Just Hit 'Send' - The Happy Years
by Grasshopper
Ch. 1
He could feel Jordan. Smell Jordan. His eyes popped open. He could see Jordan.
"Hi Dan," Jordan smiled, so much love in his eyes that Danny blinked.
"Oh," Danny whispered.
"Oh is right. Are you my birthday present?" Danny could hear the laughter, the joy in Jordy's voice.
"Yes, Jordy. Happy Birthday."
Jordan raised up on his hands and turning Danny under him, lay across his chest. Nose to nose, breath from one mouth huffing gently into the other, he asked, "Are you home for good?"
"Well, I have my job and my thera..........,"
Jordan interrupted him, placing two fingers over his lips. "Are you home?"
Danny felt the tears welling in his eyes. Jordan's breath on his face, Jordan's body pressing against his. "Oh, yes, Jordy. I'm home."
"Lean up, baby," Jordan sighed, as he pulled Danny's t-shirt over his head, throwing his own toward the floor. He laid his cheek on Danny's chest, ran his fingers gently along the zipper of Danny's jeans and whispered, "May I open my birthday present now?"
"Mm Hm," Danny murmured.
Hand slightly shaking, Jordan popped the button and slid the metal teeth apart with a soft sssshhh. Pulling Danny's jeans and briefs down, he inhaled the aroma that was all Dan. It was almost like they'd never been together; the nervousness, the shyness. "I've missed you so much," Jordan breathed.
"Jordy, I want............,"
"No, let me love you. You came home. You came home to me, I want to show you how much that means to me."
Danny's bellybutton took Jordan's tongue as he licked wet circles around and in and then down the line of soft hair to the nest of black shiny curls. Hard and already dripping, Danny cried out Jordan's name as he felt him lick the dewy drops.
"Jordy.......oh Jordy," his voice rasped and his frantic fingers clutched at the blond hair spread across his tummy.
"Shhh, baby. Let me love you," Jordan murmured, as his tongue stroked the pulsing vein. He took Danny's sweet cock into his mouth and loved him. Tears began to run down his cheeks as he heard Dan call his name. Good tears; happy tears. This was what he had been waiting for all these months.
Danny was in heaven. "Jordy, I can't hold on. I've missed you so much." His fingers clenched into the sheets and he arched his back up into Jordan's mouth. "I can't................." He felt the surge from low inside. It built and built and when Jordan wrapped his hand around the base and began to pump, it was over. Gush after gush of hot salty love poured into Jordan's mouth and he wanted it all.
Danny's eyes were like saucers. Jordan pulled his head back and looked up into those bright blue eyes. He crawled up the bed and offered his kiss. Danny hesitated and then sighed, opening his mouth, letting Jordan in. He swallowed as they kissed, moaning at the taste and then, to Jordan's happiness, began to milk at his tongue wanting more.
Jordan pulled away, grinning, licking his bottom lip. Danny smiled and blushed, a sweet innocent smile full of devilish wonder. "That was very very good, Jordy."
Danny began to wiggle his butt around on the bed. "What?"
"I want to get nose to toes, please," he giggled.
Jordan laughed, the first easy, I love you, my baby's home laugh he had let out months. Jordan had a beautiful laugh. No one had heard it in a long time.
Maybe it was back to stay.
He growled, threw off his pants and scrambled to do just what his baby requested. "Not exactly nose to toes," he laughed "Kinda more like me to you, but it'll do."
"I like where MY nose is," Danny giggled. He took Jordan into his rosy lips and loved him back.
Finally, exhausted and drained, they fell back together on the pillows and Danny curled up in Jordan's arms. Staring at the ceiling, he sighed, "We better go to the party."
"Yeah, it is my birthday. I guess I better show up. JD's prolly havin' a snit."
"He's a really cute kid, Jordy."
"I want you to meet him. Now that he's a real person, not a little loaf of baby bread, he's the best kid in the world."
"Oh, I've kinda met him," Danny laughed. Jordan looked at him questioningly. "He sorta called me a couple of times."
"Called you.........like on the phone?"
"Yeah. Actually Jordy," Danny hesitated, but then took a deep breath, "You might say JD brought me home."
"Explain please.
