daddy holland

Struggling with the Help of an Angel

Tom is a single parent; his girlfriend had stayed with him for a bit before giving up on the baby she had, Emery. Emery is now two years old and walking, and also learning to run, which will make it a bit harder for Tom to get her gathered in what he needed to do. And at the moment, he had to go to the grocery store, but he couldn't gather Emery in her room so he could dress her.

"Emi, darling, please come here!" He said as he ran after the girl that was brand new to running. She giggled at his plead and continued to run up and down the hallways, out and into rooms. Tom finally got an idea, hiding behind one of the doors, he waited for her to run into the room he hid in. After about a few minutes, Emery was running into every room, calling, "Daddy? Where you go?" 

He laughed softly and bit his lip, keeping himself quiet before she walked into the room he hid in, which was luckily her room, so he didn't have to chase her out just in case she turned around and ran out. He closed the door behind her once she walked and Emery gasped before screaming happily being engulfed into a hug by her father. He loved her happy scream, but it could really get out of hand. 

She did it once in a while, which was fine, but she really shouldn't be doing it. And it was nothing Tom wanted to discipline, she can scream happily once in a while, but his Dad suggested that she kept it in control and Tom was sure to keep it in control while she grows up. Picking her up from the floor, he sighed with a smile on his face as Emery had placed her small hands on his face. He chuckled and took her hands off his face, "C'mon love, gotta get your pants on and then I can get to the grocery store and if you're good, I will get you a toy, alright?"

Emery gasped and nodded clapping her hands. Tom smiled and took her back to her place where he was changing her, making sure she had a fresh nappy, put on her black pants as she was already running around with a blue shirt with a cartoon dog on her shirt. He put on some little black converse before trying her hair up in a ponytail. Finishing up, he grabbed his keys, phone, diaper bag, and Emery before making his way out the door. 

Buckling her in her little car seat, he hopped in the front seat and began driving, putting on some music as Emery had kindly asked. Tom sang along to the music before pulling into the parking lot, the clouds getting darker over the both of them. Emery whimpered, hearing thunder in the distance. Emery for a fact didn't like thunder at all, but what baby did? He was sure he didn't like it when he was a baby, so he couldn't blame her. 

"It's alright, darling. You're safe with me." Tom said before pulling out an umbrella as he walked out as it started to drizzle, going over to Emery's side. "See? I'm here, baby, come on." He said as Emery had gripped onto him immediately. It didn't help that the drizzling  began to rain, and it wasn't good due to him not wanting Emery getting sick. He made his way quickly in the store before Emery lost her grip on her stuffed lion.

She let out a scream, pointing over to where she dropped it. "Leo, Leo!" She cried as she pointed over to the little lion that was now drenched in rain. Tom looked over and frowned, "I'm sorry baby, we'll get you a new Leo, alright?" He said before she started having a crying fit. Placing her in the seat he made his way in the store to grab the things he needed. He would have gone and gotten it, but the road was too busy and the roads were too slippery if the cars didn't see him. He wasn't going to risk him and Em in danger.

"Leo, Leo, Leo!" Emery whined as she sobbed, making it harder for him to do his shopping. He didn't want her sad and he'd rather not have people staring, but that's what you have to live with sometimes. "I know, baby. I know, daddy didn't want to get you or me hurt because of the slippery roads and cars." He apologized. It really wasn't an apology, but he couldn't figure out how to tell her that he couldn't get it. He continued his long grocery shopping with the crying Emery.

You drove into the parking lot, seeing how badly it was raining, you were glad you had gotten a parking spot up front. Hopping out with a jacket and umbrella, you made your way into the store before you were stopped by a little stuffed lion in the road. You weren't sure if you should pick it up, but you did anyway. Maybe a child had dropped it on the way inside and didn't notice. She picked up the drenched lion and wringed out most of the water before placing a plastic bag on the baby seat and put the lion there.

You did your shopping and asked as well to the people if they had lost a little lion but to no avail, you couldn't find anyone who had lost it. Frowning, you looked at the lion that was already half dried up due to the warm heater that was blowing in the grocery store. You frowned and picked up your head, hearing a little girl crying and saying, "Leo." You raised your brow and asked yourself if she could be looking for the little lion, so you followed the little voice crying.

"Go 'way." Emery cried, becoming mad at Tom for not picking it up. Tom frowned and shook his head, "I can't go away, babe. I'd lose you too." He told her and that made her cry even more. She cried and she cried until she stopped, looking at a girl with a dark red beanie and brown- ish red hair. She wore a rain resistant coat as she made her way through the aisle. Tom looked down at Emery noticing that she stopped crying. He was relieved, but he didn't expect her to stop crying because of the loss of her lion. Turning around by a tap on his shoulder, he smiled softly to the girl.

You tapped the young man's shoulder and blushed meeting his face. "Hi, um, I think this belongs to you?" You said more in a question. The little girl in the basket gasped and reached out for the lion. "Leo." She said happily and retreated her arms back to her lap and looked up at you, "Please? Leo?" She asked with the brightest hazel eyes you've ever seen. You looked over at the man in front of her and he nodded softly, "Thank you so much." He told her and you shrugged, "No problem. Anything for the little angel I just met." You said as the little girl hugged the lion to her small chest. "Dinner with daddy?" She asked from her seat and nodded at her dad who was now blushing madly.

You shared his blushing actions and he turned to you and smiled softly, "Want to come over for dinner as a thank you? It is something small, but you got my baby to quiet down." He said and you blushed nodding. "I would love to. Here's my number, text me when you're ready to have me over. I'm Y/N." He smiled softly and nodded, "Tom." He said. You smiled confidently before leaving to your basket and did the rest of your shopping. You would sometimes bump into him, both of you sharing glances and a shy smile, "Hello again, Y/N." You heard a familiar voice speak before you turn around smiling, "Tom, hello." You said as he walked with his groceries in his bag and you walked with the few groceries. "Why don't you follow me to my house? We can make dinner there, together?" He said and you smiled blushing, "Sure. Good day to not buy ice cream or ice. Basically anything that melts." You spoke before he nodded, "A blessed day to meet you." He said as he went over to his car and his little girl waved to you.