Twenty three. Danny counted the candles on the fancy cake that Lacey had made for him, the fifth birthday out of however many he had left that he was so fortunate to spend with her. How had time passed is fast?
"Make it a good wish this year—" Jo roasted him.
"Wishing for my team to win the finals was a good wish!" Danny protested.
"Winter has lasted forever, maybe wish for an early spring?" Jo suggested as if he'd really consider it, "I've always hated February."
"Thanks, Jo."
"I don't care what you wish for, just do it fast before the cake gets all waxy, I worked hard on that!" Lacey scolded him.
Danny closed his eyes and wished for the only thing he felt was missing in his life. Lacey knew what he would pick and the two locked eyes right after he successfully blew out all twenty three candles in a single breath.
For the last five years Danny and Lacey worked to build a life together. Danny understood what a tremendous blessing he had acquired when the gift of wealth fell upon him at eighteen. He sat on it for a year and supported Lacey through her first year of college, using the time and freedom he had to complete some intensive therapy.
They did the work. Once Danny was feeling more grounded after working through his past traumas, he began dragging Kyle in with him, then Jo, then Lacey. He got everyone around him involved, lifted them up and helped open up and refine his communication skills with Lacey.
The Porters hadn't kicked Danny out after his tentative first week. Instead Danny revealed what had been going on with him and impressed Samuel with what he said he intended on doing about it.
They watched him go to every therapy appointment. They watched him help out at Kyle's farm, volunteer at the library, and eventually organize Green Grove's first ever recreational youth soccer program. He had kept his word and so they let him stay.
Lacey excelled at school and once she completed her first year at college it wasn't even a second thought about her continuing on. Outside of her studies, she volunteered alongside Danny when she could. They enjoyed spring breaks together and took the Mastersons and the Porters on family vacations around the world over the summer.
The families knew about the money. It was too hard to hide it from them when they knew Danny wasn't working and would come home with new clothes, a vehicle and gifts for Lacey all totaling far more than what they all assumed Danny had received from Gloria's estate.
He had worked with Judy to renovate the Porter's home, he paid for Lacey's college tuition. Kyle needed a new barn, new plumbing and electrical work in the old farmhouse, Danny took care of all of it.
In the off season from the wildly popular soccer program Danny ran, Samuel suggested something new for Danny to try. For the last two years Danny used his acting skills to venture into public speaking. Everyone knew how easy it came for him and as the superintendent for the district Samuel wanted Danny to lead some anti drinking and anti drug campaigns at the elementary, middle and high schools in town.
Danny had gained the trust of the kids and their parents through the soccer program. They all knew he was a safe person, someone who could be trusted, his words and opinion valued and Samuel felt that Danny could make a big impact on them by speaking about his own experiences.
Jo continued to help her father with the farm, finding peace in creating order for the animals that depended on her every day. It took a little bit of coercing, but Danny finally persuaded Jo to take some classes at the college. He paid and Jo earned a few certificates in personal training and nutrition.
Jo eventually fell for Pilates and opened her own studio on main street next to Tess' pottery studio, another venture that had been missing from their town that turned out to be greatly successful. Tess and Jo would help each other out at work and kept their relationship going on a more professional level.
Danny hadn't been back to the city. He connected with Whitney a few times after the wild night he had with her and Lacey and Danny had invited her to Green Grove to visit. She reassured him that despite his big mistake that night, there were no lasting effects.
He still offered to help her with a place to stay, college, anything. She was important to him. Whitney always declined and explained away his questions and objections, claiming she was dating a wealthy woman and was safe and being taken care of. He didn't push her further and eventually accepted that their lives had simply moved in different directions.
Danny and Archie didn't talk anymore. Kyle kept Danny up to date on Archie's stays in and out of the federal prison system in the city for drugs and other issues relating to the addictions he was battling. Danny kept in touch with Mrs. Yates and asked her to tell Archie to reach out if he ever wanted a different life.
"I need more plates." Lacey pointed to the stack of paper plates on the counter while she balanced a slice of Danny's birthday cake on the knife she was using.
Judy grabbed them and helped pass out the pieces Lacey had cut.
"I get two pieces." Clara said as if the world owed her something.
"Not happening." Lacey lowered her now teenage sister's expectations and handed her the single slice.
"Danny would let me—" Clara looked to Danny for his usual assist.
"Oh, well, I'm pretty sure the invitation said one piece of cake per person so—" Danny began, face completely serious.
"Invitation?" Clara's forehead wrinkled up in confusion.
"Yeah, for the party—"
"I didn't get an invitation."
Danny's eyes got big, his face looked genuinely surprised, "You weren't invited?" He cringed, "Yikes. This is awkward."
