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Going back to Los Angeles had always been part of Chris's plan.
I mean, he knew he wanted to "punish" his dad for cheating on Marisol (who he got along with incredibly well) with his mom's lookalike (who had passed away a few years ago), but he was also aware that, probably, that punishment had gone on longer than it should have.
Sure, he had made friends, but he missed the group he had in Los Angeles; yes, he had a pool in his grandparents’ backyard, but he missed both the beach and the ocean; sure, he had discovered new hobbies, but he missed sharing those discoveries with Buck.
Texas had never been and would never be his home, because his home was with the people he loved the most in the world.
His home was with his dad… and with Buck.
The house his father had bought in El Paso was just a formality; they both knew that. There was no way the two of them would stay in Texas forever. Besides, Chris knew his dad well enough to know he wanted to return to Los Angeles.
Because even if his dad never admitted it out loud (and they had had plenty of conversations since reuniting), Chris knew he missed Buck too.
He knew it from all the times his father's laughter filled the house every time Buck said something funny during their countless video calls; he knew it from all the times he heard his dad sigh after hanging up (could it be longing? Chris wouldn't know how to describe it, he hadn’t felt that emotion yet); he knew it from the way his dad would make a comment and then fall silent, waiting for a reply that never came (because it should have been Buck who said something).
That’s why he took on his role as a teenager—not as a kid—and decided to talk to his dad.
“Dad, we need to talk.”
His father was washing the dishes after dinner. Chris was still sitting at the table; he had been waiting for that moment so they could talk peacefully.
His father let go of the sponge and took a few seconds to turn toward his son, looking scared.
“Is everything okay?” Eddie asked, worried. “Did something happen? Did your grandparents say something?”
“What? No!” Chris exclaimed, wrinkling his nose. “Nothing happened. I just think we need to talk about when we’re going back to Los Angeles.”
Eddie’s eyes went wide in surprise.
“Wait, you want to go back to Los Angeles?” His voice trembled. “Since when do you want to go back, and why am I only hearing about it now?”
“Dad, I never wanted to stay here,” Chris rolled his eyes. “How many times have I told you I asked Grandma and Grandpa to come get me because I needed space?”
“I just thought you liked it here,” Eddie gestured around with his hands. “I thought you liked being here.”
“I do, but I like Los Angeles more. I miss a lot of things—I miss the zoo, the beach, my school friends…”
Chris gathered the courage to keep going, knowing full well his dad might not react well.
“I miss Buck too. And I know you miss him as well.”
Eddie’s eyebrows shot up at once; Chris could see he wanted to respond to that confession, but no words came out of his mouth.
“Our home is in Los Angeles, Dad. Our home is wherever Buck is, because we’re family.”
He mimicked the gesture his dad always made when talking to him; he searched for his gaze, those distant eyes, until he found them, trying to reinforce his point.
“Please?”
His last resort was using those eyes—those pleading ones no one could resist; especially not Buck.
Eddie sighed and ran a hand through his hair, agitated and nervous. But he was smiling; Chris knew he had made the right call the moment he saw that smile.
“Are you sure? I want us to really talk about this—I want you to tell me everything you’re thinking and not keep anything inside.”
“Dad, I’m sure,” Chris nodded. “I don’t know what’ll happen with school, but I’m willing to miss the last few days just to go back.”
Eddie smiled and shook his head in disbelief. He didn’t hesitate to walk over to Christopher and pull him into a hug full of the love and fatherly affection Chris had missed so much during those months apart.
“Mijo, that’s not going to happen,” Eddie said, “but we’ll go back to Los Angeles as soon as we can, okay?”
Chris rolled his eyes and nodded slowly.
“Okay, Dad. Thanks for listening.”
Eddie smiled and pulled away from his son.
“That’s what we do now, Chris.”
👓
“I can’t believe you’re leaving.”
Chris had come up with a farewell plan for the days they had left in El Paso (just a week—turns out he could take the rest of the semester online).
The plan involved saying goodbye to the people he’d had the most contact with—both family and friends.
