Are you sure that Micah can come? Jason texted. Even if he’s not a part of any camp and a little on the young side?
Of course! The ticket price is only for lunch and because we have to close the building to other foot traffic. Tourists get really bummed when random kids run into the display board they’re reading and yell out the spoilers, you know? Micah can def look for things and take his time, but I think he’ll have fun running around and maybe making friends, right?
Jason had conceded this point. He’d already set up day care for Micah for when he started his job come Tuesday, and exposing Micah to as many new kids as possible might make spending time in day care a lot easier. Adelaide and Jason’s friend Jessica had been the only people who watched him in the past, so Jason really needed this to go well. For Micah’s sake and for the steadily growing crush he had on Pete.
On Saturday morning, Jason dressed Micah in a T-shirt with SpongeBob on the front, a gray hoodie, and some jeans. Micah insisted on his blue and black sneakers, though they were nearly falling apart he’d worn them so much and Jason had just bought him a new set of runners. Jason wasn’t going to fight on the shoes, though. Blisters from running around in new shoes would suck a lot more. Letting Micah win this small battle now would mean some leeway with him later. At least, Jason hoped. At almost four, it was startling how good of a negotiator Micah was becoming. Something he gets from you, no doubt. Jason heard the thought in Adelaide’s voice and quickly pushed away the sadness that came with her memory.
“Ready to go, Daddy?” Micah asked. He bounced up and down like a ball of joy in the front hallway, his gaze darting from the front window to Jason.
“Yes, yes, just about.” Jason grabbed his shoulder bag and tossed it over his left side, clasping Micah’s hand with his other hand. Jason wore one of the plaid collared shirts his old coworkers had given him as a going-away present (since he was going to the North and was obviously now a lumberjack), but he’d also thrown on some designer jeans because he needed something that screamed style. Even if it was subtle. As he strapped Micah in his child seat and checked several times over that he had enough drinks and snacks for Micah in case he didn’t like the picnic food, it occurred to Jason that he’d never seen Pete out of his costume. Maybe he’d be dressed like Skookum Jim again for the scavenger hunt, but he doubted it. The interactive lectures seemed to be the only place for dress-up.
Even if Pete was still dressed as a prospector, Jason wasn’t sure that was a bad thing. He’d had about a dozen strange fantasies and a sudden interest in Ken Burns documentaries on Netflix the past couple days. Maybe this was a horrendous new kink that Jessica, his one friend back home, would laugh at him for years for having.
“What’s so funny, Daddy?” Micah swung his legs off his child seat. His shoes weren’t tied tight enough and nearly flew off his feet. Jason knelt down and retightened them. His smile was still wide, though he’d cooled his perverse thoughts of Pete.
“Oh, nothing. I’m just thinking of how much fun we’re both going to have today.”
“I’m going to find gold!”
“Probably. But will you help me find some too?”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?” Jason gasped and tapped Micah’s toes. “I’ll have to tickle you until you do.”
“No, no, no….” Micah descended into a fit of giggles. Micah may already be good at getting his way, but Jason had a couple tricks up his sleeve. Jason continued to tickle him until he was sure Micah was all laughed out. After adding his bag to the backseat of the car, Jason sat behind the wheel, turned on one of Micah’s favorite CDs, and set off down the road to the museum.
THERE WERE kids everywhere. A million different colored shirts for each different camp blurred in Jason’s vision as they scrambled in and out of the museum doors. The chorus of their loud yells, guffaws of laughter, and cries hummed over the car engine as Jason pulled into the already cramped parking lot. Two yellow school buses idled while their drivers smoked near the back exits. A couple dozen minivans with soccer moms carting their entire families also took up space at the front area of the museum.
Jason stayed in his car, engine off, and shook his head. This was insane. So far, in his tours of the downtown area, he barely saw anyone else with a kid Micah’s age or older. Now he understood why: they were all at these camps.
