(p.s in this chapter DeDe did invite Robbie to dinner I've just not written it in)
Chapter 4
Princess Party
Phil puts the cheese back into the refrigerator, grabbing a coffee cup off the side when he notices Claire stood with her back to the sink with her eyes closed "What are you doing?"
"Breathing" Claire sighs, eyes still closed breathing deeply, in and out, in and out.
"Aren't you always?" Phil asks coming to stand in front of her, tucking her gold locks behind her ear
"She's going to stress me out" Claire groans opening her eyes to see Phil looking confused. "My mother, she's going to come in here and pick pick pick at me and I can't let her affect me, stress is bad" she explains
"Honey, you can do this, it's just one weekend. If she really starts to get to you, take a deep breath and leave the room, or squeeze my hand, whichever works" Phil smiles lovingly
Claire lets out a breathy laugh letting herself calm down a bit.
"Okay?" Phil asks seeing her nod, pressing a light kiss to her forehead before leaving the kitchen "Okay, I'm gonna go get changed and check on the kids then pick up your mom from the airport"
"Good luck" Claire calls
"This is so unfair you told me I could go" Haley whines
"I told you you could go if you got a B on your history exam, which you didn't" Claire calls walking down the stairs
"I have a learning disability; the words jump around on the page and appear backwards" Haley defends
Claire narrows her eyes "Honey we had you tested like six times, trust me I was praying for dyslexia"
Haley glares at her mom before she disappears into the kitchen "Oh my god why can't you let me have any fun…" she screams as Phil places his hand over her mouth, pulling her into the bedroom. Haley scrunches her nose up in disgust "Ew ew dad gross your hand smells like cheese"
"I didn't want to dirty a knife" Phil defends closing the bedroom door as Haley sits on the bed joining Alex and Luke
"Okay so we all know that when your nana DeDe comes to visit your mom can get a little…"
"Psycho" Haley interrupts
"Scary" Luke adds
"And this time she can't even get drunk" Alex points out
"… All true" Phil sighs "Therefore I need you guys to be on your best behaviour"
"Don't worry I'll keep to myself, I have to practice for my cello recital" Alex smiles whilst everyone else groans
"Fine you know what if it keeps you out of your moms hair sure do that. And remember guys, what don't we mention to nana?" Phil asks
"Anything about the baby" all three kids say simultaneously
"Hey mom, dad and nana just pulled in" Luke calls making Claire visibly tense
Taking deep breathes she tries to compose herself "It's just for this weekend Claire, she'll be gone before you know it"
"Ah, oh wow" Claire jumps not realising her mother was stood right behind her
"Claire Bear" DeDe coos taking Claire into her arms "My sweet girl, I forget that your all grown up you know in my mind your still 12 but look at us, just two old ladies"
Claire lets out a nervous laugh before being pulled into another bone crushing hug.
"So you'll never guess who I saw at the airport"
"Who's that?" Claire asks whilst opening a wine bottle
"Robbie Sullivan" DeDe smirks
"My Robbie Sullivan? From high school?" Claire grabs a glass filling it up half way "Oh my god I haven't seen him in years"
"Decades really" DeDe corrects "Oh honey can I have that, it was a long flight" DeDe complains taking the wine glass out of Claire's hand
"Wait mom…"
Claire freezes as DeDe brings the glass to her lips, twiddling her fingers nervously as she watches her mom take a sip.
"This is apple juice? Claire why do you have apple juice in a wine bottle?"
Claire's face pales "I… I um…"
"It's mine" Haley covers, walking into the kitchen
"Really?" Dede asks raising her eyebrow in disbelief
"Yeah, I'm too young to drink but at dinner, I don't know I guess it makes me feel more grown up… and stuff" Haley rambles
"To pour apple juice out of a wine bottle?"
"Mmhm" Haley nods, her lips curving into a smile when Dede shrugs her shoulders
"Alright then" she laughs, handing Haley the glass before leaving the kitchen
"Hi sweetie" Claire welcomes, kissing Mitchell's cheek, scanning the many faces at the party "So where is she? Where is mom?"