"I hate you." Clara deflated when she realized he was joking.
"You do not."
"Yes I do."
"No you don't."
"Yes I—"
"Alright kids, that's enough." Judy smiled at their banter, loving the way Danny had always included and engaged Clara from the moment he met her, through the fun times and the tougher parts. He was the brother Clara never had.
Lacey and Danny had seriously discussed marriage and what that looked like. For them, they were both spiritual people with no desire to join together in that way. They were partners and made the promises to each other to stay faithful and share their lives together. That was all they wanted, it was all they needed, just each other.
It took a little convincing to have Judy and Samuel unlearn all of the "right" steps they thought that Danny and their daughter should take. As the Porters watched the couple work together over the years to figure out how to build the life they wanted, they understood that their choice was just as rewarding, meaningful and successful as any marriage would be. They accepted Danny as Lacey's life partner. They were a family.
Although Danny was still welcome at Lacey's parent's house, it had been five years and he was still in the basement by himself. He never pushed the rules and Lacey and Danny had a hard time not being able to work on their sex life or even to fulfill their basic needs without renting a room a couple times each week for a few hours. It was time to move into their own space.
At the end of last year, Danny and Lacey purchased land on a wooded lot about halfway from the Masterson's farm and the Porter's family home. They had the land cleared and were a couple months away from moving into the new home they were having built there.
Now that their home base was situated there was one thing that kept popping up in Danny's mind. It hit him at one of his soccer practices last year. One of the temperamental three year olds got frustrated with an untied shoe and came to Danny for help. Once the toddler's shoe was set, the kid untied it again so Danny would have to re-tie. This kid just wanted someone to pay attention to him.
The whole interaction reminded Danny of all the times Vikram and Karen dumped him off at soccer on the weekends, even when his team didn't have practice. It was the only thing he had as a kid, the only time he could play and collect the attention he needed too. Danny wanted kids.
He shared his feelings with Lacey, knowing that after five years of almost daily unprotected sex, they really wouldn't be able to have their own. Still, they were open to other options. Danny knew how much different his life might have been if he was adopted by a family like the one he and Lacey were creating.
They didn't tell their families, but the couple visited a fertility specialist the month before Danny's birthday and agreed that they'd invest the money and try for a solid year to get pregnant on their own with the help of some drugs and other things before moving on to explore anything else.
They agreed that if it didn't happen by the end of the year, they'd begin what they understood to be the very lengthy process of becoming adoptive parents. They were still young, but they knew that if they didn't start now they might not have time to create the big family they wanted.
Lacey had been taking injections daily for the last month and was feeling awful most days. It was difficult to keep it a secret, but they were persistent and focused on their goal. It was important to not talk about this high risk situation until they were far enough along. They didn't want the pressure of updating everyone all the time or having to relive any grief by explaining if they lost a baby along the way.
Danny had great sympathy watching Lacey endure what she had to for the last month. He was extra attentive to her and often felt guilty that his role in all of this was to just have sex with her every day.
Thankfully, the doctor had determined that Danny's sperm were at peak levels and appeared to be healthy and ready to go, a fact he also felt guilty about as he watched the disappointment on her face when their first pregnancy test together last week said not pregnant. He knew she felt like it was all her fault.
Danny reminded her that they'd just keep trying and if they never had biological children, there were still kids out there that needed them. He insisted that both options were exciting and exactly what he wanted, a family with her however it happened.
"What time do we have to be at the gate?" Danny asked Lacey.
"Four pm."
"Will we have time to stop for coffee?" He side-eyed his beautiful girlfriend.
"Definitely." Lacey grinned as she cleaned up the kitchen.
"Y'all drink too much coffee." Judy shook her head after hearing nothing but about them going for coffee for the last few weeks.
'Going for coffee' was their code for stopping to have sex at the hotel. Baby making was no joke and these two had always understood the assignment.
"Never enough." Danny said as he sucked the frosting off his fork.
Jo rolled her eyes in the corner, not knowing about the baby situation but absolutely understanding that going for coffee meant they were off to fuck somewhere. Those two never slowed down in bed.
Danny caught Jo rolling her eyes.
"You coming with us tonight, Jo?" He asked before Jo said anything to further out them.
"Can't. I have a date." Jo flashed him a smile.
"With Johnny again?" Lacey wondered.
"Yep."
"Why isn't he here?"
"The line cook called out at the diner so he had to cover."
"You really like him huh? This is like, what, your fourth date?"
Danny was worried about her. Johnny's diner was struggling despite being a cornerstone of their town. The regulars dwindled a bit when Johnny failed to find enough good help after Gloria's shake down had hauled several of his long time employees off to jail on drug charges. He still hadn't recovered.
