Chapter 57: Virgin Territory
"Ooh! Individual frittatas! What a treat!", Cam complimented, "Phil. You're a lucky man".
"I'm always saying. I'm-", Phil tried.
"Phil!", Claire interrupted, halting him from continuing.
"Sorry", Phil apologised, turning to look at his wife.
"You left the milk out again", Claire complained, "This is the fourth time this week".
"Mmmm", Cam hummed, "I may have to take one of these little guys home". Taking a bite of his frittatas, Cam asked, "Claire. Did you ever find the Tupperware I lent you?".
Claire replied, "Sweetie. For the hundredth time, I gave it back to you. Remember?".
"I remember you telling me a hundred times", Cam argued, "And yet, my pea soup is in Baggies".
"Did you check in your car?", Gloria asked, "In the uhm".
"Trunk", Desiree finished her sentence for her.
"Because that's where you found that thing that you thought that you lent me", Gloria continued, "The ... um".
"Pizza cutter", Jay answered, receiving a nod from Gloria.
"Yes. I was wrong that time", Cam tried to argue, but was cut off by Mitchell.
"It's a piece of plastic", Mitchell interrupted, "You're ruining brunch".
"Don't sweat it Cam", Jay muttered, "I forget things all the time too. Like I can never remember the name of that weather guy I liked. Thunder-something. Stormy-whatsit".
"I think I know the one you're on about", Matt exclaimed, "Is it that one with the funny hairstyle? The one who would always use that branch that he would pretend was a pointing stick?"
"Yes!", Jay agreed, "I can never seem to remember his name".
"Neither can I", Matt murmured, "I'm pretty sure he's stopped being a weather guy for a few years now".
"Stop you two", Desiree complained, stopping both of them from continuing.
"Yeah", Gloria nodded, "Just eat your eggs, Jay".
"Yeah", Lily said, copying Gloria, "Just eat your eggs, Jay".
At that, the whole table erupted in laughter, with Jay laughing alongside them. "You just got told Dad", Mitchell muttered while laughing.
"Ugh", Zephyr groaned, "I can't stand this. This is so boring".
"I know", Alex agreed, "I can't believe we're having brunch together though".
"Same", Zephyr mumbled, "I just want this experience to be over as quickly as possible".
"So do I", Alex muttered, taking a bite out of her frittata.
Alex and Zephyr spent the next few seconds eating in silence before Zephyr suddenly remembered something and groaned in frustration, his head hitting the table.
"What's wrong?", Alex asked.
"I have to go to the mall later", Zephyr explained, "And Dad gets distracted so easily whenever we go".
"That reminds me", Matt interrupted, turning to look at Zephyr, "You're going to have to go to the mall some other day. Something came up and I can't go today".
"Hey", Phil exclaimed, "Why don't I take him? I already have to go with Haley and Alex so it's not a problem if he comes along".
"Are you sure?", Matt asked, "I would want to impose".
"No no no", Phil shook his head, "And besides, you guys are basically family at this point. Aint that right guys?".
Hearing his words, everyone voiced their approval. "In that case", Matt said, turning to look at Zephyr, "You can go with Alex and Haley".
"Thank God", Zephyr prayed.
"Hey", Matt complained indignantly, "Shopping with me's not that bad".
"It is", Desiree answered, rolling her eyes, "I sent you to go and pick up Bella's school books and you ended up in a gaming store".
"That was one time!", Matt tried to defend himself.
"As if", Zephyr scoffed, "We were meant to go shopping last week but you got distracted and ended up spending the whole time at a sweet shop".
"That ... was also a one-time thing", Matt argued, which did little to support his argument. Turning to the others, he said, "You guys believe me, right?".
Instead of answering, everyone looked away, not meeting his gaze. "I mean ...", Phil muttered, rubbing the back of his head.
"Not you too P-Money!", Matt yelled, "I thought we were bros".
"We are", Phil agreed, resolute with the statement, "But I have to agree. You get distracted really easily".
"You're one to talk Dad", Alex interrupted, "Yesterday, Mom sent you to the garage for something and you ended up staring at a faulty blinking light for like half an hour".
"Mh", Haley nodded, "Luke took a video of you on his tablet".
