Fracture

I stared at the large, worn shoe box John placed on the table a few minutes later. The lid was taped on with what had once been neon green duct tape, and dates were messily scribbled across the sides.

"There's basically 3 years worth of stuff in there." He told us, sitting back in his chair.

"I told him I'd make it into a scrapbook." Natalie rolled her eyes.

"That would completely defeat the purpose." John sighed, but smiled anyhow, "Warped Tour 2009 is the last year of stuff in there."

Juliet was fidgeting in her chair, and I could tell she was antsy to look at the contents of the box.

"You can open it whenever you're ready, Jules." John smirked and leaned back.

"Are you sure? I mean, they're your memories..." She bit her lip.

"Exactly," John laughed, "So I remember all of them. Go ahead, kid."

I scooted my chair next to Juliet's as she giddily reached for the cardboard box. The tape was removed with care and she softly removed the lid. I helped her sift through the photos, flyers, and various memorabilia that didn't relate to her father. She'd announced she wanted to look at everything related to Jack all at once, and I'd simply shrugged in agreement.

"I think that's probably it." I told Juliet, glancing at the various piles that had accumulated.

John was looking through everything we weren't interested in, wearing that familiar smirk.

"You ready, sweetie?" I asked.

She looked at me and grinned, "I've been ready for a long time, mom."

"Alright, then we'll start at the beginning." I smiled and picked up a stack of pictures, "This would be your Uncle John doing a keg stand."

Juliet laughed, "Atta boy, Johnny."

He pumped his fist in the air and I rolled my eyes, "Don't make his ego any bigger."

"This is an impressive picture, but what does it have to do with dad?"

"It's basically a representation of what your father and his group of friends did all summer." I smiled slightly.

"I'm the spawn of a party boy." Juliet laughed, "Alright, I can work with that. Let's see the next picture."

I placed the photo aside and looked down at the next one, my smile becoming stronger, "This is your father, right there."

I placed the picture in front of an eager Juliet and pointed at the dark haired 20-something who she so deeply resembled.

"Who's he with?" She asked, her eyes dancing across the picture.

"That's Alex," I pointed at the grinning boy standing next to Jack, "the lead singer of All Time Low. Next to him is Garrett, then your dad, and then Zack, the bassist of All Time Low."

"Dang, they're all pretty good looking." She nodded and continued looking at the picture.

"That's why all the girls swooned."

Juliet finally put the photo down and picked up the next, "Uncle J, you're ridiculous."

She tossed the capture of a young, naked John in his direction.

"I was damn hot!" John grinned.

"You still are, honey!" Natalie leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

"One thing I'm glad I never had to deal with: parental PDA." Juliet stuck out her tongue and looked at the next picture.

She glanced at a few more, and I'd look at them nostalgically as she put them down. Almost all the ones she'd seen were only from the beginning of Warped Tour. I was in a good amount of them, mostly laughing with the boys on the bus.

"Here you are again, Mom." Juliet handed me a picture.

I was holding a Coors Light, my arm around Jared's shoulders. We both had cheesy smiles and Jared was holding a ping pong ball in his hand. We must have been playing beer pong.

"I need to make copies of a bunch of these." I smiled and looked at John.

He returned my smile, "Feel free, Em."

Juliet flipped through a few more pictures, and I heard her take a sharp breath as she picked up another, "This is you and Dad!"

I leaned over and looked at the picture. It was one of the first photos of Jack and I. Pat was sitting between us, everyone perched on the couch in the bus lounge. I was smiling and sticking my tongue out at the camera, Pat smiling widely at the camera. Jack was different, though. A small smile was playing on his lips as he leaned forward with his elbows rested on his knees, a beer in his hand. His eyes weren't focused on the camera, but instead on me.

"God, you were so pretty. And Dad was totally into you!" Juliet said excitedly.

"That was one of the first times we ever hung out." My eyes were still glued to the picture.

Juliet handed it to me and kept shuffling through the photos. I continued looking at each one as she shoved them toward me.

"Here's a cute one!" Juliet grinned as she looked at the latest picture she'd unearthed. "You, Uncle John, and Dad!"

I smiled, "That's the night before Natalie came for the first time."

John had his arms slung over both of our shoulders and we were all smiling.

"I had no idea how my life was about to change." John grinned and looked at Nat.

"Now you're just kissing my ass." She rolled her eyes, but still smirked.

We continued going through the variety of pictures. My relationship with Jack progressing in each still.

***

"Mom! She's walking! Hurry!" I yelled from the living room.

Juliet teetered toward my outstretched arms, a determined smile on her chubby face.

