Chapter 267: The Good Times Are Coming

XENOIS   From the back seat, I heard Riley's voice cut through Ollie's explanation. "That's not how it's supposed to happen. This is double cringe."   "It has to happen this way!" Ollie defended, his voice taking on that stubborn quality that reminded me forcefully of myself at that age. "Otherwise the next plot point doesn't make sense."   "The next plot point is also cringe," Lake observed. "This whole show is cringe. Why are we watching it?"   "Because it's good!" Ollie insisted. "Just because something has cringe moments doesn't mean it's bad overall. You have to look at the bigger picture."   "The bigger picture is still cringe," Riley said, but I caught the hint of a smile in his voice. Actual amusement, breaking through the medication's emotional dampening. "But I guess we can keep watching."   "Thank you," Ollie said with exaggerated dignity. "Your sacrifice is noted."   They dissolved into quiet laughter----all three of them----and I felt something in my chest unclench. This w