If the rumors around town had any truth to them, Danny feared that Johnny was supplementing his lost income over the last few years by selling drugs. He didn't want Jo to get sucked into that life, not when she had just hit her stride with her own business.
"I do like him." Jo's cheeks grew pink and she couldn't hide the happiness.
"What are you guys doing tonight?"
"Probably stopping for coffee." Jo giggled.
"Nice." Lacey shook her head.
"Gross." Danny said plainly.
"Speaking of which, I've gotta head out, start getting ready." She gave Lacey a squeeze and punched Danny in the arm, "Happy birthday butt-face, love you."
"Thanks asswipe." Danny shoved her toward the door.
Danny and Lacey left shortly after Jo to complete their afternoon errands, which included a stop at the hotel and then to the New York State federal prison. Regina Crane had served only five years in prison for her role in Gloria's drug movement in Green Grove and was being let go early for good behavior. She was set to be released at four pm and Lacey and Danny had agreed to pick her up.
Lacey and Regina had been best friends and they continued to talk weekly for the last five years. Lacey promised she'd help her get back on her feet and knew that if her and Danny were the ones to be seen with her around town she would have a chance of fitting in and living a somewhat normal life there.
Danny was nervous about it. The last time he had seen Regina she was hysterical, blaming him for her mother getting shot and killed. The only information he had about how Regina felt about him was whatever Lacey told him, which were all nice things, but he wondered if that was really true.
"I got you something." Lacey said as they pulled into their usual spot at the hotel.
"My gift is in there." Danny pointed to the hotel, "I would like all three minutes of what's about to happen with you on top please." He laughed too hard at himself.
"You mean two minutes? No problem." Lacey shot back as she rummaged around in the compartment under the armrest between them.
"For fuck's sake, Lace, it's at least two and half minutes."
"I don't round up. I count in whole ass numbers. If you want the accolades you've gotta do the work. Now, do you want your real present or not?" She smiled and pulled out a box wrapped with a gold bow.
Danny took the box from her and untied the bow. What could she have possibly gotten for him? He had everything and could get anything he ever wanted.
"Aww, wow! Thanks, Lace—"
Inside the box was a beautiful gold chain. He slid it between his fingers and admired it for a minute, Lacey knowing he'd see the secrets within it. Sure enough Danny squinted a little and brought it up for a closer look. L + D was inscribed along the side of one of the links along with a tiny maple leaf like their matching tattoos.
"I love this." He confessed as he fastened it around his neck, genuinely moved by her thoughtfulness.
"Happy birthday." Lacey kissed him, "Now let's get at it."
They made it to the prison gates in time after a full ten minutes of Lacey pampering him and giving Danny the best expedited birthday sex he'd ever had.
"Mom and dad are going out tonight so we're going for round two later."
"I'm here to serve." Danny giggled.
The gates opened a little after four and Regina emerged, scanning the roadside for the vehicle Lacey said she'd be in.
"Reg!" Lacey squealed forcing herself not to run across the street to meet her, as were the rules.
Regina jogged over and hugged Lacey tight, unable to hold back her tears.
"Oh my god, I'm out—" Regina choked out, "I missed you."
"Missed you too."
"Hey, Danny." She gave him a polite smile and a much shorter hug, "Thanks for coming to get me."
"You bet." Danny gave her a nod, navigating the minor awkwardness that loomed around them.
"You look so good!" Lacey complimented her, ignoring their weird history and trying to focus on her best friend.
"Thanks, yeah the choices inside are limited. It was either get into drugs or work out every day so I'm ripped now." She laughed and plopped into the front seat, sending Danny to the back.
They went through every drive thru Regina asked for on the way back to Lacey's house. Danny watched Regina marvel over how much the town had changed over the last five years.
Part of Regina's sentence, along with the prison time, was that she would not have access to the remaining money in her mother's estate for one year after her release. The judge thought that Regina would have to learn what it was like to get a job and support herself before falling back into the old habits that had made her complacent and contributed to the decay of Green Grove simply from her comfortable apathy.
Lacey invited her to live with them at her parents house for the year.
"Where am I staying?" Regina wondered, knowing that Lacey's house wasn't that big and remembering that Danny was staying there too, "Holy shit—" Regina said as they pulled in the driveway.
"Yeah, the parents remodeled. So, the basement apartment has two bedrooms now, you'll be down there."
"With Danny?"
"Is that okay?" Lacey asked.
"No, yeah, yes. It's fine. Thank you so much for this, both of you."
It only took a few days for Regina to warm up to Danny. The five years that he and Lacey had been working on their relationship made them a solid unit and Regina could immediately feel their love and unity.
