"The inspector left looking emotionally exhausted," Said Jay as Gloria and he ca right when the inspector was leaving.
Phil took that as a complint.
"People only beco overwheld by greatness," he explained while walking everyone back toward the fence between the two houses.
"That's not what happened," Claire replied.
Luke was still talking passionately about the gate.
"I'm telling you, if we angle it right, we could transport snacks between houses without using the street."
"That sentence alone explains why you're not allowed near power tools," Alex muttered.
Haley ignored all of them and grabbed Gael's hand the second they reached the backyard again.
"So when do we know if the offer's accepted?"
"That depends on negotiations."
"That sounded boring."
"It is boring."
She groaned dramatically before leaning against his shoulder anyway.
The energy around the house had shifted completely now.
Nobody spoke about the property like a hypothetical anymore.
It had already beco:
Gael's house.
Even Claire had stopped saying:
"if you move."
Now it was:
"when everything closes."
Phil stopped beside the fence, holding a tape asure again.
"I'm just saying," he announced proudly, "the gate would dramatically improve interfamily efficiency."
Jay looked genuinely disturbed.
"That's sohow the saddest thing you've ever said."
"It's visionary."
"It's suburban cult behavior."
Gloria laughed softly into her wine glass while Haley pointed toward the neighboring yard.
"We should put lights near the pool area."
"You already have landscaping plans?" Alex asked.
"I have dreams."
"That's not the sa thing."
Watching Haley ntally move into the house in real ti was weirdly entertaining.
She talked about:
movie nights,
pool parties,
decorating spaces,
rooftop lounge ideas that absolutely did not exist.
And every ti sobody humored her, she looked happier.
Claire noticed too.
At one point, Gael caught her watching Haley with a softer expression than usual before Gloria bumped lightly against her shoulder.
"You're getting attached to the idea," Gloria murmured.
Claire imdiately rolled her eyes.
"Phil infected all of you."
"That is not a denial."
Claire opened her mouth to argue.
Paused.
Then sighed quietly into her drink instead.
A few minutes later, the conversation split naturally across the backyard.
Luke dragged Phil toward the shed for "construction planning."
Jay sat near the patio with Gloria.
Alex disappeared inside to answer a phone call.
Leaving Haley and Gael alone near the fence.
Haley leaned back against it, sunlight catching lightly in her hair while she looked toward the neighboring house again.
"You really want it, don't you?" he asked.
She looked back at him imdiately.
"The house?"
"The whole thing."
For once, Haley answered without joking first.
"Yeah."
Simple.
Honest.
Then she smiled faintly.
"It feels…" She searched briefly for the word. "Permanent."
Not the house itself.
What it represented.
Gael stepped closer, resting one arm loosely against the fence beside her.
"You say that as it scares you."
"A little."
That honesty surprised him more.
Haley looked down briefly before continuing.
"I've never had sothing this serious before."
No teasing now.
No performance.
Just Haley.
Young enough for the truth to still sound completely unfiltered when she ant it.
"And suddenly you're talking about buying a house next door." She laughed softly to herself. "That's kind of insane."
"Probably."
"But I like insane."
Gael brushed his thumb lightly along her wrist while she looked up at him again.
Then, quieter:
"You staying matters to more than I expected."
The sentence settled between them gently.
Real enough that neither imdiately joked afterward.
User Comments
0 comments from readers