Page 43 of Bad Daddy

“You’re 608, right?” Antonio’s voice rang out, and Danny almost dropped his phone in shock. “Your text said 608 and we’re at 608, but I knocked and no one answered and I better not be knocking at the wrong door this early in the morning because I’m willing to give up my beauty sleep but I’m not–hey!”

The last word was yelped, sounding from farther away, and Danny was trying to parse both Antonio calling him and the fact that he said we when Isabella’s voice then said, “Sorry about him, he’s the worst kind of morning person. He talks.”

“Antonio always talks,” Danny said dumbly, into his phone. To Isabella. Who was… here? With Antonio?

“True enough,” Isabella sighed. “Now you wanna let us in? Hallway’s kind of crowded here.”

“Right!” Danny yelped. “Right, sorry, um, coming–” He threw Haru a dumbfounded look and went to his door, mind whirling.

He did not expect what he saw when he opened the door.

“I don’t–I don’t know if you’ll all even fit in my apartment,” Danny said faintly, desperately trying to keep his voice steady. Antonio, Isabella, Luis, and Marco were all packed into his hallway, along with Lily, a man who looked exactly like Lily but was quite a bit taller, and Manuel, who was carrying several brightly colored boxes.

“That’s cool,” Luis said easily. “Just tell us where you want us.”

“Ronnie and Camille are sorry they couldn’t come,” Antonio put in, actually sounding apologetic. “But they’re prepping Grand Azteca for the Friday crowd.”

“That’s... that’s okay,” Danny managed.

“Jacob brought his truck,” Lily said, nudging her taller lookalike. “We weren’t sure how much you had to move.”

“I thought Jacob was in California,” Danny said dumbly.

“I was,” Jacob said, sounding groggy. He stuck out his hand. “Just got back in town and Lily’s putting me to work. Been dying to meet you though, so I’m forgiving her.”

Danny shook Jacob’s hand, glancing uncertainly at him and the rest of the crowd.

“I brought donuts,” Manuel said cheerfully, holding up the boxes. He eyed everyone in the hallway. “I probably have enough,” he added.

A large, warm hand gently touched Danny’s back and Danny didn't jump. He breathed out under Haru’s calming touch and did his best to muster a smile, stepping back to start letting people file inside.

“Thanks for coming,” he said, hoping sounded as grateful as he felt without letting it choke him up.

“Psh,” Antonio said, flapping a hand in his general direction. “Yeah, duh, of course.”

“Yeah, kid,” Luis said, eyes flicking to Haru. “Happy to help you out.”

Lily adjusted her glasses. “So what’s the plan?”

A weak laugh trickled out of him, and Danny rubbed the back of his neck. “I, uh, it was mostly ‘shove stuff into boxes’ I guess.”

Jacob grinned. “Just your luck then. I’m excellent at shoving stuff into boxes.”

Isabella raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him before turning back to Danny. “I nominate myself as organization leader. Sound good?”

“Um. Sure?”

She clapped her hands. “Great! Okay, people–” she rounded on the crowd assembled in Danny’s small space. “We’re splitting into sections to divide and conquer. And labeling the boxes. I don’t know you four–who’re you?”

“I’m Jacob,” Jacob said. “This is Lily.”

“Manuel.”

“Haru,” Haru said, looking amused and pleased.

“Nice to meet you,” Isabella said briskly. “Marco, you, me, and Manuel are packing up the kitchen and pantry. Jacob and Luis, living room stuff. Antonio– ” She rolled her eyes. “Yes, you could pack up the closets, on the condition you don’t make fun of Danny’s clothes.”

“You wound me,” Antonio pouted.

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