Haley's first internship day started at six-thirty in the morning.
Which imdiately beca a human rights violation.
"I can't do this," she mumbled into Gael's kitchen counter while clutching coffee like life support.
"You've been awake eleven minutes."
"That's enough suffering for one person."
Alex walked through the gate carrying SAT books and entirely too much morning energy.
"Oh good. The workforce is collapsing already."
Haley glared weakly.
"You're evil before breakfast."
"I'm efficient before breakfast."
The contrast between them had beco almost comforting lately.
Not rivalry anymore.
Different kinds of ambition moving beside each other.
Claire entered a minute later wearing work clothes herself.
Unlike the others, she imdiately noticed Haley's nerves beneath the dramatics.
"You packed everything?"
"Yes."
"Laptop charger?"
"Yes."
"ID card?"
Haley paused.
"…Probably."
Claire closed her eyes briefly.
"Okay. We're checking your bag."
Twenty minutes later, Haley stood near the front door actually looking professional for once:
structured blazer,
styled hair,
coffee instead of sugary energy drinks.
Still nervous though.
Claire noticed imdiately.
"You already got the internship."
"That was before they expected competence."
Then Gael stepped closer and kissed her.
"You don't have to impress everyone imdiately," he said calmly. "Just pay attention and work hard."
Haley looked at him carefully for a second.
Then nodded once.
Then Phil hugged her aggressively enough to almost ruin the outfit.
"Go dominate corporate fashion."
Haley laughed despite herself.
And finally—
she left.
The house felt oddly quieter afterward.
Alex settled at the dining table with college applications while Claire lingered near the kitchen island longer than necessary.
Then she sighed softly.
"This is weird."
Gael looked up from his laptop.
"What is?"
"She's actually growing up."
The sentence carried mixed emotions:
pride,
nostalgia,
mild panic.
Interesting combination.
Claire leaned against the counter with coffee in hand.
"For years I worried Haley would drift through life charming people instead of building one." She smiled faintly to herself. "And suddenly she has etings and schedules and career goals."
Gael noticed the softness in her expression.
"You sound proud."
"I am proud."
No hesitation this ti.
Real answer.
Then Alex looked up from the table.
"You know what's going to happen now, right?" "She's going to beco insufferable once she realizes she's good at sothing."
"Too late," Luke announced while walking through the gate carrying cereal.
Nobody even questioned why he was there anymore.
The gate had fully destroyed territorial logic.
Claire laughed quietly under her breath while Gael went back to his emails.
Claire noticed the shift in focus after a while.
Then Gloria appeared through the gate carrying sunglasses and iced coffee.
Because of course she did.
"Well?" she asked imdiately. "Did our little fashion executive survive?"
"She left alive," Alex answered.
Gloria smiled slowly while looking toward the now-empty driveway.
"She will do well."
The certainty in her voice sounded different from optimism.
Like recognition.
And when she glanced briefly toward Gael afterward—
sothing about the look lingered a second too long again.
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