Move-in started the following weekend.
Not officially.
Technically the movers weren't arriving until Monday.
But that detail ant absolutely nothing to Phil.
By Saturday morning he was already inside the new house wearing work gloves and carrying painter's tape like a suburban general preparing for war.
"We need a system," he announced proudly.
Claire looked exhausted before nine a.m.
"We need coffee."
"We also need spatial vision."
"That alone makes want to leave."
Luke had started putting tape outlines on the floor labeled:
-TV ZONE
-SNACK ACCESS
-COMPHY CHAIR
Nobody asked him to.
Haley wandered through the living room barefoot carrying iced coffee and emotional support enthusiasm.
"This is my favorite day ever."
"That feels unlikely," Alex replied from the couch where she was pretending to study.
"I'm young. Everything's dramatic."
Gael stepped around three separate tape markings while Phil explained furniture flow with terrifying sincerity.
Honestly, the empty house already felt less empty now.
Open windows let warm afternoon air move through the rooms.
Music drifted quietly from soone's speaker upstairs.
Voices echoed naturally across the hardwood floors.
Life settling into space.
At one point Haley grabbed Gael's hand and pulled him toward the kitchen.
"Co judge Dad's insanity."
"That's a broad assignnt."
Phil stood beside the island holding two different stool catalogs.
"We need seating that communicates openness."
Claire stopped unpacking for a second.
"What does that an?"
"It ans vibes."
"That's not an answer."
"It's an emotional answer."
Alex looked up from her laptop briefly.
"You know, every sentence Dad says sounds AI-generated now."
Phil looked proud of that.
anwhile Claire had unconsciously started organizing cabinets already.
Just fixing things whenever she passed them.
Haley noticed first.
"Oh my God."
Claire froze slightly.
"What?"
"You're nesting."
"I am absolutely not nesting."
"You organized his spice cabinet."
Gael glanced toward the cabinet.
She'd alphabetized everything.
Claire noticed everyone looking now and imdiately pointed toward Phil.
"He put cinnamon beside garlic powder."
"That's innovation," Phil defended.
"That's psychotic."
Haley laughed so hard she nearly spilled coffee across the counter.
The energy in the room stayed light afterward, conversation drifting naturally between teasing and planning while boxes slowly started appearing around the house.
Then Luke ran through the kitchen holding a asuring tape.
"GOOD NEWS."
"No," Claire answered instantly.
"The gate fits."
Silence.
Phil looked emotional imdiately.
"You checked?"
Alex leaned back against the couch.
"We're really doing this."
Apparently they were.
Because instead of rejecting the idea this ti, Claire just rubbed tiredly at her forehead and sighed.
"Fine."
Phil blinked once.
"…Fine?"
"As long as it looks normal."
Phil looked like he'd just received military honors.
Luke scread triumphantly and sprinted outside again.
Haley turned toward Gael in disbelief.
"My mother just approved the gate."
Claire pointed at both of them imdiately.
"Do not make this weird."
Too late.
Because now the idea stopped being:
Phil's ridiculous project.
And beca:
part of the house.
Part of the connection between both hos.
Part of everyday life moving forward.
Gael glanced toward the backyard through the kitchen windows.
Then toward Claire again.
She caught the look imdiately.
"What?"
"You gave up suspiciously fast."
Claire looked toward the backyard too for a brief second before answering.
"I got tired of pretending people weren't going to cross between the houses constantly anyway."
Then Haley smiled slowly beside him.
"Oh, we're absolutely becoming a compound."
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