Work Text:
“Absolutely not,” Julie says. Jack’s face is lit up with glee. The man is 50 years old, but he’ll always be a little brother.
Jack holds out his arms, gesturing to his outfit. “C’mon, Jules. I look hot.”
Sarah groans. “Uncle Jack. It’s your great-nephew’s fourth birthday. Please explain to me why you need to look hot.”
Jack winces like he always does when someone says great-nephew or great-uncle. “When did you get old enough to have a four year old, anyway?”
“I’m 31,” she says, flat, but she shakes her head fondly. She’s always loved her Uncle Jack. “Could you possibly need to look hot because Robby’s here?”
Jack looks around, like his 6’1 best friend might have snuck up on them in an open courtyard. “No! Besides, Robby’s known me for 20 years. He already knows I’m hot.”
Julie rolls her eyes. “If you’re not careful, your ego won’t fit on the pool deck.”
“Well, then we’ll all be in trouble, because Robby’s fancy building says we can’t have a party without a certified lifeguard,” Jack points out. He flexes obnoxiously. “Which Uncle Jack just happens to be.”
Julie pokes him in the bicep. “Why does an ER doctor need to be a lifeguard?”
Probably something to do with his hypervigilance, but he would get annoyed if she brought that up, especially in front of Sarah. Julie’s glad that he has a therapist, because he doesn’t like to talk about anything with her, and doubly so for his niece. He gets, as their mother says, prickly.
Jack shrugs. “If you stay ready, you don’t ever have to get ready.”
Sarah groans and looks at Julie. “Maybe Calvin and I should have just rented out a pool.”
Julie laughs at Jack’s disgruntled face. “Unfortunately for all of us, Henry thinks that Uncle Jack is the coolest.”
“He does,” Sarah says. She grins. “There’s the birthday boy! Looks like he found Robby.”
When Julie turns, she sees Robby with Henry in his arms, carried high up on his chest the way men do. Henry is pointing and talking excitedly. He waves his arms around, and Robby laughs. “Maybe,” he says to Henry as they get within earshot. “I don’t know if the non-parent grownups are swimming.”
“Brother!” Jack calls. His eyes are locked on Robby. No surprise there.
Robby’s eyes widen. He looks Jack up and down. “Man, what the f-,” Robby trails off, looks down at Henry. “What the heck are you wearing?”
Jack smirks, gesturing at his shirt. “I know you can read. I’ve seen you do it. Sun’s out, guns out!” He preens under Robby’s attention.
As he should, Julie thinks. Robby’s doing his best to pretend that he’s not staring, but Julie’s seen this act before.
Robby bounces Henry in his left arm, scratches the back of his neck with his right hand. “Are the five inch inseam bright red swim trunks absolutely necessary?”
Julie agrees with him. She doesn’t need to see that much of her brother’s thighs.
“Five and a half,” Jack corrects primly.
Sarah sighs. “Yeah, I got that outfit for the preschooler’s birthday party, boss. Real sexy, just like you asked.”
Julie laughs and reaches for Henry. “Give me my grandbaby, Michael.”
Henry lets himself be transferred. He takes hold of her necklace, feeling the links of her chain between his fingers. “Mimi, I like Grand-Jack’s shorts! You can see his cool robot leg.”
“Thank you!” Jack says, then puts his hands on his hips. “Hey! Henry John. Who told you to call me Grand-Jack?”
The giggle Henry lets out is ear-splitting. “Mama! I asked why I only had one grandpa, and Mama said that you could be my Grand-Jack.”
Julie ruffles Henry’s hair. She’s forever grateful for both Jack and Calvin’s father. She’s also forever ready to beat her ex-husband’s ass, wherever he may be.
“Oh,” Jack says. He nods and presses his lips together. Absolutely no tears in his eyes. Just real dusty out here by this pool. “Okay, buddy.”
He scoops Henry out of Julie’s arms and kisses his cheek. “Where’s your dad, Hank?”
Henry points up.
“In the sky?” Jack teases. He tickles Henry’s stomach.
“Noooo,” Henry laughs. “He took GiGi and Grandma and Grandpa to Uncle Robby’s house.”
Julie smiles at Robby. Their mom is pushing 80, and she was worried about the heat. “Thank you.”
He shrugs. “No problem. Calvin and James will come down soon. Deborah said she’d hang out with your mom.”
Jack throws Henry over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. “I can’t believe Susan Abbot let you sideline her.” Henry’s little hands tap out a drumbeat on Jack’s shoulders.
“Deb took one for the team,” Robby says. “Susan’s helping her plate up the snacks.”
Julie winces. Her mother is a law unto herself. She and Sarah exchange a look.
“Okay!” Jack says. He tosses Henry in the air. Robby bites his lip, then looks down at the concrete. “How about the big man and I get the rest of the stuff from the car?”
Sarah laughs. “By big man, do you mean Henry or Robby?”
“Yes,” Jack says. He twirls Henry in a circle, then sets him on his feet. “Robby and I can get the coolers and ice, and Henry can get the heavy stuff, like the balloons.”
“Big Rob!” Henry cheers. “Balloons!!”
Sarah looks up at Robby. “I’m calling you Big Rob until one of us dies, just so you know.”
Robby sighs, resigned. “I suppose I can live with that.”
He starts to follow Jack and Henry when Sarah calls after him. “Robby! Don’t give him the helium balloons unless they’re tied to his wrist.”
He turns around and grins, shakes his head. “I remember helping you with your biology homework. When did I get so old?”
Julie snorts. “You’re plenty young. So is Jack, if one of you would get a move on.”
Robby’s blush is bright red. “I don’t know what you mean by that.”
He’s turned halfway back around, eyes on Jack’s back.
“He’d say yes, you know,” Sarah says.
Robby’s blush, somehow, intensifies. “I, uh. I better help before he lets Henry lose all the balloons.”
A likely excuse. Julie sighs as he walks off.
“Mom, this is exhausting,” Sarah complains. She sits down on a pool chair. “Which is why my friends David and Allison are both going to hit on Robby.”
Jule laughs. That might actually work. “How old are they?”
Sarah shrugs. “Late 30s, early 40s. It’s fine.”
Well, Julie doesn’t have any better ideas. “Fingers crossed. You want help with the tablecloths?”
The kids will be here soon. They should get ready for them while they have the chance.