Tom Holland Fatherhood Series

First Date

15 years old

You were sat on the bleachers on the football field, cheering loudly when your daughter scored her first goal against their school rivals. You wished Tom didn't have to take Parker to his gymnastics meet because he loved watching her play and you were upset that you were missing Parker's first go on the rings in competition, but that was the deal when you had two children. Schedules conflict.

Charlie's coach called time out, and you tossed her a water bottle from behind the bench as she approached, giving her a cheerful thumbs up so she knew you saw her. Her knees were skinned and her shorts showed extensive grass stains, but that was the deal when you played football and Charlie loved it. She was so competitive, just like her father.

It was almost halftime and they were tied two a piece when you noticed Tom's car pull up on the street. Parker jumped out of the back seat in his sweats with a saucer size medal around his neck and your smiled widened when you made eye contact with him and he started sprinting towards you. Tom hustled behind him, trying to catch up to his energetic 11 year old, but Parker made it to you before he could.

"Mum! I got second!" he exclaimed as he climbed up on the bleachers and you pulled him into a hug.

"I'm so proud of you sweetheart!" you said as you held him close to your chest and when he leaned back, you took the medal in your hands to examine it. You grabbed his rosy cheeks and placed a kiss on his forehead, earning a simple "Yuck" from him and a chuckle from Tom who had finally caught up. He took a seat next to you on the bleachers and snaked an arm around your shoulders, pulling you into his side.

"How's my girl doing out there?" he asked, gesturing to Charlie who was out on the field.

"She's scored one goal, but number 24 is always on her. She can barely get open," you muttered, giving Tom a sweet kiss on the cheek before turning back to the game just as the officials blew the whistle to signal half-time.

Charlie was obviously frustrated at her own performance as she plopped down on the bench and leaned back, putting her face in her hands for a moment before wiping her sweat from her brow. Tom was just about to go down there an talk to her when he noticed a young blond boy approach her, with the opposing school's jersey on. He was obviously on the boys team, but you weren't sure how they knew each other, but then it clicked in your head.

The blond hair, the freckled cheeks, the blue eyes. It's Noah.

You watched as he bent down behind the bench and began talking to her, and you saw her face light up and her already rosy cheeks blushed even more. You held Tom back and gestured to the scene down at the bench as a reason for him to not interfere, but that only made him want to go down there more.

Boys? No mam, not yet.

At least, that's how Tom saw it. His little girl was too good for any boy in his eyes.

You watched the interaction from a far, and you spent all your energy trying to hold Tom back from embarrassing the poor girl and when Noah returned to his side of the field, you finally released him so he could go and give her the water.

You shuffled through the front door of your house later that night, carrying Parker's duffle bag as he ran upstairs past you. Tom was unloading Charlie's gear from the car and you watched as she walked up from the drive way, a grin plastered on her lips as she stared at her phone.

"I need to wash your uniform Lovie," you said to her, and she barely registered you as she made her way to the stairs and up to her room. You got a head nod, which is more than you thought you'd get if she was talking to her first boy on that phone.