THE INEVITABLE │ t.h

NINE

"When you get this message, daddy, call the home phone. Venus is crying in the bedroom right now," Evelyn speaks softly into the home phone, ending her voicemail and placing it back in its holder. She huffs, running back to the spare bedroom door. She pressed her ear against the wood, hoping everything would end okay.

"I love you, Joss. Call me if you need me at any point and time. I'll try to come visit you and Michelle as much as I can, okay?" There was a pause. "No, she won't relapse again. Not with a second round of rehab tucked in her belt. This'll be good for her, I promise." Evelyn didn't quite understand the situation, so she had no idea if everything would be okay or not. "I have to go, I'm sure Evelyn's waiting for me." Evelyn smiled. "No, shut up. How are you still teasing me when you're majorly upset?" She heard Venus chuckle. "Well I'm glad my embarrassment can bring you some joy. I'll talk to you later, okay? Stay strong, both of you."

Evelyn heard the final goodbye and bolted to the living area. She jumped onto the couch and turned the volume up on the TV, acting as if she had been placed there the entire time of Venus's disappearance. Venus eventually rounded the corner and gave Evelyn a weak smile.

"I'm so sorry, that call was very important," she announces before sitting beside the little girl.

"That's okay, daddy gets calls like that too." She had eavesdropped on him as well, but his never seemed as intense as Venus's. "Do you get calls like that a lot?"

"Fortunately, no," Venus responds. "What are we watching?" Evelyn's eyes lingered for a second longer, noticing her puffy and bloodshot eyes and the faded blotchy red pattern on her cheeks.

"Um, Spongebob," she answered, turning back to the television set.

"Does daddy let you watch this?" Venus questioned, knowing some parents couldn't care less for the show and it's dumb humor. Venus didn't fit in that category, finding some jokes to be amusing. Sometimes it even calmed her — reminding her of her relaxing and bright childhood.

Evelyn snorts, covering her hands over her mouth as she giggles for a moment. "Some nights we put on our PJs and watch a bunch of the episodes — but don't tell daddy I told you that." Venus chuckles, feeling her fingers pick at the flesh on the back of her hand.

"You must really love your father," Venus smiles, looking down at the small girl. "You mention him in almost every sentence."

"He's my favorite person in the whole wide world," Evelyn responds. "He always puts me first." Venus's heart warmed upon hearing this. Her imagination ran wild of all the things Tom did with his daughter, making her heart swell. "He's so nice to me," Evelyn sighs, resting her head on Venus's lap. She lays out the rest of her body on the couch, yawning.

"Did you get any sleep?" Venus questions, chuckling as Evelyn's eyelids shut.

"I guess not," she huffs. "Can you pet my hair please? Daddy always does, and I can't fall asleep until he does."

"Of course," Venus grins, doing as asked. She eventually felt the little girl relax, soft snores billowing from her little nose. Venus's smile widens — she really need this little escape from reality.

Without realizing fully, Venus had rested her head on the back of the couch, falling asleep herself. The day's events had tired her out.