The viewing should have ended after twenty minutes.
Instead, the entire family sohow remained at the house nearly an hour later while Phil and Luke tested patio furniture "for structural integrity."
This mostly involved Luke trying to jump between chairs while Claire threatened consequences from across the yard.
Gael stood near the back fence, looking between the two properties.
From here, the distance between the yards felt almost nonexistent.
A short gate.
A few steps across the grass.
That was it.
Close enough to hear conversations if the windows stayed open.
Close enough to beco a habit very quickly.
"You're actually considering it."
Claire's voice pulled his attention sideways.
She walked over, carrying two bottles of water, before handing him one.
No audience now.
No family noise directly around them.
Just the sounds drifting from farther across the yard:
Phil arguing with Luke,
Haley laughing at sothing Gloria said,
Jay pretending not to supervise everyone.
Gael took the bottle.
"It's a good property."
Claire smiled slightly.
"That's still not really an answer."
Fair.
He leaned lightly against the fence while looking back toward the house again.
"I like the location."
"That sounds suspiciously diplomatic."
"You live next door."
"There it is."
Her smile widened briefly before fading into sothing more thoughtful.
Honestly, Claire looked different here too.
Not "mom hosting chaos."
Not organizing dinner.
Not managing everyone.
Just standing in the afternoon sun with loose hair and rolled sleeves, talking quietly while the family scattered around the backyard behind them.
Comfortable image.
Potentially dangerous observation.
Claire followed his gaze toward the two houses.
"You realize Phil's going to start treating this like a sitcom neighbor situation."
"That sounds inevitable."
"He'll invent reasons to borrow tools he already owns."
"That sounds specific."
"Experience."
Gael laughed quietly.
Then Claire glanced toward him again.
"You staying this close…" She paused briefly. "It changes things."
Both of them understood this wasn't:
Haley's boyfriend visiting sotis anymore.
This was permanence.
Routine.
Access.
And maybe that realization unsettled her slightly more than she expected.
"Bad things?" he asked.
Claire shook her head slowly.
"No." Then, quieter: "Just different."
The wind shifted softly through the yard between them.
From the other side of the fence, Haley's voice suddenly carried across the grass.
"Why are you two hiding over there?"
Claire imdiately stepped back half a pace.
Automatic reaction.
Haley walked toward them with narrowed eyes and visible curiosity already building.
"You disappeared again," she said while slipping naturally beside Gael.
Claire rolled her eyes lightly.
"We were talking about property taxes like adults."
Haley looked between both of them for another second.
Then toward the neighboring backyard.
Then back toward the house.
A slow smile spread across her face.
"Oh, my God." "I could walk over whenever I wanted."
"That's already basically your current lifestyle," Alex called from the patio.
Haley ignored her completely.
"You could have movie nights whenever."
"We could use the pool at night."
"You'd finally have enough garage space for your car."
Every sentence made her sound more emotionally committed to the idea.
That excitent was becoming contagious.
Phil suddenly appeared behind them carrying a grilling spatula for absolutely no reason.
"I vote yes."
"Nobody asked you," Claire replied.
"I'm creating democracy."
"That's not how democracy works," Alex muttered from sowhere behind him.
Phil pointed dramatically between the two houses.
"Imagine the neighborhood synergy."
Claire physically covered part of her face with one hand.
But when Gael glanced toward her again—
she was still looking at the house.
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