Saying goodbye to his friends was easier; it was the usual stuff, comments about how much they’d miss him or how life wouldn’t be the same without him.
When it came to family, though, things were tense. His grandparents weren’t happy about them going back to Los Angeles—he even overheard his dad arguing with them for two days straight. That’s when Chris decided to step in and tell them out loud that it had been his idea.
Because it was the truth. He didn’t want his dad to carry that burden—he didn’t deserve it.
That Thursday (Eddie and Chris had decided they’d leave first thing Saturday morning), he met up with his Aunt Adriana to say goodbye, but also to thank her for everything she had done for him.
“I mean, I’m happy for you both,” his aunt went on, “but I’d gotten used to having you around, you know?”
“Yeah, I’m going to miss you too, Adri,” Chris admitted quietly. “But I’m sure Dad wouldn’t mind if you wanted to visit us.”
Adriana raised both eyebrows at him.
“That would be a great idea if it weren’t for the fact that your house is currently occupied by a Buck.”
Chris slowly nodded—he hadn’t thought of that until that very moment.
When his dad had told him that Buck had made the curious (there was no other way to put it) decision to buy their house, a strange feeling had come over him.
On one hand, it felt great to be going back to the place he’d grown up and missed so much. But on the other, he couldn’t help but feel bad for Buck. He didn’t think Buck was having a great time in such a big, empty house all by himself.
So they’d have to live with Buck once they returned—at least until Buck found a new place to stay.
Then again, did it really matter? Most of the time, when both he and his dad were home, Buck was around too—like he was just another part of the house. A living, breathing fixture who made their lives easier.
“I hadn’t thought about that, but you’re right,” Chris frowned. “Well, Buck’ll just have to go back to the couch—I’ve lost count of how many times he’s done that already.”
His aunt’s eyes lit up in a way Chris didn’t quite know how to interpret.
“There’s also the option that if I do visit, your dad and Buck could share the bed, right?”
Chris wasn’t stupid; and he knew his aunt wasn’t either. The moment she made that comment, he realized there was more to her words.
“I think I’ve missed something in this conversation.”
Adriana rolled her eyes and shook her head.
“Like father, like son,” she muttered, covering her face with both hands. “Okay, I think you’re old enough to have this conversation.”
Chris raised a curious eyebrow.
“I just want to start with a question to make sure I’m not crossing a line,” Adriana cleared her throat. “Do you think what’s going on between your dad and Buck is… normal?”
“What do you mean?”
Adriana groaned in frustration.
“Everything, Chris! Being each other’s emergency contacts? Even after you guys moved to El Paso? Not to mention they FaceTime at least twice a day—like they aren’t texting all the time anyway!”
Chris tilted his head, confused.
“I don’t know, Buck’s always been around, so I don’t see it as anything weird,” he shrugged. “I actually thought they’d lose touch after we moved, and that made me kind of sad. I know Dad misses him—but I guess that’s normal after being friends for so long.”
“Maldito radar gay,” Adriana muttered in Spanish. “Alright, I won’t say anything else about it.”
“No!” Chris frowned. “You said you could talk to me about this because I’m old enough!”
Adriana rubbed her face with both hands under her nephew’s watchful gaze, who still didn’t fully grasp what she was talking about.
“This isn’t something your dad has talked to me about,” she whispered, still covering her face, “but I know the feeling because I’ve been there too, Chris. I know what it’s like to repress who you are so much that you forget yourself.”
It took his brain a second, but Chris managed to understand what his aunt meant with that last comment. He didn’t quite catch the implications of the previous part, though.
After swallowing hard, he reached across the table to take her hand.
“Thanks for telling me, Aunt Adri,” he whispered. “I appreciate you trusting me with it. Even though, you know, you’re not the first LGBTQ+ person I’ve met.”
“Buck’s bisexual, right?” Chris nodded proudly. “That’s what frustrates me the most, carajo! He’s right in front of him, and your dad can’t even see it!”
The final piece of the puzzle clicked into place in Chris’s mind.
It was like it had been missing this whole time, and he’d been too focused on putting together the rest of the pieces—figuring everything else out—until everything finally made sense.
