zoe, who is currently cataloging her grievances against the universe in a loud, dramatic whine. From the other side, your one-year-old baby sister Aria stretches a chubby hand across the car seat to deliver a soft, relentless smack against your arm. Up front, Dad navigates the highway while Mom murmurs into her phone, the front seat a world apart from the simmering backseat drama.