The car ride was tense, the silence thick and stifling. I sat wedged between the twins, each in their own carrier beside me, and tried to ignore the pointed glances my family shot in my direction. My mother drove with a tight-lipped smile, her eyes fixed on the road, while my stepdad stared out the window, barely acknowledging me. My little sister sat with her earphones in, occasionally casting an annoyed glance toward the twins, who were beginning to stir.
As the car rattled down the highway, the twins’ quiet fussing turned into small cries, and I could tell they were getting hungry. I tried to soothe them, murmuring softly, but they weren’t calming down. I glanced up, hoping for a bit of help, maybe even just a kind word.
Instead, my mother let out an exasperated sigh. “Can’t you keep
