Chapter Text
“Hi mom, hi dad. I’m glad you could be here.”
“David, you seem a bit discombobulated. Surely you can’t be apprehensive about meeting Patrick’s family.”
“No, mom,” David snaps, “I’ve already met them. You, on the other hand, have not.”
“David, don’t be so fretful! After all, I am ‘Television’s Moira Rose’. Did I ever tell you about the time that I met the Crown Prince of Monrovia at a putt-putt golf tournament?”
“No. You did not. Oh good,” David says sarcastically. “Alexis is here. I should go greet her.”
“Johnny, I don’t know why the children don’t want to hear my stories. They need to know the real person that is behind ‘Television’s Moira Rose’!”
“Now dear, don’t be upset. I’m sure David is just concerned about this jamboree he’s having tonight. You know how he gets - remember elementary theater school?”
“Indeed I do. We had to buy the school all new carpeting in the auditorium. Who knew an 8 year old’s stomach could hold so much?”
Patrick steps out from behind the curtain. “Hello, Mr. Rose, Mrs. Rose,” he says, shaking Johnny’s hand and giving Moira two kisses on her cheeks. “I’m so glad you could make it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, my parents are here.”
Maryann and Phil walk into the store.
“Mom, dad! I’m so glad you’re here!” Patrick greets them both with big hugs, holding on to each of them a little longer than usual. His emotions are starting to well up.
“Maryann! Phil! So nice of you to come!” David says, awkwardly hugging both of them when they open their arms. He grabs Patrick’s hand. “I’d like you to meet my parents, Johnny and Moira Rose.”
Johnny and Phil shake hands.
“Phil, David has told me so much about you. What is it like knowing the future?”
“I’m not quite sure what you mean,” Phil says with a puzzled look on his face.
“Dad. He works in physics. Not psychics! Oh my God!”
“Maryann is it? What a quaint name. Reminds me of my early days on the stage. I spent two consecutive summers with the Elmdale Junior High Drama Guild starring in Anna Karenina.”
Their conversation is cut short when Patrick approaches the mic.
“David and I just want to thank everyone for coming out tonight for our very first Valentine’s edition of Open Mic night. David, come on up. We have something very special planned for tonight.”
David steps up on the stage and takes Patrick’s hand.
“Let’s start the night out with something special from Ray.”
Patrick motions for Ray to come up to the mic, and he and David head toward the back of the crowd.
Ray begins, “There are two special people here that asked you all to be here today to celebrate their marriage. If you haven’t guessed by now, it’s David and Patrick.”
There is an audible gasp as David and Patrick walk through the aisle and back to the stage.
“If my mother begins to sing, you have my permission to use lethal force,” David whispers to Stevie.
Patrick can see that his mother is beginning to tear up. He squeezes her hand as he walks past her.
The ceremony seems to be over in a flash. Before David and Patrick know it, Ray is introducing them as ‘Mr. and Mr. Rose Brewer’ and they are headed to the cafe.
Moira ambushes the boys as soon as they enter.
“You two have managed to create a more dramatic nuptial celebration than even I, ‘Television’s Moira Rose’, could have conceived of. The students have become the masters and I applaud the realization of your secretive stratagem.” Moira kisses both boys on the cheek and nudges Johnny.
“Ummmm, yes. Nice going. A wonderful surprise.” Johnny awkwardly hugs both boys. “Is that a soft cheese station? Hot dog!”
“Well, Patrick. I am so proud of you. And welcome to the family, David.” Phil embraces his son with tears in his eyes. David can’t help but get choked up. Phil turns to David and gives him a quick hug as well. “I’m going to join Johnny at the soft cheese station!”
“My baby. I can’t believe you’re married!” Maryann pinches one of Patrick’s cheeks.
“Mom! Stop it!”
“I can’t help it. This is such a shock. I mean we all knew it was coming, but we didn’t know it would be this soon!”
Their conversation is halted by Stevie. “If I could have your attention, it is now time to cut the wedding torte. David...Patrick...I give you the honors,” Stevie says as she hands them the cake cutter. David reminds Patrick that he is not, under any circumstances, allowed to smash cake in his face.
Stevie returns to the microphone, “And now the couple’s first dance.”
David and Patrick move to the middle of the floor. From somewhere behind the counter a recording of ‘Simply the Best’ begins to play.
As they sway to the music, Patrick whispers, “This was the first song I sang to you. I figured it should be our first dance.”
“You figured right Mr. Rose Brewer. Oh my God. We actually pulled this off, didn’t we?” David snuggles a bit closer to Patrick.
“Yes, Mr. Rose Brewer, we did.”