Chris’s eyes went wide, while Adriana tried not to laugh at his adorable reaction.
I mean, he had nothing against the LGBTQ+ community—he considered himself an ally, after all (even at his age). Some of his friends were gay, and he supported them wholeheartedly. Not to mention Buck, Hen, and Karen—so it wasn’t hard to imagine that maybe, just maybe, his dad wasn’t as straight as he thought.
“Well, that would explain why he’s so bad with women,” Adri let out a loud laugh, “but he hasn’t told me anything.”
“Because he doesn’t know it yet,” Adriana replied softly. “Your dad didn’t have an easy childhood, you know? He had to be the ‘man of the house,’ he had to be strong, and your grandparents made him think that showing emotions made him weak.”
“That’s dumb,” Chris scoffed. “And what does that even mean—‘man of the house’? Dumb, again.”
“Maybe that’s why your dad didn’t want you spending too much time with your grandparents, Chris. It’s the way they raised him, and he was afraid they’d put you through the same thing.”
Chris had thought he’d figured out the “Eddie puzzle”—everything his dad had kept bottled up over the years—but he realized he was nowhere close.
In that moment, Chris understood that his dad was like an onion; he couldn’t help but remember that comparison from Shrek, about how ogres have layers. In this case, it was his dad who had layers, and who had been hiding behind them just to make sure he was happy.
The only time he had truly seen his father's heart (still going with the onion metaphor) had been when he was with Buck.
When the three of them were together.
That was when reality hit him. His eyes widened again; if he thought he had already understood everything about his father and the world around him, he couldn't have been more wrong.
"Oh my God," Chris gasped. "Dad's in love with Buck, but he doesn’t realize it."
"I knew I should still keep my hopes up with you, Chris," Adriana said, smiling proudly. "I knew I could count on you."
"When did you figure it out? I mean, how have I not seen it all this time?"
Adriana gave him a gentle look and squeezed his hand, returning the gesture he'd made earlier.
"Have you forgotten the part where your dad still doesn’t know he likes men? Not to mention that, until recently, you were just a kid."
"But I was there, Aunt Adri! I was there the whole time, watching Dad follow Buck around everywhere! I’ve been there while they acted like more than just best friends!"
"Now do you understand why I asked if it all seemed normal to you? Now do you understand both me and Maddie?"
One of his eyebrows lifted, confused.
"What does Buck’s sister have to do with this?"
Adriana instantly blushed; Chris could see the panic start to take over her.
"Mierda, I shouldn’t have said that," Adriana muttered, rubbing her temple with two fingers. "Well, I’ve been in touch with Maddie since about a week after your dad got to El Paso."
"Why?"
"Let’s just say Buck had a hard time reaching out to your dad. Maddie messaged me to ask how he was doing, being the good, worried big sister she is, and since then, there hasn’t been a single week we haven’t talked and caught each other up."
"Are you telling me that Maddie, Buck’s sister, knows that Dad is in love with Buck?"
"No, I’m telling you that Maddie, Buck’s sister, knows that Buck is in love with Eddie—but he doesn’t know it either."
That was the final drop in Chris’s overflowing cup of revelations.
He didn’t know what to say. He just sat there, trying to process everything in the best way possible (and in line with being a teenager).
Because it was a lot. Way too much, if you asked him honestly. Too much to absorb in such a short time.
Especially because they were about to go back to Los Angeles, where they’d be living under the same roof as Buck.
Adriana watched Chris closely. She could practically see the gears in his mind turning at full speed, like they were in a rush to understand everything, like he needed to make sense of it all right now.
"Chris, you don’t have to overthink all this," Adriana said after clearing her throat. "I know it’s a lot to process, especially since two of the people you love most are involved, but there’s no rush, okay?"
Chris shook his head and returned to the conversation with his favorite aunt (sorry, Sofía).
"Of course there’s a rush!" Chris exclaimed. "They could’ve been together for years and have wasted so much time! We have to do something, Aunt Adri!"
Adriana’s jaw practically dropped.
