SF Chapter 99: Great Expectations II
"By the way, Lexi introduced me to all of them at the party I went to. Ben, Adam, Mischa, and Rachel."
"No way!" Haley practically jumped on him. "Introduce me to them, pretty please!"
"I really want to meet Mischa," Manny added excitedly.
"I'll see what I can do..." Dani said without making any promises.
That reminded Haley of something. She leaned closer and whispered to her uncle.
"Dani, tomorrow night there's going to be a party at Andrew Adler's."
"Tomorrow?" He raised an eyebrow. "No way, Hay-Hay! Tomorrow is Dad's night!"
[Haley commentary]
"I swear, I don't understand Dani sometimes," Haley commented while sitting on her bed with her arms crossed.
"I know he does a lot of wrong stuff. He goes to parties, sneaks into bars, gets drunk... and probably does some 'adult things' with girls." She grew slightly shy during that last part.
She continued, "But then there he is, acting like a total family guy at very specific moments."
"Last year, there was this beautiful senior at my school who really wanted to hook up with him. She boldly said she'd be waiting for him at one of her parties."
Haley paused for a moment.
"He didn't go. Dani chose Grandpa's night instead and completely ignored the girl."
[Commentary ends]
Claire pulled her brother aside while Phil was distracted watching the post-The O.C. programming schedule.
"So, did you get it?" she asked.
Daniel nodded. "Yep, it's in my car."
They quietly slipped outside.
Dani was already wearing a smug grin as he opened the trunk and pulled out Phil's presents.
"What the hell are these?" Claire stared at her brother in disbelief.
"Night-vision goggles and speakers," he replied proudly. "But the speakers look like rocks."
He showed her the box. "Cool, right?"
Claire put a hand over her face. "Why did I ask for your help?" she groaned.
"Hey!" Dani exclaimed, offended. "These are awesome gifts. Phil is going to love them!"
"What about yours, by the way?" he asked.
Claire looked away for a moment before finally admitting it.
"Coupons for hugs. I thought it would be adorable and funny," she explained. "Five coupons."
"Hugs? Like normal hugs?" Daniel looked at her incredulously. "What are you, Aunt Beverly?"
He was immediately rewarded with a painful pinch.
[Claire and Daniel commentary]
"Sis was always terrible at buying presents," Daniel remarked while sitting on the couch at Claire's house.
"When I was a kid, she gave me a kit for making comb sheaths."
"Because it was the only thing I could think of that you wouldn't be able to use for some kind of mischief," Claire shot back.
She continued, "As for Phil... he's impossible to buy for. He never wants anything."
[Commentary ends]
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The next morning, Claire was awakened by her husband.
"Morning!" Phil said enthusiastically as he approached the bed.
"I'm still sleeping," she muttered, though she was smiling.
"Happy anniversary."
"Hmm. And they said we wouldn't last."
"Who said that?" Phil asked, but Claire quickly changed the subject.
"Oh, look at you. You're adorable." She noticed the gift box beside her.
"Go ahead. Open it."
"Oh, it's us," they both chuckled as Claire looked through the View-Master she had taken out of the box.
She clicked through another picture.
"Look at how young we are."
Another click.
"Oh, God, that perm."
"Yeah, it really framed my face," Phil recalled.
When she reached the final image, Claire frowned. "Why is there a picture of a bracelet?"
As soon as she lowered the View-Master, Phil pulled a jewelry box from his pocket and handed it to her.
"It's beautiful. Oh, sweetie, I love it," Claire exclaimed before kissing him. "Now it's your turn."
Phil immediately brightened. "My turn? Where is it?"
"It's on the bureau."
He got up and found a red envelope. Opening it, he pulled out several coupons.
"Hey. Coupons for... five free hugs."
Claire looked at him. "You don't like it?"
"Are you kidding me?" Phil replied, pretending to be thrilled. "I love it. It's so creative. Coupons for hugs, which are usually free. But this makes it official, which is great."
Claire visibly relaxed. "I was so proud of myself when I came up with it... because you're impossible to buy for. You never want anything."
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After the two of them came downstairs and Claire prepared breakfast, the kids joined them at the dining table.
Haley brought up the subject. "So, Mom, there's a party tonight at Andrew Adler's, and everybody's gonna be there."
"Ooh, that sounds like so much fun, but I have other plans," Claire replied as she set the milk on the table.
"Oh, that's hi-larious," Haley said, making a face. "But I'm talking about me."
"That's unusual," Alex remarked with her usual sarcastic jab.
"Honey, you said you'd go to your grandfather's tonight," Claire reminded her.
"See, that's what's so perfect about this. Andrew only lives, like, a couple of blocks away from Grandpa's," Haley continued, still trying to make her case. "So I figured that I could go-"
But her mother quickly cut her off. "Sweetie, you made a commitment."
"But Mom-"
Before Haley could whine again, the doorbell rang, and Claire went to answer it.
"Flowers too?" she asked, glancing at Phil after accepting the bouquet from the delivery man.
"I'm sorry."
"Oh, what are you apologizing for? They're gorgeous."
"That's too much. With the View-Master and the bracelet... and the flowers... and the balloons-"
"Balloons?"
"They're attached to your car," Phil revealed.
"I just don't want you to feel bad... about your little... coupons," he finished, trying to sound nonchalant.
Claire paused for a moment. "Wait a minute. You thought the coupons were your only present? Are you kidding me?"
"They aren't?"
"No! Phil, come on. It's our anniversary," she said, pulling him aside into the living room. "These are the real presents."
Claire decided to give him the gifts Dani had bought the night before.
Phil immediately began unwrapping the box and looked inside.
"Night-vision goggles... and speakers that look like rocks..." he muttered in disbelief.
"Yeah... I thought they looked nice," Claire commented, already regretting trusting her brother.
But Phil's expression suddenly changed. He looked like a little kid receiving the greatest gift in the world.
"I love it. I love it so much!"
He immediately wrapped his wife in a tight hug. "These were the best present ever, Claire!"
[Claire commentary]
Claire sat with a strained expression.
"I have this very conflicted feeling... because I love seeing my husband this excited and happy..."
She paused.
"...but I kind of wish he liked the presents a little less."
[Commentary ends]
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