"Well, come get it from Poppy."
She looked and Drake and he nodded. "Go on."
Slayde watched Dad hold the brightly wrapped box out, not teasing her at all. Jenny was still in his lap, banging at the toy Mom had handed over.
"I need to check the potatoes."
"You want some help?" Drake asked as he set Maggie down on the floor by his legs.
Maggie headed toward the present and he stood, making sure she wasn't going to melt down before he nodded to Drake. "Sure."
They headed into the kitchen without incident, the kids happy to stay with Poppy and Nana, even Maggie.
"They sure do like your folks."
"Yep. They came and stayed for a month when Jerry died, just to help out."
"They're that good to Mindy, too?" Drake sounded so surprised. Of course, his mother was dead and his father was not a good man by all accounts, so maybe it wasn't that weird that he didn't get it.
"They love her. Christ, Mom sends Mindy a care package once a month."
"Huh. That's… that's pretty cool." Drake's voice was a little rough as he stirred the potatoes.
"They're decent people."
"Son, Jenny needs a diaper change. Everything still where it was before?"
"Yeah, Dad. Thanks."
"I never said they weren't, I just didn't get it."
Slayde thought maybe Drake still didn't, but he accepted it now, and that was enough.
Mom came in with the older kids trailing behind. "How can we help?"
"I imagine there's nothing to do. I tease Slayde about being Super Manny, but he really is pretty awesome at, well, everything." Drake gave his mom a smile and picked Maggie up when she held her arms out to him.
"He's sort of great, my boy." She nodded to the table. "Christian and I would like to make fruit salad together."
Drake looked right at him and said softly, "Yeah, he is."
His cheeks heated and Mom just chuckled. "Look at you boys."
Drake's cheeks went dark red. "Uh…"
"Mom, there are strawberries and blueberries and raspberries in the fridge. I'll grab the bananas." Damn it.
"I'll uh…go see if your dad and Jenny are okay." Drake fled.
Mom looked over at him, eyebrows arched, and he shrugged. What was he supposed to say? Drake wasn't out of the closet. Hell, Drake was a walking, talking closet. He hoped that maybe there was a light on in there now, though.
"Are you fixin' to get hurt?"
"I hope not. Don't forget the lemon juice."
She put her hands on her hips. "Slayde…"
"It's in the door." He wasn't talking about this. He'd done his crying with Joey and Travis and now he was going to just ride it out.
"I'm your Mom, it's my job to worry about you, you know. You said he was a good man, but if he needs a talking to…"
"He's a great guy, but he's not…interested in anything long term."
"I find that hard to believe given how sweet he clearly is on you."
"He's a police officer."
She had to understand.
She sighed. "I won't say anything, honey, but the way he looks at you is not the way a man who just wants one thing looks." She started gathering the fruit; Christian already had the bowl down and on the table.
"I'm glad you're here, Mom."
She turned to him, smiled. "Oh, baby, I am too. So looking forward to a relaxing visit with you and the kids. I just wish Mindy was here, too."
"We all do." Drake came in, swinging Jenny in his arms. "And this little monkey wants to help with the fruit salad, too."
"I hep!"
Mom nodded. "You can do the grapes, baby girl."
Drake sat her in her high chair and Maggie and Christian both settled in their chairs. It was quite the assembly line.
He started peeling eggs and working on the potato salad.
Drake sort of hovered a moment, then asked. "You think your Dad would like a beer?"
"Dad would love a beer, I bet."
"Cool." Drake grabbed two out of the fridge and headed back to the living room.
"Not much on the kitchen?"
"Quit it, Mom."
She chuckled softly and reminded Christian he had to take the stems off the strawberries.
***
Supper had been nice and Drake had been able to man the grill, which gave him something to do and saved him from having to make too much small talk. Slayde's folks were nice and they clearly adored the kids. He was used to his sex life being absolutely private, though, and it made him twitch a little, knowing that Slayde's folks knew. Hell, this was more than just his sex life and he knew it. God, Mindy had been fine with it, Slayde's friends and family were fine with it, why was it so hard for him to let go? Maybe it shouldn't be.
