#eric russo

Eric, Grace Tani and Junior taking care of the playlist, the karaoke, the dancefloor (Eric knows every word from Get Busy by Sean Paul and all has all the moves with it, Tani knows a lot of Biggie lyrics by heart, Junior loves Beyonce)

eric, from the backseat: the car takes a screenshot!

Danny is protective. If he’s ever a hot head it’s because he’s angry that anyone he loves and cares about was ever remotely hurt. When Stella got pregnant and her baby daddy flaked during the pregnancy, Danny would have been there for Stella. Maybe keeping her calm after whatever fights she may have had with their dad. Danny gave his two cents here and there, but that was because of they dynamic. Stella is as stubborn and hard working as any of them, so she did her best to stand on her own. But Danny has always been there to help and support her. 

When Eric was born Danny was the closest thing he had to a father-figure. He was the one who probably taught him sports and helped with homework, though maybe because of his schedule it wasn’t always possible, but Danny made the effort and probably visited every morning to double check and make sure Eric had done what he had to do in school. He was there for Halloween. Yes, as Eric got older it felt more like the Fun Uncle but still Danny was the closest he had to a father-figure. It’s why the family felt like Danny would be the one to set him on the right path later on. 

But then...Danny gets married. Not long after, Rache’s pregnant. Fun Uncle Danny begins his transformation to actual father. There’s no denying Danny cares about all of his family. The love is there, it’s intense...but then Grace is born. And it’s like the gods themselves bequeath Danny the title of Best Dad Ever!

Eric begins with the jealousy of a first born child no longer being an only child. But Danny’s not excluding him. He brings Eric around, or brings Grace to them. He wants very much for Grace to have that big family energy he’s used to. Eric’s dubbed honorary uncle. And for a while they’ve very close. Holiday pictures for the first eight years of Gracie’s life have a lot of pictures of Grace and Eric. It’s almost as if they were brother and sister and not cousins. 

But then Danny’s divorced. He’s angry and not around as much because he doesn’t want his family to see how badly it’s affecting him. 

Rachel gets remarried. 

Rachel’s new husband is moving them and they’re taking Grace. 

Danny, the best father ever, does the only logical thing...he follows Grace. 

Eric’s own father, who presumably lives in the city or close by, hasn’t been around. Hasn’t bothered with birthdays or holidays or milestones. He was abandoned and forgotten about. But Grace? Danny’s uprooting his WHOLE life and basically starting anew, hardships and adapting be damned, Danny wasn’t going to let Grace be taken from him. 

After Danny left was when Eric truly started acting out. With the law mostly because maybe Uncle D would be compelled to come back that way? 

But he never did. He found a new home, a new family, and pathetically, Eric had to be sent to them.