Chương 18: Starry Night
[Commentary]
Phil
"What's my favourite way to relax", Phil asked himself, "Throwing on the wireless headphones and disappearing into the Nature Channel. The funny thing about nature is how in the blink of an eye, it can go from a scene of total tranquil beauty to raw primal violence".
[Commentary ends]
"Can you seriously not hear me?!", Claire shouted while grabbing the headphones Phil had on his ears.
"It's noise-cancelling technology, give it a spin", Phil tried to defend himself.
"Sweetie. Focus", Claire said, taking Phil's head into her hand.
"Mom. Why are you freaking out?", Haley exclaimed.
"It's because apart from Alex, both you and Luke leave everything last minute", Zephyr answered, looking up from his notes.
Alex snorted hearing his words, "You're one to talk. I've seen you do homework under the table during the lesson".
"Hey", Zephyr defended, "I'll have you know I had valid excuses".
"Really?", Alex asked, raising one eyebrow, "Name one".
"Uhm", Zephyr muttered to himself, rubbing his chin in deep thought, "I fell asleep?"
In response, Alex was about to say something but was interrupted by Claire, "You two can flirt later. Phil honey, Luke has a giant project for school due tomorrow, which he hasn't even started by the way, and Haley. Well, Haley has to make 40 cupcakes for her fundraiser, also due tomorrow".
""We're not flirting!"", Alex and Zephyr shouted at the same time, turning to look at each other, ""Stop saying what I am! Stop! No you stop!""
"Okay!", Claire raised her voice, "As cute as this is", she said, waving her arms at them, "Please copy each other in your own time". Then, turning to look at Phil, she said, "I will take the cupcakes while you will take Luke's project. It's on Vincent van Gogh"
"Done", Phil said, rubbing his shoulder.
"Ok. I need you to really stay on him, okay honey?", Claire asked, "Keep him focused".
"All right", Phill reassured, "I'll be on him like a tiger. I was actually going to try something new, but-"
"I'm going to have to insist that you don't", Claire interrupted.
"Claire, I know you've got your methods, but so do I", Phil argued, "And I'm sorry but I'm not a micro-manager. Trust me, I can provide Luke with the tools and guidance he needs to flourish under me, without smothering him".
"You think I smother our child?", Claire accused.
"It's not your fault honey", Phil defended, "Mother is part of the word. You've never heard of someone being 'sfathered' to death".
"I think I know what Luke's problem is", Alex said as she finished writing something down on her notepad, "Luke's got ADHD".
"No I don't", Luke argued, "What is it?"
"Attention deficit hyperactive disorder", Zephyr answered, "It's a disorder that affects a person's personality, often causing them to be restless, have short attention spans and acting without thinking". As he said this, Luke walked away from them and to the couch where he put on the noise-cancelling headphones Phil had been wearing.
"Just promise me you'll stay on him throughout the whole project", Claire begged.
"I think you should have more faith in our son", Phil argued, "I think you should be confident about your son".
As he was about to continue, Luke began speaking, "No one can hear me now. Whoo!", he said, waving at everyone over in the kitchen, "Everyone is stupid, except me. I am funny. Ha ha ha ha".
[Time Skip]
"Haaa", Zephyr groaned, stretching his arms, "It's finally over".
"Yeah", Alex agreed, nodding, "You know, you're actually not a bad study partner. Your notes are really clear and concise. Some parts are better than what we learn at school".
"Thanks", Zephyr replied, smiling while rubbing the back of his head, "You're a good study partner as well. You don't get distracted and you get things pretty quickly"
"You know we're right next to you, right?", Haley asked, as she typed on her phone, waiting as Claire got all the ingredients out.
In response, Alex and Zephyr blushed in embarrassment, but recovered quickly enough, having gotten used to the teasing. Closing his notebook, Zephyr sorted out all of his notes and put them away in his bag. Then, looking at Claire and Haley, asked, "Do you want some help?"
"Normally, I'd say no", Claire said, "But, there's not enough time today, so all the help is appreciated".
Zephyr nodded his head and turned to look at Alex, "Come on then Alex".
"What?", Alex questioned, "Why me?"
"Because it'll be fun", Zephyr argued, grabbing her arm and pulling her up, "And besides, I'll make some for you as a reward".
As soon as she was about to protest, she remembered the taste of Zephyr's food and found all resistance evaporating. "Fine", she timidly nodded her head.
As they walked to the kitchen counter, Claire quickly got two new bowls out, before turning to look at Haley. Grabbing her eggs, she said, "Now, I find the key to cracking an egg properly is-"
Just as she was about to demonstrate, Haley snatched the eggs out of her hand, "Mom. I'm not a child. I know how to do it". She smacked the egg on the bowl several times before the egg finally opened up. "Oops! I got a little shell in the bowl".
"And when that happens", Claire tried, "I find it best not to touc-".
"I got it. It's okay", Haley interrupted, "It's right here", she said, touching the egg with her fingers, "Eww. It's so gross".
"Okay, I'm going to-", Claire rushed forward and took the bowl away from her hand, "I'll do this. You just mop up".
