Don't use the serum

You decide that drugging your family is a pretty horrible thing to do and ground yourself by letting go of those crazy fantasies.

You put the vial back and decide to better try it out on someone else. You sigh and mentally prepare your apology for Linda. Better not to wake her up early. You go to the kitchen and make yourself a coffee.

Ashley enters the room in her pajamas and rolls her eyes when she sees you. You step aside and she pours herself a glass of orange juice, as she does every morning.

You: "Good Morning, Ashley."

Ashley (grunts): "..."

You: "Talkative as always I see."

Ashley: "What do you expect after yesterday?"

You: "I just want us to get along somehow."

Ashley: "Well, you don't achieve that by shouting."

You: "I know. I'm sorry for that, but we both know you're not making it any easier for me."

You sit down with your coffee at the table. Ashley conveys her feelings for you with one simple facial expression: Her classic resting bitch face.

Then she takes a sip of her orange juice.

You: "I just want to talk things over, okay?"

Ashley: "I don't think so, Adam."

You: "Maybe you hear me out first?"

Ashley: "I don't care what you have to say. It's just more of the same bullshit anyway. You either treat me like a teenager - which I am not, or like you have any kind of authority over me - which you have not. And when nothing works you resort to shouting."

You can already feel the anger bubbling up. It was just so unfair. Her words ring through your head and the last thing you can do now is to prove her right and explode. Ashley looks like she is expecting just that. You take a deep breath and manage to fake a weak smile. You decide that you don't have the energy for this bullshit right now.

You: "All I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry about yesterday. I really am, okay? I know you hate my guts and all that, but this constant fighting between us is hurting your mum, badly. Do you hate me more than you love her?"

Ashley: "What's that supposed to mean?"

You: "I mean we could just... not provoke each other maybe? For her sake?"

Ashley (grunts): "I'll think about it."

You: "Wow, that is the most approving sentence you ever said to me!"

Ashley: "Whatever..."

She is actually smiling for a split second, before quickly regaining her resting bitch face. You pour a glass of water for Linda and leave the kitchen to go upstairs.

You enter the bedroom. The first sun rays dimly shine through the curtains, but Linda is still asleep. She's not s a light sleeper usually, but opens her eyes as you approach the bed.

She frowns.

The first thing Linda wants when she wakes up is to drink a glass of water. Without saying anything, you hold out your hand with the glass of water. She looks at you grumpily while you try to look apologetic.

Linda takes the glass from your hand and empties it. She puts the empty glass on her nightstand, sits up, and looks back at you.

Linda (bitter): "Did you want to say anything?"

You: "Well, uhm, yes. I wanted to talk about last night."

Linda: "Well I'm listening."

You: "I just wanted to tell you that I shouldn't have shouted, but I really hope you can see where I'm coming from."

Linda (scoffs): "Is this your idea of an apology?"

You: "Uh... No, of course not."

You have to swallow your pride or you'll be in the doghouse all day.

You: "I was an idiot and I just went apocalyptic when it wasn't appropriate at all. I should have kept my cool."

Linda: "Yes, you should have. I mean, I get your frustration, but you need to keep it in check. How can anyone even have such a short fuse?"

You (sigh): "I guess I was just overworked and hungry. But on the upside, I already talked to Ashley earlier and it actually went pretty well."

Linda: "Oh? What did she say?"

You: "She kind of admitted that she provoked me on purpose, but she won't do it anymore because it hurts you."

Linda: "Ashley said that?"

You: "In her way... I think."

Linda: "I see..."

There is a moment of silence and you are not sure how to break it. Linda seems less pissed off than earlier, but she was still a long way from happy.

Linda: "I gotta take a shower."

You: "Alright... I'll make us some breakfast then, okay?"

Linda (slightly softer): "Yes, that would be nice."

You go back downstairs while Linda is in the bathroom. Ashley is about to leave, her dirty dishes left on the table as usual.

You: "You're not gonna clean that up, aren't you?"

The door closes without Ashley acknowledging your existence. You wonder if you should've used the serum on her after all. You shake off the thought and clean up her mess. You prepare some breakfast and Linda arrives just in time to eat with you. She wears a pretty blue dress that shows more cleavage than her usual repertoire. You take it as a good sign, even though she doesn't look much happier than before.

[PHONE RING]

Linda: "It's my sister-in-law. We're meeting for coffee."

You sigh. The so-called 'sister-in-law' is the sister of Linda's dead husband who died a hundred years ago in a car accident. So technically, Carrie is just her best friend now. She certainly isn't your sister. Linda made it clear a long time ago that she would forever consider Chris' side of the family as her own. Part of the 'deal' you had to agree to, was to be with her. You remember lots of deals like that. That's also the reason that there were pictures of the dead guy in every fucking room of the house.

Linda: "Hey Carrie!"

Linda: "Sure, we just had breakfast."

Linda: "Oh, great. Will be nice to see him again after so long."

Linda: "A blue summer dress, why?"

Linda: "Oh, I remember. Well, I don't see why not. By the way, Adam says 'Hi'."

Linda: "Yes."

Linda: "Yeah, I'll be there. Bye."

Linda hangs up.

You: "I say 'hi'?"

Linda: "Oh, come on, it's just polite."

You (shrug): "If you say so."

Linda: "Well anyway, I have to go. We'll meet in a café near her place."

You: "Right, I'll just pretend this wasn't a totally suspicious conversation."

Linda: "Is it your goal in life to ruin every single conversation we have?"

You (sigh): "No, I'm sorry. Why don't you let me drive you? It's the least I can do."

Linda: "T-That's not necessary."

Linda acts strange, but you let it go. The last thing you need right now is another fight. Linda gets her purse and within minutes is ready to go.

Linda: "Oh, damn. Ashley took my car. Can you drive me after all?"

You make sure she doesn't see you roll your eyes.

You: "Sure, let's go."

In the Car

You arrive at the café and Linda opens her seatbelt.

You: "When should I pick you up?"

Linda: "Oh don't worry about it; I'll ask Carrie to drive me or just take a cab maybe."

You: "Are you sure? It's not like I got anything better to do."

Linda: "I'll text you, alright?"

She leaves without so much as a kiss on the cheek and you sit in the car for a moment, wondering if she even cares about you. You watch Linda walk inside the café and see her meet Carrie there. Then you notice another man greeting Linda. His face seems familiar, but you are not sure. You wonder who he is. Did Carrie have a new boyfriend? Why was he invited, but you weren't? You consider going inside but decide against it. After everything that happened recently, this would just cause more trouble.

You start your car reluctantly and realize, you have some time to kill. And you still have the serum...