Whatever the future holds

"Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards"

AN - So I'm not sure on whether this is a one shot OR whether I'm going to build it into a story. The idea is that the chapters will be flashbacks to the significant events you will read about.

Please let me know your thoughts and the direction I should go with? :)

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it- It was super fun to write!


"Evie hurry up, you're gonna make me late" His patience to wait any longer is wearing thin and the hefty bag on his back is starting to make his shoulder ache. Dropping the khaki camouflage rucksack to the floor he tucks it into the wall next to two pink bags both coloured in eye-catching cartoon watermelons, one a rucksack and one a swim bag.

"Evie, how does it take this long?…come on!" he bangs his fist on the door a couple of times before rolling his eyes and turning around to observe his surroundings. The school hallway was deserted and he had been standing outside of the girl's bathroom for what seemed like forever. The hall was lined with trophy cabinets, showcasing all the sporting and academic achievements the school had flourished with over the years. Wandering over to take a closer look he smiles as he fixes his gaze on an old familiar picture next to a gold trophy and a small statement from the school

Noah Porter Benson

Age 10. Our school is very proud of your ballet this year. Keep up the good work.

Yeah right, he rolls his eyes and heads over to the mirror next to the cabinet. Catching a look at his reflection, he turns to check out both sides of his new undercut, moving his hand up the back of his head and following the line of thick dark curls until they stop in the middle of his forehead. Trailing his hand across his face he strokes the freshly groomed dark stubble, he stands momentarily admiring the impressive job from the barbers before alarmingly flinching in surprise after catching an image of a little girl staring back through the mirror at him. Eyeing back he looks at her stood still, dressed in a pink watermelon swimming costume, matching flip flops, curly dark hair tied up in a bun at the top of her head and goggles hung loosely around her neck. Hands firmly placed on her hips.

"Evie, you can't just creep up on people like that, it's just plain weird" he asserts to her as he grabs one of her bags and throws it towards her feet "And you can not go on the subway dressed in just that get your dress on..we really have to leave" as he looks back he notices the little girl still hasn't moved a muscle. "Evie Now..or I'm calling mom"

"Call Mom" The sassy little apparent watermelon lover challenges him, her hands still firmly placed on her hips and pursing her lips "Go on I dare you…..cos if you call mom, I'm gonna tell her you got that stupid haircut she said you couldn't have" Happy with herself she struts off towards her bag just missing grasping the handle before Noah grabs it "Heyyy" she shouts back at him.

Feeling the sweat rising and fully understanding he needs to break the haircut to mom gently himself and in person he quickly tries to think of an alternative solution to stop his little sister strutting down the subway station as if it's the beach promenade.

"Evie, I am begging you to just put your dress on so we can leave for your swim lesson. If you do this one thing for me… I wil-'' Looking around he tries to think of an appropriate bribe, checking his wallet for cash, its empty anyway he holds his hands together in front of her to plead "right Evie, If you do this for me I promise I will let you play on my new PS5 next time mom is out?"

"Really?" she shouts before remembering that Noah once taught her to never show her hand in a negotiation "well I suppose that could do it" she changed her little voice to mimic that of a smooth talker and held out her hand for him to agree.

Relieved they were finally going to get out of this school and to her swim lesson Noah reached out to shake Evie's hand but she promptly pulled it back, lifted it to her mouth and released a feeble little spit into her palm before offering the shake back to Noah

"Ewwww Evie, come on, no one does this anymore" he grimaced before holding his own out and complying with her demands.

"You know moms gonna kill you right?" she laughed as she yanked her swim bag from his hand.

Watching her strut back into the bathroom he called after her "You just get changed Kiwi" before muttering "and don't I know it."

"Mommy, Mommy Mommy" Evie excitedly pushes herself through the post swim kids on the street and towards the black SVU pulling up on the side on the road.

Leaning over and opening the passenger door Olivia watches her little girl climb through the back into her booster seat and fasten herself in. "Hi Kiwi, how was swimming?"

"It was soo cool" the little girl chattered and began to divulge every last detail of her time spent at the pool before Olivia patrols Noah get in the passenger side of the front of the car alongside her

"Hey Noah, you got a new hat? Isn't it a bit warm out for a beanie" Olivia asks eyeing up her son suspiciously and watching as he skulks lower into the chair, hands in pockets and looking out the window.

A little voice from the back chirps up "Yeah Mom, Noah has got something to-"

"Evie, Shut up. What is wrong with you?" Noah growls into the back of the car with knitted eyebrows, locking her gaze into a death glare. Evie maybe only 7 but she can handle herself well and fires the stink eye right back.

"You cant talk to me like that, no one can talk to me like that..Mommmmm" she cries out

Rolling her eyes Olivia looks back to Evie through the rear view mirror "Kiwi, you know you were winding Noah up. Now both of you get along. I have to tell you something."