Anyway, it was a beautiful evening and they were out in the yard, blankets on the ground so they could sit and watch the fireworks that were supposed to be starting any minute now.
"Are you planning to stay until Mindy comes home, Drake?" Slayde's mother was a curious woman.
"I am. It isn't fair to ask one person to take care of them by himself, especially when it isn't necessary." He didn't doubt Slayde could do it, but Drake knew he was more help than hindrance. Besides, getting laid at night made Slayde more relaxed during the day, right? Besides, he loved the kids more every day that he stayed. It wasn't going to be easy for him to go when Mindy got back, for more than one reason at that.
"That's decent of you. I know that it's a lot of work, especially when there are no days off."
He shrugged. The kids were worth it. Hell, Slayde was worth it. "It's family." His family. And he didn't just mean the kids.
Slayde's mother beamed at him. "Family. That it is. You like the T-shirts we brought you?"
"Yes, ma'am, thank you very much. You really didn't have to do that…" He knew real people had parents like this, he'd just never had personal experience with it.
"Of course I did. You're family now." Helen leaned back against Steven, Jenny snoozing against her chest.
He didn't tell her this wasn't how his family was. Had been. He and Minds and the kids and Slayde were his family now and he was beginning to see that just maybe, they could make their own rules on what family was.
His thoughts were interrupted by a strange noise and then an explosion, the sky lighting up with fireworks.
"They started!" shouted Christian.
Maggie's eyes went wide and she ran screaming to him, "Unca Drake! Don't let it get me!"
He wrapped his arms around her. "It's okay, Maggie, it's okay. It's just pretty lights that make noise."
"You protect me."
"Of course, I'll keep you safe, I promise."
She shook when the next explosion went off, face in his chest and he hugged her tight.
"Do you need me to take her?" Slayde asked.
"NO! NO! I want Uncle Drake!"
"We're good." He rubbed her back, trying to calm her down.
"Okay."
"You know your momma used to be scared of the fireworks, Mags?"
She looked up at him. "Mommy?"
Drake nodded. "Totally."
He tugged her in closer, and chuckled. "She used to cuddle up to me and make me protect her like this, too. Of course I was a lot smaller then."
"You big like Mommy."
"I am now, yeah. But we both used to be little like you and Christian." Was she old enough to understand that? He didn't know. Slayde would, though, and he looked over to the man.
"Uh-uh." Maggie clearly wasn't buying it.
Slayde nodded, grinned. "It's true, I've seen pictures."
"Oh, God, tell me you haven't seen my baby pictures." There weren't a lot, but those there were tended to be embarrassing.
"Oh, I have seen the one with you naked being a baby merman."
"Fu--" He cut himself off and cleared his throat. "She told me she'd burned those."
"She lied." Slayde looked altogether too pleased with h
imself.
Another firework went off and this time Maggie didn't cry.
"Good girl. They're so pretty if you can ignore the loudness."
"I like the explosions!" shouted Christian, running around them.
"He is his father's son, hmm?" Steven chuckled softly.
"Oh yeah." Drake nodded. Jerry had loved his explosions.
They all watched, and it felt weird, to be so normal. Shit, he usually worked holidays. Every holiday. Now he was hanging out with this family, grandparents, nanny, kids, watching the fireworks. His family…
He glanced over at Slayde who was sitting next to him and suddenly he wanted to put his arm around the man. His lover. He didn't want to have to be careful, to hide it. He knew there were going to be people who would hurt him and Slayde for loving each other, but everyone he cared about…well, aside from Mindy they were all right here and they didn't want to hurt him, now did they? And neither did Mindy…it was…wow.
Maggie watched another firework, then slid from his lap, dancing and hooting crazily with her brother. Now that was special and it made him smile so hard his cheeks hurt.
He snuck his arm up around Slayde's shoulders, holding his breath. Slayde didn't say a word, the man just leaned into him. Drake felt Slayde's mom's eyes on them, and he refused to flinch. She knew already, his arm around Slayde wasn't going to make her know any more or less. And she wasn't going to hurt him for it. Well, he supposed that might not be true if he hurt Slayde -- momma bears and all that.
