Thanks, Dad

Chapter 2

Danny and Leo snuck around Ari's mansion.

"That's a good one," Danny pointed out. "Uncle Apollo."

"Are you sure you don't want to just ask your dad? If Noah likes the statue, we're going to need more."

"Yeah, I'm sure. We just need to satisfy Noah with this one statue. This will buy us time to buy others."

The two waited for a guard to pass.

"I'll take care of the distraction," Danny said before running around behind a group of bushes. "Ca-caw!" Danny cried in a falsetto voice. "Ca-caw!" He noticed that his noises elicited frowns, but no action. Danny rolled his eyes. "Hey! I'm an intruder!" he yelled before sprinting away from the mansion.

As soon as the guards abandoned their posts to chase Danny, Leo ran towards the statue, lifted it, and dashed off with it.

At the Snyder household the next morning, Luke and Noah sat around the dining room table in silence, trying to absorb news about Dusty. Holden and Lily stood nearby, also in silence, after welcoming Noah and overhearing the conversation.

"This isn't . . . exactly . . . bad news," Luke finally said.

"I know. I never thought of it as bad news. I mean, I could even see it as good news."

"Are you going to tell . . . the Colonel?" Holden asked.

"I don't know yet."

"Do you think he knows?" Lily asked.

"I doubt it."

A call broke another round of silence.

"It's Grace," Noah said. "Hello?"

"Noah! Good morning."

"Hi, Grace."

"Kate's filled me in on everything, and I loved your ideas."

"That's great. Oh, I wanted to tell you that someone did me a huge favor and secured a space to shoot the commercials at the WOAK-TV studio." Noah smiled at Lily.

"Fabulous. I'll get the statue sent over there. It should be in Illinois by now."

"Wow, that's quick."

"I'm sure you've already noticed how very differently I work."

Noah laughed until a realization struck him. "Grace, I just realized something. Can we meet sometime today?"

Noah covered the phone and whispered to go. "I have to go. One of these days, we're going to sit down for a real meal."

Luke smiled and nodded.

Danny was surprised to see his dad at the door.

"Hey, dad."

"Hey to you, too, son." Ari proceeded into the mansion. "I must say, I was surprised that you and Leo were able to get away with the statue with so little fuss and mess."

"Uhhh . . . thanks?"

"Are you aware of the story behind the statue? The sculptor?"

"No, is it interesting?"

"Actually . . . no, but it is a very valuable piece of my collection. Quite frankly, it's also one of the best representations of your uncle that I've seen."

"Dad . . ."

"You could have asked for it. I would have lent it to you and shipped it to wherever it needed to go."

"I know."

"Then why the theft?"

"Because you don't approve of the work we're doing here. I didn't want to ask you for help doing it."

"Well, it is true that I don't support this love business . . ." Ari sighed and put a hand around the right side of Danny's neck. "I know I'm not the best father I could be and I certainly wish you were spending your time with my work rather than your mother's, but I do and will support you."

Ari leaned in to look Danny in the eyes and Danny nodded.

"Do make sure the statue gets returned unscathed, please."

"Yes, dad."

"I think your uncle is rather fond of it too, now that I think about it. Now, have you had breakfast yet?"

"Of course not."

"Good. Join me."

Grace and Noah sat on a bench near WOAK.

"Dusty's adamant about the procedure not interfering with my work, but I see how difficult everything is with him now," Noah informed Grace.

"I understand how important family is, Noah. And I can't imagine the emotions you must be having after this discovery. It's all right if you want to postpone everything."

"One of the doctors said that recovery will take weeks. Heavy lifting and strenuous activity would be bad ideas, but they'll encourage me to walk around a lot."

Grace realized where Noah was trying to aim the conversation. "I admire your professionalism, Noah. I think I can get an assistant here to handle all the equipment, at your direction. Tell him where to put everything, where to point the camera, and he can do it."

"It would be nice to have something to do during my recovery. Something light."

"Good. Now, do you have someone to help you out? I can hire someone for that."

"Umm, I think there's someone I can ask. He might be able to help me. Luke."

"How do you know him?"

"We used to date."

"Oh, I hope that won't be awkward."

"No, no. We're still good friends."

"Well, in that case, you should definitely ask him and bring him along to our shoots. Maybe your past romance will bring some inspiration."

Later, Luke was walking out a shop when he bumped into Kate.

"Excuse me," Luke said.

"It was my fault, sorry. I'm always a klutz when I'm visiting new places. I get so disoriented. I just came to do some filming for commercials."

"Oh, you must be working with Noah."

"Yes. You know him?"

"Yeah, I do."

"He's so brave and professional. He's going to be shooting so soon after surgery despite all the help he'll need." Kate then walked off, while Luke called Noah.

"She's making you work?" Luke soon asked.

"No, I wanted to work. Someone else is going to do all the heavy lifting, literally, so I'll be fine."

"Are you serious?"

"They said I should be active after surgery, just lightly active. I could use some help every now and then, though."

"We've always been there for each other in these cases. There's nothing that's going to stop me this time, either."

"I was going to ask first if you might be free or if you're busy with your foundation work."

"I have plenty of time for you."

"Thanks, Luke."