On the Court #Wattys2015

CH 17: The Fifth Year (part one)

If this feels rushed I truly apologize. Enjoy! Picture of Rory on the side.

Toni watched as Joseph went for another shot and made it. He still looked a little bummed about it since it was his first shot since practice started but she was proud.

The coach blew his whistle and gathered the little team into a huddle of sorts.

Toni smiled down at her little boys tussled hair and sweaty brow. "You did better today."

"Barely."

"It's only your fourth practice. You'll get better every time."

"I wanna be better now," he softly said, his eyes brimming with tears. Toni kneeled down and used her good hand, the left, to wipe away the moisture trickling down his cheek.

"Remember when I told you that I used to cheer?"

He nodded.

"I wasn't all that good at first. It took me a while to get where I needed to be. I promise you that by next year, you're gonna be great."

He sniffled and nodded his head again. I gave him his water bottle and stood up to hand him his Nike bag and shoulder on my purse.

"Let's go get Rory from lessons and then head to the grocery store."

***

"Mama Nia."

"Yes, Rory," she replied, pushing the two year old in the shopping cart.

"My birfday soon," she grinned. Toni lightly laughed. Rory had been dropping hints about Disney for the longest time and Toni was saddened to tell the hopeful little girl that they couldn't go.

Kyle was getting worse by the day.

Raquel is still in rehab.

And Toni can't take another beating to try and convince Kyle about tickets.

"We'll have a very special birthday for you but only if you're a good girl."

She widened her pale blue eyes and jutted out her lip, "I'm always good."

"You threw cake at your brother on his birthday," Toni argued, stopping in front of a certain part of the isle.

Joseph slightly groaned at the memory, bouncing his basketball to get rid of the frustration.

"That was ages ago," she exaggerated, using terms from her favorite Youtube video.

Adventurous Adventures Of One Direction.

"It's barely been a month."

"Can I get a candy bar?" Joseph suddenly asked, making Toni wince because she knew exactly what was coming next.

"I want bar too!" Rory shrieked. Toni sighed and told Joseph to get them both one. "Don't bounce that ball!" she called after him, receiving a light chuckle from an elderly lady.

With her bad hand on the carts handle and the other stretching up to the top shelf, Toni tried to reach the Jelly.

She felt the cart move, telling her that Rory was impatiently kicking her feet.

She felt someone move in beside and she suddenly saw a hand grab it and hand it to her instead. Heat traveled up her neck as she lowered her arm.

She nervously laughed, "Even with four inch heels I'm still too short to-"

She completely froze, the jar of jelly slipping from her hand and shattering on the ground.

She opened her mouth to say something but the fact that she hadn't even said his name in so long left her with no sound escaping.