"Danny!"
Danny, his earbuds securely in place as he studied for finals, hadn't heard his mother calling. He jumped as his mom touched his shoulder.
"Mum!" He yanked his earbuds out, "Hey—" He looked around, not sure how long she had been trying to get his attention, "Everything alright?"
"Sorry to interrupt you." She shook the phone in her hand a little and held it out for him, "It's your father."
Danny reluctantly took the phone, "Oh."
"Just talk to him, Danny." Karen rubbed his back gently and headed out of his room.
Danny held the phone for a few moments, debating if he should just hang up. He eventually heard someone say hello on the other end and took a deep breath before responding.
"Yeah, hello." He said as evenly as possible.
"Hey! Daniel! You're hard to get ahold of. How's my boy?" Vikram sounded very happy to finally connect with Danny.
Danny's heart ached, his mind raced. He was furious with his father and decided not to allow his heart to win this time.
"Busy." Was all he could muster without completely unloading on him.
"I know, your mom tells me all the time about everything you're doing. I'm so proud of you."
"You don't know."
"Listen, Danny, I'm sorry for the way I went about things—"
"You mean, you're sorry about leaving us and not saying a damn thing? You mean, you're sorry you weren't the man you promised my mother you would be?"
"Danny, I know you're upset with me—"
"I hope she's worth it."
"Who?"
"Whoever you're fucking."
"It's not that simple—"
"I think it is. Are you in love with her?"
"It's not serious."
"So, you're telling me you're putting us through all of this and it's not even that serious? You've abandoned your wife and your son! This is bullshit!" Danny was irate.
"You will not speak to me like that Daniel—"
"You're correct, I will not speak to you at all. Goodbye Vikram." Danny hung up the phone.
Danny needed to get out, breathe. He had opted for a run, but had to cut it short due to a pop up thunderstorm that left him drenched. After a change of clothes, Danny decided a long drive was the next best thing.
Danny: Need to get out Porter, you coming?
Lacey: Sure, be there in 5
"Hey, you heading out again?" Karen spied her emotional only child putting on his boots by the front door.
"Yep."
"You okay?"
"He's such an asshole." Danny shook his head.
"I'm not angry with him Danny. It's not what I wanted, but life isn't fair sometimes. He's expressed to me that he's happy. Let him be happy." She shrugged.
Lacey bounced through the door without knocking, slowing from a full run away from the rain. She dripped water everywhere and all over Danny as he squatted to tie his boots.
"Damnit, Porter! I just got dry." Danny sighed.
Lacey smiled and shook herself harder. Danny growled and began squishing her sides until she tapped out with uncontrollable laughter.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry—"
"Where are you two headed?"
Lacey whipped her head toward Danny, "I dunno?"
"I just need a drive, we'll be careful." Danny knew his mom would understand.
In the car, Lacey had been through every radio station, twice.
"Will you just pick something?!" Danny snapped at her.
Lacey knew this Danny, he was hurt.
"What happened?" She asked him softly.
Danny didn't answer right away. Lacey took his free hand and massaged it between hers for a long while. They made it into the next town over before Danny began to open up.
"I'm sorry. I talked to my dad today. He told me he was proud of me—" Danny swallowed hard, "I confirmed he's cheating on my mother, and then I told him I wasn't going to speak to him ever again."
"Oh Danny, I'm sorry. You think this is his, like, midlife crisis or something?"
"Maybe—" Danny's eye suddenly caught on something, "Holy shit."
He stopped abruptly and pulled his car into the parking lot of the Regency Hotel and right up behind a sleek black Jaguar, +MARNA on the license plate. His father's car.
"I—I thought he was away?" Lacey said, confusion spilling out of both of them.
"Help me?" Danny asked with no real explanation of what that entailed.
"All day, every day, all night." Lacey giggled as they completed their silly handshake.
"Thanks, Lace." God he loved her.
The pair devised a plan to confront Danny's father that they anticipated would go one of two ways. Lacey would approach the desk with a delivery for Vikram. Either the concierge would give Lacey the room number, or they'd call Vikram to come down.
After finding some passable flowers at the grocery store, Danny entered and walked through the lobby toward the elevators to wait. Lacey followed a few beats behind and approached the desk, bouquet in hand.
"Good evening, how may I help you?" The concierge greeted Lacey.
"Hello, delivery for Vikram Desai." She said confidently.
"Desai, okay, room 204."
"K. Thanks." Lacey tried to remain disinterested and took off toward the elevators.
As they made their way toward Vikram's room, Lacey ditched the flowers in a nearby trash can and reached to hold Danny's hand tightly.
204. Danny knocked soundly and stood tall, knowing Vikram would likely look through the peephole. When they heard nothing, Danny knocked again.
