These Lines Were Never Established

Pulling the paper out of the envelope Travis took a deep breath flipping open the paper and looking at the results printed before him in bold, telling him the out come he wasn’t quite ready for. Licking his lips he sat down slowly on the couch listening to Hayley, Andy, Special, and Erik play just a few feet over from him. Running a hand over his mouth he stated at the results.

“What’s that?” Andy poked his head up over the arm of the couch, a large pink sunhat atop the man’s head with the massive yellow feather in it. “Are those the results?” Travis nodded weakly. “What does it say?” Travis simply turned the paper towards him with his eyes focusing on Hayley not even halfway across the room playing tea-party with his friends. She even made them put their pinkies out to drink their fake tea and had them all dressed up even though she wasn’t. “Should I say congrats or not?” Andy asked gently.

“I don’t know.” He whispered gently. “I’m happy to know and I like her, but…I don’t know if I can be that guy you know?” Andy frowned. “I don’t know if I can take care of her the way she needs to be. I don’t think I can be a single dad, especially with my job. Ya know? And on top of that I don’t know if I can tell her. She’ll…she’ll hate me for not being their sooner for not saying anything sooner.”

“She’d a kid Trav. She’ll forgive you. She loves you.” He nodded weakly while rubbing his face gently.

“Hayley.” She looked over at him with a gleeful expression. “Could you come here?” She frowned at his weak, nervous tone and ran over none the less. “Guys could you…” They got the hint and left quickly as Hayley climbed up on the couch next to him. “I got another letter from your mom today…” he whispered watching as her eyes sparkled at the idea of her mom.

“We go see ‘er now?”

“In a little bit.” He whispered weakly. “But I asked her why she left you with me while she was busy and not your grandma or someone else closer to her.” Hayley frowned as Travis took in a deep breath. “She told me you’re…that I’m your dad.” Hayley blinked up at him surprised. “Now I didn’t know that.”

“Why yew no know?” Hayley whispered back. “Yews no luv me?” Her voice cracked. “Yew no come ‘ome, why no come ‘ome? Yew no come ‘ome ‘cuz me? Yew no wan me?” She was near tears now.

Travis shifted in his sit and licked his lips.

“That’s not it Hayley, that’s not it at all. I knew about you, but see I didn’t know you were my daughter had I known you were my daughter I would’ve been there in a flash.” He stated truthfully. “But you see… you see your mother and I haven’t been together in a long time nor have we talked in a while. See your mom and I stopped seeing each other about two years ago and she started seeing another man. I thought that man was your father when I found out she was pregnant and she never told me he’d left or that the baby growing in her stomach, you, was my child. My daughter. It’s not that I didn’t love you Hayley. I do.” He stated truthfully. “She just never told me till now.” Hayley sniffled before taking off. “Hayley?” He called standing up. “Damn it.” He swore leaning back in his seat and covering his face with one hand. Sure it hadn’t been the truth but it as close as he could get to it.

“Travis?” The guys poked their heads back into the room.

“She ran off crying.” He whispered setting the results down on the table next to him. “Crap.” He whispered getting up.

Following the path he’d seen her take and the sniffles he sat down next to her in the hallway and held his knees close to his chest. Sighing he picked her up holding her as best he could to his chest. Hayley kicked and pushed at him. He didn’t let her go though and hugged her closer, kissing the top of her head.

“I wish I’d been there Hayley. I really do. I’m sorry I wasn’t I should’ve been there. I should’ve been.” She sobbed into his chest pushing Travis closer and closer to tears himself. “How about we go see your mom and talk to her about it?” He whispered gently. Hayley just kept trying.

“Eye no w’ike yew no mo’!” She yelled pushing at him. “Yew a ‘iier!” She screamed finally getting out of his grasp and running off. Sitting there against the wall Travis bit his bottom lip.

His own child hated him and only a few days prior she’d said he was her best friend. Slamming his fists against the wall he gripped his head, bunching his hat in his hands he let the tears run down his face. He went from a normal guy to the worst father ever.

Standing slowly he walked back out into the living room passing the guys and heading up stairs. Slowly he began packing things for himself and Hayley so they could spend a few days in New York with her mother. Once he had a hotel and called his lawyer and told her what was going on and the new news about the Hayley situation and what he was going to do he loaded the bags in the backseat of his truck.

“Where are you going?” Special asked once Travis had finally stopped moving.

“New York.” He stated holding up the file Mr. Rogers had left. “She hates me.” He whispered sadly.

“You gonna to be okay?” Travis shrugged slowly at the question, not even sure who had voiced it. “It’ll be okay she’ll be over it in a few days.” Nodding he began searching the house for her.

Kicking and screaming the while way to the truck Travis was near tears as she told him she didn’t like him anymore. He’d grown more attached to her than he’d thought. Once she was strapped in the truck crying into Tito Travis climbed in as well and began the long drive to New York.

Hayley cried for two hours before she fell asleep emotionally exhausted. Travis focused on the road closely, making sure not to speed on the ice sheeted roads.

Sniffling he put all his focus on the road. Usually crashing wouldn’t bother him but now it was the most terrifying thing with Hayley in the backseat. The thought of the car rolling or even hitting a curb with her in the back caused him to squeeze the steering wheel tight enough to turn his knuckles white.