Danny frowned. "Once he called me on Griff's cell to ask if I was Prince somebody. I didn't know what he meant. Then, he called to tell me to love you. How did he know to call me, Jordy?"
Jordan rolled his eyes. "I guess that ole sayin' "Little pictures have BIG ears" must be true. We talk about you all the time at.........at Markie's house. He must have heard me being all weird and sad. The Prince thing is a story I tell him every night."
"Tell me."
Jordan chuckled, "You're gonna think I'm a nut."
"Prolly.......tell me anyway." Danny rolled over and nestled in Jordan's neck, tracing little circles around the chocolate nipples that stood at attention.
"Well, You are Prince Happiness and I'm...........I'm Prince Sadness." Jordan groaned, "You so don't wanna hear this."
Danny licked Jordan's ear, "Uh Huh. Are you Prince Sadness now?" He leaned in and sucked one nipple into his mouth. Jordan made little noises in the back of his throat.
"Nooo."
"Tell me or I'll stop," Danny giggled.
"No, never stop," Jordan rolled his back to get closer.
"Dan? Promise me something."
"God, anything, Jordy."
"Never stop giggling. I love to hear you giggle."
Their mouths came together, dancing tongues, as Danny promised so many things, giggling among them.
"I tell you what? About the story?"
"Yes, Jordy?"
"I'll tell it to JD tonight and you can hear the happy ever after ending, K?"
"K." Danny moved to the other nipple and licked it to its happy point.
"Before we go to the party, Jordy?"
"Yeah?"
"I have to ask you something."
"Ask away."
"Who is Nick and is he cuter than me?"
"Huh?" Jordan was confused. "Where did you hear about Nic?" He knew he'd never mentioned Nic to Danny and he'd asked the others not to.
"JD kinda mentioned him."
Jordan blinked. JD?. Man, they were gonna have to have a really long talk about the phone.
"What did he say zactly?"
"Well, he said that you were at the movies with some guy named Nick. I got kinda.........um........"
OMG !! Danny was jealous. Jordan frowned as hard as he could so he wouldn't laugh. Jealous of Nic!
"And then Markie said something to this guy Nick when JD called me the other day and I .......... I didn't know what to think," Danny trailed off. "I just didn't know if there was someone............you know......someone.........."
Jordan loved Danny with all his heart and soul; that was given. But this was just too good. OMG! Danny came home cause he was jealous of Nic. Thank God!
"I did go to the movies with Nic. I do all the time. He practically lives at Markie's." Jordan was biting his lip to keep from laughing.
"Do I have to meet him tonight?"
"Yeah, he's at my party, which we better get to. As much as I want to stay here with you forever," he licked Danny's cheek and kissed his mouth, "We better get movin' or JD will have all the cake gobbled up."
Danny frowned. Jordan hadn't denied knowing Nick or going to the movies or anything. Well, the jerk had another think coming if he thinks he's gonna have Jordan. No one has Jordan but Daniel Alan Trainor. He hurumphed into his t-shirt that Jordan tossed him and was making snorty noises as Jordan helped him shimmy into his pants.
Jordan wanted to laugh and giggle and spin around in huge circles. Dan was jealous.........green-eyed jealous.
As they drove toward the beach, Jordan sobered up. He had so many things to tell Dan, to show Dan. His whole world revolved around the beautiful blue-eyed boy sitting in the truck with him. He knew Dan loved him. He had no doubt of that. It was just the whole worthiness issue. Somehow, Dan had to realize that they were perfect together and that he was as much a whole man as Jordan.
"Dan, I'm gonna ask you to do something and I want you to trust me, K?"
"Sure, Jordy. What?"
Jordan pulled over and stopped the truck. "I'm gonna blindfold you and I don't want you to even try to peek."
"Huh? This is your birthday party."
"I know but I have reason. Trust me?"
"You're not gonna like throw me in the ocean, are you?"
"No, goofball. I want to surprise you is all."
Jordan pulled out the tie he'd grabbed on the way out the door and snuggled in up to Danny's eyes. "Please don't peek."
"I'll be good, but this better not involve weird zombie rites or naked dancing squirrels," he giggled.
Jordan drove quickly to the beach and pulled up in front of the house. God, he was so excited. His heart was pounding a mile a minute. This was Danny's house. He'd found Danny's house.
