SF Chapter 170: Nomination III
After they finished watching the third movie, Dani went to his sister's house, while Mischa and Lexi decided to go shopping together.
"That's not fair, Dani," Haley whined again, clinging to her uncle's arm.
Claire, Alex, Luke, and Haley had congratulated him on the nomination, but the girl complained as soon as she found out her mother had been chosen to accompany him to the Oscar ceremony.
She continued, "Mom doesn't even like it that much."
"Besides, wouldn't it be better if you were accompanied by a young, beautiful girl instead of an old lady?"
Alex said sassily, "Well, if 'young and beautiful' is the criterion, of all the girls I've seen around Dani, you wouldn't even be in the top ten, Haley."
"Shut up, Alex!"
Claire stepped closer, looking at her flatly. "What did you call me, Haley?"
"Nothing," Haley tried to dismiss.
Then she crossed her arms, pouting. "You are not my favorite uncle anymore, Dani."
"Oh, yeah?" Dani exclaimed. "Then I hope your favorite uncle can take you to the Vanity Fair party. The most exclusive post-Oscar party!"
"No, no, no, you are by far my favorite!" she quickly changed her mind.
"You are not going to any party, young lady," Claire cut her off, moving to place the dishes on the table.
Haley now had to complain to her mother. "But, Mom-"
Then Phil walked in carrying a few pizza boxes. "Food's here," he exclaimed with a smile.
He quickly set them on the table and went for a high five with his brother-in-law. "Here's our little prodigy. The youngest screenwriter ever nominated for an Oscar!"
"Congratulations, Dani!" Phil said with a genuine smile.
"Thanks, Phil!"
Dani then had a eureka moment. "Should we come up with some kind of ad for you, so I can show it during the photos?"
"That would be so cool!" Phil immediately got excited.
But Claire quickly stepped in. "No, no, no," she said, shutting it down. "You are not acting like a hooligan at the most important ceremony in cinema."
"By the way, Phil," Dani remembered. "Sorry, but I only have one plus-one invitation, and I chose Sis."
"Oh... okay," Phil nodded, but without his usual enthusiasm.
[Phil commentary]
"I understand Dani choosing Claire. I really do," Phil stated, sitting on the couch.
"But..." he paused. "I was always the good cop for him. Isn't it strange that the bad cop is being rewarded?"
Then he admitted, "I'm kind of envious of Claire. She's going to meet all the celebrities!"
[Commentary ends]
"But," Dani tried to cheer Phil up, "there's still the Vanity Fair party! I'll try to get as many invitations as possible, so you can meet the celebrities too!"
"Sweeet!" Phil exclaimed, not even seeming like he had been a bit down just moments ago.
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[Claire commentary]
"Was I touched that Dani chose me?" Claire asked rhetorically.
"Yes," she admitted. "Deep down, he's still my little brother."
"That little gremlin who drove me crazy, but was like a first son to me," she said, a little emotional.
[Commentary ends]
Claire was gently running her fingers through her brother's hair. They were sitting on the living room couch.
"Are you sure about this, Dani?" she asked.
"I know you have some inappropriate relationships with a few girls," she scoffed. "Wouldn't you rather take one of them as your date?"
"What are you talking about, Sis? I don't have any inappropriate relationships!" he denied. "I have very appropriate relationships - with lots of sex!"
Claire immediately wrapped an arm around his neck and started choking him.
As soon as she let go, he added, "Even if I had a girlfriend, I'd still choose you. Bros-Sis before hoes - or, in this case, incredible girls."
"Family first, no girl-" he was going on, "uh, Prudence just sent me a message," Dani suddenly changed focus, looking at his phone.
"Amanda, Lindsay Lohan, Lindsay Ellingson, Sammy, Penny..." he started tapping through all the girls who had texted to congratulate him.
"Anyway," Dani finally turned back to his sister, who was looking at him flatly.
"You are my super sis. Technically also my cousin. Sometimes, even my second mom," he stated.
"Aww," Claire exclaimed affectionately.
"And most of the time my jailer, inquisitor, aggressor, and my killjoy."
He ran off before he could be strangled again.
[Dani commentary]
"I think the only person I'd really be torn between choosing would be Dad. It would be a hard choice between Dad and Sis," Dani commented.
"Dad was basically the reason I got this far in terms of movies. And Sis is Sis."
"I love Charlie, and for letting me live in his house, but I still have far fewer years with him compared to Sis. Besides, he wouldn't care much about it."
Daniel concluded his commentary. "Mitch, Alan, Phil and Haley are still below. Mom... she would probably make a scene. But thankfully she has an invitation through the production company."
[Commentary ends]
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Later, Claire was standing by the window when her daughter showed up beside her holding a camera.
She looked at her oddly. "Alex, have you picked up your dad's hobby of wandering around filming everything?"
"No," she denied. "I'm just recording how the youngest Oscar‑nominated screenwriter behaves at home."
Outside, Dani, Phil, and Luke were playing with the garden hose. Luke even shoved it down his pants, soaking him completely.
"Mom, no one would believe me if I told them that the guy everyone's calling a genius acts like an eleven‑year‑old."
Alex turned to her mother again. "Is Dani a version of Luke with brains and creativity?"
Claire gave her a gentle tap on the head. "Be nice to your brother."
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