[Right next to her]
"You just lightly tap the egg against the edge until you see a crack around the egg's equator", Zephyr said as he instructed Alex, "And then slowly apply pressure with your thumbs or finger on the crack and then gently pull the two poles of apart, making sure not to get any of the eggshells in the bowl". Alex followed the instructions and had all of the egg yolk and egg white fall into the bowl. "Yes. Perfect", Zephyr commented as he continued mixing the sugar and butter mixture in his bowl, "Now slide the egg into my bowl".
Nodding her head, Alex picked up her bowl and tilted it, causing the content of the bowl to slide down from Alex's bowl to Zephyr's bowl. Once the egg was in Zephyr's bowl, he beat the mixture and did so for every egg added. "Okay", Zephyr said, clapping his hand, "Add the vanilla extract while I stir".
Alex heeded his words and added the extract with Zephyr mixing the extract. "And now add the contents of the other bowl, right?", Alex asked, certain she was right.
"Yep. You add the bowl with the whisked flour, baking powder and salt, also known as the dry ingredients", Zephyr said, nodding his head, "However, you have to alternate between the dry ingredients and milk while I mix all of it".
Feeling proud of herself, Alex nodded and did as Zephyr ordered, watching in fascination as Zephyr carried out the task. Once done with the mixing, he looked at Alex and said, "Let me get the pre-heated cupcake liners, so I need you to move back a bit".
Alex moved to the side, allowing Zephyr to quickly take out the cupcake liner and pan from the oven. Nodding, he placed it on a stand, and said to Alex, "Use a spoon to fill each liner until it's two-thirds full".
As Alex did this, Claire, who was also mixing her batter, proudly declared, "And that is the secret to no lumps. See, it's kind of fun".
Haley, who was right in front of her and texting on her phone, turned to look at her mom and said, "Thanks Mom. You make it fun".
Once they were done with filling the liners, Zephyr placed the liners into the oven. Alex, hearing their conversation, remembered her statement in the morning and said, "Mom. I researched some symptoms for ADHD and tell me it doesn't describe Luke to a 'T'".
"Alex", Claire tried, but Alex continued
"Easily distracted by irrelevant stimuli", Alex said, holding up one finger, "Often impulsively abandons one task for another", she said, raising a second finger, "A tendency to act without regard for consequences, often at the expense of personal safety", she finished, raising a third finger. As soon as she finished, a dull crash could be heard from the garage, causing Claire to run off towards the source.
"That sounds more like Phil to be honest", Zephyr commented.
Alex thought about it for a second and nodded, "It does you know"
"Maybe Dad has it as well and passed it on to Luke", Haley stated, not looking up from her phone, "It would explain a lot of things about both of them".
[Time Skip]
"Hey, I think you've got a little frosting on your face", Zephyr said.
"Really?", Alex asked, "Where?"
"It's right", he began, tapping her nose which had frosting on it, "Here!"
"Hey!", Alex complained and began to move towards him, "That's not fair". Zephyr stuck his tongue out, but before he could move away, Alex rushed forward and threw some frosting on his face.
Zephyr gasped, but then threw some frosting on her face in return. This quickly escalated into a fight, which Claire put a swift end to. "Okay, you two. Stop".
Hearing her raised voice, they both stopped their laughter and calmed down, "Sorry Mom", Alex apologised
"Sorry Mrs Dunphy", Zephyr added.
"You know what", Claire said in resignation, "You've been a great help so just clean up and go".
""Thanks"" Alex and Zephyr said at the same time as they walked out of the kitchen.
A few minutes later, they came back, having cleaned up as much as they could. Entering, they found Phil with his arms around Claire's waist while whispering into her ear.
"I did it!", Luke proudly shouted as he walked into the room and showed them his poster.
"That's amazing", Zephyr commented.
"You did great", Alex commented.
"Oh my God", Claire muttered as she walked over to Luke.
"Do you like it?", he asked.
"I love it", Claire proudly stated, "Did you do all this?", she asked Phil.
Phil shook his head, and said, "All him".
"I used Mr Potato's ears because van Gogh cut his ears off", Luke said, pointing at the ears, "And there's money because his paintings sell for like a trillion dollars which is sad because he died broke".
Hearing this, Claire nodded her head, "Luke, I couldn't be more proud of you", she said, bringing him in for a brief hug, "Well done. I'm so sorry I didn't give you more credit".
"Way to go buddy", Phill cheered.
"You were awesome", Zephyr complimented.
"You really outdid yourself dork", Alex added.
"I gotta finish frosting the last batch of cupcakes", Claire said, making her way over to the counter. "Pass me the tray will you", she asked Haley, and then threw all the cupcakes she made into the bin.
"What are you doing?", Haley screamed, getting off her phone,
"Well, I showed you how to make them", Claire muttered, "And now you can do it yourself. Since Alex and Zephyr did half, you can do the other half. Seem fair no?"
"No!", Haley argued, but no one listened to her.
"Come on you guys. Let's go", Claire said and left the room, with everyone else doing the same. On the way out, Zephhyr carried out a plate of cupcakes, handing it over to Alex, who didn't hesitate to take them for herself, eating one just before she left to rub it in Haley's face.
"Ugh. You guys are the worst! I hate you guys!", Haley screamed, which made everyone laugh. "Seriously?!" Stomping her feet in anger, Haley growled, simply making everyone's laughter louder.
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