The Guncle Abroad

Patrick takes Maisie and Grant to Venice to see the city’s famous canals. Maisie continues to hound Patrick to intervene in her father’s wedding, but he refuses, claiming that there is still time for her to change her mind. Patrick is especially pleased when they reach the Grand Canal and the kids are stunned by its spectacle. As they walk through the city, Maisie and Grant tell Patrick about Livia’s sister, Palmina. They tell Patrick that she is a lesbian and will be their new lesbian aunt, or “launt.” Patrick immediately feels competition brewing and feels jealousy toward this new, mysterious figure.

That night, Patrick brings the kids for authentic Italian pizza, and over dinner, Maisie and Grant interrogate him about what went wrong in his relationship with Emory. They question his qualifications to teach them about love when his own love ended, and Patrick defends himself by saying that their love did not end. He decides to be honest and explains that sometimes love is not enough and that their age difference was a serious issue. Patrick is worried that Emory will not want to be with him after he turns 50.