"Dan, I'm just gonna pick you up, okay baby? It'll be a lot easier than you trying to maneuver," he said as he slid his arms under Danny's legs. Danny hung onto Jordan's neck and hid his face.
"I feel dopey."
"You ARE dopey," Jordan laughed. He started down the driveway and walked out through the backyard to the sandy dune of powdery white sand.
"I smell the ocean," Danny smiled. "I hear the surf. Where are we, Jordy?"
"We're home, Dan." Jordan held on tight. "Pull off the tie."
Danny reached up and pushed the tie up onto his forehead, blinking at the bright lights. He looked toward the lights and saw...............THE HOUSE. "OMG!! OMG!! Jordy!! It's The House. Our house!! Ohhhhhhh !!" His voice came in choppy gulps. "Who lives here? It's OUR house!! Who................???"
"We live in this house, Danny. Now that you're here, everyone I love lives in this house."
Danny looked at the glowing Chinese lanterns hanging from the porch roof. He saw the veranda running all the way around. He saw the porch swing. It was all there. Just like in the painting.
"JORDY!!" Tears ran down his face.
Jordan was sobbing. "You happy?"
"Oh, Jordy. I'm sooooooo happy. Oh, Jordy. You DO love me!!"
"Shit, Dan," Jordan snorted, as he dumped a giggling Danny into the pile of softly blowing sand. "How many times do I have to tell you?"
"A million and seventy-five," Danny answered, reaching up with his arms and pulling Jordan down into the sand.
Up on the porch, Nic smiled and said softly, "This must be Danny."
"Yep," Easy laughed, "That would be Dan the Man. You will now witness Jordan Lawrence begin to shimmer and shine."
JD bounced and wiggled and squirmed but Griff wouldn't let him go. "No you don't, little buster. Leave um alone for a minute."
"But that's my daddddddddddyyyyy!!" he squealed, pushing against Griff and makin' a break for it, his little legs pistoning down the ramp. He skidded to a stop at the sight of his daddy kissing this man. "Daddy!" he demanded.
Jordan raised his face from Danny's, taking in his son's pouting lip. "Brushing off sand, he pulled Danny up, arms still holding him tight and said, "JD. This is Danny. Danny, meet my son." He disengaged one arm and held out his hand.
"Daddy. You kissing Danny?" he asked, his eyes wide.
"Yep, like Mommy kisses Griff."
JD made a cross-eyed squinchy face. "Mommy and Griff do that allllllll the time." He made sloppy kissy noises. "You love," he peeked over at Dan, "him?" he asked, pointing at Danny.
Jordan tugged on JD's hand, pulling him into his lap. JD edged away from Danny, peering at him sideways. "JD, you know the story I tell you every night?"
JD nodded, "Prince Happiness."
"Well, JD, this is Prince Happiness. You talked to him on the phone, remember?"
JD's mind was racing. This is Prince Happiness? The dumb jerk that makes Daddy cry? JD frowned. He turned and punched Dan in the chest.
Danny tried to smile. He didn't know what was goin' on. Jordan grabbed at JD's fist and held it.
"No, punkin, no. He's not here to hurt me. He's here to love me forever."
JD thought hard. "That's not how the story is, Daddy. You cry in my story."
Jordan soothed the little golden head against his chest. He could feel JD's heart pounding and saw that little thumb edge toward his mouth. "Honey, when I tell you the end of the story tonight, it will have a happy ending....You know why?"
"Why, Daddy?" he sighed, his daddy's warmth soothing him. He peeked again at Dan, his eyebrows crunched.
"Cause Prince Happiness came home to me. He loves me, JD."
JD rolled in his daddy's arm, not sure.
"Maybe I can help," Danny whispered. "Jordy, will you go get me my canes? JD, can I talk to you for a minute, man to man?"
Jordan looked at Danny and read his eyes and smiled. "I'll be right back. JD, stay with Danny. He doesn't know anyone and he's shy," he whispered in his son's ear.
JD scooched off his daddy's lap and stood awkwardly, staring at the stranger.
"I love your daddy very much, JD. You know what made me come home to him?"
"Uh Uh."
"You."
JD's eyes rounded. "Me?"
"Yes, you called me and told me to come."
"I did?"
"Yep, and I came as fast as I could so your daddy would be happy. That's how it works. I wasn't happy either."
