Elena Delle Donne's daughter

one

August 8th, 2020:

"Aves!" Emma Meesseman smiles, hugging me as I sit at the desk in the hotel room doing my basketball homework of studying games. "Did I interrupt you?"

I roll my eyes, "No."

Being Elena Delle Donne's daughter is wonderful! Everyone usually feels bad since I don't get a "normal" childhood but I wouldn't trade this for anything. I've got many people who look out for me 24/7, like Emma. This has been my life for 7 years now and I love it. Since I was five, my mom took me with her traveling during her time with the Chicago Sky and now she's with the Washington Mystics.

My life is pretty crazy with her schedule but I wouldn't change it for anything. Now in Florida, the team has a wubble because of the Corona Virus but I love Florida so I don't mind it.

"Emma! Avery!" Ariel Atkins barges in.

"She's busy!"

"Who cares! El, can we go play pickup?"

Ariel Atkins is 22 and Emma Meeseman is 27 so my 14-year-old self has some competition. Just kidding. Although Ariel is 5'8 and Emma is 6'4 but luckily I'm 5'8 so I have no worries.

"Anyone else tagging?" My mother asks, worryingly and I groan.

"Sug." Ariel smiles and my mom rolls her eyes.

"A, how much do you have left?"

"Two quarters."

"Go ahead. 3 hours max though. Dinner's at 4."

Ariel and Emma jump up as I run to my suitcase, grabbing my Delle Donne Mystics t-shirt and some NIKE Elite shorts. I race to the bathroom to change and I run back out, sliding on my sneakers and socks before grabbing my water bottle. I hugged my mother goodbye as she read her magazine before racing out of the Florida hotel.

We get to the court and Sug is already there. We each grab a ball and shoot around. I make most of them but miss a few.

"You get the shots from your mama." Emma chuckles and I smile, missing a layup.

"Em!" I groaned, smacking her back as I walked behind her.  "That was stupid."

"You gonna be the next Elena Delle Donne?"

"Maybe. I will stop traveling with you this year. I'm going to be living in Maryland with Amanda and go to high school."

"Aww! You've been with us since you were five! Do you have to leave?"

"Sadly. I'll come on school breaks and during summer to travel with you guys."

"Yay!" They smile.

***

Traveling is tiring. Sug, Emma, Ariel, and I get to my mom and I's hotel room to see my mother gone. She probably went to dinner early. Ariel, Emma, and Sug sat on my mom's bed while I found a pair of ripped jeans and a white tank top to change into. After that, I threw on some white NIKE crew socks and my high top converse, grabbing my phone off the nightstand. We head down to the lobby where my mom is talking to another player who had to be 6 feet.

"Oh, you'd love my daughter Avery! She's 14 and she's a wonderful player!" My mom smiles and I walk over, kissing her cheek.

"Hi, mama." I hug her and she smiles.

"Hey boo. Sabrina, This is Avery. Aves, that's Sabrina Ionescu."

My heart stops.

I'm talking to Sabrina Ionescu!!