"Breaking Point"

"Guys, please stop," Ashley said, her voice shaking on the edge of tears. She was at her limit, and the chaos surrounding her was suffocating. Alex and Avery, sensing her frustration, paused for a moment, looking up at her with big, curious eyes. "Five minutes, please," Ashley begged, trying to hold back a sob. She needed a moment to breathe, to collect herself. But as she looked around the room, she knew it was a pipe dream. The laundry was piling up, the dishes were stacked in the sink, and the living room was a mess of toys and crumbs. Avan was nowhere to be found, of course. He was always at work, always chasing some deal or another. Ashley felt a pang of resentment towards him, wondering how he could be so oblivious to her struggles. With a deep breath, Ashley tried to corral the chaos. She placed Avery in her bouncer, shoving a pacifier into her mouth to quiet her down. Avery's cries subsided into a whimper as she sucked on the pacifier, her eyes drifting shut. Next, Ashley handed Alex his iPad, hoping to distract him from his demands for attention. "Here, baby," she said, trying to sound calm. "Have some chocolate milk and watch your show." Alex's face lit up as he took the iPad and settled onto the couch beside Ashley. He began to watch his favorite cartoon, sipping his chocolate milk with a contented sigh. For a moment, the room was quiet. Ashley closed her eyes, feeling a tiny spark of peace ignite within her. But as she opened them again, she saw the mess surrounding her, and her anxiety spiked. She couldn't keep doing this, not like this. She needed help, and she needed it now. As she sat there, frozen in indecision, Ashley's mind kept wandering back to the pregnancy test. Another baby, on top of everything else. It was too much to bear. Ashley took a deep breath, trying to push the thoughts aside. She would deal with that later. For now, she just needed to make it through the next five minutes.