“Daddy, Daddy, Daddy.” Micah kicked his feet in the backseat. “I wanna go.”
“I know, I know. But you have to sit still for me. And hold my hand all the time?”
“Ugh.” Micah seemed affronted, but Jason knew he’d change his mind as soon as he unstrapped him from the seat. Micah was shy, through and through, and only pretended to be confident. Jason appreciated the front, since he’d be cashing in on Micah’s need for independence when he left him at the day care in less than three days.
Don’t think about that now, Jason lectured himself. Don’t think, don’t think. He unstrapped Micah and held him as they locked up the car. His shoulder bag was heavy and dug into his skin. Micah’s eyes went wide at the pandemonium and he smiled.
“Park?”
“Yes, yes, we will go to the park. You may have to wait your turn, though.”
“I can walk.”
Jason placed Micah on the ground and extended his hand. Micah took two steps forward by himself before pausing in front of a group of seven-year-olds. He murmured, “big kids” under his breath. When Jason held out his hand again, this time more insistently, Micah held on. Jason had to hunch to keep by Micah’s side, but it was fine. At least they were together.
With Micah’s small footsteps as the standard, it took forever to reach the park. When they did, though, Jason was relieved to see the slide free. He set to work making sure Micah could climb to the platform and then catching him at the bottom. The last time they were here, Micah had favored the swings. Now, it was about the red-and-black painted slides. Jason could only imagine that in another couple months, weeks maybe, he’d find something else.
All the while Micah played, Jason kept an eye out for Pete. The last time they talked over texts, Pete wasn’t sure where he was going to be placed for the scavenger hunt. Probably behind the front desk, Pete lamented, but it’s up to management. When a group of girls came by holding maps and started to dig up the dirt around the playground, Jason figured they were scavenger hunting. Several other kids left the park equipment and found parents so they could continue hunting as well. Micah delighted in the near-empty equipment, but still decided that the slide was the best thing ever.
“You sure you don’t want something else, little guy? Like maybe to go inside? See if we can find anything else fun?”
“Slide! Slide! Slide!”
Jason sighed. He skimmed the nearby crowd of adults, and while he saw museum logos on their shirts, he saw no sign of Pete.
“Daddy slide?” Micah ran over to Jason and tugged on his pants. He left small prints of dirt on his designer jeans. “Daddy slide with me.”
“No, little man. I don’t think I’d fit.”
“I don’t know. I think you might.”
The voice made Jason turn around. Pete stood behind him with a wide smile, hands on his hips as he appraised the slide, then Jason’s height. Pete wore one of the brown polo uniform shirts Jason spotted the other employees in, along with a large nametag that spelled out PETE in tall capitals and another language underneath. He also had a large yellow button below his collar that said ASK ME FOR HELP. Behind Pete was a painted door that led into the museum that Jason hadn’t even noticed before, since it was next to one of the many panels about the wildlife in the area.
“You snuck up on me,” Jason said. “On us.”
“Sorry. But I do think you could fit. Down the slide, I mean.”
“Huh.” Jason surveyed the slide’s painted tunnel encasement. He shook his head. “I’m skinny, sure, but I’m too tall. I keep envisioning my limbs being twisted up like a pretzel.”
“Daddy go,” Micah in
sisted. “I don’t want to go alone.”
Pete crouched down to be eye to eye with Micah. “Your dad doesn’t seem to fit. But I’m small, right? I’m your height right now!”
It took Micah a moment to recognize Pete without the full-blown uniform. When he did, he smiled. His cheeks turned a shade darker and he hid behind Jason’s leg.
“Is that… a bad sign?” Pete asked.
“No, actually. It means he likes you and he’s worried about interacting,” Jason said. “Trust me, I learned this the hard way.”
Pete gave him a funny look. Jason wanted to explain how he hadn’t been around to raise Micah until he was a little older, but then clamped down his mouth. That was too much too soon.
“What about you go down the slide with him?”
