"What's going on, guys? How come n.o.body's working?" Daniel asked, unable to believe that they were all free to do something fun in the middle of a work day.

"I've worked so hard since I got back, my boss gave me a day off, and Easy doesn't have a run until tomorrow night. Mama said you and Benny could have the day to join us for some fun. Don't question it. Just jump in, and let's go have some fun." Mano gestured to the open door and encouraged them to get in.

Daniel decided this was just another episode in his unbelievable life since his rescue in Georgia. He trusted these people, liked them, and right now he wanted to have some fun with them. He got in and put himself in their hands. He was glad Benny was going to be with him.

"Uh, how are they going to get by without us there to help?" Daniel was worried about leaving Mama Sasy and Boddy alone.

"Daniel, my mother and Boddy can handle anything that comes along without any help. We'll make up for it, but they both wanted you to have a good memory, and I'm always happy to spend a day with Mano, so everybody wins."

99."Stop worrying, your stomach will start hurting.

Come on, give it up, and let's have a good time." Benny reached over and took Daniel's hand, and Daniel held it tightly. It felt good. He didn't care where they were going, he was in.

"We're going shopping first, then lunch, then I thought we'd go to the zoo. Have you been?" Easy said, pulling into traffic.

"Not since I was a kid. My da..." Daniel stopped, then started again with, "Nick and I went. I must have been six or something like that."

"Well, I go at least once a year. I love the animals. I know I should hate that they're not in their natural habitats, but if they were, most of us would never get to see them. And hey, most of their habitats are disappearing these days. Anyway, I want to share that with Mano and thought you all would enjoy it, too."

"Sounds good. What are we shopping for?" Daniel asked, leaning back, blushing a little as the move tugged on his hand. Benny leaned a little and kept a tight hold.

Daniel glanced at him and smiled shyly.

"Mama wants a couple of things from Wal-Mart, and we thought you might like some clothes and personal items." Easy threw the words over the seat as he kept his eyes on the road.

"I don't need anything, you all. I don't have any money, remember? It's bad enough I live and eat free. I don't work enough to pay for all I've been given. Let's just get what Mama Sasy needs, okay?" Daniel hated feeling like a moocher, and he didn't really need anything.

Mano turned in his seat and handed a paper to Daniel with a big smile on his face.

"Your first paycheck. Wanna go open a bank account? It's a good next step on this journey back to Take It Slow 100.yourself, don't you think?" Mano's grin and obvious joy in handing the check over let Daniel know that Mano knew what it meant to have his own money after a hard spell. Yeah, that was a good word for the last two years.

A hard spell.

There was an air of expectancy in the truck as Daniel opened the paper and saw the check. It wasn't huge, but it was a lot more than he thought it would be. He hadn't even expected to be paid. After all, he was living free.

"Wow." It was an understatement.

"I would suggest starting an account and leaving most of it there. Take out enough to get you a few things. You need to have some clothes that you choose, not hand me downs, but something you like. You need to start feeling like Daniel Webster, whoever he's going to be. Save a little to do some things like eat out or go out like we're doing today, but the rest can just sit there and wait for the next check, and soon you'll have a little nest egg and won't feel so beholden to others." Easy looked in the rearview mirror at Daniel and nodded.

"Yeah, I know that's how you feel. It's how they all feel, but honestly, Mom, Boddy, and I really do get joy out of helping guys out. Clearly I never had the trouble that you all have had, but I've been through all of this over and over with Mom and her program, and I can't tell you what it means to all of us when we know that we've helped a young man find his way. Don't feel bad for taking right now, Daniel. You'll end up giving back.

I have no doubt of that."

So that's what they did. Daniel opened an account at a nearby bank, got some checks and had some money in his pocket. Benny told him that it was the same bank where he had started an account with his first check.

Evidently he'd gotten the same speech. Were these people for real?

101.

After the bank, they hit the superstore; Benny helped him pick out two pairs of jeans and some shirts. Mano suggested a good coat, as fall was coming, so Daniel picked out a nice one. He grabbed some underwear and socks, and then stood looking at the tennis shoes. It had been so long since he'd had a nice pair. He felt a nudge on his shoulder and Benny was there.

"Go on. Try some on. Get a good pair and maybe some dress shoes. Your jeans look good enough, and if we get one more shirt, a dress one, you'd be ready for a date or something like that." Benny blushed, and Daniel couldn't help joining in the redness.

"Aw, Mano, aren't they sweet?" Easy's teasing was gentle, and Daniel wasn't ticked at all. Easy sounded fond, and that was new to him. Kind of like a big brother.

"Shut up." Daniel surprised himself at his answer and popped his hand over his mouth.

Easy laughed and pushed him a little. Daniel laughed, too, looking at Benny, who was still blushing, but finally they were all laughing. He got shoes and a nice shirt, and they were finally ready for lunch.

