Picnic

Danny nervously checked himself in the mirror again. His baby blue t-shirt was tight against his chiseled chest. He leaned on his hands as he allowed his head to drop to stare at nothing in particular.

Lacey walked in noticing her boyfriend's distraught pose. "Hey, Sweetheart. What's wrong?"

"Nervous." Danny admitted still allowing his head to stay looking downward.

"It's a picnic." Lacey ran her hand down Danny's spine. She stuck her hand in his back pocket. "A simple picnic."

"No. It's not." Danny closed his eyes as he let out a staggered breath. "It's the first time we'll be in public as a family. What if…"

"What?" Lacey made him continue.

Danny swallowed then stared at himself in the mirror. "What if I disappoint you and Thomas? He has been through so much. People don't realize that when he's there. He's really there."

"I don't understand what you're saying." Lacey placed her hands on Danny's shoulders. She made him turn to look at her.

"Thomas hangs on every word. We know how he listens to everything." Danny exhaled anxiously.

"Sarita says that is something that happens with some autistic children. She said Thomas remembers things that he has overheard days earlier. That he repeats things." Lacey placed her fingers in Danny's belt loops. She giggled. "He repeated to dad your advances he overheard. Did that embarrass you?"

"No. It's not that." Danny threw his head back a little causing his hair to fall over his shoulders "I'm not embarrassed about making love to the woman I love. Besides, we agreed. No more sex talk while Thomas is in a mile radius. I can't believe he heard me ask you that and he was feet away as it is. Anyway, I don't think you understand."

Lacey bit her lip as she pulled Danny's hair up into a bun for him. "Then make me understand."

Danny pulled Lacey into an embrace. "The people will be whispering about how I abandoned you while you were pregnant with him. They'll be saying things about me not deserving a second chance. That I came back and forced my way back into your and Thomas's life. Most people don't have a clue I didn't know about him. What if Thomas hears that? He is really starting to accept me. I don't want to lose my son before I even get him to love me."

"Look at me." Lacey pulled back to stare into Danny's eyes. "No matter what words that Thomas hears today. Actions will prove the rumors and gossip wrong. You'll show Thomas that you're his father. That you love him."

"Have I ever told you how great you are?" Danny kissed Lacey's nose.

Lacey scrunched up her nose with a giggle. "Yes. But you can keep telling me. I like it."

Thomas walked into the room gripping tightly to a piece of material. Phoebe pushed back her hair with a puff of air.

"What's wrong, Phebes?" Danny could see his son's baby sitter was overcome with frustration.

"He's strong when he wants certain things. I tried to put on the outfit you wanted him to wear, Lacey." Phoebe glanced back at Samuel for reinforcement. They had became best friends somehow through helping Lacey out with Thomas. It was a strange relationship where both needed a friend after losing their partners to either divorce or adultery.

Samuel nodded. "She's right. He won't budge. He wants to wear that t-shirt."

Lacey walked over and pried Thomas's fingers from the shirt. "Thomas, mommy bought you a special outfit for the picnic. Why won't you wear it for mommy?"

"No." Thomas rocked as he looked at the ceiling. "NO."

"Maybe he doesn't want to look like a sissy." Danny teased.

"Danny, it's cute. He looks adorable in it." Lacey protested with a roll of her eyes. "It has a ball cap to match and every thing."

"No." Thomas pulled on the t-shirt in Lacey's hand. "This."

His speech had improved tremendously with the work on the part of everyone. Also, Lacey had taken the money from Danny's child support to enroll Thomas in special autism services held at the university Rico worked at.

Phoebe glanced up at Danny then at the t-shirt. She smiled broadly. "I think Thomas should wear the shirt he wants."

"But, Phoebe." Lacey protested as she imagined her son in the cute little outfit she had bought him.

"Lacey, look at the shirt. Then look at Danny." Phoebe nodded to Danny.

Lacey opened the t-shirt to reveal the same color of baby blue that Danny was wearing. She smiled at Thomas.

"Do you want to look like Daddy?" Lacey ruffled his hair.

Danny's smile splashed across his face with pride. Lacey chuckled at the simple action bringing such joy to Danny. After Thomas was dressed and looking like a miniature of Danny, Danny picked up Thomas in his arms. He placed him on his hips as they walked out to the car.

When they arrived at the picnic, Sarita and Jana were the first to greet them. Thomas happily took both their hands as they led him to the picnic. Scott sat with Jeffery talking about the new business projects creeping up in Green Grove.

Danny darted his eyes around. He couldn't help but tune into the whispering. It reminded him of the first time he had went to Fall Fest upon returning to Green Grove from juvie.

'He's back. When did he finally realize he had a family to take care of.'

'Lacey looks desperate for taking him back so easily.'

'Jeffrey could've made her a good life.'

'Desai is rich. Of course she would take him back.'

'Like they need him. They were doing fine without him.'

'I don't get all the worship. Even Sarita seems to think he's so great. I don't get it. I know you were there for her when he wasn't.'