“What, now?” Pete rose to his feet again, eyeing Jason skeptically. “Really?”
“Yeah, why not? If Micah doesn’t want to go alone, then you should go. Is that okay, Micah? Can Pete go down the slide with you?”
Micah peeked around Jason’s legs and nodded.
“Good. Then it’s settled.”
Pete chuckled, still seemingly skeptical about the arrangement. When he held out his hand, Micah emerged and grabbed it. Jason’s stomach warmed in a way he hadn’t felt in such a long time. He watched keenly as Pete murmured some encouraging words to Micah as they walked up the stairs to the platform, then readied themselves at the top of the slide. The tube encasement obstructed the view, but there were only a few seconds where they disappeared before rushing out the other end.
“Hurray!” Micah said. “Again!”
Some of Pete’s dark hair stood on end, as if the static from the slide had gotten to him. Jason had to fight the urge to step forward and run his fingers through his hair, flattening it.
“Again?” Pete said. “I don’t know….”
“Go ahead,” Jason said. “I’m having too much fun just watching.”
Micah took the lead, grabbing Pete’s hand. Pete shot Jason a look he couldn’t quite identify before ascending the stairs again. Was it annoyance? Coyness? Or maybe even flirtation? Jason’s fantasies of fucking a prospector in a park were now replaced by fucking Pete, a museum attendant who was really good with kids. There was more to Pete he still didn’t quite understand or know, but so far, Jason really liked what he saw.
Micah and Pete went up and down the slide two more times. Kids and other museum workers had come out through the same door Pete had emerged from with maps and small bags stuffed with material from the scavenger hunt. Pete let out an oomph as he hit the bottom of the slide, Micah following behind him.
“Okay, little man. I think I’m done.”
“Done?”
“Yeah. I gotta go and help out with some more kids.” Pete smiled at Micah, which changed to a devious grin when he met Jason’s eyes. “I’ll come back, though.”
“You will?”
“Oh yeah. You two haven’t even begun the scavenger hunt yet, so you’ll need help catching up. And there’s the lunch too. You guys like hot dogs?”
“Gross.” Micah made a face. A wave of relief washed over Jason for bringing backup foods.
“I know, kinda gross,” Pete agreed. “I have some veggie burgers I saved for myself. Is that better?”
“Yeah!” Micah cried out and looked at Jason. “Please, Daddy?”
“As long as it’s okay with Pete, then yes, we can do that. Thank you,” Jason said, turning to Pete. “I did bring extra food for him if you can’t spare—”
“It’s not a problem. I’ll go take them out of the freezer. I’ll see you in a while. Keep looking.”
“Will do,” Jason said. He reached out and touched Pete’s arm. He tried to make it friendly, but he couldn’t deny the small charge he felt shoot through their bodies. “Thank you, again. Seriously.”
“You say that far too much, you know.” Pete’s smile lingered. Paired with his still static hair, he looked both utterly attractive and ridiculous.
“Can I?” Jason asked. He gestured to Pete’s hair, then curled a hand around his ear. “You had some static.”
“Uh-huh. Sure. But thank you. I’ll see you soon.”
Jason watched intently as Pete slipped through the back door. He had to take a deep breath to steady himself before turning to Micah again. “So, let’s get hunting.”
JASON AND Micah only managed to find two items on their list before Micah grew lethargic. It was about the time that Jason smelled BBQ in the air, so he figured it was perfect timing. The lunch station was set up at the front of the museum, close to the parking lot and around the corner from the park. A couple museum attendants manned the BBQ while other workers took tickets and gave people their issued pop or juice box, apple or granola bar, veggies or chips, and then a hot dog.
Jason went through and got a hot dog meal for himself, but gave Micah the accompanying sides until he could find Pete. The two of them found a shady spot near a tall oak tree and sat down on the grass. It was slightly wet and cold, so Jason took out a blanket from their car and made Micah sit. It was only a few more minutes until Pete found them. He held two paper plates, topped with all the fixings, and passed one to Micah.