JD edged closer. "Where were you, Prince Danny?"
Dan laughed, "Nah, just Danny. I was far away from your daddy...on the other side of the country."
"That's alooooooong way, huh? I have a glube in my room," he said proudly.
"On your globe," Danny chuckled, "Did Daddy ever show you Oregon?"
"Yep, he said you lived there."
"Well, he's right. I did. But now I'm gonna come home if it's okay with you."
"Me? I'm just JD."
"But you're very important to your daddy. You have to give the okay." He smiled and his blue eyes met very serious green ones.
"Will you be here.....with Mommy and Griff and Nic and me?"
Danny cringed at the Nic, but kept going. "If it's okay?"
JD walked closer. He saw the heavy metal brace on Danny's leg. "Whatz that?" he squatted down and examined the snaps and locks.
"It's my leg brace. It helps me walk."
"You can't walk? I'm just 5 and I can walk good."
"I used to could but I had an accident and now I can't."
"Is that why you runned away from Daddy?"
Danny felt the tears scald his eyes. "Yes, JD, that's exactly why I ran away."
Jordan stood a few feet away, Markie's hand on his shoulder. They listened as Danny began to win over JD's brave little heart.
"I wasn't strong enough to be with your daddy. I couldn't walk."
JD thought for a minute. "Prince D....Daddy had to carry me for long whiles. He didn't care. He loves me."
Jordan's tears were running freely down his cheeks. Listen to him, Dan.
"I know, JD. Your daddy is strong, isn't he?"
"Yep, my daddy can carry you too. He won't care." He finally reached toward Danny, patting his leg.
Jordan walked over and sat down by his two favorite men. "Everything okay?"
"Yep, Daddy. Prince D needs help sometimes. He dudn't walk too good. Can we help him?"
"Yeah," Jordan sniffled, "Yeah, we can help him. You need any help, Dan?"
Danny defined the moment. "Yeah, I kinda do. I kinda always will."
Markie, Griff and Easy joined the little circle there in the sand, every hand reaching out for Danny. "We're all here for you, Lil Dude. We always have been," Easy grinned.
Danny couldn't speak. It just wasn't in him to make a sound except the tiny choked sob that he couldn't hold back. JD patted his cheek. "We have cake. Want some?"
"Yeah, I'd like some, JD," he smiled through the tears. He wrestled with his leg, trying to straighten in out so he could get up.
"Daddy, help," JD ordered.
Jordan scooped Dan up. "Remember the time when we surfed?"
Danny smiled, "Yeah."
"Well, you've gotten heavier," Jordan groaned. Danny laughed and hugged on tighter.
"Put me down on that ramp," Dan asked.
"You sure?"
"I gotta try it sometime."
Jordan set him on his feet, one of Danny's hands gripping the guard rail. He handed Danny his canes and everyone held their breath. Easy had seen this a million times and knew to keep his hands away. He shook his head at Markie and Griff.
Jordan had his hand under Danny's elbow to steady him. JD scurried around, his eyes wide, not sure what to do to help his new friend walk.
Danny put his weight on the canes and stretched his back muscles. His strong arms flexed and he took his first step. Looking back at JD, he said, "Where's that cake?"
JD squealed and ran ahead of him to the table set on the porch, piled with presents and pizza and a big chocolate cake with white icing. Markie had written "Happy Birthday, Kicker" in bright blue letters. "See? We gots cake and pizzzzza and yumyum stuff."
"JD," Jordan said, "You're forgetting someone."
"Me? Who?" He looked around and saw Grandpa Nic sitting quietly at the end of the porch. "Ohhhh, Wheeeeee, Grandpa Nic," he laughed. "Prince D, this is my Grandpa Nic. He has to sit in a rolly chair all the time. He has broke legs like you."
Danny stood very still. He felt Jordan's hand on his should tighten. So...... Grandpa Nic. He felt a giggle rise in his throat but he chomped it down. Jordan leaned in to his ear. "Gonna go on with the jealous thing, Dan?" His arm snaked around Danny's middle.
Danny leaned back for just a second. "No, Jordy."
"Hello, Dan," Nic smiled. "I'm so glad to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you, I feel like we're already friends."
