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Every summer, the Église Saint-Michel de Sillery held a charity fair to help the community. Every summer, the Leroys contributed with their Duck Pond booth and refreshments for everyone. This summer would be no different.
At least, that is what they thought.
Their oldest son, Jean-Jacques was tired of the simple game. It was old and half the plastic ducks had lost their color years ago. Still, his parents were attached to it, “What do you mean you want to change the game?”
“We all know the game is… lackluster. Wouldn’t you like to try something new? Something more exciting?” JJ asked.
Nathalie frowned, “You used to love that game.”
“When I was a child, but we’re older. Even the twins are older,” He explained. “We can just try something new. Just this summer and if you don’t like it, then we can go back to the Duck Pond.”
His father sighed, “Do you already have some ideas?”
“A cake walk,” He said excitedly. “It’s like musical chairs, except kids and adults land on numbers. Then we draw a number from a bag and whoever is on that number gets a cake. We could bake them and it’d be a great way to raise money for the children.”
“We don’t have the time to bake a lot of cakes,” Alain said.
“Give us all the day before off from practice and we’ll all help.”
“Who is ‘us all,’’’ Nathalie raised an eyebrow.
“Well, Otabek knows how to bake and the twins can help with basic decorating. We can make enough cakes,” JJ said. “And if we run out early, then you two can bring out your duck pond.”
“Fine, we’ll go with your idea,” Alain said. “However, if you don’t raise as much money as we usually do, then you make a sizable donation to the charity.”
“Okay!”
“You want us to bake how many cakes ?” Minnie asked. “I’m only a teenager. I’m not Gordon Ramsey.”
“Neither are we, but it’ll be fun,” JJ said and handed her three large bowls. “Otabek is coming over with the cake mix and eggs, so we can get started as soon as he arrives.”
“And here we thought that mom and dad were actually going to give us the day off,” Max sighed.
“It is the day off and this is fun,” JJ said. “I promise.”
“I don’t trust your definition of fun,” Max muttered.
“Would you rather be at practice?”
Max glared at him, “Shut up.”
JJ smiled wide.
“So, why is Otabek helping us? Did you already tell him about your crush on him?” Minnie smirked.
“How did you know?” JJ frowned. “Also, he knows… I think he does at least.”
“Let’s not talk about this,” Max groaned. “This is all Minnie’s been talking about for the past three months.”
“It’s not my fault that JJ is awful with hiding his feelings and that Otabek is oblivious,” Minnie waved her hand around. “Or so I thought. How do you know that he knows?”
“You’re nosey. I agree with Max on this,” JJ said.
The doorbell rang at that moment. JJ moved to go answer it, “I mean it. Let’s drop this conversation for now.”
“For now, that means we can talk about this later, right?”
Max groaned.
It was approaching midnight when they managed to finish making all the cakes. JJ had let Minnie and Max go to bed early while he and Otabek finished putting the cakes in their packaging.
JJ had been glad that Otabek had come to help them, he knew more about baking than any of them did. More than that, it made him happy to see the boy he liked interact with his family and actually enjoy himself.
He had put the last ribbon the final box and put it with the others, when Otabek got his jacket. “I should go, it’s kind of late.”
“You should stay,” JJ said. “It’s late and my mom will get angry with me if I let you go this late.”
“I would, but your family has a long day tomorrow. I wouldn’t want to impose in the morning,” he said.
“You could always come with us.”
“I shouldn’t,” Otabek frowned. “I would be a stranger.”
“It’s for the whole community,” JJ said. “It’ll be fun and plus, it beats being alone all day tomorrow.”
“Who said I’d be alone?”
JJ laughed. “Oh come on, Otabek, who are we kidding?”
“Insulting me isn’t going to make me want to say yes,” He rolled his eyes.
“I wasn’t insulting you, just saying the truth,” JJ smiled. “So, do you want to?”
“Yeah, sure,” Otabek shrugged and put his coat back down on the chair.
They laid in bed, wide awake, about an hour later. JJ looked at Otabek out of the corner of his eyes. “I hope you like it tomorrow.”
“I’ve never really been to a fair,” Otabek said.
“Its great, but this one is better because it’s the one time the community comes together to help others,” JJ turned over. “We’ve been doing it since I was little. I look forward to it every year.”
“You and your family are so good,” the other boy laughed.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing, but I personally like the fact that my family are good people. I like giving back to the community that does so much for me, plus I’m not around a lot so it’s nice to just be with everyone.”
Otabek hummed. “We don’t really do that. I don’t think I’ve ever done community work that hasn’t been through skating.”
“Well, now that you’re here in Canada with us, you’ll probably get dragged along to more of these events,” JJ said. “My parents are very much into charity. Sometimes they have me go volunteer at the animal shelter.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“Yeah,” JJ shrugged. “It’s fun, though. I actually enjoy giving back to the community.”
“You would,” Otabek said, but there was a smile on his lips that let JJ know that it was meant in jest.
“I’m an upstanding citizen, Otabek.”
“I know you are.”
“You keep saying things like you’re making fun of me,” JJ frowned.
Otabek looked at him and laughed. “I’m not actually making fun of you. I like that you’re a good person.”
“You do?” He asked.
“Well, yeah, I do.”
“What else do you like about me?” JJ raised an eyebrow.
“Nothing else, actually.”
JJ shoved him slightly. “It’s good that I’m nice because you are not.”
“Go to sleep, JJ. You have a long day of being a good upstanding citizen when we wake up,” Otabek said and closed his eyes.
“Goodnight, Otabek,” JJ said with a smile.
“Goodnight.”