The internship sohow beca justification for a full family celebration dinner.
Phil called it:
"a milestone event."
Jay called it:
"Tuesday."
But he still showed up anyway.
By evening both backyards were lit up again, music drifting softly through the open gate while food covered nearly every outdoor surface.
Haley had been glowing for hours.
Not loud excitent anymore.
Sothing steadier.
Confidence.
And honestly?
It suited her.
"You realize this ans I'm becoming career-oriented now," she announced while stealing fries from Gael's plate.
"That sounds threatening."
"It sounds expensive," Alex corrected.
Claire hid a smile into her wine glass while Gloria leaned back comfortably beside her.
The atmosphere tonight felt different from previous gatherings.
Less chaotic.
More proud.
Because for the first ti in a while, Haley wasn't just:
funny,
pretty,
social.
She was accomplished.
Even Jay noticed it.
At one point he looked toward her across the patio.
"You earned it."
Simple sentence.
Still enough to make Haley blink in surprise.
Because praise from Jay almost never arrived emotionally packaged.
Then Phil imdiately ruined the mont by raising his beer dramatically.
"To capitalism!"
Claire closed her eyes.
"Why did I marry you?"
"Because I'm inspirational."
"That's not the word."
The conversation dissolved into laughter again afterward while warm night air settled through the backyard.
Later, after dinner plates started disappearing and Luke wandered off chasing sothing with a flashlight, Haley ended up sitting beside Gloria near the pool.
"You know what's weird?" Haley said.
Gloria smiled instantly.
"You are becoming your mother."
"Rude."
"Accurate."
Haley laughed softly before looking out across the water.
"I always thought Alex would be the successful one."
Gloria's expression shifted slightly.
"Why does her success remove yours?"
Haley opened her mouth.
Paused.
Interesting.
Because she clearly hadn't thought about it that way before.
Gloria leaned back in the chair more comfortably.
"You and Alex are intelligent differently." She waved one hand lightly. "People only respect one version faster."
The sentence sounded casual.
But Claire—standing nearby collecting empty plates—looked up imdiately.
Because Gloria had quietly hit sothing true again.
Haley looked down at her drink.
"I think I got used to being the 'fun' sister."
"And now?"
Haley smiled faintly.
"Now I think I might actually be good at sothing."
The honesty in her voice softened the atmosphere around the pool slightly.
Then Claire stepped closer and rested a hand briefly against Haley's shoulder.
"You've always been good at things."
Haley looked up imdiately.
Claire held the look for another second before continuing more carefully.
"You just stopped believing effort mattered because school ca easier to Alex." She shrugged lightly. "That wasn't fair to either of you."
Alex, who had apparently been listening from the patio doorway the entire ti, crossed her arms lightly.
"Well. This emotional maturity is horrifying."
Haley burst into laughter again while Claire rolled her eyes.
But the tension around the sisters had changed now.
Then Gael walked over carrying fresh drinks while Phil loudly attempted to explain cryptocurrency to Jay in the background.
Jay looked monts from violence.
Haley accepted the drink before glancing toward Gael again.
Still smiling differently tonight.
More certain.
Because the internship hadn't just given her direction.
It had given her proof.
And judging from the way everyone around her looked at her now—
they all saw it too.
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