Modern Family: New Life-Chapter 99: The family council is dissolved

"Wait a minute!" shouted a child's voice, interrupting Jay's response.

Everyone turned their heads sharply.

There was Luke.

Stuck between the staircase bars. Again.

No one had any idea when he'd managed to get trapped this time.

"Since when have you been there?" asked Haley.

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"That doesn't matter!" yelled Luke, indignant.

"What matters is that I didn't vote! No one asked for my advice. Don't I get a say in this family?" he added, both indignant and angry.

A strange silence fell over the room.

Phil nodded, like a proud father.

"Alright, Luke... what's your advice?" asked Andrew, with no other choice, it would be weird to ignore him after that.

Luke looked at him, head tilted through the bars, and said in a grave tone:

"Pregnancy."

The silence that followed was longer and heavier than any before. Literally no one knew what to do with that.

Haley choked on her own saliva and started coughing.

Claire frowned at hearing her son suggest this idea. "Luke! What are you saying!? What does pregnancy have to do with this? Where did you hear something like that!?"

"From Nico, at school. He always talks about it. Says that's why his parents live together, even though they hate each other. If Pippa gets pregnant, she won't be able to leave Andrew. Even if he doesn't break up with his friend and she stays mad. It works!" said Luke with a smile. He didn't even really know how a girl got pregnant, but it sounded like a solid option.

Jay ran a hand down his face. Gloria muttered "Ay Dios mío..." in Spanish. Cam put a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing. Mitchell just froze, unsure of how to respond to any of this.

Alex was gently patting Haley's back as she tried to hold in her laughter and nearly choked.

"Well... option five," said Andrew, typing it into his phone. Everyone gave him strange looks. He only did it so Luke wouldn't feel ignored.

Luke smiled, satisfied that his opinion had been acknowledged. Whether it was the winning vote didn't matter to him.

Jay cleared his throat again. The room went quiet once more.

"Are we done with the interruptions?" he said dryly.

"Cast your vote. I don't have all day, I have to go to the airport soon," said Andrew, now impatient. He had come for advice... and now he was trapped in a family voting soap opera.

Finally, Jay said:

"My vote is for... Manny's option."

Silence.

Gloria gasped, "¡Ay, mi amor!" and hugged him immediately, like he had just saved the world.

"I knew you still had a heart. A brave vote, Jay!" said Cam, almost in tears.

Jay just gave a low grunt in response, "Sometimes it's worth speaking up... if you really care about someone. But let's be clear, only if you really care."

Claire and Mitchell, on the other hand, were frozen.

Mitchell collapsed onto the couch in defeat.

Claire crossed her arms and muttered angrily, "Betrayal."

Alex and Haley shrugged from the couch.

"Well, we lost," said Alex without any drama, and Haley nodded.

Manny stood up as if he'd just been named the Minister of Love, "What are you going to do? A handwritten letter? Flowers? A personalized gift? An emotional video? A song! Do you need help writing the lyrics?"

"Easy, Shakespeare. A letter isn't really the key, it'd be weird if she read it right then and there. It has to be something more visual," said Andrew, as an idea began forming in his mind.

"We need to go back home," he added, looking at his parents and his little sister, who was somehow still asleep despite the chaotic family debate.

"Let's go!" said Cameron, getting up from the couch.

A few hours later – Los Angeles International Airport

The main hall was brightly lit, filled with the constant hum of speakers, rolling suitcases, crying children, and flight announcements.

Andrew walked through the place with a backpack slung over one shoulder. Inside the backpack was a photo album.

Thrown together in a rush, sure. Printed at a shop, with glossy paper and uneven edges.

But full of real photos—moments with Pippa. Silly pictures, more serious ones, and everything in between. They had plenty of photos; they'd been officially dating for over six months now, ever since he asked her to be his girlfriend during a football game.

A few meters away, thinking they were being discreet, stood his family.

Jay was standing, pretending to read a flight board. Gloria wore massive sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat, clearly more for disguise than for sun protection.

Haley had a cap on, was chewing gum, and scrolling through her phone. Manny leaned against a far wall, jotting imaginary notes in a notebook. Phil was hidden behind a fake plant.

Claire, Luke, and Alex sat in the waiting area seats, far enough to seem uninvolved, but close enough to have a perfect view.

"I don't know how I ended up here..." muttered Alex, shaking her head, holding a study book in her hands.

[Andrew's comment]

"I didn't invite them. But I didn't kick them out either.

In the end... they each helped me come to a conclusion, in their own way. They made me think."

[End of comment]

Andrew didn't choose this option because it got the most votes.

He'd had it in mind ever since Manny suggested it.

He had always struggled a bit with emotional conversations. Not because he was shy, far from it.

Andrew was an outgoing guy. Confident. When he liked someone, he showed it.

With Pippa, for example, he confessed his love in front of an entire stadium, right after the end of the regular football season

But that was easy for him. He just asked, "Will you be my girlfriend?" with a smile and a standing ovation in the background.

But this... this was different.

This time it wasn't about a "yes" or "no."

It wasn't a public scene or a triumphant moment.

It was an emotional conversation, intimate... and if it went wrong, it could end in a fight.