"I'm here! I'm here!" My mom frantically called as she ran into the room.

"Look!" I pointed at Juliet as she wavered and finally plopped down.

My mother grinned and looked at my ecstatic face.

"She's growing up so fast!" I smiled and scooped Juliet up, kissing the top of her head.

My mom smiled, "You're going to have to keep an eye on her even more!"

***

"Mama! No no sketti's. No no." Juliet told me firmly from her high chair as she threw spaghetti noodles onto the floor.

"Juliet, don't throw your food on the floor." I sighed and stood up from the table to retrieve a paper towel.

I was working on homework and could barely focus as my toddler tossed more of her food, followed by her sippy cup.

"Why are you throwing your juice?" I asked her, exasperated.

"No juice, Mama. No juice." She laughed and clapped her hands.

I smiled a little and put the cup back on the tray in front of her.

"Don't throw your food anymore, Jules." I told her sternly, then returned to my work.

***

"This dress itches." Juliet tugged at the navy blue dress I'd put her in.

I had finally purchased a small apartment of my own that we'd been living in for almost a year.

"You look so pretty though, baby." I glanced at my 5-year-old as I put earrings in.

"Where we goin', Mama?" She looked up at me and grabbed my hand.

I kneeled to her level and looked into the eyes mirroring my own, "Mommy's graduating from college. You get to come see the ceremony."

"That's weird." She scrunched up her nose.

I laughed and stood up, "It'll be you someday, sweetie."

"Maybe, Mommy." She shrugged and followed me out of my bedroom.

***

"You can't skip your first day of school, Juliet." I sighed and held out her other sneaker.

She took it from my hand and shoved it on her foot, "But Ms. Moore was my teacher in 2nd and 3rd grade! I don't know Mr. Ivy! What if he's really mean and gives lots of homework and -"

"Juliet, stop." I held up my hand, "We met with Mr. Ivy during introduction day in August, and he was a nice guy."

"Maybe he's just pretending." She looked at me as if it was so obvious.

"You're going to school, and that's the end of it. I have to be to work by 9, so we can't dilly-dally." I picked up her jacket and helped her put it on after she'd tied her shoes.

"At least Leila is in my class this year." She sighed and started buttoning up her black peacoat.

I smiled at the mini-me standing in our front living room. The house was moderately sized, perfect for the two of us. Juliet tossed her hair over her shoulder and picked up her backpack.

She took a deep breath and looked at me confidently, "Let's go to school, Mom."

***

"I thought you said he was 'down to earth'!" I rolled my eyes and bit my lip.

"He is!" Natalie told me.

I held my phone between my head and shoulder as I pulled on my coat and walked out of the restaurant, "He's not normal!"

Natalie sighed, "He's a little quirky. So what?"

"He owns a strip club, Nat." I sighed.

"So you two both know business!"

"No, Natalie. He knows whores. I know music. That does not mesh!" I huffed.

"I was only trying to help you out." I knew she was shrugging.

My heels clacked against the pavement as I made my way to my car, "I have a 9-year-old at home who definitely doesn't need to know that taking your clothes off for horny men is a job option."

"She wouldn't need to know that!"

"Oh, stop... Maybe I'm just not ready to date yet, Nat."

She sighed, "Maybe not, Em."

I smiled and unlocked my car, "Thanks for trying, sweetie."

***

"I signed the papers for your advanced classes, Jules." I pointed to the papers on the dining room table as I continued preparing dinner.

Juliet sat at the island in our kitchen and took a freshly cut pepper from the cutting board, "I don't know if I'm going to take those classes."

"Juliet, the forms are due before the end of the year. You only have a couple of days." I glanced at her before putting the vegetables into a pan.

"It's just..." She sighed, "Leila isn't taking any IB classes, and I don't want to be alone with a bunch of nerds."

"Juliet, you say 'nerd' like it's a bad thing. I wish I had been a bigger nerd in high school. I would be a lot smarter right now."

"You're totally smart already, Mom!"

"Thanks, honey." I smiled at her, "And I've always tried not to interfere with your school life, but I know you'll be bored if you take normal classes. You're smart enough to excel in IB classes. I'll turn the papers in myself if I have to."

She bit her lip, "What about Leila, though?"

"Maybe you should talk to Leila about being in the classes you're taking. She's smart, too."

"But she totally doesn't want to take upper level courses. She says there will be no cute guys in those classes." Juliet rolled her eyes and munched on her slice of pepper.

"Smart guys are cute, too!"

"Yeah, yeah." She shrugged and walked toward her room.