"My God, I couldn’t stand watching those two be in love with each other and not do anything about it! Especially now that I know!"
"So… you’re saying you’d be okay with Dad being with Buck? Like, dating, in a relationship?"
"Weren’t you the one who said their behavior wasn’t normal for just two friends?"
"I didn’t think you’d take it so seriously with your whole indifferent-teen thing!" she pointed at him, confused. "I thought you’d brush it off, that you wouldn’t care that much!"
"Not when it’s about Dad’s and Buck’s happiness. If it’s for them, believe me—I care."
Adriana couldn’t help but smile.
She saw in Christopher that same sweet nature Eddie had. She saw in him the same way of feeling that was so unique to her brother. She saw in Chris the same careful love with which Eddie had raised her, because he had outdone himself with his beloved son.
Eddie had definitely broken the cycle with Christopher.
With that smile still on her face, she reached her other arm across the table and took both of Christopher’s hands in hers.
"So… do you have a plan to get those two idiots to realize they’re in love with each other?"
"I’m sure I’ll come up with something," Chris answered, a big smile spreading across his face, "but I’m gonna need all the help I can get."
"By all the help, I assume you mean Maddie and me, right?"
Chris nodded, determined.
He had never even considered the idea that his dad and Buck could be together, but after that conversation, he knew it made more sense than anything else in the world.
It made sense just like Karen and Hen being a family with Denny and Mara made sense; it made sense just like Jee about to become a big sister thanks to Maddie and Chimney; it made sense just like Harry and May having not just Athena and Bobby, but also Michael and David.
It made sense because they were already a family—and there was only one thing left to complete the list. One final piece he was more than willing to give a little push so that his dad and Buck could finally be happy, with the person they truly belonged with.
"What better way to help them realize it than with the two people who first suspected it?"
👓
For the past twenty-four hours, Chris had been racking his brain trying to come up with an idea to make those two idiots realize their feelings.
Well, maybe his dad first needed to realize he was gay, but Chris would think about that later.
On Friday afternoon, Chris messaged his Aunt Adriana intending to create a group chat with Maddie so they could discuss their options.
There weren’t many, to be honest. It wasn’t like they wanted to say it to their faces directly, but they did want to create a situation where both of them would realize what they felt. A setup where they’d have to face it, with no option to run away—and without fearing Christopher’s reaction.
Because once they were aware, Christopher wanted to make it very clear that he fully supported their relationship.
He didn’t want to see his dad suffer the way he had in Texas. He didn’t want them to be unhappy just because they didn’t realize what they had—whether that was due to not wanting to risk their friendship (which was probably the main reason Buck kept denying his feelings to Maddie), or because they’d spent their whole lives fighting against themselves (in his dad’s case).
It wasn’t until Friday night that the most absurd idea crossed his mind. He messaged Adriana (his aunt) and Maddie (his soon-to-be aunt) to see what they thought about it.
Chris figured they were both desperate enough about the situation that they agreed without a second thought.
Just as planned, Eddie and Chris left for Los Angeles early Saturday morning.
It was a long trip. Chris slept through half of it (he’d gotten up at six a.m.—cut a teenager some slack), and for the other half, he alternated between listening to music, updating his dad on current artists (most of them queer, dropping some subtle hints), and chatting with him.
Mostly, they talked about Buck. About how excited he was for them to come back, about the plans he had for the three of them, about how they’d organize things at home now that they were staying for good.
Christopher had to smile knowingly through the whole conversation. He ignored how his dad’s eyes sparkled every time he talked about Buck, because ever since his conversation with Adriana, he’d started noticing details he’d overlooked before.
It had only been a few hours, but that was enough for Chris to see how genuinely they talked to each other on video calls; he also saw how it was mutual—how Buck had that goofy smile every time Eddie spoke, and especially how his eyes lit up when Eddie confirmed they were moving back to L.A. for good.
Less than half an hour before arriving at their old house, 4995 S. Bedford Street, Chris got a message in the group chat with Maddie and Adriana.