And that's where Andrew felt the least prepared.

Maybe it had to do with how he was raised in his past life.

In Texas, brought up by his grandfather, a man from the old school. Tough, reserved. He died when Andrew was only ten.

After that, Andrew lived with his grandfather's friends. Even more closed off. Harsher.

There was never space for feelings. Everything was dealt with through a "You'll be fine" or a "Don't cry about that."

He was never the emotional type.

And even though he was good at romantic stuff... this wasn't about romance.

This was about facing something he didn't fully understand: Pippa's jealousy.

To him, it didn't make much sense. He hadn't done anything wrong. He hadn't hidden anything.

It was hard for him to see it as something real. It felt... childish. Unjustified. But even so, he decided to take action.

Because he cared about her.

Because he didn't want to lose her over something that could be fixed with a bit of openness.

That's why he was here.

Pippa's flight announcement echoed through the speakers. Andrew adjusted the strap on his backpack.

'Time to see if this works,' he thought.

Finally, passengers began to exit.

Andrew scanned the crowd until he finally spotted Pippa, walking with her mom, her stepdad, and her stepbrother.

Pippa was wearing a light jacket and jeans, her dark brown hair framing her face.

Her eyes seemed to be searching for something, and when they finally landed on Andrew, a wide smile lit up her face.

She knew he'd come to meet her, had been waiting to see him since her plane took off.

Scratch that, she'd been hoping to see Andrew for days now.

She never thought she'd miss him this much, had never felt such longing before.

Unable to hold back, Pippa ran toward Andrew.

She sprinted through the terminal with determined steps, dodging travelers with suitcases, not caring about anything else.

She never imagined herself doing something so cliché, so straight out of a romantic movie, but she couldn't help it.

She ran straight into Andrew's arms.

The impact caught him off guard, but the smile that spread across his face was instant.

"Wow," he murmured with a laugh, "Did you train strength over the break? That tackle would be approved by any football team."

Pippa chuckled softly, but said nothing.

She just held on to him for a few seconds longer.

In the distance, from their improvised "discreet spy" positions, Cam, Phil, and Manny watched the scene with teary, emotional eyes.

'This is so cinematic,' thought Cam, placing a hand over his chest, visibly moved and holding back a tear.

At that exact moment, a man passing by came to a sudden stop when he saw Cam clutching his chest, his face twisted in a mix of shock and emotion.

"Sir, are you alright? Should I call someone?" the man asked, concerned.

"Excuse me?" said Cam, caught off guard.

"Should I call 911? Are you feeling chest pain? You know, with certain... uh, body types, heart attacks can be more common..." the man added, trying to explain himself without sounding offensive, already pulling out his phone to dial just in case.

Cam immediately stood upright, indignant.

"I'm fine! I'm just witnessing a moment of true love, thank you very much!" he said, offended, as he walked off to a different vantage point.

"The airport never fails," Phil murmured emotionally, wiping away a tear from his spot.

Manny nodded slowly.

"No one runs like that with a smile on their face if they're still angry. That's a good sign," he muttered to himself, expression serious, like a love coach.

Andrew and Pippa were still in each other's arms.

She finally pulled back just a bit.

Her face was still very close to his.

Her eyes looked at him with a different kind of intensity.

"I missed you so much," Pippa murmured sincerely.

Andrew smiled, gently pressing his forehead against hers. "Me too," he replied.

But Pippa shook her head slightly. "No, Andrew... I really missed you."

'Is this a competition?' Andrew wondered, raising an eyebrow.

Just as Pippa was about to explain, her family approached.

Her mother, Leanne, was walking toward them with a sweet smile, the kind that mixed relief with motherly complicity.

Victor, the stepdad, wore a mischievous grin, as if he completely understood the emotional weight of the reunion and approved of everything he was seeing.

He said nothing, just raised his eyebrows and nodded in satisfaction, mentally giving five stars to the moment.

Josh, the ten-year-old stepbrother, rushed ahead, having no clue about the fight his sister and Andrew had before the trip.

To him, Andrew was more than just his sister's boyfriend, he was practically a hero.

"ANDREW!" Josh shouted with explosive enthusiasm.

"I saw your YouTube video! The San Diego tournament special! The summer one! The one where you played under a fake name and won the championship! You beat Arik! It was amazing! And the ending! That celebration after the touchdown, your alter ego move! The one with your arms!"

Josh then mimicked the move with admirable seriousness.

A dab.

Slow. Precise. Full of intent.

Andrew raised an eyebrow, then let out a small laugh. "Nice dab."

Andrew had popularized the dab celebration. A move that, in his past life, became a viral sensation around 2016 thanks to soccer player Paul Pogba.

The Frenchman had started doing the dance move in his goal celebrations, and it became a global trend and meme.

But now, in this timeline... Andrew had done it during a youth football tournament. Unintentionally, he'd gone viral ahead of schedule.

"Thanks!" the boy said, smile wide.

But his expression quickly changed. He clenched his fists and whined dramatically, "I should've been at that tournament, but no! I had to go visit my grandma!"

Andrew crouched down a bit to get on his level, lowering his voice like he was talking to a future quarterback.

