Bringing Home Danny (27 page)

Danny ignored the request and ate another beignet.

Mitch frowned. “Slow down, Danny. Don't over stuff yourself.”

“
Oh now, Danny can afford to put on some weight,” Mama Cecelia declared, taking pleasure in watching him eat.
 

“
I prefer he eat something healthier than a dozen sugary donuts for breakfast,” Mitch responded back. He, too, loved Mama Cecelia. That didn't mean he was willing to allow her to undermine the boundaries Danny was thriving in.
 

“
I made dose for Danny's birthday, so let him enjoy dem.”
 

Danny looked hopefully over at Mitch.

“
One more. Then I'd like you to eat some fruit.”
 

Danny reached over and grabbed two from the serving plate.

Mitch slapped his hand. “I said,
one
.”

“
Ouch!” Danny shouted while grabbing his hand. He exaggerated a wounded
face for Mama C’s benefit.
 

Mama Cecelia slapped Mitch on the arm and scolded, “Stop bein' such a shack bully, and let dat po' boy be! He's barely gained an ounce from the last time I was here. Bet it's been a long time since anyone's given him a decent home cooked meal.”

“
Mama, I can cook. I did learn a few things from the south,” Antonio said, in his own defense.
 

Danny licked the sugar from his lips, and used his sleeve to get the rest off his face. He then grinned at Mitch before grabbing the extra donut and popping it into his mouth.

After the breakfast dishes were cleared away, Mama Cecelia fetched her handbag. She opened up her change purse to hand TJ a hundred dollar bill. “While I'm gone makin' grocery for tonight, why don't you boys see a movie flick and have some lunch on me?”

“
Mama, you don't need to the spoil the boys. They are spoiled enough as it is,” Antonio insisted.
 

“
Nonsense, dem are good boys, and dis is my treat.”
 

“
Danny has a little studying to do for a big test coming up. I'd prefer he stay in.”
 

Mama Cecelia took out a crumpled fifty-dollar bill from her pocket, and covertly handed it to Danny. “Spend it on a rainy day,” she whispered.

“
Thanks Mama C, but...”
 

“
No buts. It'll make me happy if you take it. Hurry up now. Once ya' done studying, ya' can keep me company in the kitchen.”
 

When Mama Cecelia came back from the store, Danny and TJ visited with her while she made her signature New Orleans' cocktail.

“
Taste my sazerac,” she insisted, while handing Danny her drink.
 

“
What's in it?”
 

“
Lotta tradition and a pinch of Mama's love.”
 

TJ gave Danny a cautionary eye, which Danny promptly ignored as he drank from Mama Cecelia's glass. “Sweet,” he complimented, with a smack of his lips.

“
It is. Isn't it?” She smiled proudly.
 

TJ leaned into Danny's ear and whispered, “You're liable to get more than a birthday spanking if Mitch and Antonio catch you drinking this stuff."

“
Mind ya' business, TJ,” Mama Cecelia scolded.
 

“
Mama C, Danny isn't allowed to drink alcohol without permission.”
 

“
Den we won't say anything. Will we? It'll be our lit'l secret. Finish it up, I'm fixin you each another.”
 

Danny smiled sweetly at Mama Cecelia, and gave a spiteful squint to TJ. Mama Cecelia hummed happily as she took out preparations for dinner. Nothing satisfied her more than cooking for boys with big appetites.

“
I know ya' a lit'l food shy, but trust Mama C, and I'll make you a dish ya'll be sure to love.”
 

Danny stayed with Mama Cecelia in the kitchen as she baked. She mixed a large batch of her sazerac to save for later, and then made a pitcher of sweet iced tea. They drank the tea as she entertained him with stories of Antonio growing up.

“
He was always collecting injured animals and bringing dem home. One day he found a baby alligator trapped in a drainpipe. He brung it home and kept it in an ol' tin washtub. A week gone by when he noticed his lit'l parakeet with the broken wing went
missing. It didn't take long to figger out the gator must have eaten it. Antonio cried liked a babe for days, and cried agin' when we told him he had to get rid of the gator cause it was gettin' too big.”
 