“Your veggie burger,” he said with a fake French accent. “And my own. Are you sure you don’t want one, Jason?”
Jason shivered at the way Pete said his name. Soft, but sweet. He’d never heard his name, which he always thought was ordinary and boring, come to life like that. “No, I’m fine with hot dogs. Reminds me of being a student again. I will snap up that apple, though, since this one here wanted a granola bar.”
A few more trades were made, and Jason cut Micah’s burger into smaller pieces before they all settled into their meal. Jason marveled at how easy it was for Pete to sit down with them and eat like it was nothing. Sure, maybe this was his lunch break and spending it outside was better than being in any kind of cramped kitchen this museum surely had, but it was still nice. Jason hadn’t had extended adult company since the plane ride. Three days with only SpongeBob Squarepants on TV, The Lion King soundtrack on CD, and phone calls sorting out work information were wearing on him.
Micah only made it through half the burger before Jason could tell he was getting fed up with eating. When Jason encouraged him, he ate some more of the side items but eventually gave up. Micah watched as several kids a few years older than him wandered around and went through their scavenged loot.
“Do you want to go play with them?” Jason asked.
Micah shook his head too forcefully and continued to watch. Jason cupped Micah’s shoulder and nudged him forward.
“You can go play. Ask them nicely. I’ll be right here.”
Micah stared at Jason with wide, beautiful eyes. Sometimes Jason got so lost in their dark brown color, so much like Alison’s own eyes. He was relieved when Micah finally nodded and got up from their small picnic so he didn’t wander too far down memory lane.
“Stay where I can see you,” Jason said. “But go and play.”
Micah wandered the two paces over to the group of mostly girls. They furrowed their brows at him, but eventually let him sit with them and watch as they went through their loot.
Jason didn’t realize he was holding his breath until he sighed and his lungs ached.
“He’s fine,” Pete said. “Those girls are with one of the camps. They’re used to sharing and Micah is close enough so we can see him.”
“I know, I know.” Jason tried to smile, but it came out weak. “I tell myself I’m making him go and talk to people first so he will be okay for day care and school, but then I realize I’m actually making him do it so I can get used to him being independent. I mean, he’s almost four but I’m still… thinking about these things.”
“It makes sense. You seem like a good dad. And that involves knowing when to let go.”
Jason was still getting used to thinking of himself as Micah’s dad. No amount of “Daddy” from Micah or seeing his name on his birt
h certificate over and over again could prepare him for the sensation of someone else thinking he was a good father. He swallowed down whatever emotion came to the surface and tried to focus on his meal. He took the half burger Micah hadn’t eaten onto his own plate. “So do you have a store of veggie burgers in the back that you share with everyone?”
“Not exactly. The camp brought them in since they have a few Muslim and Jewish kids who can’t eat hot dogs, so I took a few more for us.”
“Are you Muslim? Or Jewish?”
“No, but I’m vegetarian.”
“Ah. Did my hot dog offend you?” Jason bit his lip, realizing how bad that sounded.
Pete only chuckled. “No offense taken. At all. I’m used to everyone around me eating meat. I just prefer something different.”
“Well, that’s good to know. I’ll keep it in mind. I didn’t think I’d ever want to give up meat, but seeing some of the prices of stuff here made me want to reconsider.”
Pete nodded along sympathetically as Jason described some of the grocery shopping shock he’d experienced the last few days. Since everything was imported from warmer places, it made the shipping expensive, along with the price of the food. The temperature today was only about four or five degrees Celsius, but the summers didn’t get much beyond twenty degrees, making most growing operations difficult at best.
“Not to mention,” Pete added, “the indigenous population here used to hunt. We’re good at hunting, but now, because of the laws about hunting and the lack of licenses, the indigenous population can’t hunt anymore. Even though our hunting is about preservation as much as it is about hunting the animal itself.”
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