Chapter Thirty-Two
Finn
Finn and Theo marched a little farther, then slipped out of the parade route just past the hotel entrance. Their legs were tired, their faces glittery, and their wigs slightly crooked, but Finn felt lighter than he had in years.
“Okay,” Theo said, catching his breath. “We need to change before the cruise. I can’t show up looking like a Pride pinata.”
Finn snorted. “Speak for yourself. I might keep the wig.”
They headed upstairs, peeling off their glittery tops and swapping them for clean clothes—something comfortable but nice enough for a night cruise on the bay. Finn chose a soft button-down and jeans; Theo went with a breezy white shirt that made his tan pop.
As they headed back downstairs, Finn glanced out the window. The parade still rolled on, music echoing through the streets, rainbow flags waving as if the entire city was celebrating with them.
Tomorrow they’d be flying to Virginia, which is a whole new chapter waiting on the other side of the country.
But tonight? Tonight was theirs. A cruise, the city lights, and the people he cared about. Finn smiled. He couldn’t wait.
Maurice took Finn’s hand as they walked down the pier toward the evening cruise, the sky shifting from gold to soft pink over the bay.
The air carried that familiar mix of salt, grilled food from the vendors, and the cool breeze rolling in from the water.
David and Theo walked ahead of them, laughing about something Theo said, their shadows stretching long across the wooden planks.
The ship waited at the end of the dock, lights already glowing along the railings.
Once they boarded, the four of them climbed to the top deck where their dinner tables overlooked the entire city.
From up there, San Francisco looked unreal—the skyline glowing, the fog curling around the bridge as if it were posing for a photo, and the water reflecting streaks of orange and purple.
Finn leaned against the railing. “This is insane. I feel like I’m in a movie.”
Theo fanned himself dramatically. “A very gay movie.”
David nudged him. “The best kind.”
They all laughed and took their seats. The server brought out lobster dinners with bright red shells, melted butter, and lemon wedges. Finn cracked his open, the steam rising into the cool night air.
Maurice watched him with a soft smile. “You’re really enjoying this.”
Finn wiped his hands on a napkin. “Are you kidding? This is the fanciest thing I’ve ever done.”
Maurice leaned closer. “I’m excited to fly home with you tomorrow.”
Finn’s heart did a little flip. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” Maurice said, eyes warm. “I know you’re gonna love it there. Charlottesville’s different from here. It’s quieter, greener, and slower in a good way. I can’t wait to show you everything.”
Finn smiled into his lobster. “I can’t wait either.”
Theo raised his glass. “To new adventures, and to lobster.”
David clinked his glass against Theo’s. “And to these two lovebirds finally getting on the same flight.”
Finn laughed. “We’re sitting together. Maurice made sure.”
Maurice shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal. “Of course I did.”
They talked through the entire dinner about the parade, about the wigs, about Mr. Santos’s feather boa, about the trolley ride, and about how Finn still had glitter stuck behind his ear. The boat circled the bay, passing under the bridge, the lights above them glowing like stars.
By the time they returned to the hotel, Finn felt full, not just from the food, but from the whole day.
The energy, the colors, the laughter, the feeling of belonging.
He and Theo headed to their rooms to pack, tossing clothes into suitcases and comparing how much glitter they’d tracked onto the carpet.
“Tomorrow,” Theo said, zipping his bag, “we’re gonna be Virginians.”
Finn laughed. “Temporary Virginians.”
“Still counts.”
They went to bed early; alarms set for the morning flight.
The next day, Finn’s stomach fluttered the entire ride to the airport.
His excitement and nerves tangled together.
Maurice stayed close to him through security, through the terminal, and through boarding.
When they finally sat down on the plane, Finn let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.
Maurice nudged him. “Are you okay?”
Finn nodded. “Just… happy. And nervous. And happy again.”
Maurice smiled. “Good. That’s the right mix.”