“
You're not telling
that
story again, are you, Mama?” Antonio asked, walking into the kitchen.
 

“
Why not? Just shows what a kind heart ya' had, even if ya' were short on common sense.”
 

“
Thanks, Ma,” Antonio laughed.
 

“
What did you name your gator?” Danny wanted to know.
 

“
Chompy.”
 

Danny stared up at Antonio. It was hard to imagine the large, burly man as a small child, and he snickered at the thought.

Antonio pulled Danny under his arm and tickled him. “What's so funny?” he asked. “I think Chompy is a perfectly good name for an alligator.”

Danny shrieked in laugher trying to get away. “Yeah, it is, considering it chomped up poor little Tweety.”

“
Not Tweety, it was Pete the Parakeet,” Antonio said solemnly.
 

Buzzing from the alcohol and caffeine, Danny began to laugh uncontrollably. Antonio loved to hear his unbridled laugh, and began tickling him in earnest.

“
Stooop!” Danny managed to get out between hysterical laughs. He could barely breathe, and dropped to the floor to get away from Antonio's ruthless fingers.
 

“
Please stop or I'm gonna
peee
my pants!” Danny cried.
 

“
Well, we can't have that now that you're all of seventeen. Now can we?” Antonio chuckled as he picked him up, and patted him on the back until he regained his composure.
 

*****

After a delicious dinner of chicken, shrimp, and sausage gumbo, Mama Cecelia surprised Danny with his first birthday cake in seven years. It was a three-layered chocolate fudge cake with vanilla buttercream frosting and a chocolate ganache glaze. It was the best thing he ever tasted. Danny helped himself to two big slices. When the dessert was finished, they all meandered to the den. Danny was once again overwhelmed by a large stack of presents that were waiting for him. TJ bought him a road bike to get around the city in, and free scuba lessons he promised to bring him to. Antonio and Mitch chipped in and gave him a winter coat and a laptop for college. Mama Cecelia made him a quilt and brought him a big stuffed alligator.
 

“
Chompy!” TJ acknowledged with a laugh and a teasing elbow to Antonio.
 

Danny blushed not knowing how to respond to all the gifts and attention he was receiving. “Thank you,” he said humbly, while biting his nails. To escape the awkward silence, Danny got up to get another drink from the kitchen.

“
No more iced tea, Danny," Antonio called after him. "Otherwise, you'll never fall asleep, and you have class in the morning.”
 

“
Fine,” Danny grumbled. In the kitchen, he poured out his glass of tea, and filled up a cup with more of Mama Cecelia's sazerac. He drank half of it before walking out to the den with it.
 

“
What's in your cup, Danny?” Mitch asked, peering into it.
 

“
Sazerac. I was bringing it over for Mama Cecelia,” Danny said, with a red face.
 

“
Why, thank ya' sha.” Mama Cecelia took the cocktail with a sly wink. “Maybe you could fill it to the rim for me,” she added, after taking a sip.
 

“
Sure,” Danny said. He sheepishly avoided eye contact from Mitch on his return to the kitchen.
 

Assuming something was up, Mitch excused himself a moment later to follow after Danny. He was not amused to catch the birthday boy swigging from the pitcher of sazerac. “Daniel Christopher! Don't think because it's your birthday that I won't spank your bottom!”

It upset Mama Cecelia to hear young Danny being scolded. Without thinking, she sprang up and hustled to kitchen to get between Mitch and Danny. “Nonsense!" she shouted. "Ain't nobody gon' whoop dat sweet boy.”

Antonio chased after his mother to keep her from overstepping her authority. "Madea, come back into the den. It is not for you to decide how Danny gets disciplined. We have rules about his drinking."

“
You can't blame him for being tempted by Mama's sazerac. Dat boy's got good taste.”
 

Antonio shook his head. “Mama, please, you're not helping.”

“
Oh, a little sip on his birthday won't kill him.”
 