Instant concern stretches across Noah's face "Mom, what's up? Is everything ok?"

Flicking the indicator and turning left she keeps her eyes firmly on the road, not prepared to meet either disappointed gasp "Ok guys, so dad is delayed"

After a very brief but tense silence Evie cries out "Noooooo, I really wanted to see Daddy" huffing her arms across her body she sits with her best frowny face on

"So how long then? This is the third time he's been delayed Mom. Should we be worried?" Noah questions her, his attentions trying to catch his moms gaze but she's too focused on the road ahead of her to look.

"Ok" Olivia starts "I knew you would feel let down. You miss him, I do too, I really miss him but it should only be one more week. Tops. Then he's home for good ok?"

"But… you…(sniff) said… this… last…(sniff)… week" Evie's sad diminutive voice fills the car and Olivia and Noah exchange heartfelt glances to each other before she attempts to console her little one.

"Oh my sweet girl, I know, I really do" she takes a fleeting pause to think of something that will cheer her up before continuing "how about we get our favorite take out for dinner? I'll pick it up now?"

"Yeahhhh" Evie shouts clapping her hands in the air but there's no reaction from Olivia's eldest

"What about you Noah? You want Chinese food?" Staggered at her sons lack of reaction to his favorite food she turns slightly encouraging him to speak up

"Erm, so Mom I'm erm…. Having dinner out tonight" Noah nervously stutters, sitting himself upright in the car to prepare himself for the usual interrogation, a custom he is more than used to, he always assumed it came with the territory of having a Chief of Police as a mother.

Olivia knew exactly what was coming next, she knew her son well and she had noticed his demeanour had changed more recently, his fashion if that's what you can call it style had altered, he took longer with his appearance, his toiletries bill was growing significantly: branded fragrances, the latest hair products all a far cry from the character bubble bath she once had to buy for him and this was all in addition to him spending a lot of extra time on his phone- texting, snapchatting, whatever it is they do these days. Olivia casually plays it cool, let him tell you, don't pry, he will tell you when he's ready. It's always been her parenting motto but she knows a gentle leading question wouldn't do any harm "So.. Are you going out with Henry again? Same place as last time?" she probes

A chirpy excited voice bursts out through the car before Noah can even open his mouth to reply "No. he's going out with Leah" Evie gasps as soon as she finishes her sentence, quickly placing her hand over her mouth "Oops"

"Evie. Why did you?..You're soo annoying. I'm not telling you anything ever again!" Noah lets out an irritated grump and removes his hat in a temper, running his fingers through his hair he attempts to get some additional air to stop the rising heat of embarrassment flooding over him.

"Noah!" Olivia's exclamation jumps Noah out of his skin as he looks to the hat in his hands, instantly realizing his mistake.

"Noahs gonna get it" Evie sings in the background and Olivia shoots a harsh this is not the time stare through the rear-view mirror rendering Evie quiet and sheepish

"Noah- I specifically told you not to get that haircut. You're looking for part time jobs you need to have respectable hair. If you really wanted that style we could have had a sensible discussion but instead you have taken it upon yourself to make this decision...besides you look far too grown up now." She shakes her head disapproving as she parks up next to the Chinese restaurant " here's some money, run in and get the usual for dinner please?"

Grabbing the money from her hand he sullenly goes to exit the car before turning back around to face her "Mom, I'm 17. I'm not a little kid. You know how hard it is trying to find a hairstyle with curly hair like this?" He tugs at his curls in a bid to substantiate his point "It's cool mom. Places will like it, it's smart. You gotta trust me and let me make my own decisions with my hair. I've been getting my facial hair groomed for over a year now and you don't mind that." His voice urging her to find the middle ground.

"Yeah well, that's your dads decision. Not mine." She slurred back, reminding herself of her parenting role she softens slightly "Ok but in future Noah, you need to talk to me, even over the little things?" she watched him smile and nod before continuing "I also appreciate what you're saying and I will try to remember you're not my little sweet boy anymore, you're my teenage sweet boy." She scrubs her hands through the line of curls on his head and laughs, pushing him out of the car "Now go, get the food. I'm hungry" she jokes.

"Me too, I'm starvinggg" Evie shouts behind, joining in with the playful atmosphere.


They had moved into a new apartment about 8 years ago, Olivia had just found out she was pregnant with Evie and they both decided that with the baby plus Noah growing very rapidly more room was quickly needed. The decision to choose an apartment over a house was unexpected but after several views they fell in love with one particular building and luckily they had a 3 bed apartment fresh to the market. The building was serviced like a hotel, always someone on reception 24 hours and this helped Olivia to feel safe knowing that, when Noah was old enough to venture out with his friends there would always be someone keeping an eye on his comings and goings.

"Mom, I'm going to get a shower" Noah calls out as he rushes through the hallway dropping his bag right in the path of everyone before slamming the door to his room and then the door to his ensuite shut.