As the fireworks continued, he relaxed, enjoyed the show, and sitting with Slayde. Eventually the kids got tired and threw themselves into his and Slayde's laps to watch the last ten minutes.
Slayde stood at the end, took Jenny from his mom. "I'll take her up and then be back for the other two."
"I've got them, ba--" He garbled an ending to that, picking up Maggie as he stood, holding his hand out for Christian.
Slayde's parents looked at him, then Helen smiled. "You need any help, boys?"
"We're good. Thanks." He gave her a smile and followed after Slayde, admiring that ass.
Maggie didn't manage to stay awake through pajamas. Christian stripped down to his underwear and crawled into bed without even brushing his teeth. He tucked Christian in and met Slayde in the hallway. "They're both asleep."
"Jenny's down, too. Let's go make coffee for the folks."
"Okay." He didn't get out of Slayde's way, though. Instead he took a kiss, softly opening Slayde's mouth.
Slayde looked surprised, and he had to admit, he was fucking shocked, too, that he was doing this with Slayde's parents just downstairs. But this was what it was.
When the kiss ended, he turned and headed down the stairs. "That coffee ain't waiting."
"No. No, it's not." Slayde swayed a little, blinking at him.
He grinned. Look at that, he'd blown the man's mind. Go him.
Chapter Twelve
They made it through another month, almost blissful, if too damn hot. Today Jeannie had stopped by to pick up Christian for a play date and lunch with her twin boys. Once it was them and the girls, they just sort of stared at each other. Slayde thought it felt damn odd. This was how school was going to feel, though. All day long.
Maggie and Jenny were coloring at the little table, and playing with their dolls. Drake sprawled out next to him on the couch. "It's quiet," Drake finally said.
"It is, and Christian isn't what I'd consider a terribly loud kid, huh?"
Drake nodded. "He's a boy, though and we do tend to play hard and loud. Not that I'm trying to be a chauvinistic ass or anything, but I know I got Mindy in to way more trouble than she got me in to."
Slayde chuckled at Drake and gave him an out by changing the topic. "I, I mean we, need to take Christian school supply shopping, then to meet the teacher next week."
"Is it going to freak her out to have me along as well?"
"If it does, we'll explain. You'll need to meet her, in case you need to help out."
Drake nodded. "I'm Christian's uncle and as long as I'm here instead of Minds, I want to be involved."
"Of course you do." Slayde leaned back into the cushions and sighed. "They'll all think you're a hero, putting your life on hold to help with the kids." He didn't know what to do. He knew they couldn't just keep fucking their issues away. He knew that, but it was so easy and what he wanted and Drake had seemed a little easier in his skin the last month or so. Maybe it was because they'd been on their own after the visits from Joey and Travis and his folks.
Drake snorted. "Sure, the uncle who the kids barely knew before Minds got deployed." The man shook his head. "If she hadn't gone, I'd have never really known them."
"Sure you would. She loves you."
"And I love her like crazy, but when did I come see them? Once a year, if that. I was so busy living my life." Drake snorted.
"That's what people do. Hell, that's what I do." He saw his nieces and nephews a couple times a year, if he was lucky. "Drake, I spend a good amount of vacation with Travis and Joey in Mexico most years."
"Yeah? I'm not an asshole for not having been more…involved before now?"
"Why? You called. You sent them gifts. You visited."
Drake nodded slowly. "Now that I really know them, though… Well, I'm glad, you know?"
"I am too." Slayde couldn't help his smile. "You are one hell of an uncle."
"You're one hell of a nanny." He could see the teasing glint in Drake's eyes, hear it in the man's voice.
"I am. I'm exceptional." He knew it was odd, but he was. "I'm not the only male nanny on earth, you know. We're rare, that's all."
"I bet being a guy's a hard sell for a lot of people."