"Listen to me, Josh. There will be more tournaments. Plenty of them.

But your grandma... you only have one. Family comes first. Don't forget that," said Andrew in a serious but gentle tone.

Josh stood still, processing.

As if that piece of advice had been etched into his soul, coming from his personal idol.

Finally, he nodded with solemnity. "I get it... but I'm going to the next tournament."

"Of course," said Andrew with a faint smile, roughly ruffling his hair.

Leanne and Victor, a few steps behind, exchanged a silent look, a mix of approval... and satisfaction.

With this gesture, and others they'd witnessed in the past, they knew Andrew was a good kid. Not just the popular athlete dating their daughter.

Before Josh could continue talking, practically buzzing with excitement, Leanne stepped in with a soft but firm voice,

"You can talk to him later, Josh. Let's give them a little space for now."

"We'll be outside. Take your time," added Victor with a slight smile, giving Pippa a playful wink.

Josh pouted a little, but obeyed.

Andrew turned his attention back to Pippa.

She was looking at him with the same intense gaze as before, though now her expression was calmer.

But she hadn't let go. Her arms were still around him.

"I have to admit, I wasn't expecting such an emotional reunion... after how you said goodbye," Andrew said, breaking the silence.

When Pippa left for Europe, they had said goodbye at this very same airport, but her farewell had been cold, almost indifferent.

Despite Andrew's attempts to make it meaningful, since they wouldn't see each other for two weeks.

"I know," Pippa said quietly, giving a small nod.

She took a deep breath. And then, to his surprise, she said:

"I'm sorry, Andrew. For getting upset without a real reason... and for not talking about it properly."

Andrew looked at her, slightly surprised by how direct and sincere she sounded.

And then, even more honestly, Pippa admitted what she hadn't wanted to before:

"Yes. I was mad about Regina. Even though I said I wasn't, I was. I was upset the whole time. But it was hard to say it... because even I felt like it was ridiculous."

Just as Andrew noticed she was about to keep talking, maybe to apologize more or explain herself, he gently interrupted her.

"Come on, let's go sit somewhere quieter. I've got a gift for you," Andrew said.

Pippa looked at him curiously, confused, but nodded without asking any questions.

They walked a few steps over to an empty bench.

Andrew opened his backpack and carefully pulled out a photo album.

It wasn't perfect. You could tell it had been thrown together in a rush, but it had clearly been made with care.

Pippa took it gently, as if it were something fragile.

Andrew opened it with her, turning the pages slowly.

They were photos they had taken together at different times:

At school, hanging out with friends, at home on the couch, at school events, after Friday night games, playing video games, even walking around the neighborhood, and more.

Pippa looked through them in silence. Her emotions held back, eyes glossy and a soft smile appearing as the memories came back with each picture.

While she kept flipping through the album, Andrew spoke:

"I don't have, and I won't have, memories like this with Regina. No photos. No talks. No moments like these."

"Because you matter to me. So much more than you think. And I would never risk what I have with you. Regina is just... a running friend. We talk a little, make a few jokes. That's it. There's no romantic intent. It's just... company during training."

Pippa didn't say anything at first. Her fingers kept turning the pages slowly.

Until they stopped.

She focused on one photo in particular: the two of them hugging, cheeks red from the cold, in a park.

"I feel guilty," Pippa finally said in a low voice.

"I was jealous. And irrational. I trust you, I do... But I think it was my insecurity that made me react that way," she added, looking Andrew in the eyes.

Andrew held her gaze.

"I'm sorry, Andrew... for all of that. For leaving mad. For not talking it through. Just... don't leave me, okay?" she said in a soft voice, a hint of fear in her tone.

Andrew looked at her for a second. Then let out a soft, genuine laugh.

"I'm not gonna break up with you after making a photo album and emotionally opening up like I never have before," he said with an ironic smile.

"And break up over our first real fight? If that would happen... our relationship would be cardboard,"

Pippa let out a laugh, "You're right... I guess I overreacted and didn't think it through," she said, calmer now, her face lighting up.

She returned to her usual self, enthusiastic, vibrant.

"Thanks," she said, almost without thinking.

And before Andrew could reply, she kissed him. A kiss full of impulse and energy.

Andrew kissed her back with a smile on his lips, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Several meters away, at their makeshift "spy" post, the family council watched the scene with a mix of pride, emotion... and poorly disguised satisfaction.

Cam, eyes shimmering, whispered, "Love did it again."

"Conclusion: when two hearts are aligned, no misunderstanding can tear them apart. Unless there's actual cheating. In that case, collapse is inevitable," Manny noted in his notebook with complete seriousness.

"This was a total success," said Phil, clapping silently with an emotional smile.

Claire, arms crossed but wearing a resigned smile, murmured, "They pulled it off... without following my advice."

"Well, the family council fulfilled its purpose," said Mitchell, a smile on his lips as he watched his son reunited with his girlfriend.

Jay, hands in his pockets, turned toward the exit, "We've interfered enough in the lives of teenagers. Let's go before someone reports us."

"Council disbanded!" said Cam, raising a hand as if shutting down a secret club.

And one by one, they walked away.

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