Dani is so nervous as she checks the clock for the seventieth time in the last ten minutes. It is almost time to go home. Normally that would be her favorite part of a work day, except for today her boss is going home with her. To meet his long lost children. Dani had wanted to wait a few days to give herself time to adjust to the idea of Asher being bak in her life. She wanted time to prepare the boys and to talk to Eddy. But Asher could not wait any longet to see them and as a parent, she gets that. So she had invi

  Asher did not want to go home. He wanted to stay with his boys. They had supper together, then he and Dani had given them a bath. He read them two stories with a lot of character voices which the boys loved. Even Dani was laughing. This is the fourth night this week and they were together three nights last week. But it is not enough. Because at the end of the night he still has to go home to his lonely apartment across town. Each night the boys still ask him why he is leaving. Why their Daddy isn't staying their with them, with mommy. They just tell them that it's because daddy's house is closer to his work, which is easier for him.

   Dani trails along behind Asher as he walks a few step ahead of her, holding a boy by each hand. Nik is dressed as a teddy bear and Nate is dressed as a lion. Nate has a drawn on brown nose and whiskers thanks to a brown eyeliner pencil. Nik wanted his face colored on too, so she drew him a brown nose as well. With their fuzzy suits on, they both look so cuddlely that she could not stop hugging them. “Are we almost there, Daddy?” Nate asks Asher looking up at him with tired eyes. “Are you worn out, buddy?” Asher asks him and the child nods.

  “I checked on the boys and they are okay. They're both still sound asleep.” Dani feels the bed move as Asher joins her. When he had left the bed a few minutes ago, she had no idea what he was doing. A part of her thought that maybe he was trying to sneak out on her. He moves over until his bare body is flush against her naked back and he puts his arm over her waist, anchoring her to him. She can feel his warm breath on the back of her neck. When she does not respond to him, he kisses the back of her neck.

   Asher sits across from Fred Millman in a slightly awkward silence, because he does not know how to start the conversation that he wants to have. He knows that Fred already knows everything going on. He and Dani are close, so she tells him everything that happens in her life. “Mr. Millman-” “Call me Fred. If you are going to be my son-in-law, you should probably call me Fred.” He says dryly and Asher winces. “Ahout that.. I wanted to say- I'm sorry that I did