"I'm so glad to meet you too, Nic," Danny grinned, wondering who the heck he was and why hadn't anyone told him.
"Later," Jordan whispered.
"You better believe it."
"Jordan, I was watching Dan maneuver those canes and you know, if we lay that skidproof matting down on the ramp and extend it to the edge of the property, he should be able to make it to the water."
Jordan walked over to Nic and squatted down by his chair. "Thanks, we've got so much to do to make it all work. I'll get on that."
JD helped Danny into a chair and became 'waiterboy'. "Ya like icin' or cake? I likes icin' best."
"Me too," Danny laughed.
"Mommy, Prince D wants corners like me."
"Okay, bossy. Comin' right up," she smiled and winked at Dan. Danny kept his eyes on Jordan. He couldn't get enough of that blond hair and those green eyes. Jordan caught his eyes and they locked.
"Can't stop looking, can you?" Nic laughed.
"You just don't know," Jordan inhaled deeply and let the breath out. His whole body trembled as he tried to talk. "I can't believe he's here. He says he's coming home now. I don't know what else to say to him to make him stay. Was it like this with you and Sam? Did Sam have to convince you over and over that he didn't care about this?" He slapped the chair lightly.
"Jordan, almost every day," Nic said sympathetically. "Something would always come up, happen and I'd feel powerless, useless. He would just say the same thing every time."
Jordan asked with his eyes.
"Sam would tell me that love doesn't see the chair, the awkward movements. Love is blind. It sees with the heart. He would kiss me and tell me that he loved me because I was like this. It made me who I was. He didn't want me any other way."
"Did you believe him?"
"Most of the time."
"And the times you didn't?"
"I pretended. I pretended for his sake and for mine."
"You loved him very much, didn't you Nic?"
"I still do, Jordan. He's right here with me, aren't you,Sam?"
Jordan leaned in and hugged Nic. "Don't get jealous, Sam." He whispered. "He's still all yours."
Easy sat down on the deck by Danny's chair. "You okay, Lil Dude? Need your chair?"
"Nah, I'm okay." Danny was just about whipped but he'd never say it. He never wanted this night to end. "Thanks, Ez. And Ez.........."
"Yeah, Prince Happiness?"
Danny snickered, "Enough with that. You knew about Nic, didn't you? And the house?"
Easy never lost his cool; never blew his cover but just for a sec, he looked embarrassed. "Yeah, did."
"And what was that all about?"
"Got you here, didn't it?"
Danny laughed, "Yeah, got me here. Gonna stay?"
"Hell, yeah. I don't like that dang cold and I miss the waves and the boards. I miss Jord and Griff. You gonna stay?" He looked straight into Danny's eyes. "He needs you, Dan."
Danny looked over at Jordan, listening intently to whatever Nic was saying. He looked at JD, icing smeared from ear to ear. At Markie, sitting cuddled in Griff's lap. His family.........."Yeah, I'm stayin'."
Presents opened, food all eaten, they sat around the fire on the beach. Jordan had put a wooden bench swing by the thinking log and a comfy cushioned chair for Nic. Markie sat in the sand, her back leaning against Griff's outstretched legs, Easy threw a blanket on the sand and he and JD lay on their tummies, elbows on the ground, their heads resting on their hands. JD reached over and touched Easy's cheek with his fingertip. "You're like daddy's cake."
Easy laughed. "Yep, Lil Dude. Hey, Dan, I think I gotta give your name to my new Lil Dude here."
Danny smiled, "Okay by me, Ez. I think I'm gonna try real hard to be Big Dude now."
"Bout time," Easy grinned. Danny stuck out his tongue.
"Mommy, Mommy........Prince D showed his tongue. Not p'lite, right, Mommy?"
"Grow up, you guys. You've got a little carbon copy taking everything in.
He's very b..r..i..g..h..t," Markie scolded.
"Yep. I'm very b..r.....whatever Mommy said," he giggled. "Ms Gina at Kidecare says I'm a hanful................hanful of what?"
Everyone answered at once.
"Jellybeans."
"Thumbtacks."
"Wiggleworms."
"Mexican jumpin' beans."
"Little green lizards."
JD rolled on the blanket, giggling and snorting.
Jordan sat in the swing, Danny's head in his lap, the heavy brace lying on the sand. He tugged at Danny's black curls just the way he liked. Danny pulled his face down for a kiss.
