Meanwhile, Gloria is playing manager and carting off Pazito to every audition every chance she gets. Here’s the thing: If Pazito were actually a good enough actor, he would’ve been booking work more easily after appearing in one of those Scorpius Hawthorne films. Having a small role in arguably the biggest fantasy franchise of their time surely should have led to other opportunities by now, but if that wasn’t enough to brighten his star, then that kid isn’t shining.

Maybe Gloria should raise their nine-year-old to develop some practical skills sooner rather than later so Pazito doesn’t grow up to be “distracted by big dreams” as she once accused Frankie when he forgot the anniversary of their loveless marriage.

He’s too upset to even focus on the news anymore. He gets out of bed, leaving the remote, and carries his phone back to the kitchen to see if he can reach Rolando while treating himself to another beer.

Frankie knows this End Day is his ticket out of debt and—if he’s lucky—this family.

Gloria Dario

5:19 a.m.

Death-Cast did not call Gloria Dario because she is not dying today, not that she should even be reachable, since her husband doesn’t want this family registered for this service, but Gloria signed up everyone behind his back anyway.

All her life, Gloria has been a planner.

Every morning she wakes up and knows what she’s preparing for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Every night she checks the weather and lays out her clothes for the next day. She keeps running to-do lists in tiny spiral notebooks that she purchases from the ninety-nine-cent store to stay on track, and practically lives for that thrill of checking off her tasks, no matter how small. She arrives to every appointment at least forty-five minutes early because the subway can be so unpredictable. She preps Pazito’s Halloween costume in August with fittings in September and final dress rehearsals in the first week of October. (Thankfully Pazito never changes his mind at the last minute, though she has a bin of fabrics and crafts in the closet just in case.) And even though it’s grim business and she doesn’t have much to leave behind, Gloria prepared her will during her first year of motherhood and pushed Frankie to do the same to ensure that Pazito will be taken care of after they’re gone.

Planning her life has always helped Gloria feel in control. But death has never been something she can plan as accurately until now.