Chapter Text
David was a firm believer that if you keep your mind busy, maintain a good skin care regimen, and stay (relatively) physically active, you could will yourself to stave off aging as long as you possibly could. It was for that reason he still works at the Apothecary four days a week. It was for that reason Patrick hikes three days a week. That, and they both wanted to spend as much time as they possibly could, for as long as they possibly could, with their family.
The store continued to be a huge part of their lives. They both still loved meeting and securing new vendors. As the years passed by, Patrick had tried to talk to David about what the plan was for the Apothecary when the time came for them to retire for good. David refused to discuss it.
"Why, Patrick? Why? Why do we need to do this now? We still have plenty of time to figure that out! And as much as I love Paul, I just don’t think he is right to take over…”
Patrick chuckled and bit his tongue. He knew they could have retired years ago, but he knew how much David loved everything about their business. The business they built together from the ground up. He still cannot get enough of the way David continues to have a say in day to day activities, or how he still gets excited to find a new product to add to Rose Apothecary's already impressive product line. His openness to give new, young vendors and artisans a chance to share their crafts is really what helped to build the solid reputation of Rose Apothecary throughout the Greater Elms business community. So, David has absolutely no plans of slowing down soon, let alone entertain the thought of actually retiring.
Today was one of those days David will be going to work. And today is a very special day. Today their granddaughter, Ari, is going to start working at the store during her summer break. She turned seventeen in May, and after talking with Maddy and David, they both agreed she could start as soon as school was done for the year.
Officially, that is.
Ari loved everything about the store and had been unofficially working/helping there since she was six. She knew all about the correct way to face the products, fold blankets, and stock the body milk before she was even eight years old. One night when she was seven she told David point-blank, "I'll take care of the store, Zayda! You won't have to worry about a thing!" she said so confidently.
"I know you will, Ari. I know you'll take good care of it. And if you still want to when you’re older, the Apothecary will be yours, sweetheart! And I can't think of a better person to run it and keep it in the family!"
Ten years after that conversation, Ari was more determined than ever to take over the store after graduating from high school. Every summer since she was fourteen she would spend a couple of weeks helping out. This was the first year she was actually going to be employed for the entire summer, and then she would work every weekend once school started back up in September.
David meant every word he told her about the store becoming hers one day. He secretly wished someone in the family would want to take over the Apothecary. Although he loved and encouraged Ari to take an interest in the store, he was convinced he was pushing her to do something she really did not want to do.
Memories of his dad wanting him to work for Rose Video when he was young still occupied a small place in the back of his head. Those fears were effectively squashed the moment Ari walked into the store. She belonged there and already acted like it was hers. She definitely inherited Maddy's self-confidence, and it was heartwarming to watch.
It also did not hurt that Ari was very close to David. She loved spending time at the store with him and learning everything she could from him. Any free time Ari had, she spent it at the store. She spent so much time there, in fact, one day when she was fifteen David asked her why she would rather spend her free time there with him instead of with her friends.
"I don't know, Zhe. They just don't interest me. I like it here. I like the vendors and I love the products. This is home, I guess. And I really like working with you," she said softly, focusing her attention on labeling the new shipment of body milk.
"I just don't want you missing out on being a teenager, Missy."
"I'm not!" She would tell him defiantly, for the hundredth time.
Patrick could not tell who was more excited- David or Ari on her first day.
Maddy dropped her off the night before so she and David could open the store together. It had also been decided that she would just spend the summer in Schitt’s Creek so she would not have to make the drive to and from Elmdale every day. Maddy was more than okay with the arrangement, and of course David and Patrick were more than happy to spend that extra time with their granddaughter.
“You're sure this is okay, Daddy? I mean, it's been a long time since you and Papa had a teenage girl living here!” Maddy laughed as she hugged her father goodbye.
“We've discussed this! I, for one, am looking forward to spending this time with her. I keep thinking one day she's going to realize she'd rather be doing something else, so I'm going to enjoy every moment I can with her!”
“You and I both know that is not going to happen! I'll see you next week!”
One of Maddy's stipulations was that every Sunday they would all have brunch together, either at the cottage, or their house in Elmdale.
“Have a good week, and give Mike and CJ our love.”
“You know I will,” Maddy waved from the car.
Later that evening, after dinner, David, Patrick, and Ari played two games of scrabble. Well, David and Ari did. Patrick went to bed half-way through the second game. A little after midnight, David climbed into bed.
“So, who won?” Patrick mumbled into his pillow.
“Would you believe we tied?” David whispered as he snuggled in close to his husband’s warm body.
“I would believe it. Did you try to let her win?”
