“Ulric, take all of your stuff back upstairs.”
“It’s her stuff.”
“Ulric.” I stared him down.
“Yes, Mommy,” he grumbled, picking the items up one by one.
“And you.” I pointed to Levi, who stared at my finger, then back at my eyes. “Don’t you go trying to replace Willow for Ulric in baseball.”
He grinned, just as sneaky as his son. “Just for a little bit, and watch, he’ll want to play with us too. Right, Willow, right?”
“And if they both hate it…”
He made a face at me. “Seriously? Why not just rip out my heart already?”
“No throwing in the house.” I pointed to them both as I headed to the kitchen.
“How long you think your big brother will play tennis? Huh? He’ll come back when we start to play. Willow, you’re so smart,” I heard him say after I walked away.
Rolling my eyes, I did my best ignore him.
FURTHER INTO THE FUTURE
LEVI
“Why is it so hot?” she complained, looking into her purse. “Have any of you seen my fan?”
I glanced to the right, as our daughter popped the bubble gum in her mouth, staring at me. The fan buzzed in her hand. She leaned back, trying to hide behind my body. Snickering to myself, I leaned forward some.
“Nope,” I answered my wife.
“So weird … I thought I…?
?? Thea trailed off as she glanced at me.
“Yeah.”
“I thought I told Willow to throw it in here for me.” She moved to see her, but I leaned to block her view.
“Really?”
“Willow!”
“Mom, my face is melting!” Willow whined when Thea shoved me, reaching over for the fan.
“Whose fault is that I told you to buy one at the gift shop? But no, you wanted that shirt, so fork it over.” Thea wiggled her fingers, waiting.
Willow looked to me, holding the fan to her chest with a pout on her face. Her big hazel eyes teared up. “Daddy, help—”
“Don’t you dare,” Thea snapped at me.
Taking a deep breath, I leaned back, allowing them to fight it out on their own. “This is why he didn’t want us to come.”
“Excuse me—”
“Ladies and gentlemen, on Centre Court,” the announcer cut in, “competing in his first ever Wimbledon, Ulric Pierre-Oidhche Black.”
Everyone clapped. I, on the other hand, stood up and cheered him as he came out.