“Mom… it hurts.”

“Why didn’t you tell us what was going on? Your sister said this has been since yesterday.”

“Because I thought you would get mad at me for using the roll bandages… I thought they’d help me.”

“We’re not mad, dear. Your father and I have been worried about you. Connor and Cait, too.”

“Connor told you?”

“No, Mrs. Grunt did. Connor was so worried he had a hard time focusing, she told me.”

“Why was everyone so worried about me?”

“Because if you kept this up, you could get really hurt or sick. But I’m guessing you learned that on your own, didn’t you?”

“Yeah…”

“There’s not much to do now but rest, I suppose. Your father and I will be home all day, so let us know if you need anything, alright?”

“Okay.”

“Watcher, it’s so damn hot. Breathing hurts. Maybe I should take this off…”

“… But… If I take it off, I’m gonna have to look at my boobs until I’m probably 30!”

“But it hurts… It’d be a good time for a shoulder angel and devil right about now.”

*cough**cough*

“Reneeeeeeeee? Are you smoking? Everyone can hear you coughing and I’ve always wanted to try-”

“Cait don’t come i-”

“Ummm… What happened to your chest and why do you look like you’re about to die?”

“I told you not to come in here! J-Just… Just don’t tell mom or dad, okay?”

“Hmmmmm….”

“Pleeeeaaaaase?”

“How abooooouuuut… No.”

“What!? Why not?”

“Because you could, like, end up in the hospital!”

“But what about my chest?”

“Wait, that’s what this rib-cage crushing is about?”

“Well, duh.”

“Okay, think about it like this. You’re giving up breathing to get rid of your boobs, right?”

“Not exactly, but…”

“Okay, would you or would you not spend a day with, like, 50 cats if it meant your boobs disappearing.”

“Eeeuuughh… Oh, Watcher, no! I don’t wanna die!”

“Then take the bandages off.”

“One o’clock at last! I can’t wait to get home and bake cookies with mom and– Renee?”

“Renee, you don’t look so good.”

“Hah… I’m fine. Really. Just need to catch my breath.”

“I don’t think that wrap thing was a good idea, Did you tell your mom you were doing this?”

“No, she’d kill me.”

“But you don’t look well at all. Please, just, tell your mom, or someone! You’re my best friend. I’ve never done what you’re doing right now, but I don’t think this pain is worth it. You can barely breathe, for goodness sake!”

“Connor, I don’t… I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”

“Please take care of yourself. Pretty please?”

“So, Cait, what did you get on the SimMerican History test?”

“A D+! Ugh, Tycho, why is Mrs. Landgraab so mean?”

“I don’t think she’s mean. I got an A, and the test wasn’t that hard.”

“Well, duh, your dad is, like, a psychic tyranist! No wonder you’re so smart!”

“… A psychiatrist.”

“Yeah, that! Tutor me, pleeeeaaaase.”

‘I’ve started taking better care of myself ever since realizing exactly what the hell is wrong with me. But I still hate showers…’

‘What I’ve learned is it’s usually best to keep my eyes closed.’

‘Sometimes I expect to see something different when I finally open them. I dunno why. It’s kinda dumb to get my hopes up like that, isn’t it?’

‘I tried doing what they do in movies, but I guess it wasn’t tight enough. If mom asks where the bandage rolls went, I could be toast! I can’t use too much.’

‘There. Almost like a male surfer model. Kinda hurts, but it shouldn’t be too bad, right?’

“So Val was telling me one of her next door neighbors got some kinda night shift; one of those professional party guests, apparently? I guess he comes home nearly every night drunkenly singing whatever song he feels like at the top of his lungs. Val’s son sleeps right through it like a log, but her cat-”

“Sorry to interrupt, but, how do we win this, Lillith?”

“Win what? Shutting up noisy neighbors?”

“No, what I mean is, how do we get the best solution to this Smuggsworth thing? I thought Michael was gonna handle it just fine, but… He just seems so upset, and I don’t want to make him left out or anything, you know? But Rebecca needs a challenge, too, and I just… I just don’t know.”

“That’s exactly what I was afraid would happen.”