Kids Are Forever

Evgeni's POV
"Hey Clark," I headed outside as the boys were finishing off their job of shovelling the snow from the pathways.
"Yeah dad," he put the shovel down and headed my way.
"Have you shovelled the snow from basketball area?"
"No we can't play anyways," he shrugged, "no ball."
"Really?" I pulled the new basketball from behind my back.
"Is it mine?" He looked up with a hopeful smile.
"Mum told me yours got chewed up by Rocky, this is all yours," I handed it over.
"Oh dad thanks," he wrapped his tiny arms around me.
"Now how about I help you shovel this pathways and we play ball?"
"Yes!"

"Dad come on," Clark stood in front of the hoop that was way too tall for him and bounced the ball.
"I finish sweeping unless you want fall over."
"No, ok but hurry."

"Now if you bounce like this then go the other way you fake and they not know," I tried to show him how to fake someone out.
"Dad come on I know how to do it," he whined, "I play all the time at school."
"Oh well then show me what you got Malkin."

"You ready because this is going to be good?"
"Go."

My little guy pretended he was going to take off one way but instead passed the ball between my legs and ran around me, grabbed it and went for a lay up.

"That was pretty good, let me see you do it again," this time I was ready for him, or so I thought.

Each time he went to the basket he out did me over and over.

"Where have you been hiding this kid?" I put my hand on his back as we walked inside.
"Well my son has many talents, basketball being one of them. But you know how it is when your father is a professional hockey player? they want you to play hockey too," Kate smiled.
"Yeah yeah, but he beat me."
"Well maybe now you aren't playing hockey you could try some basketball."
"I need practice, he good."

"So does this mean I can play basketball this season?" He sat up at the table next to me.
"Of course you can, you play basketball whenever."
"Well I want to play," he began scoffing down his dinner.

"You going to be like Lebron James?"
"Dad not everyone like Lebron James."
"Well who you want to be like?"
"Me, I want to be me," he said honestly.

Clark was an interesting kid with a heart of gold. He would never lie unless it was to protect his family, he always seeked out what was right and was never one to judge, he was such a good kid.

"Hey dad," Luka smiled cheekily from across the table.
"What?"
"Lacey has a boyfriend," he looked at his twin sister with a shit stirring grin plastered on his face.
"I don't not!" She lent over and punch him.
"Do too, his name is Ethan."
"He's not my boyfriend, he just helps me because of my ankle," she hid her bright pink cheeks.
"He plays hockey too, he's new," Luka continued.
"No boyfriends, no hockey player boyfriends, only teammates," I frowned.
"Dad he isn't my boyfriend, he's just being nice," complained.
"I meet this Ethan I tell him he break my princesses heart, I break his..."
"Evgeni," Kate crossed her arms and the boys laughed knowing exactly where I was going with that, "he's just a friend leave her alone."

Kate's POV
If there was one thing that worried me about Clark it was his unusual sleeping pattern lately.

He got tired so easily and was left completely worn out from a little one on one basketball with his dad.

"Hey baby you ready for bed?" I put my arm on his back as he snoozed away on the couch. He had been asleep since just after dinner.
"Yes," he groaned as Evgeni
picked him up.

"Mum?" He spoke up as we tucked him into bed.
"Yeah bud?"
"I feel sick again," he grumbled.
"Ok well how about you come with us then," he climbed up onto my back and I carried him back to our bedroom.

"Doesn't he remind you of Asher when he was sick?" I ran my hand through Clark's short brown locks as he snoozed in between us.
"Yes, worry me. Just get son back, don't want lose him."
"We want lose him," I lent over and kissed Evgeni's lips, "he's strong, whatever it is."