“Hardly! I stopped doing that years ago! You know, I really think she’s gonna be a better player than me and Maddy combined. Mom would have been so proud of some of the words that girl comes up with!” Patrick chuckled.
“Good for her. You excited about tomorrow?” Patrick asked, clearly more awake now than when David first got into bed.
“Yes, of course. Every year she is more hell-bent on wanting to take over the store. You don’t think I’ve pushed her too hard, do you?”
“No, David. I do not. She’s been saying the store was hers ever since she could talk. It’s going to be a great summer. Embrace it. Enjoy it. And maybe in two years we can talk about retirement again,” Patrick chuckled. David shushed him with a kiss, and within minutes, both were asleep.
The next morning, Patrick had breakfast waiting for David and Ari. Ari was finishing her omelet when David finally made it downstairs.
“Do you want me to open up? I’m ready and can head on over?”
“No, Arielle, I do not want you to open. Can I at least drink my coffee first?”
“Oh, um, sure,” Ari smiled. “Sorry. Guess I’m just a little excited is all.” Ari grabbed her phone and sat down. Patrick looked at David, winked, and handed him a breakfast sandwich wrapped in foil and his coffee in his favorite travel mug.
“Well, seeing as Pop Pop saw it fitting to make my breakfast to go, I guess we can leave in a few minutes. I’ll meet you outside.” Ari’s eyes brightened, and she jumped up to kiss David on his cheek. She hugged Patrick goodbye, and he whispered, Have a good day, Sweetheart! in her ear. She squeezed him tight and nodded.
“See?” Patrick grinned.
“See what?”
“You have absolutely nothing to worry about. She’s been up since six!”
“Well she got that from her mother. And, you, of course.” David kissed Patrick before he placed his sketchbook in his bag.
“Have a good day. I’ll meet you guys for lunch, okay?”
“If you must.”
“I must. Love you.”
“Love you!” David yelled as he shut the front door.
"So I was thinking, Zhe," Ari began as they started their walk to the store.
"Okay… what were you thinking Arielle?" David braced himself for what he was about to hear, automatically fearing the worst.
"Well… since I already know about product placement and all that, I'd really like to work with Pop Pop and learn about the business and numbers part. You know, spreadsheets, vendor contracts, and all that other stuff? What do you think?" she asked, her dark eyes shining bright.
"If that is what you want to do, that's fine. But I do need you on the sales floor; we planned for that, remember? But, since the whole reason you are working this summer is to learn all aspects of the business, I suppose we could probably work a schedule out for you. Pop Pop isn’t here every day, so I absolutely think this is something we can work out."
"Really?! Thank you, Zhe! Oh! I forgot to tell you! You know I started taking some college classes last fall, right?”
“I do know that, and I also know you did quite well.”
“Yeah, well, my goal is to have my associates by the time I graduate! I’m taking a couple on-line classes this summer. And then I'll be ready to take the store over after I graduate! Isn’t that great!”
"Oh, my God. Arielle! Why do you want to rush this? Your only sixteen for fuck's sake!"
Ari laughed. "Seventeen,” she corrected. “I've known what I’ve wanted to do since I was little, you know that!"
David did know that. He has never met a more determined little girl. She reminded him of Maddy and Maddy's mother, her namesake, so much. Three generations of strong, independent women, and he could not be more proud.
"How about you get through the summer and your last year of high school first, and then we'll see if you still feel the same, okay?"
Ari raised her right eyebrow and tucked her smile into her cheek. "Okay, Zhe. But I know I will,” she mumbled under her breath.
That first day was filled with lots of hugs for Ari. Once word got out she was there, everyone in town stopped in to say hi. They all also purchased something, making it one of their busiest days in months. She made sure to tell everyone she was going to be working over the summer so she could be ready to take over next year. David would nod in agreement as he made notes for Ari.
At one, Patrick brought them lunch and Stevie joined them. For a brief moment it felt like the last summer Maddy had helped out before she went away to college. And then David would catch a glimpse of himself in the window or mirror, and know that twenty-five years had indeed gone by in a blink of an eye.
By the end of the first week, David, Patrick and Ari quickly fell into a routine. It was decided Tuesdays and Thursdays Ari would work with Patrick. Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays she would work the floor with David and Paul. Paul was well aware of Ari’s intentions of taking over the store, and had been training Ari for the last three years. The older Ari got, the more it became common knowledge the store would be hers, when the time was right.
David was continuously impressed with what his young granddaughter had accomplished in her first month. He knew in his heart she was going to be ready when she graduated. Maybe he really could think about retirement.
He’s just not ready to actually discuss it. Yet.