Chapter Three: Meet the Families
Ryan Marquez stood by the living room window, chewing on a granola bar and watching the unfolding drama across the street.
Claire Dunphy was pacing the front lawn like a lioness in capri pants, while Phil calmly waved his arms in explanation. Haley stormed inside, slamming the door. Alex walked past with a book and a look that said, "Typical."
"This neighborhood," Ryan muttered, "is prime reality show material."
Behind him, his mom, Lucia, zipped up her blazer while balancing a mug of coffee on her laptop.
"Ryan, please don't spy on the neighbors before breakfast. That's a family rule."
"I'm gathering sociological data for a behavioral model."
"Is that what you call people-watching now?"
"Precisely."
Carlos walked in adjusting his collar, holding Toby the corgi like a loaf of bread. "Your sister's brushing her hair with a fork again."
"Tell her it's not The Little Mermaid," Lucia sighed.
"I did. She said she's not brushing—she's 'stabbing out the bad energy.' I think she's been watching telenovelas again."
Ryan chuckled and grabbed his backpack. "Sounds like a normal Monday."
Lucia kissed his forehead. "You sure you're okay starting school mid-week?"
"I'll be fine. I already downloaded the entire syllabus and pre-scanned the curriculum."
Carlos grinned. "Nerd."
"I take that as a compliment," Ryan replied.
As they stepped outside, the Dunphys were mid-fight. Claire glared at Haley, who was trying to explain that her boyfriend Dylan was "basically harmless."
Phil spotted Ryan and waved cheerfully. "Marquez family! Morning!"
"Morning, Phil!" Carlos called back.
Ryan nodded at Alex. She looked like she was debating whether to bury herself in the ground or sprint back inside.
"We should hang out sometime," Ryan offered. "Maybe run some simulations."
Alex raised a brow. "You mean, like, science stuff?"
"Yeah. I've been modeling stress factors on my drone stabilizers. Thought you might have fun."
Her eyes lit up slightly. "You had me at 'stress factors.'"
Claire looked between them and whispered to Phil, "Are… are we witnessing nerd courtship right now?"
Phil whispered back, "Do you think I should offer snacks?"
Later that afternoon, Ryan was at his desk assembling the outer casing for his portable scanner—a device he told his parents was "just a barcode reader," but which could actually measure thermal signatures and EM fields. His window was cracked open, and he could hear Jay and Gloria arguing in Spanish from their backyard next door.
He looked down at his blueprints, then up at the sky.
"A drone flight might be too risky today," he muttered.
Just then, Cam's booming voice echoed across the block: "We're here! And we have something to show you!"
Ryan glanced out and saw Mitchell and Cam standing beside their car, holding a pink bundle of joy.
Lily had arrived.
Ryan watched from the porch as the family gathered around. Jay looked surprised. Claire was crying. Phil tried not to panic. Gloria clapped excitedly while Manny recited a poem about new beginnings.
The whole thing was surreal. He remembered this scene from the first episode—when Mitchell and Cam introduced their adopted daughter.
Ryan smiled to himself.
Even knowing the script, it felt different being here. Real. Personal. Emotional.
He put his tools down and walked over.
Carlos and Lucia joined the growing crowd with Gabby in tow, who immediately tried to peek inside Lily's blanket.
"She's like a living doll!" Gabby gasped. "Can I braid her hair yet?"
"No," Mitchell said gently. "She… she doesn't have much hair yet."
"She's perfect," Lucia whispered.
Jay stood with his arms crossed, still adjusting to the sight. "Well… I guess I'm a grandpa again."
"You are a grandpa," Gloria said, looping her arm through his.
Cam, of course, raised Lily dramatically in the air as "Circle of Life" played on a hidden Bluetooth speaker. Claire rolled her eyes. Phil clapped. Ryan... smirked.
"These people," he said to Alex, who had wandered over beside him, "are chaotic. I kind of love it."
"I used to think they were insane," Alex replied. "But then I realized that insanity is relative."
"Smart girl."
"I know."
He looked back at his house. "I have a new AI script if you want to test it later."
"Is it more advanced than your last one?"
"Less sarcasm. More stability."
"Sounds boring. I'm in."
As the sun dipped lower and the crowd began to disperse, Ryan returned home with his thoughts buzzing. In his old life, this kind of day wouldn't have happened. There were no backyard baby reveals. No nosey neighbors. No little sisters stabbing invisible curses with a fork.
There was just cold metal, deadlines, and burnout.
But here? Here was laughter. Chaos. Heart.
He wasn't going to waste it.
He might have Tony Stark's mind—but this was his story now.
And he was going to enjoy every second of it.