Chapter 12

 "Alright, it's decided. I will be here come morning and help the Dunphy girls with some yoga," Daru said, smiling as he got up.

 With everyone having finished their food, they too got up.

 "Daru, why don't you stay the night?" Claire said as she picked up the dishes from the table.

 "I mean, you are coming back first thing in the morning, so why don't you stay?"

 "Yes, you should stay the night," Phil joined in, convincing him while helping Claire clear the table.

 Daru looks at the rest, and though they don't say anything, they have expressions of wanting him to stay.

 "I don't want to intrude," Daru said with an awkward expression.

 It was the first time since leaving Columbia that he was staying at some relative's house. 

 He has stayed the night and much longer at more fancy houses of starlets and businesswomen all this while, but staying here is a bit different.

 After all they are not sluts that are craving for my dick, but a genuenly good family inviting him from the goodness of there heart.

 'If only they knew the bastard they were inviting.'

 He was still a bit on the rocks with staying at Gloria's house. After all, he doesn't know how Jay would react to it. 

 Though he doesn't care for anybody's opinions, he wants to have a good relation at the start to get to the girls.

 And if their husband and father doesn't look at him as a nuisance, then it would be so much easier for him.

 "Nonsense, we would love to have you in our house," Phil said with his face splitting into a smile.

 Daru is more than a bit shocked at house phil is so friendly and insistent in inviting him into his house, 'when he saw he fuck a women durring the day.' 

 He doesn't usually see men welcome him much around their women. I mean usually they are very insecure with his connections and handsomeness.

 'It almost makes me feel bad to steal his girls… almost.'

 Genuinely a bit embarrassed at this, Daru scratches the back of his neck and nods, "alright then. Thank you for letting me stay the night at your house."

 Everybody smiles at that.

 "Good, then you can sleep in the basement, don't worry it is not a dungeon, haha." Phil laughs at his own joke as he washes his hands. But his laugh dies in the next second when nobody laughs with him.

 Daru chuckled internally looking at the disappointed looks of everyone.

 'Haha, it looks like the kids' expressions are molded from Claire's mold.'

 Chough Phil coughed to remove a bit of embarrassment. He is used to this, 'they just don't got the Dunphy funny bone.' 

 While he wiped his hands with a hand towel, he continued, "anyways we have converted the basement as a temporary bedroom for Haley."

 Claire then looks at Haley and Alex.

 "And Haley can stay with Alex, it would be good for the girls to share a room once again," Claire said with a reminiscent look.

 From her eyes, all she saw was two small girls giggling and staying together. If it was up to her, then she would freeze time in that state.

 But for anyone else, you could see the scowl on each of their faces. It was not that they hated each other; it was just a lot of disagreement piling upon each other over time.

 'I wouldn't mind mending their bond. Nothing like sharing with each other can't solve. I am such a saint.' Daru smirked for himself.

 Sitting in the living room, they chat for some more.

 "Alright, it's getting late. Everybody go to sleep."

 Phil looked toward the clock.

 "Oh, it's already so late. I have to wake up early. I have to finish the remaining paperwork for Janice's house. She is looking to shift in just a few days."

 Phil looked towards Claire and said, "I will be going pretty early, so I will be gone before you wake up."

 Claire nods, then addressed Haley, "Haley, go show Daru where he will be sleeping."

 "Okay."

 Daru and Haley get up, Daru following Haley's tail. As he follows her, he is suddenly contemplating the difference in this world.

 'I don't know how this can be a real world and a show in my last life.'

 It is not the first time he has this question.

 Is this reality or just not? All this while he is just pushing these thoughts cause he knows they are just a trap that has no out.

 'I mean what was the guarantee that my last life was real?'

 But looking back at the things that brought him to question reality, he comments to himself.

 'Her ass is clearly bigger than Haley of the show.'

 When they reach the end of the stairs leading to the basement, Daru shifts his eyes from her bubble butt to her upper back.

 'Not gonna make the same mistake.'

 "It's nothing fancy, but I have made it quite cozy…" said Haley now turning towards Daru.

 She locks eyes with him, then smiles coyly, "I am a bit embarrassed to bring a man into my bedroom. But it is alright if it is you, right?"

 She flutters her eyes innocently, "You wouldn't do anything to me, right?"

 Looking at her fake innocence, Daru wants to roll his eyes.

 Just then he catches something behind Haley's back. Realizing what it is, Daru smiled at her and said, "Well, I don't know about that, but I hope you don't mind if I change the sheets, do you?"

 "What do you mean…" Haley gives him a confused look.

 Daru just points towards something; Haley turns to look at him pointing at the bed. There in a not-so-inconspicuous corner of the bed, lies the object that would traumatize Phil to no end.

 A dildo.

 Haley rushes with a shock rising, not sure if it was the flirting that evaporated or was it embarrassment burning her face. She picks it up and hides it from Daru's view.

 She turns towards Daru with her gaze away and face red.

 "Huh… that…"

 "It's all right; you don't need to explain anything…" Daru smiles lightly before continuing, "I will just go freshen up before bed…"

 He pauses when he doesn't hear any reply as Haley avoids looking towards his direction; he speaks out, "Right after you tell me where the bathroom is."

 "Oh yeah… that way…"

 While he walked away, he heard Haley saying… "And I will change the sheets."