When the Past Becomes the Future

Just Like Old Times

"Yay!! Really?!" Juliette heard her son scream in excitement from the back yard. Brian was over and was playing frisbee in the backyard with Levi before dinner.

"As long as it's cool with Mom." She heard Brian respond.

Juliette placed the strainer down in the sink with a sigh. Usually the phrase 'as long as it's cool with Mom' led to something that wasn't going to be cool with Mom. Last time she heard this Brian had promised Levi a trip to the midnight showing of the new Batman movie on a school night. She was pissed at Brian for making her the bad guy in their son's eyes which led to a pretty big argument. Brian was an amazing father but sometimes he didn't think before making promises to Levi and forgot what was appropriate for a little boy.

"What this time?" She asked walking outside giving Brian a sideways look.

"Oh would you stop!" Brian responded laughing. Juliette tried to keep a straight face but couldn't help but laugh with him.

"What'd you do this time? Promise him a ride on a rocket ship to Mars next week?" She asked still laughing.

"Week after next." He corrected.

"I wouldn't be surprised." She responded shaking her head.

As his parents laughed and teased one another Levi looked on smiling. For awhile it seemed like his mom and dad couldn't stand being in the same room for too long. Now his dad had been coming over dinner a lot and being there when he was going to bed. He liked seeing them like this. "I get to go to Daddy's work!" Levi exclaimed happily.

"We're shooting a punishment for all three of the others. I'm gonna be putting them through the fire academy." He smiled awfully proud of this idea. "There's a training facility over on Long Island, figured Levi would like it. There's trucks, ladders, hoses, buildings to explore."

"Is it safe?" She asked.

Brian couldn't help but roll his eyes, Juliette would wrap this kid in bubble wrap if she could. "It's a huge training base filled with firemen, pretty damn safe if you ask me." He laughed. "It's this Saturday."

"Saturday?" She repeated. "What time? I have a meeting in the morning."

"I'm getting there around 11. Can you bring him after?" He asked.

Juliette looked down at the excitement on her little boy's face and knew he now had his heart set on this. "I'll make it work." She answered.

"Yay!!!" Levi shouted jumping up and down.
________________________________
"When can we go see Dad? This is boring." Levi whined sitting with his mom in a cafe near her store.

"Levi!" She warned, "Keep it up and you won't be going at all. I told you I had a meeting and then we would go."

She watched as the little boy pouted and pulled a comic book from his backpack burying his nose in it. It took everything she had not to laugh; he looked so much like his dad when he did this. Eyebrows close together, lips in a thin line, mumbling something to himself that Juliette knew she wouldn't be happy about if she actually heard it. Just like the many times her and Brian would argue and he would always have to get the last word in.

This was a big meeting for the future of Dawson's Designs. She was meeting with a representative from a department store about possibly caring her line. With Levi quietly engaged in his comic book, Juliette was confident she nailed the meeting and would hopefully hear from them soon.

"Mommy?" Levi asked once the meeting was done, "I'm hungry."

Juliette's stomach was growling as well, "Let's grab some sandwiches and then head out okay?" She offered.