âYou donât have to thank me, but you are welcome. I would never do that to you, sweetheart. Sure, I donât know you and I didnât really know you existed but I can tell you are my daughter before we even had the DNA test. You look an awful lot like your mother but your eyes, those are Andersonâs eyes.â Cooper told her with a soft smile. He could imagine that it was terrifying, to knock on a strangerâs door and tell them that you are their daughter, especially at the age that she was but he was just glad that she did and that he didnât scare her. He was shocked, of course, who wouldnât be? âYou are right, blood doesnât make a family but my father was absent and a dick, so I tried my best not to be that way, and I donât think I did a better job, really.â He admitted. âOh, donât worry about all of that. Trust me, a lot of the world has an opinion on me, some good and some, well not very nice.â Cooper was trying not to curse, even though she probably knew them all, he wasnât the type that really liked to especially in front of his children.
As he turned into the parking lot for the mall, he turned the car off and looked over at her. âThat is the sweetest thing anyoneâs ever really said to me, thank you Evie. Iâm glad that you think Iâm doing an okay job. I have to admit, I may have experience with being a dad but Iâve never had a daughter, well before I met you so this is also very new to me. So, if you feel like I am doing something wrong, let me know or if there is anything else I can do to make sure you are happy and feel safe. Nothing is too huge of an ask, I promise.â He assured her as he got out of his car and met her behind the car. âAlrighty, let the adventure begin.â He joked.Â
âThat means a lot - and really?â She looks back at him, clearly happy about the comment - she had always been told that she looked like her mother, but no one - no one had said anything about her eyes, â I really have the Anderson Eyes? Thatâs so cool.â The road she had taken to get here - had been harder than anyone knew, she didnât speak much at all about her life before - she didnât have to say much to Cooper either, the explanation on who she was had been in a note from her mother. Although she wasn't fully sure what had been written there other than who she was and that now - now she was Cooperâs âproblemâ.Â
âMaybe you didnât do a good job at first.. but I can tell you that right now - youâre doing better if that helps?â Evie smiled, offering a tiny shrug, âI donât really believe what a lot of people say - or I try not to, judging people without knowing what is true and whats not... I donât like doing that.â It wasn't like she hadnât heard some of the things people said about her Father, far from it - some of the things, well they really werenât nice things at all, and already Evie had become a little known for speaking up when things were said.
Evie grinned at him, âIâll let you know. Promise - but I can swear to you - right now youâre doing a good job,â she easily got out the car, moving around to meet him behind the car, giving him a quick hug before pulling away, âShoes are first on my list, I need some new sneakers for sure.â She easily spoke, keeping at his side as she let him lead the way first.