Chapter Text
One:
“And at lunch we played baseball, and I got a home run! First try!” Patrick talks excitedly to his mom, practically skipping next to her on the walk home.
“That’s great Patrick.” His mom smiles down at him.
Patrick continues to chatter excitedly about his day as they make their way home, and Marcy can’t help but chuckle to herself. He certainly takes after her, Clint has informed her that he wasn’t half as chatty at seven.
They pass by a few other parents and children, Marcy greeting them and Patrick stopping to talk quickly to each child they pass, only leaving them when Marcy prompts him to keep moving.
As they turn onto their street, Marcy is just starting to consider what to make for dinner, when two men approach her.
“Hi.” One of them says. “Sorry to bother you, but you wouldn’t happen to know where Winchester Road is would you?”
Marcy gently grabs Patrick’s arm to keep him from marching ahead without her and smiles.
“Just down this road, and to the left.”
“Thank you so much. Someone lost our maps.” The man says with a pointed look at the other man beside him. He shakes his head, a smile breaking out on his face.
“I simply misplaced them.” He argues, smile fully appearing.
Marcy chuckles.
“What brings you to town anyway?” She asks. “We don’t get many visitors.”
“Oh, we’re just passing through. On our way to New York, figured we’d head through Canada and do some sightseeing. We didn’t intend to come to this town, but ah well. I’m Pete, by the way.” Pete holds out his hand to Marcy, who shakes it. “This is Jack, the reason we’re in this town.”
Jack also shakes Marcy’s hand, face flushing a little red at the not so subtle dig at losing the maps.
Marcy smiles warmly at them.
“I’m Marcy, I live just up the road. This is my son, Patrick.” She squeezes Patrick’s shoulder, and Patrick, being the ever polite seven year old, holds out his hand towards the two men.
They chuckle and shake his hand.
“How old are you bud?” Pete asks.
“Seven.”
“Yeah? Seven’s a great age. What’s your favourite subject at school?”
Patrick takes a long moment to consider.
“Well….” He pauses. “I like gym. But I also like English even though it’s a bit boring. And I like playing with the instruments in music but we don’t really get to do that a lot.”
Jack nods.
“A lot of variety there.”
“What brings you to New York?” Marcy asks curiously.
The two men exchange a glance, a silent conversation between them. Eventually Jack takes a deep breath.
“The annual pride parade. It happens in New York generally….” He trails off, watching Marcy closely for a reaction.
Marcy simply smiles warmly.
“Well I hope you enjoy yourselves. It’s meant to be warm as well, so maybe you’ll get tanned.” Both Jack and Pete seem to breathe a sigh of relief at her response.
“Perhaps.” Pete laughs quietly. “We should probably get going, but thanks again for the directions.”
“Anytime.” Marcy smiles and Patrick waves them goodbye as they take off back down the road.
“What’s a pride parade?” Patrick asks as they start back up the road.
Marcy hesitates. While she has no objection to pride and she doesn’t consider herself to be homophobic, Patrick is only seven, and perhaps…he shouldn’t know everything yet.
“It’s a celebration.” Marcy says carefully, hoping he would just drop it.
“A celebration of what?” Patrick asks, wide eyes blinking up at her.
“Nothing to do with you.” Marcy pinches his cheek lightly as they reach their house. “Now run in and grab a snack, you don’t want to spoil your dinner.”
Marcy heads into the house, but Patrick hangs back, looking back down the road.
Pete and Jack are at the bottom of the hill, holding hands. Walking closely. Patrick watches them curiously for a moment.
“Patrick?”
“Coming.”
He gives Pete and Jack one last wary look, and runs inside the house.