swimming under the white moon // madicott
walcottc:
Walcott wondered if other couples were as determined to constantly compliment one another as they were. He couldn’t even compare his relationship with Madigan to previous relationships, because he didn’t really have any. But even if he had dated plenty before Madigan became pregnant, he knew that there was no possible way for any other experience to compare with the life they’d built together. Both of them had gotten much better at believing in themselves, particularly when it came to their roles in their son’s life, but they still had miles to go.
“Of course I am,” he admitted, knowing that he was easily Madigan’s biggest fan in all facets of life. “Okay, then you’ll be flag bearer one year.“ Unlike Madigan, Walcott did not have much of an idea what it took to be chosen for this role, but he did know plenty about Michael Phelps and his achievements and he honestly believed that Madigan would be able to accomplish amazing things herself. “I think this being your first games is already enough pressure, but I know how you love to stress yourself out,” he joked.
When she pulled out the headphones, he felt somehow guilty that he hadn’t already bought some, even though they would have been unnecessary. Once they were on Carson’s head, Walcott could just imagine the photo he would take of his son standing in the crowd with the swimming pool behind him. Walcott wrapped an arm around his son and pulled him into a bone-crushing (by small child standards) hug and kissed him on the head, behind the band on his new headphones. “You look great!” He yelled, testing out how well they blocked out noise.
“I thought about it for a second and promptly forgot.” Walcott had been doing his own kind of research while Madigan prepared for their departure, and had read about the importance of protecting a child’s sensitive ears on one of the Olympics websites. “But it’s a good thing, since these are way cooler than any I could have bought. Have you met any other Olympians with kids?”
Walcott’s admission of his bias made her smile. Perhaps if it was a year ago, she’d shrink at the thought that someone considered her to be the best when statistically, it wasn’t true. But she’d learned since then that it wasn’t always about who won the most, but who you connected with. There were athletes with little to no medals under their belts that Madigan supported as much as she would a consistent winner because who they were as a person resonated with her. It seemed silly to her now that she used to fight someone who loved her finding her to be the best, supporting her before anyone else. Her own self deprecation about what she deserved had stopped her from allowing Walcott to be her number one fan. Now she was happy to embrace it. “Tokyo 2020, that’s the goal,” she said with a grin. “I literally can’t function without being stressed out. It’s who I am. Relaxation? Never heard of it. My parents stopped by earlier and I’m pretty sure they’re the only ones more nervous than me.”
Madigan burst out laughing when Walcott yelled to test the headphones, Carson looking completely oblivious to any noise his father had made. She’d had a brief five minutes of crippling guilt when the team had presented her with them, but she kept reminding herself that this was all new to her. Carson didn’t always come to her meets, and he certainly hadn’t been around for them when he was first born. They were still learning. “I think they work. He’ll be thrilled. He can keep them in his car seat for when I sing in the car.”
She nodded, sitting down on one of the swings near where Carson had darted off to play. “There are quite a few. I’ve watched every Olympics since I was a kid and saw all the athletes as these otherworldly beings. Even their interviews didn’t humanize them, because up until recently, it’s been so... formal. But now that I’m here, it’s crazy to see how normal everyone is.” She thought she’d be starstruck, but having seen her teammates at their lowest, sinking into ice baths and having sore muscles poked and prodded by team doctors, it was hard to see them as anything other than human, just like her. “Maybe Carson will follow in my footsteps. What sport do you think would be best for him? Curling could be fun.”
