Danny scowled. “Why? I like her.”
I released a breath I didn’t know I was holding, and my heart soared at his comment. I wanted to hug Danny, although he didn’t particularly like hugs.
“I know you do, Danny. I’m sorry I hurt your friend’s feelings. I did something not nice, and I’m trying to show your friend that I’m sorry that I hurt her feelings. Does that make sense?”
Danny tipped his chin to the side, thinking about it. “Yep. And you are getting one for me too, right?”
He chuckled and ruffled Danny’s hair. “Yes, I am.”
Danny grinned, appeased that he also got to get pie.
Watching him interact with Danny, something inside of me melted. He wasn’t like my parents. Adam might not want to pursue testing, but he loved Danny, and he wanted what was best for him. He wasn’t concerned about how it made him look.
Danny looked at me. “Dad said we get to help with the fundraiser!”
“I know.” I clapped my hands in front of me. “Are you excited?”
“Yep!”
Adam looked chagrined. “Is that okay? I should have asked.It’s just that Danny is so excited about this project. And I can’t stand to be away from him more than I have to…”
I shrugged. “I was supposed to come up with two volunteers. Looks like I found both of them.”
Danny fist-pumped. “Yes!”
I sighed. “I should let you know, Danny, that I also wasn’t very nice. I got frustrated and forgot to breathe through the zones.” I twisted my fingers and refused to look at Adam, although I felt his gaze on me. “I kinda yelled at your dad. I know your dad is also your friend, so I’m sorry.”
Danny looked back and forth between the two of us, his eyebrows pulled down, thinking through the situation.
My eyes flicked up to Adam’s. They were kind and patient as he gave me a small smile.
Jesse came over with a notepad. “Heard you guys are getting pie.”
Danny sat up straight. “I want a red one. And my dad is buying Ms. Faith’s because he was accidentally not nice.” Danny scrunched his nose. “I’m accidentally not nice sometimes too.”
Adam reached over and gave Danny a side hug. “You’re great, Champ.”
Jesse chuckled. “Trust me. Most people are not nice from time to time.” She winked. “Okay, one red… Would you want strawberry rhubarb or cherry?”
“He likes the rhubarb one with whipped cream, please.” Adam added.
“I will take apple, please,” I said to Jesse.
“Make that two for the apple,” Adam nodded.
Jesse grinned. “Sounds great! I will have those right out.” She turned and headed toward the kitchen.
I watched Danny and Adam interact, and their relationship was so different from what I’d first assumed.
If I ever had a family, this was what I wanted itto look like. I wanted to embrace and love my children and their differences. I wanted them to feel safe to be who they were.
And if I married, I wanted to marry someone like Adam. Someone who didn’t stand in the shadows on the sidelines, but who was right in the middle of it all, actively loving them as well.
I cleared my throat and shook my head to clear the sudden onset of emotion. Okay, it was time to rein in this Norman Rockwell painting. I reminded myself and my ovaries that Danny was my student and I shouldn’t be thinking about my future family and him and Adam in the same thought.
Boundaries, woman!
I grabbed a notebook from my purse. “All right, so, about the fundraiser.” I opened the notebook and laid it on the table. “Okay, my class has twenty-two students, and I was hoping some of them might work in teams. My biggest concern was the business ideas and getting them to agree on something that actually feels manageable.”
