Hansen glanced at his daughter Molly, who was looking up at Chad's profile, "Since when did you become friends with that old timer behind my back?" His wife's concerns always revolved around his social circle.
"Just an old man who filed a report. Felt pretty bad for him. Got swindled out of his money and came to me for help. Cherry picking season is here, fancy a trip?"
"Did he get his money back, though?"
Chad nodded, wrapping his arm around Molly, looking down at her. He was close enough to kiss her but restrained himself in front of the Cedillo family, "When I'm on it, you bet it'll be sorted."
Molly smiled, "Then I'm in." It'd be awkward to go cherry picking on their dime if the money wasn't retrieved.
Anya, too, was interested but directed her words at Leo, "Chad, I want some fresh cherries."
"Aren't the ones you buy fresh enough?"
"Those are picked by others, not fresh. I want to pluck them straight from the tree and pop them in my mouth right there."
Leo, ever so cheeky, "Why don't you just hug the tree and nibble on it? Skip the middleman, that'll be fresher."
Anya, upset, stood up, abandoning her spot next to Leo and sat next to Mia instead.
Naomi, fuming, pointed at her son, "If Anya was my daughter, you'd never be good enough to be my son-in-law."
Leo sheepishly scratched his nose.
Soon after, Chad got up to leave, "Dad, I'll come by to pick you and Molly up tomorrow."
Having had a nap there, he was re-energized.
Molly asked, "Where are you off to? Dinner's almost ready."
Hansen's curious eyes darted between his daughter and son-in-law, wondering if they had made up. Was his daughter keeping her husband around?
The living room fell into a brief silence, everyone momentarily forgetting to react.
Then, catching a glance from Molly, her sister-in-arms knew despite their quarrels, it was time to back each other up.
Mia quickly stood up, smoothing things over, "Chad, why don't you stay? We're heading out together tomorrow anyway." She handed her child to Chad, "Henry, go to your uncle. He's not leaving tonight; you're sleeping with your aunt and uncle tonight."
"No way, I'm a sleep champion, and your son's a night owl. If I sleep, your son's up, leaving me to care for him all night." Molly couldn't be more straightforward.
Mia teased, "Consider it practice for daddy duty."
After exchanging looks again, they decided to hold back any snide remarks, given the earlier plea for warmth.
Chad, looking at his wife on the couch, broke into a smile, reassuring the little one in his arms, "No worries, your uncle had a good rest today. I'll keep Henry company tonight."
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