"Yeah. And then if you add gay on, it complicates things." Slayde pulled his legs up underneath him. "It's like the assumption is that if you're queer, you're untrustworthy or you're a sex fiend or something. I'm just as good at caring for kids as anyone."
"What you need is one of those nanny services that specializes in gay nannies. Like… Mannies Incorporated, or something."
"Right. Like those exist." Those didn't exist.
"Then they should, right?"
Slayde thought about that. "I… I don't know. In a way, it would rock because you wouldn't have to have that whole awkward conversation, but what about the haters?"
Drake chuckled and gave him a look. "Baby, I was so far in the closet I was terrified to even tell my sister, who has a gay nanny for fuck's sake. I don't think I'm the right person to ask about haters."
"Who else would I ask? I talk to you."
Drake was… Drake.
"Well, then, I'd say screw the haters. You didn't let them stop you becoming a nanny in the first place."
"No, but… I don't know. Would it cater to gay men with families? I mean, I couldn't do it in Texas, really, the market is so small." He wasn't committed to staying, though.
"I think you'd be limiting yourself if you insisted on the clientele being gay men with families, just like you'd be limiting yourself if you make the mannies be gay. Equal opportunity. Doesn't mean most of your guys aren't going to be gay and so are most of the families wanting them." Drake shrugged. "And no, Texas wouldn't be my first choice if I was starting the company up."
Slayde chuckled and nodded. "I don't know, Drake. It's a fabulous idea, but… Am I a business owner type? I'm a nanny." Still, he wasn't sure that he wanted a whole new family again.
"You're kind of amazing."
"What?" He hadn't been expecting that.
"I said I think you're kind of amazing." Drake's eyes were saying it, too.
"Thank you." Kind of amazing? Wow.
Drake grunted. "You're welcome." Drake smiled at him.
"What… Are you going to go back to being a police officer?" They hadn't talked about the future at all, they'd just…done a really good job of living in the now and enjoying every damn second of it.
"I don't know, baby. I would have said absolutely if yo
u'd asked me when I first got here."
Oh. Oh, God. Stop it, Slayde, he told himself firmly. That didn't mean anything.
Drake kept looking at him, something warm between them. He slid his hand across the sofa, toward Drake's fingers. Drake met him partway, hand sliding over his.
"I love you." He said it this time, with no one naked, no one freaking out. No one else but the girls around. "Crazy, huh?"
"Actually, sounds pretty fucking good to me."
"Be careful. Those girls will have you pushing up."
"You'd like that," teased Drake.
"I would. You look amazing." There was no reason to lie.
Drake didn't move, yet the man puffed up at his words, he could tell. "Thank you."
"Unca Drake! My baby's leg falled off!" Maggie came running in, a disembodied leg in her hand. "Help!"
Drake slid -- not yanked -- his hand away. "Does she need the hospital?"
"No, she needs you!" Oh, God, so cute. Mags really believe Drake could fix the world.
"Okay, baby girl, let's take a look." Drake took the doll and the leg and examined them both closely.
"Please, please make her all better." The tears were close and Slayde winced.
"Would you like some juice?" He needed to get up and check on Jenny anyway.
"No. I stay here."
"We're good," murmured Drake, head bent over the doll as he tried to work the leg back in.
He went and peeked in on Jenny, who smiled at him and raised her little arms up toward him. "Juice?"
"We can do that. Are you cooking in your kitchen?"
She nodded. "Uh-huh. Sissy's baby got an owwie."
They headed toward the kitchen. "Uncle Drake will fix her."
"Okay."
Sure enough, a couple minutes later Maggie came running in. "Unca Drake fixted her!"
"Uncle Drake is a good guy. Let me see." He bent down, checked out the baby doll. "Perfect. Would you like some juice now?"
"Uh-huh. Can I bring Unca Drake some juice, please?"
"Does he want some?"
She shrugged. "I want to bring him some."
"Okay." He poured a cup about a quarter full. "Be very careful."
"Okay!" She took the cup and bit her bottom lip, walking oh-so-slowly out of the kitchen. At least it was apple juice. It wouldn't stain anything if it spilled.
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