Pas de Trois

Chapter 11: "How are we back on this?"

"I'm making orange juice, would you like some?"

Danny stood in the doorway, staring at the scene in front of him. Brent was leaning over, helping Avery with the last of his homework. Emma and Aimee were eating their breakfast. Maddox was dropping oranges in the juicer.

The whole thing was so simple but so perfect. Brent stood up and crossed the kitchen to stand with Maddox. He kissed Dax's shoulder like he did all the time.

"Danny?" Maddox stopped feeding the juicer and looked at him. He and Brent gave each other worried looks. "You okay?"

"Um, yes," Danny found his voice. "I would like orange juice, please."

"Sure," Maddox reached for another orange.

"Are you ready for your test today?" Brent asked. "Do you want to go over the formulas again?"

"No, I'm okay," Danny decided. He sat down at the table and Brent put a plate of food in front of him.

"Was Colin up when you came down?" Maddox asked, bringing Danny his juice.

"Yeah, he's dressed," Danny picked up his fork. He shoved a bite of food in his mouth before he could start grinning like an idiot.

As much as Danny worried about Slade, he couldn't help but feel like he was in a small way living a dream come true. It was only temporary but as long as Slade and his mom were in Georgia, Danny was staying with the Masters family. For the first time in his life he had not one but two perfect dads to take care of him.

Maybe the way they acted would bother other people, but Danny loved having Dax and Brent fuss over everything he did. When Danny got there two nights before, he found out Maddox had been so worried he'd baked almost 3 thousand cookies while he and Brent waited for Danny and Chloe to get there. They waited up every night for them to get home from ballet and tried to help with homework and anything else.

"Dad! It's snowing!" Emma gasped.

"No!" Aimee groaned. "I spent all that time doing my hair."

"We'll drive you to school," Maddox promised. "Finish your breakfast."

Danny finished eating and ran back upstairs to put on a sweater. He passed Colin on the way. Colin was in a short-sleeved polo.

"It's snowing," Danny told him.

"Fuck this place," Colin sighed and turned around. "It never snowed back home."

"You'll live," Danny tried not to laugh.

Colin rolled his eyes. He was two years younger but Danny always forgot that. Really, if Colin was even a little interested Danny probably would have had a crush on him. He was nerdy cute, but honestly didn't seem to know that at all. Colin also seemed to have no idea that all the girls who hung around him were just hoping he would fall for one of them.

"Hey, it's snowing," Danny paused at Chloe's bedroom door. She glared at him. "Sorry, I thought you'd want to know."

"I guess that's not your fault," Chloe shrugged and turned back to her mirror. Danny wished he knew the right answer to that.

The night Slade left, Danny's mom had dropped him and Chloe off at her house. They'd stood on the steps, watching as the taxi left with Slade and Danny's mom inside.

"Today sucks," Danny had said.

"Yeah," Chloe agreed. She turned to look at him. "I think you and I need to talk."

"I guess we should," Danny had expected her to start demanding their history. He tried to sort through the pieces of the story he could tell her without hurting Slade.