my chaos, your home // modern Family //

s1 e 24 family portrait

Luna and Willow were sitting on the Dunphy house living room, the two had made plans to hang out outside college much to the teasing of Riley and Miguel once Luna had went to gush all about the plan to her friends. The two girls were were joking about until Luna's mom Claire passed them but froze staring intently at the steps behind them making the two girls look at Claire silently, the blonde woman just ignored them, even when Haley walked in the front door throwing her keys on the cabined, the younger Dunphy sister gave a nfused look towars Luna who only shrugged her shoulders equally confused.

"What's wrong?" Haley asked turning back to Claire who didn't bother a glance towards the other girls as she looked at the steps like they had kicked a puppy.

"That broken step," Claire responded, Haley leaned on the bannister to see what Claire meant, "It's going to ruin our whole family portrait."

"I don't see anything," Haley said, trying to ease their mother's stress in order to not make it into a huge thing that it was bound to happen. However the look Claire send Haley almost made Luna jump in and pull Haley out of the danger zone.

"So, I'm crazy?" Claire asked irritated, tilting her head at Haley. Haley frowned glancing at Luna who only shook her head a little, Willow widened her eyes and resisted the smile that was fighting to come on her face.

"No, you're not," Haley hesitantly said, glancing at Luna and the broken steps under Claire's intimitating gaze.
The blonde woman turned to look at the stairs, the irritated look persistently on her face.

"You're father was supposed to fix that step." Claire stated with a roll of her eyes.

"Mom, you're obsessing over the tiniest little thing-," Haley started, ignoring Luna's frantic whispers to stop, the younger Dunphy sister looked at the stairs not seing their mom nodding her head with a matter a fact smile.

"So you do see it, yeah," Claire stated cutting Haley off. Haley sighed looking at Claire.

"What is the big deal about this one picture?" Haley asked looking at Claire.

"Honey, you know what? I don't expect you to get this but- Alright. When you're a mom everything goes by so quickly. In a minute, Luke's gonna be shaving, and Alex is gonna be off at college, Luna's probably getting her own small first place soon enough with a secure enough job, and you're gonna be.." Claire trailed off having turned towards Haley playing with her fingers, it was silent for a moment as Luna and Haley both looked expectantly at Claire, "Doing something great." Claire took a deep breath, "I just want to freeze this moment as it is right now. You know?" Claire asked Haley.

"I do," Haley asnwered shaking her head, "I know I don't show it but this family is still the most important thing that-" Claire's eyes had shifted back to the stairs while Haley was talking, Luna was silently nodding along Haley's words with a soft smile.

"Screw it, I'm going to fix the bastard," Claire cut Haley off, walking towards the broken steps, Haley glanced behind her towards Luna who offered an awkward smile for Haleys irritated one. "I mean seriously? How hard can it be? If your father can do it. I can do it right? Alright I just need to lift-" Claire crouched down, out of curiosity Luna stood up to stand at the bottom of the stairs to see what was going to happen, Haley came to stand next to her Claire liftet the chipped piece of wood from the broken step but the whole thing came off.

"Oh, now I see it." Haley commented, Luna snorted giving Haley a high five. Willow giggled from her position on the sofa.

"Uh-huh," Claire voiced staring at the damage done to the step.

~~~

"Okay I just made it worse. I'm not freaking out though. I'm going to call your dad and he's gonna tell me how to fix this," Claire said pacing the living room dialing Phil's phone.