Breakdown

The aftermath of the big announcement played out exactly as Marcus expected—like a controlled train wreck.

Claire was already deep into "concerned older sister" mode, asking Mitchell rapid-fire questions about Lily's diet, sleep schedule, and whether they had "baby-proofed everything yet."

Phil, on the other hand, was all-in on the emotional rollercoaster. "Mitchell… you're a dad!" he said, his voice cracking slightly. "This is huge, man! I mean, I remember when Haley was this small, and now—"

"Dad, don't start," Haley muttered.

"I'm just saying!"

Meanwhile, Jay had taken the "quiet observer" approach. He hadn't said much, just giving occasional grunts of acknowledgment as Cam excitedly recounted every detail of how they got Lily. Marcus figured the man was still processing.

Marcus himself remained in the background, as he always did in these situations. Observing. Letting the chaos unfold around him while he leaned against the nearest wall, lollipop in his mouth, arms crossed.

"Still think we're gonna get any work done?" he murmured to Alex.

Alex exhaled sharply. "Not a chance."

She was clearly annoyed, but at the same time, Marcus could tell she was intrigued by Lily. Every so often, she'd glance toward the baby with that analytical look she always had when faced with new information.

Then, as if to confirm Marcus' prediction, Claire turned on Alex. "Sweetie, why don't you and Marcus help out? You're great with details, and they could use some extra hands."

Alex groaned. "Mom, we really do have a project to finish."

"Oh, it won't take long! You can work on it later." Claire's tone made it clear there was no room for negotiation.

Marcus sighed. "Guess we're in it now."

Alex shot him a glare. "This is your fault for existing."

He smirked. "I get that a lot."

---

Babysitting 101 (Aka, Wing It and Hope for the Best)

Somehow, Marcus and Alex ended up with Lily duty while Cam and Mitchell frantically went around the house, adjusting things that Claire had pointed out as "potential baby hazards."

"This is ridiculous," Alex muttered, watching her uncle run around with a tape measure. "She's literally too small to move."

"Yeah, but have you seen baby-proofing videos? It's a whole thing," Marcus replied, gently rocking Lily's car seat. She had been staring at him for the past five minutes, completely fascinated by his movements.

"You seem weirdly good at that," Alex noted.

Marcus shrugged. "Sophie was a baby once."

"You have a little sister?"

"Yeah. She's eight now."

Alex frowned. "You never mentioned that."

"You never asked."

Alex rolled her eyes. "You're so annoying."

Marcus smirked. "Yet here we are."

They fell into a surprisingly comfortable silence, the occasional baby noise filling the space. Despite her earlier resistance, Alex's gaze softened slightly as she watched Lily wiggle in her seat.

"…She's kinda cute."

Marcus hummed in agreement. "Yeah. Not bad, for a tiny human."

---

Meanwhile…

In the background, Jay had finally broken his silence.

"So. A granddaughter, huh?"

Mitchell tensed, already bracing for whatever was coming next. "Yeah, Dad. A granddaughter."

Jay was quiet for a long moment. Then he looked at Lily again and muttered, "…She's alright."

For Jay, that was practically an emotional breakdown.

Cam, of course, took it and ran with it. "Alright?! Jay, that is the sweetest thing you've ever said to us!"

Jay groaned. "Don't make a thing out of it."

"Too late!"

Marcus chuckled under his breath. Yeah, he could get used to this family.