"Yeah let's get the weirdness over with" Jay sighs, Gloria hanging off his arm
"I thought she was coming with you?" Mitchell asks
"Oh no no, I haven't seen mom since oh let's see, since she made out with my ex-boyfriend last night" Claire grimaces
"No my god" Mitchell gasps
"Yeaaah" Claire cringes "And then, she took off with him, didn't come back to the house until after I was asleep and then this morning left a cute little note that said having breakfast with Robbie"
"What the hell is she doing he's half her age" Jay frets before seeing the raised eyebrows of Claire and Mitchell "Don't say it"
"I think it's beautiful, love has no age, what's meant to be is meant to be that is the question" Gloria rambles
"Dad what's going on with her?"
"She was a little nervous about your mother being here so she tried her first Xanax… and washed it down with a shot of tequila" Jay informs
"I, look at the princess so beautiful" Gloria grins
"Really?" Cam scowls "Because I don't see it"
Mitchell sees his mother walking into the garden, linking arms with Robbie. "I can't believe it, she brought him to the party" Mitchell whisper shouts turning Claire around in the direction of their mother
"Oh my god, I'm gonna kill her" Claire goes to make her way over to them but is dragged back by Mitchell
"Stop no not now, the last thing I need is a big scene Claire"
"You know she's doing this just to torture me" Claire sighs sending a disapproving look her mothers way
"Oh no she's doing this to get back at me because I didn't let her stay with us" Mitchell argues
"You're both wrong" Jay interrupts "It's about me, I got the young girl, she has to get the young guy"
Mitchell hurries over to Claire and DeDe as their voices get higher and higher. "Not now, not now. Stop please"
"She accused me of trying to steal my old boyfriend from her" Claire defends
"Okay fine but make it quick" Mitchell mumbles taking a step back
Claire glares at her mother, feeling her eyes water and hands begin to shake from frustration "Why does everything have to be so hard with you? Why can't you just be a normal old grandma? It's like some sort of sick game for you, you just push people and push people to see how far you can push them until finally, look at me you win, you win! I'm screaming at a princess party mom, I'm screaming at a princess party"
"Claire, Claire!" Phil interrupts placing his hand over her mouth before dragging her away to go stand by the bench. Claire scrunches her eyes closed and takes a deep breath trying to calm herself down when she feels a hand grasp hers. Opening her eyes she looks down to see Haley smiling softly at her pulling her down to sit on the bench next to her.
"Breathe mom" Haley instructs as she feels Claire tighten her grip on her hand
"I can't" Claire whispers bringing her other hand to her chest
Phil sees the others are controlling the DeDe situation so turns around to find Claire, spotting Haley looking at him with wide eyes. Within a couple of steps Phil reaches them, crouching down in front of Claire, taking both of her hands in his, squeezing them gently.
"Honey? Claire? Look at me" Phil calls softly, smiling when her eyes focus on his "Breathe"
Claire shakes her head "I think I'm having a panic attack"
Phil senses someone stood next to him and turns to see Cam and Mitchell staring at Claire in concern. Taking her hand he pulls her up and guides her into the house. Cam and Mitch zero in on Haley.
"Is she okay?
"What's going on?"
"I know our mom stresses her out but it's never gotten that bad"
Haley stares at them blankly "I uh, she… she wasn't feeling well last night it must be a 24 hour bug thingy"
"Oh I hope she hasn't been near Lily yet I don't want her to get sick" Cam whines, stalking off take Lily from Alex, Mitchell hot on his heels.
Phil leads Claire into the living room, sitting her down on the couch. "Are you okay? Do you need something? Let me go get you some water" he frets standing up to leave when Claire tugs on his hand, pulling him down to sit next to her.
"Just stay here" she whispers squeezing his hand whilst resting her head on his shoulder
"Okay" Phil smiles, leaning back on the couch, pulling her backwards as she curls into him, laying her head on his chest. She listens to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat and feels the calm wash over her as he runs his fingers through her hair. She'll deal with her mother later if her father hasn't already, for now, here's good.