Group Chat: Family United by Buddie
(Almost) Aunt Maddie
Okay, the bed leg is already broken
Buck doesn’t suspect a thing 👌🏻
Aunt Adriana
I can’t believe this idea…
Chris
it was the only thing I could come up with!
Aunt Adriana
Remind me never to let you watch another rom-com again!
(Almost) Aunt Maddie
I think it’s an adorable trope! 🥰
Chris
now I know where Buck gets his obsession with those movies…
btw, I just realized something 🤨
Aunt Adriana
Oh no!
Is there a hole in the plan?
Chris
what if Buck offers to sleep on the couch?
so I can sleep with my dad?
(Almost) Aunt Maddie
Oh, I thought about that too!
I may have broken a spring in the couch… on purpose 🤭
Aunt Adriana
You’re the best, Maddie 🙌🏼
Chris
but where am I supposed to sleep?
(Almost) Aunt Maddie
At the Wilsons’ house
Karen and Hen are in on it
Say you want to catch up with Denny
Or whatever it is you teens do these days 🙄
Chris
that's rude
especially on my first night back in L.A.
Aunt Adriana
You were the one saying there was no time to waste!
Chris
I didn’t think you’d kick me out of my own house!
(Almost) Aunt Maddie
Sometimes we have to sacrifice for the greater good, Chris.
Chris
whatever 😒
wait, Hen and Karen know too?
(Almost) Aunt Maddie
Oh, honey...
They were the first ones to figure it out...
They have the best gaydar in the world!
Aunt Adriana
I’m offended, Maddie :(
Chris
omg, what even is happening?!!!
Aunt Adriana
Let us know when you get there!
"Who’s texting you so insistently?"
Chris felt like he’d just been caught red-handed. He didn’t hesitate to lock his phone before turning to his dad, who had just asked him the question.
"It was Aunt Adriana, asking how the trip went," Chris rushed to say, going for a believable lie. "She also wants to know if I showed you any current music, you know—because you’re an old man and all."
"Ha! You two are hilarious," Eddie said, shaking his head. "You can tell her I like Chappell Roan."
"You don’t say."
The words slipped out of Chris's mouth before he could stop them. There was more sarcasm in that comment than he meant (way more, if you asked him), but his dad didn’t seem to notice.
He was too focused on driving, humming along to the song playing through the car speakers, and smiling like a complete idiot in love.
Chris could barely contain how eager he was to get home.
And that half hour flew by. Maddie let them know in the group chat that she’d already left the house, so now he had to come up with something believable to explain how that bed leg had broken on its own—something his dad and Buck would actually buy.
As soon as Eddie parked the Prius by the curb (Chris really had to remind his dad to get a new car—that one didn’t match his vibe at all), with the U-Haul truck trailing behind, Chris realized what was about to happen.
And he knew he wouldn’t be able to delay it for long, because Buck came sprinting out the front door to greet them.
“Eddie! Chris!”
Chris was the first to get out of the car.
He found himself wrapped up in Buck’s big arms before he could even say hi, and despite the teenage coolness he’d developed over the years, he didn’t hesitate to let himself be hugged.
Because he had missed him. Leaving his dad behind had also meant leaving Buck—and the role Buck played in his life.
His arms wrapped around Buck’s shoulders and he let out a deep sigh, like everything had finally returned to where it was meant to be.
“Oh my god, you’re so tall! Why did you grow so much while you were away? What were your grandparents feeding you?”
“Too many tamales,” Chris laughed. “You’re looking bigger too, Buck—are you bulking or something?”
“Wait, how do you even know what bulking is?” Buck turned to Eddie. “Why does he know what bulking is?”
“May I remind you he’s a teenager with internet access who can look up anything he wants?”
And then, reality hit him again.
Chris was fully present for the thing Maddie and Adriana had talked about so much. He saw it—that love, those not-so-baseless suspicions that the two of them were in love with each other.
Chris watched as his dad held back during the hug he gave Buck; he saw how Buck clung to his father like his entire world depended on that one gesture; Chris stood there with a big smile on his face, realizing they deserved each other.
