Apollo walked his parents to their car, while Claire walked her parents to their house. She couldn’t help noticing how uncomfortable Donna looked. It was like she had eaten a bad shrimp for dinner.
"Is there something bothering you, mother?" Claire asked.
Donna looked back for a moment, confirming with her eyes that the Ashford couple and Hugo were not following them. Then, she hurriedly pulled Claire into the house, leaving Victor to follow after them slowly.
As soon as Victor shut the door, Donna pinned Claire in one place with a sharp glance. "Apollo is moving in! When did you come to this decision? Are you sure you want to live with him? The sheets on his bed cost more than all of our utility bills combined for half a year! If I ruin them while doing your laundry, I can’t compensate him."
Claire leaned her head back, startled by her mother’s words. "Why would you do his laundry?"
"If I am doing your laundry, then I have to do his too because it will all be in the same basket," Donna replied simply. "And forget the laundry, you two can’t sit together for ten minutes without snapping, scratching, biting and kicking."
Victor chuckled, walking past them. He grabbed a beer from the fridge. settled into a chair and turned on the TV. "Whatever you decide sweetie, I am backing you."
"You are backing the idea of a new truck!" Donna snapped at him. "I made it clear that nobody is to accept anything from the Ashfords. We may not be rich, but we are not beggars. Claire’s love life will not be turned into a get rich quick scheme."
Claire patted Donna’s arms. "Mom, I have no love life, so you don’t have to worry about that. Two, do not do Apollo’s laundry because he is a grown man who can push the button on a washing machine. Three, if dad needs a new truck, I will be the one to buy it. I already had plans to buy a few trucks anyway."
"A few!" Donna gasped. "What do you need so many trucks for? And how could you give your grandfather so much money? He was so excited that he fainted and nearly gave mom a heart attack!"
Claire was astounded by the news. "Grandpa fainted? Is he fine?"
"Of course he is fine." Donna rolled her shoulders and sighed. "It will take a lot more than 100,000 thousand dollars to kill my father."
While opening a second beer, Victor chimed in, "It will take the jaws of a great white shark."
The icy look in Donna’s eyes warned him to tread carefully.
"Your father says it but I can’t?" Victor raised his eyebrows.
Claire could sense that this was one of those moments where her mother kicked her father’s ass and maybe made him sleep on the couch. Wisely, she decided that it was best to escape before the ice in Donna’s eyes froze more than Victor.
"Err...mom, dad, goodnight." Claire blurted out rapidly and darted out of the house.
By the time she reached her door, Apollo was already armed with a flashlight, rallying a search party to come seek her out. The search party had only one member: Paddy.
"Get behind me," Apollo nearly growled, waving the flashlight around, glaring in the direction she had come from. "What or who is after you?"
Claire walked into the house, slightly out of breath. "No one. Your grandfather’s birthday is only a day away and your mother insists that I attend. What gift do you think I should give him?"
She had not given this much thought when Mrs. Ashford brought up the birthday. But now that the chaos of the day was over, the issue was on her mind. What could she give a man who had everything money could buy? And if he didn’t have it, he could afford it. This was probably going to be one of those parties where people gave pricey gifts and the host smiled perfunctorily while receiving them.
As Claire walked up the stairs, she thought about the easiest gifts to give a man. A car or a watch.
Apollo, who followed her upstairs did not speak until they reached her bedroom door. "Grandpa loves vintage watches, rare wines, golf clubs and--oh--land. There is nothing he values more than land."
Claire took her hand from the doorknob and folded her arms on her chest. "Apollo, every single thing you just listed costs more than my utility bills for half a year." She borrowed her mother’s direct words. "Unless your grandfather also likes handmade macaroni art, I may have to skip the party to avoid embarrassing myself."
This was Ares Ashford’s retirement party. A lot of big shots would be in attendance, some of whom she had interacted with before as a superior. There was no doubt in her mind that a few would be looking to put her in her place.
Apollo chuckled, unfazed. "Grandpa will like whatever you give him. Maybe frame a picture of the baby ultrasound. Sentimental, and classy. Believe me, it will be the only gift that brings tears to the old man’s eyes on that night."
Claire rolled her eyes. "We’ll circle back to that later. Right now, let’s talk about you redecorating my house after I specifically said not to."
Apollo leaned forward, suddenly serious. "Correction: our house. Claire, I am not crashing here for a month. I am not a guest. This is my home now. I want to contribute in every way. Utilities, rent---whatever we need. I am not freeloading; I am stepping up. I am becoming a responsible man."
She narrowed her eyes. "Stepping up? What you did is called steamrolling. I would have appreciated a heads up. My voice matters in these decisions Apollo. You can’t just buy all the baby clothes and replace my TV with that thing! I want to buy baby clothes too. I want to pick the color of my furniture! I don’t want to feel like a stranger in my own house."
He spread his hands, earnest. "My bad. I apologize for getting carried away. But think about it--this place is going to be our kid’s first home. Shouldn’t it feel like both of ours? I am not trying to erase you, Claire. I am trying to build something with you."
Her lips pressed into a thin line. "Well, right now, that is exactly what you are doing. Erasing me."
Apollo nodded. "Never again. To show how sorry I am, I will cover Wi-Fi so your grandmother can watch her supernatural movies and dramas without buffering."
Claire snorted despite herself. "I suddenly know how you got away with redecorating in secret. You bribed Wilder with high internet speed!"
With the same speed Claire had used to escape her parents’ house, Apollo escaped from her. Claire shook her head and entered her room. At least, he hadn’t done any damage. But if he reached his paws into her bedroom, she would chop them off.