Page 107 of Peach Tree Family

Ace rested his head on Seth's shoulder. Then he looked at him and told him, "Seth, you're muscly."

"Uh, alright," Seth said, kind of confused.

"Let's see what that pizza dough is doing," Theo told Ace.

As Ace went to get Butter to climb down from a tree, Seth turned to Theo. "I'll be staying here tonight and from now on. I might be bad news for you in court, but..."

Theo stopped him. "I want you to stay."

"You gonna call the sheriff?" Seth asked.

"I can't. My aunt has the right to take Ace. I'm the one who's in the wrong legally. But I'm going to call the lawyer and see what she says."

Going inside, Seth made sure to keep Ace busy helping him make the pizza. While the pizza was baking, they made the skillet cookie together and set the table.

"That's a good-looking pizza," Seth said when he set it in the middle of the table.

It wasn't exactly round, but it did taste good.

"You guys did a good job with this pizza," Theo told them as they were finishing it off.

"It didn't have any salad. That's why it was good," Ace said, and Theo remembered that he meant to make some.

They were all reminded of why it didn't get done, and Ace turned gloomy.

"Don't forget Seth made you that skillet cookie," Theo said to try to cheer him up.

"It's about time I serve that up." Seth got the cookies then he asked Ace, "When are we shopping for those chocolate eggs for the egg hunt? That's this Sunday, you know."

Ace perked up right away. "We have to hurry."

"What we have to do is keep track of all the eggs we hide very carefully and make sure they all get found. I'll have to make a map," Theo said and saw Seth smile at him then nudge Ace.

"You think he's gonna do research too?" Seth asked Ace.

"Are you, Theo?" Ace wanted to know.

"I might. Like what's the biggest chocolate Easter egg ever made?" Theo got out his phone and then showed Ace what he found while he stuffed his face with the skillet cookie.

Later on, when Theo got started on making a map of the area around the house, he got Ace involved. Theo also let him stay up a little later then made sure he was fast asleep before leaving him and going to Seth in the living room.

Right away Seth got up and came to him. "How you doin'?"

All evening, Theo had been acting like everything was OK, but of course Seth knew it was all a front. Now that Theo was alone with him, his facade was breaking apart. "I... I couldn't... I had to..." The words wouldn't come, so Seth just grabbed him and hugged him tight.

"You were doing good, holding it together for Ace," Seth praised him.

"That's because you were out in front to deal with Jerry," Theo told him, feeling so grateful.

"Seeing him lay his hands on Ace, I wanted to put him in the ground." Theo could hear the rage in his voice and feel his whole body tense.

"You didn't and that's good."

"I knew it wouldn't help you."

Theo cupped his face and kissed him softly, grateful for his strength, for him just being there.

They climbed into bed together though Theo didn't plan to sleep there. But he couldn't leave. He needed some warmth and affection desperately. He needed Seth, no one but him.

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