'I know that too. I'll have to make sure Lacey and Thomas remember that too.'

Danny turned to stare directly at the two the last sentences came from. Scott squirmed a little uneasy. There was no way the guy heard that. Was there? However, they really weren't trying to keep to quiet when insulting Danny.

Leaving Lacey to talk to Jo, Danny walked over and sat at the table with the two men. He looked menacingly over to them.

"Like what you see?" Jeffrey stated as he crossed his arms defiantly.

Danny leaned in closer to Jeffery. " I don't hide my words. I say what I mean to your face. Quit checking out my fiance. And yes. I am stressing the word
fiance."

Okay, he may should've asked Lacey to marry him first but girlfriend didn't exactly stress Lacey's importance to him.

Scott raised his eyebrows. The guy wasn't so subtle. Of course, Danny Desai never was one to mix words when it came to protecting Lacey or Jo. He was also
very territorial when it came to Lacey. Jeffrey leaned back folding his arms over his chest.

"I've been there for both of them. You haven't been." Jeffrey quipped. "She was engaged to me first."

Jeffery didn't know that Lacey had walked up. Neither did Danny.

"Does that matter? Because Danny is here now. And he's here to stay. You may have been the one there in person for a very miniscule part of my life. However, Danny was the ONLY one that has always been there in my heart."

Jeffrey peered up at Lacey. "I didn't mean anything by it. I don't want to see you get hurt again. Does Danny know how difficult it was during your pregnancy? How alone you felt when Thomas was diagnosed?"

Danny pulled Lacey to sit beside him. "Jeffrey, it's really none of your concern. If you wanted to be a friend like Scott here. Or like Rico has been. Fine. But you want more. I won't tolerate it. Quit trying to horn in on my family."

Lacey squirmed uncomfortably. Danny was very authoritative when he put on his socio mode. And he was oozing with socio like qualities as he spoke to Jeffrey.

"Do I make myself clear?" Danny never took his eyes from Jeffrey.

"Is that a threat?" Jeffrey's and Danny's voices were only loud enough for Lacey and Scott to hear. Any one observing would think they were having a normal conversation.

Danny stared at Lacey. Then he glanced at Scott. His eyes went back to Jeffrey. Danny's brow knitted together. "No. That's a promise."

Jeffrey was expecting Lacey to speak up on his behalf. Or even Scott. Both seemed to understand that Danny wasn't playing games. Jeffrey got the clue quickly as well.

Luckily, Marie, Jo's and Rico's little girl, spotted Danny and ran to him. She crawled into his lap. She had gotten to know Danny over the course of the month and a half he was there.

"Hey, Marie." Danny patted her on her back. "Are you having fun?"

"Yes." Marie looked up. "I turn five Monday."

"I heard." Danny moved her on his lap. "What are you wishing for?"

"Thomas." Marie didn't hesitate. "That's all I want."

"Thomas?" Lacey giggled.

Jo plopped down as well as Rico. "She's convinced she can marry Thomas someday if she wishes enough."

"I am going to." Marie smiled. "He's going to be just like his daddy."

"Thanks." Danny chuckled. But before the adults could keep giggling at the cute four year old, the brunette haired girl found herself on the ground beside of Danny.

Thomas was in her place on Danny's knee. "My daddy."

"I want him to read to me tonight." Samuel complained.

"Sam." Danny picked up Thomas and sat him on his lap. "He's reading to me again."

"Reading to me is our thing." Samue plopped down in his chair. He didn't care if he seemed jealous. He was. "You find something to make it daddy and son. I want my reading to be grandpa and Thomas time. Come on…." He continued to plead. "Phoebe still gets to bake cookies with him. Lacey still plays those puzzle games with
him. You even took my bathing the kid."

"You're not getting bathing him back. He loves the bubble beards we make." Danny patted Thomas's head. "I'll let you read with him tomorrow. I can't think of anything else to do."

"My Gosh, Danny. You have to think of something. For goodness sake, you're his dad and have money galore. Buy him some type activity for daddy and son time. Or take him somewhere." Samuel opened his newspaper begrudgingly.

"I can take him flying. I got my helicopter and pilot's license." Danny bit his bottom lip. "If Lacey doesn't find out."

"I'll never tell. IF you let him read to me tomorrow." Samuel grinned.

"Why not tonight?" Danny was wanting to take him flying first thing in the morning. He'd give up the reading for now.

"He's asleep." Samuel nodded to Thomas curled up to Danny. His wet tendrils of hair stuck to Danny's white t-shirt as Thomas's cheek pressed against his
chest.

"Shoot. Lacey is going to kill me. She said she better get to put him to bed tonight. I was hogging all Thomas time." Danny pulled Thomas tighter to him. "I can't help it. He's really starting to feel like I'm his daddy. I think…"

"What, Danny?" Samuel could tell Danny was hesitant and nervous.

Danny swallowed as he brushed back some of Thomas's curls. "I think he loves me."