The flight felt both long and fast at the same time. Finn watched clouds drift by, watched the landscape change, watched Maurice doze off with his head tilted slightly toward him.
When the plane touched down in Charlottesville, Finn’s heart thumped hard. He gazed out the window, his eyes taking in the vibrant green hills, the vast expanse of the sky, and the golden sunlight that bathed everything in its glow.
“This is it,” Maurice said, squeezing his hand.
Finn swallowed, smiling. “Yeah. We’re here.”
And for the first time, “here” felt like the start of something real.
Finn stepped off the plane with Maurice at his side, the cool Virginia air drifting through the jet bridge.
It smelled different from San Francisco—cleaner, greener, like the breeze had passed through a thousand trees before reaching him.
David and Theo walked with them toward baggage claim, all four still a little sleepy from the early flight.
Theo hugged Finn tight. “Text me the second you’re settled.”
“I will,” Finn said, squeezing back.
David clapped Maurice on the shoulder. “Take good care of him.”
Maurice smirked. “That’s the plan.”
They said their goodbyes, and then it was just Finn and Maurice walking toward the parking garage. Finn’s stomach fluttered—nerves, excitement, the whole mix he’d been carrying since the plane touched down.
Maurice unlocked his SUV, tossed their bags in the back, and opened the passenger door for Finn. “Ready?”
Finn slid in. “More than ready.”
The drive out of the airport felt like entering a different world.
The highway cut through rolling hills, thick woods, and long stretches of open sky.
Sunlight filtered through the trees in soft patches, and every few miles Finn spotted old barns, white fences, and fields that looked like they went on forever.
“This is beautiful,” Finn said, forehead resting lightly against the window.
Maurice glanced over with a smile. “Wait until we get closer. My place is a little outside the city.”
“A little?” Finn teased.
Maurice laughed. “Okay, a lot.”
They turned off the main road onto a long gravel driveway lined with tall pines. The sound of the stones crunching under the tires felt strangely comforting. Finn leaned forward as the house came into view and that was when his breath caught.
The place was huge. Not mansion-huge, but sprawling, warm, lived-in huge.
A wide porch wrapped around the front, flower beds bursting with color along the walkway.
Beyond the house, the land stretched out in every direction with open fields, clusters of trees, and a red barn that looked straight out of a postcard.
Finn pressed a hand to the window. “Daddy Maurice… this is incredible.”
Maurice parked and stepped out, walking around to open Finn’s door. “Welcome home.”
Finn froze for a second, not because he didn’t want it, but because hearing it out loud hit him right in the chest. Warm. Solid. Real.
He stepped out of the vehicle, taking in the house again, the land, the barn. “You didn’t tell me it was this big.”
Maurice shrugged, a little shy. “Didn’t want to overwhelm you.”
“I’m not overwhelmed,” Finn said, turning in a slow circle. “I’m… excited. And kind of in shock.”
Maurice walked beside him toward the porch. “You’ll have space here. Room to breathe. Room to figure out what you want.”
Finn nodded, eyes drifting toward the barn. “Is that where your horses are?”
“Yep,” Maurice said. “Two of them. And plenty of room if you ever want your own.”
Finn laughed, the sound bubbling out of him. “I can’t believe this is real.”
Maurice stopped at the front door, turning to him. “It’s real. And I’m glad you’re here.”
Finn’s heart thumped the same way it had when they first met on the train, but deeper now, steadier. “Me too.”
Maurice unlocked the door and pushed it open. “Come on. Let me show you around.”
Finn stepped inside, the scent of cedar and something warm like Maurice’s cologne wrapping around him. Sunlight streamed through the big windows, lighting up the hardwood floors and the wide, open living room.
He exhaled slowly, letting the moment settle. He was here. With Daddy Maurice. In a place that already felt like the start of something good.
Maurice nudged him gently. “Ready for the grand tour?”
Finn grinned. “Lead the way.”
And together, they walked into their new beginning.
The End