"Coming! Hang on—" Vikram grumbled.
A girl's voice could be heard, giggling from afar and then gradually getting closer as Vikram made his way to the door.
"Where did you put my robe, Vik?" She giggled again.
The color in Danny's face drained, his mouth hung open and he looked over at Lacey, "Is that—" He leaned closer to the door to hear them better.
"It's on the floor—" Vikram said, releasing a giggle of his own.
"Found it!"
"Oh my god, it's—" His mouth gaped wider as Vikram opened the door to a completely stunned Danny and Lacey, "Phoebe." Danny whispered.
"Danny." Vikram said as if acknowledging a brand new day of the week.
"Oh my god." Phoebe said, rushing back toward the bedroom to get dressed.
Danny dropped Lacey's hand and subconsciously covered his mouth in disbelief.
"You—you're sleeping with Phoebe.…" Danny ran his fingers through his hair and rested them on top of his head.
Lacey's face was one of pure disgust, "Mr. Desai, she's like—"
"An adult. Yes, thank you Lacey, I know." Vikram defended.
Phoebe reluctantly retuned to the living room fully clothed. Danny couldn't help but look at her, he knew her body, he'd had her body.…and now, so had his father?
"I should go—" Phoebe took a step toward the door.
Danny wasn't having it, stepping in her path, "Are you fucking kidding me right now?!"
"Daniel—" Vikram took a step toward him.
"You're fucking my DAD?!" Danny's hands were wild, waving in the air erratically as his brain tried to comprehend what was happening right now.
He whirled around to face his father, "This is why you left us? This is who you left us for?!" He began pacing.
"Vikram, she's still in high school—" Lacey was still in shock.
Danny sneered at Phoebe, "Does he know, Captain?" Phoebe shook her head no. Danny nodded, "Of course not." Danny continued pacing the living room.
"Know what?" Vikram's curiosity was piqued.
"How did this even happen?" Lacey asked, trying to calm Danny down with her voice, everyone was talking too fast.
"I couldn't get ahold of Daniel. I knew Miss Daly was the girl's soccer captain so I contacted her in hopes of getting in contact with him."
"You didn't think my own co-captain, who you've known for over ten years, or you know, MY MOTHER, would have been even closer to me?" Danny was livid.
"If you would have just taken my calls—"
Danny reared back, "Oh so this is my fault?"
"Danny—" Phoebe took a deep breath in but said nothing else.
"My father was trying to get in touch with me? You never said a damn thing to me about it!" Danny's voice boomed with emotion.
"So, wait, how does you reaching out to Phoebe turn into….whatever is happening right now?" Lacey was pissed.
"I know how." Danny nodded, Phoebe looked away and crossed her arms across her chest, "You know how much this has been hurting me and my mum. Why would you do this?" Danny's voice cracked.
"Daniel, no one is trying to hurt anyone here. Miss Daly and I—"
"Does mum know?"
"No, and like I said on the phone, it's not serious. It's—"
"It's just sex. Oh I'm well aware of what Captain Daly has to offer. Tell me, how long has this been going on?" Danny wanted facts.
"Three months." Vikram confirmed.
Danny nodded and glared at Phoebe, "Three months."
"Danny—" Phoebe knew where this was going.
"What do you think of her nipple piercings?" Danny asked his father point blank. Lacey cringed.
Vikram looked over at Phoebe as the wheels began turning in his head.
"Yeah, that's right." Danny smirked at him.
"Vikram—" Phoebe started.
"You've slept with my son?" He was clearly surprised.
Phoebe shrugged.
"That wasn't a detail you thought would be important to me?" Vikram continued.
"What did you expect, Vikram, she is a TEENAGER after all!" Lacey rolled her eyes, her rage had grown.
"Lacey, please—" Vikram shook his head.
"You don't get to scold Lacey, she's trying to help you see what a vile person you are." Danny seethed.
"Lacey knows you've slept with Phoebe?" Vikram was obviously not up to speed on their current status.
"Yeah, she knows. You'd know that if you were home and not holed up here, sleeping with my classmates, daddy."
Phoebe rocked a little in irritation, "Vik, like I've said to you and to Danny, this is just sex. I'm not going to discuss the details with any of you."
Danny focused his attention back on Phoebe, "This is where you were when I texted you that day."
"I was there for you, just like I promised." Phoebe huffed.
"I feel sick." Danny said honestly.
Lacey just about pushed Phoebe out of the way and pulled out the desk chair for Danny, "Have a seat, D. Before you fall down."
Danny sat and placed his head in his hands. Lacey rubbed his back lovingly while glaring at Vikram.
"I'm gonna go—" Phoebe said softly, edging her way toward the door for the second time.