And he couldn’t bring himself to regret the plan he’d cooked up with Maddie and Adriana—because he was sure that tonight would be the night they finally realized what they were feeling.
Because even though they were blind to it, they shine so brightly next to each other it was only a matter of time before they ended up blinding themselves.
👓
Don’t blame a teenager for wanting things to go right on the first try.
Don’t blame Christopher for apologizing to his dad and Buck the moment he got the chance so he could head to his room for the night.
Even if his dad didn’t understand why—after all, Chris had slept through half the drive.
As soon as Chris stepped through the front door of that house, a wave of nostalgia washed over him; he hadn’t realized until that very moment just how much he’d missed this place—his true home.
When he walked into his room, he nearly burst into tears seeing that Buck hadn’t changed a thing; the decor, even the furniture arrangement, was exactly as he’d left it before moving to El Paso.
But there was no time for tears. He could cry tomorrow morning, after his dad and Buck had finally had the talk.
He moved on with the plan. He laid down on the bed just the right way so that the broken leg would give out with a loud crash.
Yep—Maddie had done an amazing job breaking that bed leg. You could barely tell anything was wrong until he put his weight on it, but then it gave way.
“Chris! Are you okay!?”
The two adults rushed into his room, flinging the door open. Their eyes locked immediately on Christopher’s bed.
“I just lay down and the leg broke!” Chris exclaimed, leaning fully into the act. “Why did it break?”
“What the hell…?” Buck looked horrified. “But I haven’t touched this room since you moved out, Eddie! How did the leg break!?”
“Buck, it’s okay,” his dad said, placing a hand on Buck’s shoulder. “Don’t worry—we’ll figure something out!”
“I don’t mind sleeping on the couch tonight,” Chris offered casually. “Really.”
Buck shook his head immediately.
“No way! I’ll sleep on the couch, you’ll sleep with your dad,” he said—and Eddie groaned. “It’s not like it’d be the first time!”
As predictable as ever.
“Well, until we go buy Chris a new bed tomorrow, it’s a workable option,” Eddie added, rubbing the back of his neck. “But I don’t love the idea of you on the couch either, Buck. This house is yours too.”
“Oh? So what—you want to share a bed with me, Díaz?”
His dad blushed and waved a hand, avoiding Buck’s teasing smile.
Oh no. Was Buck flirting with his dad?
Chris had to fight the urge to grimace, but he held it in. He gave himself a second to stay in character—his short but intense run as a supporting actor in this romantic comedy wasn’t over yet.
“Well then, let’s hang on the couch and watch a movie before Buck makes one of his famous lasagnas for dinner.”
The three of them headed into the living room, and Chris patiently waited for them to sit down.
Buck was the first to notice something was off as he tried to get comfortable.
“Something’s wrong with this couch. What’s up with this couch?”
His dad frowned and copied him, running a hand over the cushion he was sitting on.
“Now that you mention it… mine feels weird too.”
Chris watched the scene unfold with delight. He had no idea how to thank Maddie for everything she’d done.
Under all three of their gazes, a spring shot out from the center cushion—exactly where Chris would’ve sat. Buck and his dad locked eyes in horror and immediately jumped up.
Four more springs popped out. Chris had to cover his mouth to keep from laughing at the spectacle happening right in front of him.
“What the hell is going on in this house today!?”
“Buck, I don’t think you can sleep there,” Chris said, after taking a deep breath. “Actually, I don’t think anyone can sleep there.”
“Jesus, Buck, what the hell have you been doing to this couch?”
His dad’s voice sounded irritated. Could it be… jealousy?
“I swear, nothing! Oh my god, where am I supposed to sleep tonight?”
Chris kept going, no hesitation. He pulled out his phone from his jeans pocket and texted Denny (who was also in on the plan).
The more people involved, the better—at least, that’s what they say. He’d find out tomorrow.
“I just told Denny what happened and he said he doesn’t think it’d be a problem if I stayed over at his place,” Chris said, slipping his phone back. “He also said you can call Hen if you don’t trust me.”
Both Buck and Eddie stared at him.
“But you just got here today!”