"Fast food or sit down for lunch?" Easy asked as they loaded the truck, getting in and buckling up.

"Uh, fast food might not be the best for Daniel's stomach. How about somewhere he can get a chicken dish or something like that? Mashed potatoes and chicken sounds like it might be good for him." Mano looked back at Daniel for confirmation.

"I hate to be a drag. I'm okay," he said, not wanting everything to be about him.

"Not a problem. I have the perfect solution. Trust me?" Easy asked the group and all agreed that they did.

"Cracker Barrel, here we come." Easy laughed when they all made an eager sound.

102.

"Chicken and dumplin's for Daniel, or maybe French toast. G.o.d, theirs is so good, made with sourdough bread and all that good syrup." Easy licked his lips as he talked and they all laughed.

"I want the roast beef dinner. Yum, with mashed potatoes and gravy and those sweet little baby carrots.

How about you, Benny?" Mano said.

"I'm all about the breakfast there. Pancakes, bacon and hash brown ca.s.serole. None of that for you, Daniel; it's got little bits of onion in it. But you can have some of my pancakes. Or wait, I usually get the blueberry ones, and those wouldn't be good for your stomach. I'll get plain ones this time. I just like them 'cause the edges are always crispy. Oh, man, I'm hungry now," Benny said, grinning.

"I'll be fine with the French toast. Get your blueberry ones. You all think about me too much. I'm not used to it." Daniel hated feeling like others were changing their ways to accommodate him.

"It comes naturally to us, Daniel. Don't let it make you uncomfortable, okay? It'll ease up as you get healthier and happier. Get used to it. Wait until Mama Rosa gets here next week. You'll have another one wanting to take care of you. When you think about it, it's not a bad thing." Easy set the blinker and turned into the drive for Cracker Barrel.

Daniel actually felt a little hungry for the first time he could remember, without any pain.

Lunch was fun, filled with conversation, plans, jokes, teasing, banter, laughter, and delicious food. Daniel could not remember having such a good time in well over two years. He looked forward to spending more time with this group at the zoo. At one point he felt Benny touch his leg. Daniel put his hand down, and they held hands for a few minutes. It was like a secret Take It Slow 103.

between them, and Daniel glowed with the knowledge.

It wasn't that the others would mind in the least, but it was just something between Benny and him.

The zoo was even more fun. They walked off the big lunch, and it seemed like they covered the whole zoo.

Daniel loved the elephants and giraffes, and Mano liked the reptiles. Benny and Daniel left Easy and Mano there, and they agreed to meet at the front gate at five.

Benny took his hand, and at first Daniel worried about what others would think, and then figured it didn't matter. He didn't care about what anybody thought anymore. He wasn't all about impressing anyone as Nick Webster's son and heir. He was Daniel Webster, on a date, sort of.

"This feels like a date." He could have smacked his head for saying that out loud.

"Sure does. I like it. Our first date. Wanna go steady?" Benny asked, smiling over at him. They were the same height and both as skinny as could be. Daniel thought they probably looked like two scraggly scarecrows walking together.

"You're silly," Daniel said, and at the hurt look on Benny's face, he hurried to say, "Yeah, I do." Well, he did.

"f.u.c.king queers!"

The sneer came from two bigger boys walking quickly past them. Daniel jerked and tried to take his hand from Benny's. Benny held on tight and watched the two walk past, throwing disgusted looks over their shoulders.

"Are you queer?" Benny asked Daniel quietly.

"Yes."

"Then don't let them bother you. It's their problem.

Come on. Let's go back to the elephants."

104.

Daniel was stunned. It was that simple? Just ignore the hate and go on. He guessed so. What else was he going to do? He turned and they headed for the area with the elephants.

Behind them they heard, "Hey, f.a.ggots!"

They both turned, and the two were standing looking at them. One, the bigger of the two boys held up his middle finger in the universal "f.u.c.k you" symbol. Daniel looked over at Benny to see what he'd do. Benny held up his hand, making a perfect circle, touching his index finger to his thumb and curling all his fingers, making a hole and holding it up. He made a show out of looking the boy up and down, squinting as if measuring, and then the made the circle smaller. Daniel couldn't help it.

He snorted laughter, and when the boy figured it out, he started to run toward them. Benny tugged, and they took off running, dodging people on their way.

Daniel was afraid to look back, but he was getting winded. Being so out of shape shamed him.

"Benny, stop. I can't run anymore. I'm sorry. I'm not much good at all these days."

"Shut up. That's the dumbest thing I've heard you say.

You're getting better and stronger each day. I'm a little tired, too. But, hey, little and quick beats big and clumsy, huh? They're not behind us anymore. Let's go see the elephants and then we'll meet up with Easy and Mano. Can you believe he likes snakes? Yuck. Now, that's just not right." Benny shivered for effect, and Daniel was smiling again.