"I love you, Jordy."
"Me 2 U. Always."
Markie cleared her throat. "We've got one last thing to do for your birthday, Jordan. Griff, wanna go get it?"
Griff laughed, "More like it's gonna get me." He walked off towards the house.
"What? You guys have done enough. Way too much. And I have everything I could ever ask for right here," Jordan wondered, his arms snugged around his baby.
"Well, there's one more piece to this puzzle that was missing and we figured since Dan was coming home," she grinned at him, "We'd provide the missing piece."
"What Mommy? What?" JD was on his feet, his eyes glued to the door.
Griff came out, struggling with a big box. The box seemed have a life of its own. He got to the blanket and plopped it down. "Whoaaaa. That's gonna eat us outta house and home."
JD dove on the box. "JD. That's for your daddy," Markie stopped him. The little boy looked at his dad. "Please, Daddy."
Jordan was way ahead of him. "Go ahead, son." He pulled Danny up and they watched JD open the box with big holes cut in the sides. JD squealed and fell into the box. Two heads poked back out....one blond laughing child and one black furry brown-eyed dog. "Oh, Daddy, look, a big black doggie."
"Fiddlesticks," Danny sighed.
"Everything we've ever wanted," Jordan knew the night couldn't get any better. "Guys............how did you know?"
"Jordan...you've told that story ten thousand times. How could we NOT know?" Markie and Griff laughed.
The puppy jumped out of the box and JD tried to carry him towards his Daddy. He had hold of the puppy's back legs and they just sort of crabwalked across the sand.
"JD..........let him go," Jordan laughed.
"Here, Daddy. Here's Fiddleficks," JD puffed.
"Close enough," Danny smiled, ruffling the puppy's fur. It was odd, but Fiddlesticks seemed to know just where he belonged. After chasing JD around and around in circles on the sand and running madly down the beach, he curled up under the swing while Danny scratched his ears, JD cuddled into his soft black fur. Markie took a picture of the four of them, sharing the swing and the love that just seemed to be enclosing them.
"JD, it's time for bed, buddy," Griff said.
"I don't wanna go," the little fella yawned widely.
"Tomorrow, you have to play with Fiddlesticks and show me all around and lots of great stuff. You gotta go to bed for tomorrow to come," Danny said softly. "I'll need your help tomorrow, big guy."
"Oh.........okey doke. I gots to help Prince D t'morra. I guess I can go to sleep."
Danny laughed, "We have to do somethin' about that name....tomorrow."
Jordan stood up. "Dan, you want to hear the end of the story?" Danny just smiled and held out his arms.
"I know you can get up the stairs but for tonight, let me help you, K?" Jordan whispered.
"K, Jordy." Danny knew he'd have to let go of the last of his feelings of helplessness. For Jordan's sake and for his.
A quick washcloth bath, swipe at the teeth and they snuggled JD into his bed. Danny sat on one side and Jordan on the other. JD looked from his daddy to his new friend. "Story, Daddy?"
"JD. This is the last time I'm gonna tell you this story. I'm gonna give it a happy ending tonight."
JD frowned, "But daddy, I need a story."
"Maybe we could tell you a story about the adventures of Joshua Daniel, the magic surfer and his faithful superdog, Fiddlesticks," Danny grinned.
"Heehee, I like that," JD giggled.
Jordan reached over and took Danny's hand. "Once upon a time there was a magical land called Flowers and Prince Happiness and Prince Laughter lived there, just being happy. One day, Prince Happiness got hurt and he left. Prince Laughter changed his name to Sadness and he never laughed again."
"Lord, Jordy. You told this depressing thing to him every night?"
"Hush."
"Prince Sadness thought he would never see Prince Happiness again but one day, it was Prince Sadness' birthday and Lo and Behold," Jordan grinned as Danny giggled, "Prince Happiness came to the birthday party."
"Is Prince Happiness gonna stay, Daddy?" JD asked, sleepily.
"Ask him, JD."
"Gonna stay and love my daddy?" he put his hand on Jordan's and Danny's.
"Yes, JD. Prince Happiness is home to stay."
"Good. Morrow I want super magicy Fiddleficks and me. Night Daddy. Night Prince D."
"Love you, JD."
