For a second, nobody at the table moved.
Then Haley grinned imdiately.
"Oh this is going to be funny."
Claire adjusted the shopping bags on her arm and started walking toward them, still looking faintly amused.
"What exactly is funny?" Gael asked quietly.
"You, trapped at the mall with both of us," Alex answered.
"That sounds like you've been reading psychology blogs again."
"I have been reading psychology blogs."
Of course she had.
Claire reached the table a mont later.
"Well," she said while looking between the three of them, "this explains why Haley ignored three of my texts."
Haley looked entirely unashad.
"I was shopping."
"I can see that."
Claire's eyes moved briefly toward the growing pile of bags around the table.
Then toward Gael.
"You survived?"
"Barely."
"That's dramatic," Haley complained.
"You bought decorative candles."
"They sll expensive."
Claire imdiately nodded in understanding.
"Fair purchase."
Gael stared at both won in betrayal.
"No. Absolutely not. I refuse to normalize scented financial decisions."
Alex nearly laughed into her drink.
The conversation settled naturally after that.
Too naturally, honestly.
Claire pulled out a chair beside the table after Haley insisted she sit for a minute, and within seconds it sohow felt like she'd always been there.
Easy rhythm.
Overlapping sarcasm.
Alex correcting people automatically.
Family energy.
"What did you even buy?" Claire asked Haley.
Haley started pulling random things from bags proudly while Claire inspected them with varying levels of concern.
At one point she held up the sweater Gael had been bullied into buying earlier.
"Oh, this is nice."
Gael narrowed his eyes imdiately.
"You too?"
Claire looked confused.
"What?"
"They say it makes look emotionally available."
Claire blinked once.
Then laughed unexpectedly.
Not polite laughter.
Real laughter.
"Oh no," she said while still smiling. "That's exactly what it does."
Alex pointed triumphantly.
"Vindication."
"This family is gaslighting ."
Haley leaned against his shoulder laughing while Claire shook her head, still amused.
Honestly?
Monts like this kept catching Gael off guard.
The fact that sitting in a crowded mall food court with Claire and her daughters sohow felt… normal now.
"So," Claire said while taking a sip of coffee, "whose idea was this shopping trip?"
Haley pointed at Alex imdiately.
"She said he dresses like a venture capitalist who fears color."
"That's because he does," Alex replied.
Gael looked genuinely offended.
"I'm wearing gray."
"Exactly."
Claire visibly tried not to laugh again.
Failed imdiately.
"That was kind of accurate."
"This is targeted harassnt."
Haley grinned smugly.
"You're outnumbered."
Unfortunately true.
A few minutes later, Claire checked the ti on her phone and sighed.
"I should probably head ho before your father accidentally buys another kitchen appliance online."
"That sounds specific," Gael said.
"He discovered sa-day shipping."
"That explains the panic."
Claire stood slowly, gathering her bags again.
Then paused briefly while looking at the shopping pile around their table.
"You need help carrying all this?"
Haley imdiately pointed at Gael.
"I brought support muscle."
"That feels exploitative."
"It's partnership."
Claire smiled faintly while adjusting one of the bags on her shoulder.
"Well. Try not to bankrupt him."
"No promises," Haley replied.
Claire shook her head fondly before starting to leave.
Then glanced back once more toward Gael.
"Oh—and the sweater actually does look good on you."
Simple comnt.
Casual.
Still, sothing about the tiny satisfaction in Haley and Alex's expressions imdiately afterward made Gael suspicious.
"…You planned that."
"We absolutely did," Alex admitted.
Haley looked unbearably pleased with herself.
"Mom complints an more. They're rare."
"That's because she uses criticism as cardio," Alex explained.
Across the food court, Claire heard that and pointed backward without turning around.
"I heard that!"
Alex smirked slightly.
"See? Terrifying."
User Comments
0 comments from readers