The Intern: Tyler, The Creator

38. End

Seven Years Later

"Willow! hurry up! you're gonna be late to practice!" I yelled across the hallway.

I made my way downstairs, quickly packing up her snacks into a ziplock bag.

"I can't find my shoes!"

"Did you check under your bed?"

"I looked everywhere!" She sighed.

"Okay...let me call your dad. You probably left them there when he picked you up yesterday."

I grabbed my phone, hoping he'd pick up in the first few rings.

"Hey babe."

"Did Willow leave her soccer cleats in the backseat?" I asked.

"Uh..." I heard him shuffle through stuff in the background. "Yeah. Found them."

"Shit."

"I'll meet you there in ten." He replied.

"Willow! Dad's gonna meet us there! get in the car!" I called upstairs.

...

"Mom, I'm nervous." Willow's voice low in the back seat.

"Why? You've had soccer practice before."

"But it's my first game. I don't wanna lose."

"You won't if you try your best."

I found a parking spot close by.

She smiled.

"Look! there's dad!" We watched him park and get out of the car as he walked over, the soccer cleats in his hands. Willow waved at him as she ran over.

He crouched, letting her come in for a hug. I watched her little arms wrap around him.

They walked over together.

"Just in time," I kissed him.

"Daddy are you staying to watch?" she asked as I sat her on the edge of the bench, tying her cleats.

He nodded. "Duh! I wanna see you win." He smiled.

Willow ran to the court, my eyes stayed on her.

"Be careful! Don't trip on your cleats!" I shouted.

"She's fine." Tyler grabbed my hand, reassuring me.

"I'm just worried—she runs fast and then she trips—,"

"Then let her discover that herself."

I rolled my eyes.

I knew how over protective I could be, and Tyler was always reminding me to not "keep her on a tight leash." I knew what he meant.

We watched from the bench as she played; Willow had already made a goal. It was tied at this point.

"Can you believe she's six? I swear she was just a baby." I laid my head on Tyler's shoulder.

"She'd be seven if you didn't swallow the first time." He whispered into my ear.

I punched his arm, laughing.

...

I could still hear the honking from the street underneath our penthouse apartment—I sat outside on the balcony, my favorite place to unwind after a day.

It was late.

"She's dead sleep." Tyler slid open the glass door, stepping out as he handed me a glass of wine.

He sat down next to me as we reminisced.

"...Nah, you were the one asking for my new number after you surprise-interrogated me on my birthday." I laughed.

"I was tryna figure out how I messed up so bad." He looked out into the street.

I raised a brow, confused.

He continued.

"...I let you get away. That night you left my place. You had no idea how much I wanted to tell you I felt the same. But the whole situation I was in...I just couldn't."

"No, you were right. I needed to grow up in the real world. New York was good for me." I took a sip.

"I wish I would've been there the whole way. Wish I watched you grow into what you are now."

I bit my lip.

Suddenly, the glass door opened slightly, Tyler and I both looking over surprised.

Willow stood there, clinging to a teddy bear.

"Willow! you should be sleeping! It's—," Before I could scold her, Tyler shushed me.

She drowsily made her way over onto Tyler's lap. She yawned and rubbed her eyes, her head falling into his chest.

A smile creeped up on my face.

Tyler was definitely her favorite. He let her do whatever she wanted, regardless of consequence. It was the one thing that sometimes pissed me off about T, the fact that there wasn't any boundaries. To him, Willow was free to do as she pleased.

I watched as he caressed her head lightly; the size of his hand making her head seem abnormally small; which made me chuckle.

"She's sleep." He mouthed, turning his gaze back down at her tiny little body.

It was a perfect sight.