Danny and Regina had many late night chats and he convinced her to attend therapy sessions with him just like everyone else important in his life. Lacey did the same, making it a point to spend time with her away from Danny as well.
Two months later, Regina had taken over volunteering at the library from Danny and worked part time at Jo's Pilates studio. The town had reabsorbed Regina back into their community, mostly because they felt badly that she had grown up with a mother like Gloria and partly because they could see how hard she was trying to figure out where she fit.
Even with her busy new schedule, Regina felt like she could be doing more with her time. Danny and Lacey had moved into their new house and she was basically all alone at Lacey's parent's house when she wasn't working.
"Wow." Regina sat on the swing next to Lacey as they watched Danny running soccer drills with his team, "He's so good at this."
"He really is."
"What's up with you two anyway? I know you said you're not getting married or whatever, but what about kids?" Regina could clearly see that it's what was missing in their life.
"We've been trying, but you know—" Lacey didn't have to get into all of the reasons, Regina was there the day Lacey found out about her fertility issues way back in high school.
"I wanted to say something to you at last week's practice, but what about a surrogate? Like your egg, Danny's sperm and then just have someone else carry it?"
"We haven't really talked about that. I don't know, I'd have to find the right person I guess."
"What about me?"
Lacey looked over at Regina, healthy, happy and literally just waiting for the time to run out on her funding block so she could move on with her life.
"Wait, really?"
Regina shrugged, "Why not? I'd totally do it, you two would be amazing parents."
Lacey had a jolt of excitement surge through her, could this really happen? She wondered what Danny would think.
After practice the three of them went back to Lacey and Danny's new house to unwind. Once they settled into the living room Danny noticed right away that the energy from Lacey was off. He was about to ask but Lacey beat him to it.
"Can we talk?"
Danny got butterflies in his stomach. The only thing perpetually pending in his life from month to month was if Lacey was pregnant. Was she about to tell him she was? Danny sat up straighter in his chair.
"Of course—"
"It's been months, I think we both know that the odds are not in our favor here."
Danny glanced at Regina and back, wanting to remind her that they weren't alone.
"It's okay, Reg, c'mere." Lacey waved her friend over, "Regina asked if we'd ever use a surrogate, like for one of our own fertilized eggs."
"Oh, I dunno. Who would we even get for something like that? Is that like a Craigslist thing?"
"Hell no." Lacey shook her head.
Danny smiled.
"What about me?" Regina asked Danny.
Danny's smile faded, his eyes dropping up and down Regina's body.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, I still have a while before I get the rest of my life back, I figured this would be a cool way to fill the time."
"That's like, a huge thing to ask—" Danny wasn't sure.
"Don't ask, I'm offering. I'm healthy, I'm in a good place, I am living with Lacey's parents, it seems ideal really. Honestly, Danny, I watch you with the kids at soccer, you guys are so ready for this. You have this beautiful new home, you're ready. I can help."
The three of them hugged there in the living room for a little while before saying goodnight. They all slept on it and then made the appointment with the fertility clinic the next day.
The surrogacy process was even more complicated than trying to have a child on their own. Lacey kept up with her drug regimen on the slim chance she'd conceive naturally because the odds of Regina carrying a child for them were also low and she wasn't ready to start throwing options away.. She had made a commitment for a year and she was going to complete it.
They told their family about Regina's offer and that they had accepted it. Everyone was thrilled and the support was amazing. A month later and Regina was in the hospital doing the first embryo transfer.
Six weeks after that and the three of them were having a game night with Jo and Johnny at Danny and Lacey's house. Their game nights were epic, with tons of food, traditional board games, video games and lots of laughs. Since their lives were currently all about babies 24/7, the goal was to find ways to have fun without alcohol or drugs, something every single one of them had struggled to do in the past.
Jo loved drinking and smoking, but she was so busy with her business and working out there that she really didn't have the time to do it much anymore. Johnny was older than the group, by about fifteen years. He was just here to appease Jo. He had no interest in slowing down the partying and took a smoke break outside almost every half hour.
At one point in between rounds of messing with Danny's VR headset, Regina broke away and began rummaging around inside of her purse. She peeked over her shoulder to make sure everyone was inside and nearby. She pulled out a slim box and brought it over to Lacey.
"Hey guys, I wasn't able to get you a proper housewarming gift when you moved in, but I recently found something I had to get for you—" Regina handed the box over to Lacey.
"Aww, thank you—" Lacey said, Danny right by her side.
They both remember the brightness of camera flashes, but don't remember much for the next five minutes. Thankfully, Regina had been ready and captured the chaos that ensued once the pair realized they were staring down at a positive pregnancy test.
Regina was six weeks pregnant with Danny and Lacey's first child.