Gaayyyy

The four former BC Eagles have somehow turned him into the ball in one of the most chaotic games of catch Mack's ever witnessed. One moment he’s in Gabe’s arms, then Vote’s, then Leno’s, before Will catches him and, with an exaggerated wind-up, sends him sailing through the air toward the deep end.

Mack’s heart leaps into his throat as he counts to five, waiting for [Willmack Baby]  to re-emerge. He knows their son is a strong swimmer and Will wouldn’t throw him farther than he could reach in seconds. But that doesn’t stop the instinctive rush of panic that grips him. 

Bubbles swirl beneath the surface before a tiny body turns confidently underwater, kicking determinedly back toward Will. A second later, [Willmack Baby]’s head breaks the surface only a foot away with wet hair slicked over his eyes and a grin so enormous it looks like it might split his face in two. He bounces in the shallow end, chin tipped upward because the water still comes nearly to his mouth.

“Again!” he yells, already climbing up Will’s torso like he’s scaling a jungle gym.

“[Willmack Baby], buddy,” Gabe wheezes dramatically. “You gotta give us old men a break.”

“Again!”

Will doesn’t deign the toddler’s demands worth an answer as he suddenly pivots and tosses him sideways toward Leno. Both of them yelp as [Willmack Baby] splashes down beside Leno instead of into his arms, sending a wave of water straight over Leno’s hat and sunglasses.

The little boy pops back up almost instantly, giggling so hard he can barely stay upright.

“Daddy!” he squeals, bouncing back through the water. “Daddy! I splashed Lenny!”

“What the fuck, Smitty!”

“I saw,” Will laughs, not acknowledging Leno’s cursing and instead scooping [Willmack Baby] effortlessly against his chest. “That was a good one.”

“Daddy, throw me!”

His voice carries clear across the yard, rising above the music and chatter. Mack’s cheeks are starting to hurt but he can’t stop smiling.

“Like this?” Will asks, tossing him barely a foot into the air before catching him again.

“Higher!”

Will obliges with another toss, this one a little higher.

“Higher!” [Willmack Baby] shrieks again, because he’s Will and Mack’s son and enough is never enough. 

Several conversations pause around the yard as people glance toward the pool. Will grins shamelessly.

“You hear that, boys?” he calls teasingly toward his friends. “You gonna be my witnesses? He wants to go even higher.”

“Don’t drag us into this,” Voter snorts. “I’m not covering for your ass with Mack when you break your kid.”

Will only laughs in response before he starts counting to three, bouncing lightly beneath the water before launching their son again.

This throw, [Willmack Baby] goes noticeably farther. Far enough that Mack’s stomach drops. He watches the tiny body soar across the pool, arms and legs flailing while delighted shrieks echo through the yard, before splashing down near the farthest end of the pool.

Mack’s fingers tighten around the strap of his duffel.

Again, he knows [Willmack Baby] can swim. Again, that knowledge does absolutely nothing for the part of him that’s already stepping unconsciously closer to the pool.

Their son resurfaces with a loud gasp before pushing off the far wall and kicking determinedly toward Will. It’s a long swim for someone so small. His strokes aren’t perfect yet, but they’re getting there.

Will must suddenly be worrying about the distance the same way Mack is because he moves farther down the slope of the shallow end, quietly shortening the distance for [Willmack Baby].

“Almost there, bud,” he calls encouragingly. “That’s it. Good job. Almost there…”

By the time [Willmack Baby] reaches him, his little chest is heaving. Will scoops him out of the water and settles him on one hip while water pours off both of them in steady streams. He wipes water from the little boy’s eyes and pushes the hair back from his forehead.

“You’re getting to be such a good swimmer, buddy.”

“I fast!”

“Yeah,” Will agrees proudly. “You are.”

Tiny arms wrap around Will’s neck and [Willmack Baby] rubs his wet cheek affectionately against Will’s shoulder, clearly worn out for all of three seconds before another idea lights up his face.

“Daddy?”

“Yeah, bud?”

“I splash Papa?”

Will laughs, looking toward Bill at the grill.

“Papa’s kinda far away. You think you can splash him all the way over there?”

[Willmack Baby] nods with complete confidence.

“I strong.”

“That’s true,” Will agrees, grin lingering as his eyes drift across the yard.

His face brightens when he spots Mack and Mack feels warmth spread into his cheeks under Will’s stare. 

“Hey,” Will murmurs, looking down at the little boy in his arms. “Look who’s here.”

[Willmack Baby] head turns, gaze sweeping the backyard without recognition at first. Then it lands on Mack and everything seems to stop. For one suspended heartbeat he simply stares. Then his eyes fly wide and he jerks his head up toward Will in complete disbelief. Will mirrors the expression perfectly.

“Who’s that?” he asks, though neither of them needs the answer.

“Da…” The sound catches. His tiny chest starts hitching. “Dada!” he sobs.

His face crumples so quickly it steals the air from Mack’s lungs.

“Oh, hey, hey.” Will smooths a hand over the back of his head as the tears burst free. He chuckles helplessly over the top of the little boy’s head. “It’s okay, buddy. Don’t cry.”

But [Willmack Baby] only cries harder.

Will heads for the pool steps while Mack closes the remaining distance. Water streams from both of them as Will climbs out, soaking the flagstone patio beneath his feet.

“Dada,” [Willmack Baby] keeps crying. “Dada…”

“I’m here,” Mack says softly, holding out his arms. The second Will transfers him over, cold pool water immediately soaks through Mack’s shirt. He couldn’t care less. “Oh, my baby bear.”

Mack gathers him close, one hand cradling the back of his dripping head while the other rubs up and down his spine. He rocks gently from foot to foot, pressing kiss after kiss against wet hair.

“I’ve got you. I’ve got you.”

The little body trembles against him. Tiny fists twist desperately into the back of his shirt while the cool Cape breeze sends visible shivers through him.

Will quietly grabs [Willmack Baby]’s dragon towel from a nearby lounger before returning to wrap it around their son. He lifts the cartoonish dragon head up over the toddler’s head and kisses one damp cheek before turning to capture Mack in a kiss before disappearing again to grab his own towel. 

Mack keeps swaying and kissing the top of the little dragon hood.

“I’m sorry I had to go away,” he whispers. “Dada missed you so much.”

“[Willmack Baby] miss Dada.”

“I know, baby.”

The grip around his neck tightens with every ounce of strength such a little body can manage. [Willmack Baby] noses beneath Mack’s jaw, breathing him in before settling heavily against his scent gland with unquestioning certainty.

Mack feels the tension begin melting from him almost immediately. The frantic sobs shrink into uneven hiccups before his breathing steadies. His little body slowly softens against Mack’s chest.

Will returns to stand beside them, one hand rubbing comforting circles across Mack’s back now.

“He did really good this week,” Will reassures Mack quietly, knowing his gut is probably churning with guilt right now. “Honestly, I think he had so much fun he forgot to be sad until he saw you.”

A tiny sniffle interrupts him.

“I count.”

Mack looks to Will for an explanation of what their toddler could be referring to.

“That’s right,” Will says, smiling at their son. “You counted all the sleeps until Dada came home, right?”

[Willmack Baby] drags a sleepy nod against Mack’s shoulder as Mack hugs him tighter. [Willmack Baby] leans back just enough to lift his hands between them.

“I count… one… two… three… four…” His eyes are red-rimmed as he carefully counts each finger before proudly holding his hand up for Mack to inspect. “Just like me.”

Mack’s heart melts. He smiles helplessly before leaning forward to kiss [Willmack Baby]'s forehead.