Chapter 69 69: Waiting Period
The waiting turned out to be worse than the actual offer.
At least for Haley.
She'd already:
checked the listing every few minutes,
started sending Gael furniture ideas,
and openly referred to the neighboring property as
"our future house."
Claire blamed Phil for that immediately.
The family had settled into the living room after dinner while rain tapped softly against the windows outside.
Phil sat in the armchair researching fence permits again despite repeated threats from Claire.
"It's called preparation."
Gael leaned back into the couch while Haley rested half across him scrolling through interior design photos on her phone.
"You realize you're decorating a house nobody owns yet."
"That sounds like a negative attitude."
"That sounds financially responsible," Alex muttered.
Haley ignored both of them.
"What if the upstairs office becomes a media room?"
"You found out about a media room yesterday," Luke pointed out.
"Vision evolves."
Honestly, the entire family had become emotionally invested in the purchase already.
Even Jay.
Though his version of enthusiasm mostly involved grunting approvingly whenever property values got mentioned.
The only person still acting cautious was Claire.
Not against the move.
Just careful.
At one point, she looked up from her wine glass toward Gael.
"Did the realtor say when the sellers respond?"
"Probably tomorrow."
Haley immediately looked up too fast.
Claire noticed.
So did Alex.
"Relax," Alex muttered. "You look like you're waiting for marriage results."
"I am emotionally waiting for marriage results."
"That sentence should concern everybody."
Phil pointed dramatically from across the room.
"I support young love and strategic real estate."
Claire closed her eyes briefly.
"Sometimes I miss silence."
Then Gael's phone buzzed.
The entire room froze instantly.
Haley physically grabbed his arm.
"Oh my God."
"That reaction feels unsafe."
"ANSWER IT."
Luke leaned over the couch trying to see the screen while Phil stood up like somebody announced lottery numbers.
Claire stayed seated.
But her attention locked onto the phone immediately anyway.
Gael glanced down at the message.
From the realtor.
Simple.
Short.
[Sellers accepted the offer.]
For half a second, the room stayed completely silent.
Then Haley screamed.
"Oh my GOD."
She launched herself fully against him while Phil shouted triumphantly and Luke started chanting:
"COMPOUND. COMPOUND. COMPOUND."
"That is not becoming a thing," Claire informed the room immediately.
"It's already a thing," Alex replied.
Phil looked genuinely moved.
"Our little neighborhood ecosystem…"
"You sound like a cult leader," Jay muttered.
Haley still hadn't let go of Gael.
"You bought the house."
"That appears to be how contracts work."
"I hate how calm you are."
Honestly?
He probably should've felt calmer than he did.
Because now it was real.
No more hypotheticals.
No more "maybe."
He was actually moving next door.
And judging from the room around him—
That reality had already changed the atmosphere of the family entirely.
Claire stood up eventually and walked toward the kitchen for another glass of wine.
Meanwhile, Haley grabbed Gael's face with both hands.
"You live next door now."