"We need to talk about this—" Vikram said, getting his body in front of the door first.
"I don't need to talk about anything. I'm not discussing this with anyone, no one will know but the four of us. I, um, I do hope you'll still text me sometime." Phoebe looked between the two Desai men before adding, "Both of you."
"Jesus Christ, get the fuck out of here, Phoebe!" Lacey yelled at her.
Danny took a deep breath and stood, "No, I'll drive you back."
Lacey, Phoebe and Vikram all stared at Danny like he was crazy.
"What?" Danny shrugged, "She's family now, right, mom? Is this the kink you were looking for?"
Lacey stepped forward then, "C'mon then Daly, I'm driving this shit-show back to Green Grove." Lacey held her hand out for Danny's keys. Danny sighed and fished them out of his pocket for her.
"Daniel, I love you, I still want to be a part of your life. You're my son, my only child."
"You've chosen the life you want, now I'm choosing mine."
Danny, Lacey and Phoebe piled into the elevator together in silence. Danny felt like he was living in a movie, a horror movie. His mind wandered to images of his intimate time with Phoebe, which then traveled to thoughts of her with his father. He felt sick again.
Lacey insisted that Phoebe sit in the passenger seat while Danny laid down in the back seat alone. He tried to calm his frustration and pain by closing his eyes and meditating for peace.
After a long stretch of silence, Lacey broke first, "I don't understand." She said as her eyes darted over to Phoebe and back to the road.
"You've seen him. Them. I am not sorry—"
"Its Danny's FATHER! He's almost fifty!"
"Have you even met me? I don't give a shit!" Phoebe was tired of this argument.
"Fine. How about what you're putting Danny through? He doesn't deserve to be in the middle of this."
Phoebe blew out in frustration, "Look, we're all adults and I don't have to explain shit to anyone."
"So you just don't care about anyone's feelings. Great."
"I'm dealing with my own shit Lacey, I don't have time to worry about making other people comfortable. Life is tough, grow a set or you'll get hurt."
"Wow."
"Danny wasn't complaining when I was riding his dick—"
"Oh—kay, that's enough." Lacey was done with this. She turned the radio on and the three remained silent for the rest of the trip.
Lacey barely rolled to a stop in front of Phoebe's house, sending her hopping out. She finally pulled Danny's car into his driveway and sat there. She didn't know how to make any of this any better for him, not this time. She prayed for strength and guidance.
"Thank you, Lacey. For being there for me. It's never mattered to you what the reason or what the task is, you're there for me always and I feel that. Thank you." Danny's voice was sincere, loving.
"Always, Desai." Lacey hugged him tight.
"I just wish—"
He searched her face for the right words to say to make her understand just how much she meant to him.
"What?"
"I just want—"
Danny wanted out of this craziness and wanted in on a life with her. He poured every ounce of feeling he had into his eyes to communicate what his mouth couldn't.
Lacey smiled in understanding, "I love you too."
"What do I do with all this, Lace?"
"Your Mom has us, Danny. We're it. We're going to go in there and tell her. Right now. Before she has to hear this shit from anyone else."
Danny blew out, anxiety pouring from his whole body. They made their way inside, finding Karen in the living room stretched out and reading on the couch.
"Hey kids, how was your drive—" Karen stopped short when she saw the look on Danny's face, "What happened?" She sat up and waited for whatever was coming next.
"Your husband, Vikram, he's—not away on a business trip." The look of curiosity on his mom's face was killing him. Danny didn't want to watch her filter this pain.
"My husband? Danny, he's your father, and what's all this about?"
Danny sat to untie his boots while Lacey took a turn.
"Mr. Desai is staying at the Regency Hotel in Homefield."
Karen rubbed her hands together nervously, "I—I knew he was back in New York. I didn't know where he was staying, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I thought it would be easier not seeing him if you thought he was still away."
Danny completely ignored his mother's confession. He knew she'd always try to protect him, now it was his turn.
"You need to leave him, mum. He's not a good guy." Danny said cryptically.
"We've been married for eighteen years, it's not that simple—"
"He's cheating on you—" Danny hoped that was enough of a reason.
"We're both kind of dealing with that—" Karen stared back at Danny, silently reminding him about Chief Masterson.
Lacey decided to rip the band aid off, "He's been sleeping with Phoebe Daly."
Karen's jaw dropped and she sat back against the couch. Danny scooted closer to his mom, Lacey not far behind.
"I'm—I'm sorry, Phoebe, like, your Phoebe? Like, high school senior Phoebe?"
Lacey nodded yes.
"She was there with him today, it's been going on for months—" Danny couldn't look up at her.
"Oh my god." Karen whispered, "I just need a minute." She stood and shuffled upstairs to her room.