“
Mama Cecelia, we appreciate that it is his birthday, but we have strict guidelines in place for a reason,” Mitch explained.
 

Antonio kissed his mother on the cheek to soften Mitch's words. He then told Danny to get up to bed as it was getting late.

All the indulging and excitement of the day made it difficult for Danny to fall asleep. When he finally did, the mixture of the spicy foods, caffeine, and alcohol caused him to have vivid and disturbing dreams. Danny dreamt he was a small bird being attacked by an alligator. When a large row of teeth began to chomp down on him, he screamed out in fright.

Antonio was the first to be attuned to Danny's distress. He was in his room in a flash. “Danny, can you hear me? Wake up, sweetheart!”

Mama Cecelia rushed in after and sat on the edge of his bed. She clucked in sympathy, slipping into her Cajun dialect. "Pe'tit boug, no more makin bahbin." She placed the stuffed gator by Danny's side. "Mama C is here, honeychile."

 “
Mama, please, leave him to me. He can be temperamental.”
 

“
Hush, a boy needs a mother at a time like this.”
 

“
I'm fine.” Danny gave a rueful smile when she patted his face.
 

Mitch was the last one to enter his room. Danny turned a mortified face to him hoping for support. Mitch shook his head, his expression saying,
You got yourself into this mess, therefore, you're on your own, kid.
 

Mama Cecelia threw Danny to her breast and clucked her tongue. He felt ridiculous. Too polite to say anything, he accepted her comfort. She covered him with his birthday quilt and rubbed his back. Danny fell asleep to her softly murmuring, “fais do do.”

He quickly returned to his dream. Only this time, the alligator didn't devour the bird. Instead, it grew big powerful wings, and flew away triumphantly - soaring towards the sun.

*****

“
You have a wonderful family, son, you need to come home to N'awlins more
often so we can enjoy dem,” Mama Cecelia said, as they were dropping her off at the airport.
 

“
Maybe next Christmas, Madea,” Antonio appeased.
 

Chapter Six

Rescuing Ricky

Antonio spotted someone enter the gym who he had not recognized. He wasn't a member, because Antonio would have surely remembered him. The boy was about TJ's age, possibly a year or two younger. Despite what appeared to be a lack of confidence, he was a stunning young man.

“
Hello, I'm Antonio. Can I help you?”
 

The skittish youth hadn't seen him approach, and flinched when the large man extended his hand in greeting. Ricky cautiously scanned the area before shaking his hand. “I'm just waiting for someone,” he hesitated to say.

“
Well, who is it? Perhaps I can help.”
 

“
Thank you, but you don't need to go to any trouble. I'll just wait in the lobby if that's okay.”
 

“
It will certainly be no trouble. Tell me the name, and I'll check the computer to see if your friend is here.”
 

Ricky wasn't sure if that was a good idea. Stuck for a reason to say no to the offer, he politely said, "Brendan Fischer. Thank you.”

Antonio knew Brendan. He had recently agreed to be his personal trainer.  Brendan was just starting to establish himself in the body building circuit, and like all men his age he was impatient to see results.  Antonio was initially impressed by the young man's eagerness to make a name for himself. He was in the gym twice a day, sometimes three. Even so, he was bulking up too much too soon. His former congenial demeanor was rapidly becoming irritable and edgy. Brendan was adamant he wasn't taking steroids, a condition of their professional relationship. Antonio had serious doubts.

“
I know where he is. He's up on the second floor weight room. It's likely to be another thirty minutes 'til he finishes his session. Feel free to go up and join him.”
 

Ricky glanced at his watch. He was sure he had arrived at the right time. Still, he didn't think it would be a good idea to interrupt his boyfriend's workout.

“
No, thank you. I'll wait here if that's okay.”
 

“
Sure, that's fine. Better yet, why don't you wait by our juice bar? I'll get you a drink.”
 

Ricky thought about refusing, but he couldn't think of a gracious way to decline as Antonio led him over to the counter.