"Night, sweet baby."
The wind was blowing cool air from the Atlantic. Dark clouds scudded across the sky. Six friends, five old, one new, sat around the dying embers. "Tell me about Nic," Danny asked quietly.
So, Jordan told the story of how Markie and JD and he had been walking on the beach that cold winter day and JD had seen the house. How he had called the number and had gone to meet the owner. How he had fallen under the spell of Nic and Sam and the love in the house. How they all lived here except Jordan.
"Why don't you live here, Jordy?"
"I wasn't gonna live here without you, Dan. It may be the house you always wanted but without you, it wasn't my home."
"Can we live here now?"
"Oh yes. I've just been waiting."
"Tell me about Sam, Nic." Danny's cheek resting on Jordan's thigh, his body turned toward the wheelchair.
"Sam and I built this house out of love, so that we had a place to be away from people who couldn't understand. Sam was a painter........."
"He painted the house?"
"Yes. He was everything rich and beautiful in my life. Without him, I was content to live in the nursing home until I met Jordan."
"And now you live here, with JD and Marks and Griff?"
"And Sam."
Danny smiled, "Of course, and Sam."
"Do you mind two more?"
"I think I've just been waiting for the two of you to make the house complete."
Markie yawned, "School tomorrow. We better make a stab at cleaning up."
Griff and Easy moved to put the table and chairs away and Jordan, kissing Danny softly, got up to help Markie in the kitchen.
Danny sat watching the fire, thinking quietly. "How did you do it, Nic?"
Nic didn't pretend to misunderstand. "I just let him love me, Dan. Sam never once made me feel like I was a burden. Other people said it but never Sam. He told me I was the light in his life. I tried my best to believe him."
"I've fought myself for so many years," Danny sighed. "I can't fight any longer. I want to be here with Jordy. I need to be here. I can't live away from him anymore."
"You'll have days where you are angry with him because he never complains. He won't understand that, Dan. It will be you fighting against what you can't control. I did that. I would scream at Sam and he would always look hurt and just love me harder. Jordan's like that. Try not to do that too much. It won't help and it only hurts him."
"His father............"
"He told me about that. He chose you. He chose the high path. Be proud of him for that. He'll hurt but he has you. He had so much to lose if he had chosen his father's misguided way. Just love him, Dan. Don't try to change him, just love him."
"You guys doin' okay?" Jordan asked, standing in front of the fire, his shadow resting across Danny's face.
"Yeah, we're just getting to know each other."
"Good. Nic and Sam want us here, Danny. We've got new friends."
Markie and Griff walked out, hands griped tight. Easy, a pillow in his arms, ready to camp out on the futon in the living room.
"You guys gonna go back to the apartment?"
"I've spent my last night there," Jordan smiled. "I've got my reason to stay here now." He lifted Danny out of the swing. "I've got something to show you."
"Our house?"
"Yeah, our house. It's full of Sam's paintings. You're gonna love it."
Jordan looked at his friends. "Thank you. Thank you for always standing by me, for making this happen. I'm still not sure how you did it but thank God for you. I love you all so much."
"Go away, Kicker, before we all start blubberin'," Easy sniffled.
"Yeah, take Curly here and get outta here," Griff blinked hard.
Markie walked over and hugged them both tight. "I love you both so much. Welcome home."
Easy grabbed Nic up under his knees and set him gently in his wheelchair. "I've had a lot of practice," he laughed. He pushed the chair up the ramp and into the house. They could hear Nic laughing.
"Easy's gonna be good for Nic," Markie said.
Jordan smiled, "Easy's good for everybody. I'm glad he's coming home."
"You want me to call the school, Jordan?" Markie asked, a smile on her lips.
"Yeah, tell um Mr. Lawrence won't be back until Monday. He has important stuff to attend to."
"I'm stuff?" Danny giggled as Jordan walked toward the door at the other end of the porch.
"Yeah, my own private hot stuff, and right now all I want to do is rip those clothes off and show you how much I've missed 'my stuff'." Danny turned the knob and pushed the door open. Jordan kicked it shut with his heel.
JJJJJ
***This is the beginning of the Happy Years. This could be the end of the story but I always want to know more........so, for those of you who feel like me, more is on the way J Thanks for reading my story. JJ
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