“I want to catch up with Denny too,” Chris said, guilt gnawing at him for lying to Buck. “I promise we’ll talk as much as you want tomorrow, Buck.”
Buck pouted, then turned to Eddie.
Chris took advantage of their lovesick exchange to throw out the final dart that would hit the bullseye.
“The only thing is, you guys would have to share a bed—but that shouldn’t be a problem, right? You did it during COVID.”
Bingo.
They both blushed, but looked away quickly enough that neither saw the other’s reaction.
Chris almost rubbed his hands together in victory but held back—he needed to wait until he was at the Wilsons’ house. He wasn’t about to ruin the whole plan over one smug gesture.
It took them a while to speak. The silence dragged, and Chris didn’t know what else to say or do to push things along.
His dad was the one to finally break the silence after clearing his throat. He nodded slightly and turned toward Buck again.
“It’s the only option, right? I mean, I’m not gonna book a hotel for one night, especially when tomorrow we can buy Chris a new bed and a new couch.”
Buck’s eyes went wide.
“Are you serious?”
“Now you tell me, who’s the one that doesn’t want to share a bed, Buckley?”
Oh god. They were definitely flirting.
Chris raised both hands in surrender. He might have started clapping, but held himself back.
“Fine!” he shouted, wanting to end his suffering. “I’ll tell Denny I’m staying over! We’ll eat Buck’s lasagna tomorrow! Everything’s fine!”
Buck and his dad looked at each other, totally confused, while Chris pulled out his phone again to text Denny and confirm the plan was unfolding just as they’d hoped. Denny replied with a confetti effect, and Chris let out a tiny laugh.
Now all that was left was to wait.
👓
It was Hen who picked Chris up from his house. It was Hen who gave a knowing look to both his father and Buck—but neither of them understood it.
It was Karen who welcomed him with open arms. It was Denny who introduced him to Mara. It was the three of them who spent that afternoon playing board games.
It was all five of them who had dinner together at the table, laughing as Chris caught up on all the crazy things that had happened at the station while he was gone.
It was Christopher who chose to trust the universe and fate. It was Christopher who earned approving glances from both Hen and Karen when he confessed the entire plan he had carried out with Maddie and Adriana to make sure everything turned out right.
It was Christopher who, that night, slept like a damn baby—knowing it was only a matter of hours before everything would fall into place.
👓
“Text Denny as soon as those two idiots tell you.”
Chris nodded with a smile as he stepped out of Hen’s car.
“If there’s a bet going around about when they finally get together, wouldn’t Maddie be cheating? Or… you and Karen?”
“Maddie didn’t have as much faith in them as you did, honey,” Hen winked playfully. “Maddie thinks it’ll take them a few days to realize what’s going on. We just went with our gut.”
“Maddie mentioned something about the gaydar, yeah.”
Hen burst into laughter as Chris shut the car door. She waited until he made it to the front door, and once they waved goodbye from a distance, she drove off toward home.
Chris rang the doorbell, nervous—though he told himself he had no reason to be. He wasn’t sure what to expect when he saw his dad and Buck. He’d run through every possible scenario and needed to be ready just in case.
And if things hadn’t gone the way he, Maddie, and Adriana had planned, well… that was a problem for Future Christopher to deal with.
The door opened, revealing only his dad.
Chris glanced over his father’s shoulder and saw Buck in the kitchen, staring off into space. The air felt tense—he could sense it.
He had a feeling. A little tug of intuition. But he didn’t want to get his hopes up—not until they actually said something.
“Hey, Dad.”
Eddie gave him a quick nod in greeting, saying nothing. That was weird. Chris rolled his eyes and squeezed past his dad and into the house, heading straight for the kitchen where Buck was.
“You know what I’ve missed, Buck?” Chris began casually. “Your pancakes. A lot. My dad never gets them as fluffy as you.”
It took Buck a few seconds to react, as if he was lost in his own little world.
“Oh, uh… do you want me to make some?”
“Evan.”
Oh, God. Not the full name.
Yeah—definitely something had happened. And judging by the way his dad said it, Chris feared the worst.
