Chapter 108: Chapter 108: Enemies On Both Fronts (Part 8)
Don nodded, finishing his bite before replying. "Unlike some people, I actually enjoy helping others."
Summer rolled her eyes again, clearly not buying his altruism. "Yeah, right. What's in it for you?"
Amanda laughed lightly, patting Summer's arm. "He's getting some fresh produce for his diet. What's wrong with that?"
Summer's confusion deepened as she looked between the two of them. "Diet? What's he on a diet for?"
Don merely shrugged, not offering any explanation, which only seemed to frustrate Summer further.
"Whatever," she muttered, clearly deciding it wasn't worth the effort to pry. She then turned to Don, her expression softening slightly. "Since you're getting Dad's old car, can you pick me up from my friend's place later today?"
Amanda looked surprised, her eyebrows shooting up as she addressed Don. "You're really getting Shelly?"
'Shelly?' Don repeated the name in his mind, realizing that it must be the car's name. He gave a nod, smiling faintly. "Yeah, mom offered it. But it looks like Shelly hasn't run in a while, so I'm not sure if she'll even start."
Amanda scoffed, waving off his concern. "Don't worry about that. If there's one thing your father did right, it was taking care of Shelly. You might need to take her in for servicing, but that's about it."
Don nodded thoughtfully, his mind already considering the logistics. "I'll look into getting that done after our trip to the farm." He was eager to try the car out, maybe even use it for the drive to Amanda's farm, but he wasn't willing to risk it without knowing the way. Having Amanda drive them there would give him a chance to learn the route for future reference.
The conversation shifted to random topics as they continued eating, with Don occasionally teasing Summer, much to her chagrin. The banter was light, the kind that filled the room with a sense of familiarity and warmth. It felt like the kind of morning that brought the family closer, even if they wouldn't admit it out loud.
Finally, Don finished his breakfast, wiping his mouth with a napkin before excusing himself from the table. "I'm heading back to my room," he announced, pushing his chair back.
As he stood, Summer called out to him, "Don, don't forget to be on the lookout for my call later, okay?"
Don waved a hand dismissively as he began walking toward the stairs. "Yeah, yeah, I'll keep an eye out," he replied with a smirk, making his way up the stairs.
As he ascended, he was pleased with how things were playing out. He had managed to subtly push Summer into reconsidering her attitude without coming off as too forceful, and now he had an entire day planned out with Amanda.
Once back in his room, Don closed the door behind him with a soft click, the noise from the rest of the house fading into the background. He let out a breath as he walked over to his bed and sat down on the edge, the mattress sinking slightly under his weight.
Don knew he had some time before Samantha would be ready to leave, so he decided to make use of it. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his phone and tapped the screen. The device lit up, and he quickly navigated to the app that connected him with Gary Assist. "Gary," he said quietly, his voice barely above a murmur, "can you map out where I go today?
I want to make sure I'm efficient with my time." Don asked, choosing not to make it known that he didn't know the way.
A soft chime sounded from his phone, and Gary Assist's calm, artificial voice responded, ["Of course, Sir. That won't be a problem. I'll start mapping your routes now."]
Don nodded to himself. "Thanks, Gary," he said, more out of habit than necessity. He knew the AI didn't require gratitude, but it felt natural to him to maintain a polite tone, even with an artificial assistant.
As he leaned back on the bed, propping himself up on his elbows, Don let his mind wander for a moment. The plan for the day was falling into place, and things were progressing smoothly with the family.
Don soon drifted off into a light nap, the calmness of the room and the weight of the morning lulling him into sleep.
His mind floated in the soft haze of slumber until a sudden knock on the door startled him awake. He blinked, disoriented for a moment, before the second knock sounded, this time accompanied by Samantha's voice calling out softly, "Donnie? Are you awake?"
Don quickly sat up, running a hand through his hair as he tried to shake off the lingering grogginess. "Yeah, I'm awake," he replied, his voice a bit rough from sleep as he swung his legs off the bed and stood up. He padded over to the door and opened it.
The sight that greeted him made him pause for a brief second.
Samantha stood there, looking every bit the image of a sophisticated yet undeniably sexy MILF. She wore a form-fitting office attire: a neat, charcoal-gray pencil skirt that hugged her hips and thighs in all the right places, stopping just above her knees. Paired with it was a white blouse, the top few buttons undone, offering just a hint of her cleavage.
Over the blouse, she had on a tailored blazer that accentuated her narrow waist, and her legs were elongated by a pair of black stiletto heels. Her hair was styled neatly, and she wore just enough makeup to highlight her natural beauty.
Don's eyes briefly took in the whole picture, appreciating the way she looked as a whole.