[Time Skip]
"I never really got dolls", Alex remarked as she looked at the slightly damaged doll in Lily's hands, "Does that make me weird?".
"I don't know", Zephyr shrugged, "I just know that Bella has tons of them".
"It's on the list", Haley snapped.
"It's not weird", Phil intervened, "You just skipped past the 'little girl' stage".
"And jumped right into the 'I dare you to ring her doorbell' stage", Haley added.
"The only stage you're ever going to jump on has a pole on it", Alex retorted.
"Hey. At least I have the body-", Haley argued.
Before they could continue their argument, Phil raised his voice, "Okay! Okay! We're going to have to settle this dispute in court ... the food court".
"Really? The food court?", Haley questioned, "I'm pretty sure it smells like the inside of Luke's bike helmet".
"I'll have you know", Alex cut in, "I like the food court".
"Me too", Lily added, speaking up.
"It's not too bad", Zephyr finished.
"It's fine you three", Phil comforted, "We're not going to deprive ourselves of the joy of the food court because of Haley's aversion-"
Before he could finish, Alex erupted in laughter, causing everyone to look at her. Noticing everyone's eyes on her, she stopped and realised her mistake, "Oh. Oh. You said Haley's aversion. I thought you meant ... Actually. You know what? Never mind".
Instead of calming him down, Alex's words did the exact opposite, causing Phil to stare back at the trio of girls in the back seats with wide eyes.
[Time Skip]
"What were you thinking?", Haley whispered/yelled at Alex as they entered the store, "Saying that in front of him".
"I'm sorry", Alex apologetically whispered, "It just slipped out".
"I know I shouldn't get involved", Zephyr interrupted, "But to be fair, the way Phil said it did make it sound like ... you know".
"Thank you", Alex muttered, grateful that he came to her aid, but then turned her attention back to Haley, "Besides, I assumed he knew. Mom knows".
"Only because she forced it out of Dylan", Haley countered, "And she promised not to tell Dad until I left for college. Which means, he might have never found out!".
"Stop panicking", Alex said, "We don't even know for sure that he heard what I said".
"I mean ...", Zephyr muttered, "He did keep looking at Haley with the rear-view mirror after you said that".
"Whose side are you on?!", Alex questioned.
"Yours?", Zephyr said, unsure of which side he was on.
"Okay", Phil announced as he walked to them, "Beatrice is with the nurse. They'll call us and it shouldn't take too long. We can just wait until she's married - I mean until she's ready. Which, apparently, is what everyone is these days. Funny. I used to think it'd be years until everyone was ready, but I guess I was wrong, wrong and naive". Incapable of continuing, he walked away from them, his voice shaky.
"I think he knows", Zephyr whispered as he looked at the retreating form of Phil. Instead of answering, Haley and Alex looked at him as though he was an idiot. Seeing this, Zephyr raised his hands in defence, "Woah. Don't shoot the messenger. I'm told that's a universal thing".
[Time Skip]
While waiting for Phil and Haley to go and check on the repair condition of Lily' doll, Alex, Zephyr and Lily awkwardly sat at a really small table while Lily played with a doll.
Incapable of handling the silence, Alex spoke up, "Lily, what is this? Wouldn't you rather have a chemistry set or maybe some flashcards?"
"She's pretty", Lily replied, hugging the doll even tighter.
"Give up Alex", Zephyr muttered, "Not every girl dreams of winning a Nobel. Some just want to experience what it's like to be a princess in the princess castle that their parents built them without reading the instructions".
Before Alex could say something, Haley came over and said, "Let's go and see Beatrice. The doctor says she's ready".
Hopping off her seat and putting the doll she was hugging on a chair, Lily held Haley's hand as she was directed towards where she would go and pick up her pet.
Once the duo were gone, Zephyr impatiently asked, "So. How'd it go? Feeling better?".
"You know what?", Phil remarked, "I do feel better. We talked for a bit and I realised that Haley's basically an adult now so she can start making her own decisions".
"That's good", Zephyr nodded.
"So how long's this going to take?", Alex inquired, bored by the prospect of having to remain in the My Sweet Companion store for any longer.
"We're just going to wait for them the get Beatrice and then we can go to the food court", Phil explained, "After that, we can go get your soccer shoes Zephyr".
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