"Boys" Evie offers with a disapproving tut, attempting to drag her big brothers heavy rucksack out of the path of her incoming mother, who has her hands full with her own bag, both of Evie's bags and the Chinese food.

"Yes, boys Kiwi..and trust me….it doesn't get any better. Your daddy is still the same" Olivia dishes out their dinner on plates and pours herself a glass of red as she watches Evie tucking into her food and listens to Noah blasting his music from his room, looking around at her apartment she appreciates just how much her life has changed.

The apartment was surprisingly spacious, the two opposing grey walls co-ordinated beautifully with the other clean white walls. It was tastefully designed with mainly modern elements of furnishings such as the large grey oversized corner couch, scattered with neutral coloured cushions which looked onto an exceptionally large TV and cinema system. There had been arguments over this TV in the store: Olivia had thought it was far too large and unnecessary but her new husband, who loved sports did not show any signs of backing down and alas the next thing they knew she was to stay at home all day the next Monday to receive the ginormous thing. One of the grey walls was filled with various frames and collages. Photographs all through the years of Noah, Liv's pregnancy and right through Evie's life, early dating through to wedding pics with her soul mate, professional family shots and finally a collage of her achievements and ceremonies from Detective to Chief- It was a gift from the squad just before she moved up the ranks again.

Noticing Evie is finished her dinner Olivia cant help her curious mind "So Kiwi?"

"Yes Mom?" a suspicious tone to her young voice

Shifting to a whisper "Who's Leah?" she leans in a little closer to her daughter before continuing quietly "Is she Noah's girlfriend?"

"Mom, its rude to try to try to get information out of me about Noo" the seven year old very maturely positions

"Oh come on, you can tell me. I'm mom" she attempts to persuade her but realises that it is to no avail when Evie bursts out into a yell down the hallway

"Noah, Mom is trying to get information outta me" she giggles running over from the dining table and jumping into the cushions on the couch.

"Mom! Stop!" She hears Noah's exasperated tone shout out from his room

"Argh you little snitch" Olivia jokes as she tickles Evie making her roll around childlike cackling through the cushions.

"Do you want to sit with Mommy and we will read some more of Harry Potter before your bath?" the little girl flew out the room in an instant and Olivia took a guess to mean that was a yes.

Having two seconds to herself Olivia sat in the position on the sofa that usually belongs to her beloved, she looked over her wedding photograph and gave a gentle sigh before pulling the glasses, that were situated on the top of her head down onto her face. Awkwardly she shuffles about to remove the phone from her back pocket and types out a simple but heartfelt message

Your children miss you

But your wife…...she REALLY misses you

You better not delay again (heart emoji)

X

Before she can place the phone away little legs spring onto the sofa next to her causing her to drop the phone "Evie, be careful sweet girl….. Come cuddle in, where are we up to?" Olivia asks taking the book and flipping through the pages hoping to find the obviously missing bookmark.

"Well last night, Noah got up to the bit with the big dogs and he was doing this" Evie starts making a growling and barking sound with her hands in front of her to imitate paws.

Olivia can't help but laugh not only at her cuteness but also the thought of her big 17 year old Noah doing that the previous night "Well Mommy will try her best" settling in to read both of them are instantly distracted by the image and masculine aroma passing through the living room to the front door.

"Wow Noah, Look at you. Are you going somewhere special?" she took in the appearance of her son who just so happened to be stood right next to the image of when he was a cute baby faced 8 year old and paralleled the now much older height and very manly features. He was wearing grey jogging shorts, a tight fitted white t-shirt that's why he joined the gym, white Nikes that all the teens were wearing and a grey cap over his new older cut hairstyle. She resisted the urge to point out the irony in that.

"Yeah, So like snitchy Kiwi told you..I'm erm going out with Leah." His stance changes to that of an awkward posture and he rubs his hand across the back of his neck looking the other way. A learnt response of nurture from the male significance in his life over the past almost 10 years.

"Ok, sweet boy" she smiles at him adoringly before getting up and tucking him into the warmest of proud hugs for as long as he'd let her. Taking a step back she continues to smile at him "You got your phone? Keys? You know the spots we've told you to stay away from? Any trouble you call me? I won't drink, so I can pick you up if need be and back by 11. Got it?"

"Got it Mom." He answers "I'll tell you all about it and all about Leah tomorrow, I promise. I love you" he doesn't wait for an I love you back because he knows she will say it, she always does and he's too eager to go.

Olivia watches him walk down to the elevator and gives a gentle fulfilled wave as the door close with him in.

Turning back to finish the book with Evie she feels the sensations from her phone vibrating and reads the message

You have no idea how much I have missed you all

I'm packing up now. Need to make a stop to pick up a little something for the kids.

Love you. Partners for life.

X