They headed out, and Daniel laughed.

"What?" Benny paused and looked over at him.

"I can't believe you did that. Boy, he was p.i.s.sed, huh?" Daniel watched Benny as he ducked his head, taking it as a compliment, and Daniel thought he was so pretty. His hair was shiny and healthy, long and smooth Take It Slow 105.

as silk. Benny's eyes were gleaming with what looked like pride and happiness.

"Yeah, he probably has a peanut d.i.c.k." Benny said, and Daniel was lost again, laughing as they headed to the elephants, shoulders b.u.mping and hands clasped. To h.e.l.l with the world, Daniel was on his first date and having a wonderful time. They spent some quality time with the big mammals and got to the front gate just as Easy and Mano walked up. The small crowd had thinned out, and Daniel stood, mouth agape, as Mano slipped away from Easy and took a running leap, twisting and turning, flipping over and landing squarely on his feet, facing Easy, who was shaking his head.

Daniel could read Easy's lips as he said, "Showoff!"

"Yep, catch me!" Mano said and ran back to Easy.

Just before he got there he leaped, and Easy caught him easily in his open arms and swung him around. Mano's legs were wrapped around Easy, and he laughed loudly, head leaned back, totally trusting Easy's grip.

"Good Lord." Daniel breathed, as Easy put Mano down and rubbed his head, affectionately.

"Wow," Benny managed.

"Don't try this at home, folks," Easy said, as they came up to the boys. "You have to forgive him. He just can't help it. Scared me to death the first time he did that. When he's happy, he tends to flip around. You should see him dance." Pride and love were so evident in his face and voice that Daniel could easily see what Benny had talked about before. Mano was looking back at Easy with his heart in his eyes. Adoration, plain and simple. Yeah, he wanted something like that.

"Hey, anybody hungry? I've got a treat planned for supper," Easy said.

106.

"Don't we need to get back and help with the supper crowd?" Daniel felt really bad about leaving the diner with no help.

"Nope. Not tonight. We're going to dine at a nice restaurant and enjoy the end of a great day. Don't you worry; this was Mama's idea. I've got a run tomorrow, and when I get back I've got a week off to help move Mano's mom up here and get her settled in. I'll even help some in the diner during the days. Maybe next weekend I can talk my man here into a little side trip for a couple of days."

Personally, Daniel figured Easy could talk his man there into just about anything, and when he saw Mano eagerly nod his head, he knew he was right. Daniel realized his heart felt light and happy for the first time in over two years.

"Thanks, guys. Today has been really fun. It's been a long time since I've had a good time. This means a lot,"

Daniel told the three others, hoping the stinging in his eyes would go away before he embarra.s.sed himself.

"Hey, we enjoyed every minute of it. I think Benny's had an equally good time, huh?" Mano said, looking at Benny who nodded as well.

As they headed for the truck, Daniel told them about the two older boys and what they'd said and done and what Benny had done in return. Both Easy and Mano cracked up as he'd expected they would.

107.

Chapter Six.

The meal at the nice restaurant proved to be just as much fun as lunch but a little more quiet. They talked of the day, and Daniel looked around, amazed that he was accepted as an equal part of this group. They all, even Benny, whose situation wasn't much better than Daniel's, seemed to be so... together. Easy and Mano exuded confidence in their s.e.xuality, and their love for each other was clear in every move they made. They seemed, in Daniel's eyes, to be connected in a way that put a glow of awareness around them. Mano gravitated toward Easy with a naturalness that made it seem like it was meant to be, and Easy drew Mano to him as if he needed Mano to make his world complete. It made Daniel feel warm to watch them.

They pulled back into the lot at Mama Sasy's and headed for the front door. Before they reached it, Easy stopped and said, "I don't believe it."

They all looked in the front window. Daniel's dad, Nick Webster, was inside, wearing an ap.r.o.n over his dress shirt and pants, serving coffee to a table. As they watched, he went back, set the pot down, picked up the dish container, and started bussing another table. Daniel felt like the world as he knew it was turning off its axis.

Benny reached over and took Daniel's hand. Daniel jumped, and his first thought was that his dad would see.

His second thought was, "Who the f.u.c.k cares?"

They all walked in, and Nick looked up, smiling when he saw them. That surprised Daniel. Above the surprise of seeing his father working in the diner, he was Take It Slow 108.

shocked that Nick seemed so comfortable doing menial work. Daniel was so confused about his feelings for this man. Hate, love, admiration, and disgust were all things warring in his mind. He didn't know what to do with all of them. He ducked his head, not wanting to meet his father's eyes.

"Hey, guys. I hear you had a day on the town. I hope you had a good time." Nick never stopped working as he spoke to them as a group.

"We did have a good time," Easy answered.