THE INEVITABLE │ t.h

FOUR

"Can we go after the game?" Evelyn questions as Tom continues to tug her to the court. Tom huffs out a deep exhale, not answering his daughter's repetitive question. "Daddy, please."

"I know why you want to go," he sighs, digging his fingers into his closed eyelids before running the same set of fingers through his gelled back hair. "Please just focus on the game today, okay?"

"I only will if we can go get hot chocolate again," Evelyn remarks, pulling her hand out of his grip. Tom groans, spinning to face his stubborn little girl.

"Don't do this now, Evelyn," he grumbles, trying his best to keep his composure. "You're going to be late."

"Promise me, daddy," she pouts. Tom grunts, looking back at the open gymnasium doors that held back a little less than a hundred cheering fans. He still didn't get why so many people were enthused by six year old girls running down and back on a court, dribbling a ball, and missing the basket nearly every time.

"Fine," he huffs, shaking his head. "But you won't always get your way."

"I've heard that one before," Evelyn giggles, running into the gym. Tom grunts once more, soon following the crowd into the doors.

Today he stood off to the sides, denying the many offers to take someone's seat. Typically it was desperate women he'd already met one too many times before. They were single mothers he thought he could relate to, but lost interest within ten seconds of conversing with them.

"Come on, Evie!" He would chant every time his daughter managed to steal, grab, or catch the ball in her tiny hands, her little feet pounding toward their basket. She scored more than half of the shots she took, making Tom very proud. It was clear to him, the coaches, and the jealous parents that she was the best on the team as the other kids rarely made one basket, and, if they were extremely lucky to be in the odds, in the correct basket.

The game was over and Evelyn's team had won, but only by a couple points. She was dripping from head to toe with sweat, panting as she reached her father.

"Piggy back ride?" Tom chuckles, noticing she'd drank all of the water in her bottle for the third time today. Evelyn nods tiredly. Tom bends down, feeling his daughter's drenched jersey touch his back and her arms drape themselves around his neck and her legs wrap around his waist. "Let's go," he grunts as he stands up straight, jogging to their car as he listened to Evelyn's maniacal giggles.

Once they finally approached the car, he placed her in her car seat. He sighed as he watched her buckle, her brown puppy eyes meeting his as she tried to grin respectfully.

"Hot chocolate?" she questions. Tom rolls his eyes playfully and shuts her door, sliding into the driver's side. "I love you, I love you, I love you!" Evelyn chants as she jumps up and down in her seat.

"Calm down back there," Tom chuckles. "Here," he adds, handing her his near full water bottle.

"But that one's yours," she retorts, not wanting to take his.

"Princess, I don't need it," he explains. "You need it so much more than I do."

"You always put me first," she sighs as she takes the bottle, chugging nearly all of it in one sitting. "When can I do something for you?"

"You being in my life is more than enough, sweetheart," Tom responds, pulling out of the parking lot. Evelyn smiles, looking at him through the rear view mirror.

"I'll never leave you," she claims. "You're the bestest daddy ever."

"Thank you, princess," Tom replies, his grin widening as they turned onto their new route, headed in the direction of the coffee shop they'd visited a few days prior to.