Buck slowly nodded and sat down at the kitchen table. Eddie followed suit and sat beside him.
“Chris, can we talk to you for a minute?”
His dad motioned to the chair across from them, and Chris didn’t hesitate to sit down.
“You guys are acting kinda weird this morning,” Chris said, clinging to his gut feeling. “What’s going on?”
“There’s something we want to talk to you about,” his dad said, after taking a deep breath. “Both of us.”
“And before you say anything,” Buck added, “I want you to know that we’d totally understand if you’re not okay with it. You’ve always been your dad’s top priority, and that’s not going to change. Ever. Okay?”
That… did not sound promising.
“What are you talking about?”
Buck and his dad exchanged a look and nodded at the same time—they must’ve rehearsed this while Chris was gone.
“Well, it’s possible that last night, after sharing a bed, we realized something,” Buck started.
Chris was about to jump up and down.
“Well, I also realized something else, but that’s not the point,” Eddie continued. “The thing is—”
“Of course it’s the point, Eddie! How can you say that after realizing you’re gay?”
Oh. My. God.
It was real. This was real. The plan had worked.
They were so caught up in each other, so in love, they didn’t notice the massive grin spreading across Chris’s face—or the way his eyes lit up.
Eddie groaned and covered his face with both hands.
“You just spoiled what we were going to tell him, Buck!” his dad said, frustrated. “God, this could’ve gone so much better.”
And, like two lovable idiots in love, they couldn’t manage to say something as simple as what Chris was about to say for them.
“So, the thing is—you guys realized you’re in love with each other, right?”
The silence that filled the kitchen was the final confirmation. Chris wanted the earth to swallow him whole when his dad lowered his hands and stared wide-eyed at him, while Buck blinked like his lashes might carry him away.
“How…?” Buck finally managed to say after several seconds. “When did you figure that out?”
“Maybe just a superstition,” Chris shrugged, trying to hide his emotion. “Or maybe because I helped make it happen.”
“Wait, what?”
“Come on, guys! Maddie visiting before we arrived? The broken bed leg? The couch falling apart out of nowhere? Hen agreeing without hesitation to let me sleep over even though she hasn’t seen Buck in forever?”
Chris smiled as both men reacted the same way: jaws practically on the floor, mouths wide open, pupils blown.
“I’m not getting any of this,” Eddie muttered, turning to Buck. “Do you understand?”
“Are you saying you planned all this?” Buck asked, shaking his head in disbelief. “You planned for us to fall in love?”
“I mean, I don’t think you can plan that,” Chris replied, “but maybe I did help push you guys to finally realize it.”
What happened next was unbelievable—but Chris couldn’t be happier.
His dad started laughing. Buck joined in seconds later, and before they said anything else, they looked at each other with that look. The kind you only share when you’re truly in love.
Chris stood and slid between them, still smiling.
“I don’t know what you were planning to tell me this morning,” he said, “but I’m totally fine with this. As long as you’re happy, I’ll be happy too. I promise.”
The three of them hugged, because what else were they supposed to do?
Maybe Christopher hadn’t yet solved every puzzle when it came to his dad, and he still had some figuring out to do with Buck—but he was sure he’d get there one day.
Right now, he didn’t care about any of that. All he cared about was what had just happened in front of his eyes.
“So… if you’re okay with this, does that mean you’ll call me ‘Dad’ someday?”
His father burst into laughter after breaking the hug. Buck just smiled, like he’d just been handed the most precious gift in the world.
And Chris? Chris rolled his eyes—classic teenager move—and walked toward the room that had always been his ever since he could remember.
A place where his dad had woken him up so many mornings. A place where Buck had tucked him in on nights when his dad was working or in the hospital. A place filled with memories—shared with the two men now kissing in the kitchen.
Yeah, Chris pulled a face of mock disgust. But he’d have to get used to it, because this was his new reality. His new life.
And he couldn’t be happier about it.
Even as a moody teenager with two awesome aunts, an amazing friend, and two dads who were willing to do whatever it took to make sure he was okay.
“Too soon, Buck. Way too soon.”