Chapter 0289

“Fay,” he says quietly. “What do you think you know about how my dad loved my mom?”

“I think she was his first and only love,” I say promptly, straightening my shoulders and staring at his face, wanting to see his

reaction.

But Daniel just glances back down at his sandwich and takes another bite, as cryptic as his dad.

“What?” I ask, suddenly desperate to know. “Is that — is that not true?”

Daniel just shrugs, looking at me evenly. “I think...you should ask Kent,” he says. “I don’t think it's my story to tell.”

And as I sit in silence, working through my feelings at this weird non-news, Daniel nods towards the clothes bag. “Should we put

those on?” he asks, easily changing the subject as he so frequently does. “Or should we hang out in our pajamas, since we're

not allowed to go down until noon?”

“Well,” I say, stretching my arms languidly above my head. “considering that my pajamas are on the floor, and that I’m naked

under this robe,” I say, nodding to where my warm flannel PJ's are laying in a heap where Kent tossed them, “I think I’m going to

get changed...”

“Oh, gross, Fay!” Daniel groans, spinning away from the sight of the pajamas and striding towards the bathroom. “I’m going in

here for five minutes! And when I come out, I want all evidence of your evening cleaned up, and I never want to speak of it

again!”

And then he slams the bathroom door shut and I laugh, standing up and working to straighten up the room to better protect

Daniel's delicate sensibilities.

Kent hears Fay and Daniel come down the stairs just after noon and smiles a little, moving to the door, wanting to intercept them

before they can go into the kitchen.

He leans against the doorframe and watches the two of them as they come down the stairs, lightly holding hands. Kent smirks at

this, thinking that he’s happy as hell that his son is gay, because if anyone else held her hand like that...

Well. Thoughts for another day. Today is a celebration.

“Hey, dad,” Daniel says with a smile, seeing Kent first. Fay looks up in surprise and then beams too when she sees him standing

there, sending a little thrill through Kent’s stomach that he doesn’t let show on his face.

“Hello,” Kent replies, standing up and nodding towards his office. “Would you two come in here?”

“Why?” Daniel asks, frowning as he stops at the bottom of the stairs.

“Do you need an explanation?” Kent asks, raising an eyebrow at his son that makes Fay laugh a little. “Or can a father not

request that his son join him in his study?”

Daniel holds a hand up in a semi-sarcastic apology and the two of them follow Kent into the room. Kent leads them over to his

desk, where a little tray is waiting with three chilled glasses of champagne.

“What's this?” Fay asks, looking at him curiously.

“A celebration,” Kent answers,

handing each of them a flute and

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“And,” Daniel says, after taking a sip. “What are we celebrating?”

“The fact,” Kent replies, looking between them, “that we’re alone.”

“What?” Fay asks, tilting her head to

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“What are you talking about, Dad?” Daniel asks, looking around. “Everyone’s...here.”

“No,” Kent says, giving a little sigh of

relief before takin anatiagr sipofhis

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