These Lines Were Never Established

“Are you coming?” Hayley was watching Travis from the archway in the front room. He had Tiny on a leash. She wanted to know why he was chaining up her dragon. She saw Tiny more than he did, so he was her dragon just like Moose.

“Wh’es we go?” Hayley questioned eyeing the leash. He only took her dragons on the chains in the morning and night, she went with them on the long walks usually and they never stayed on the chains!

“The vet.” It sounded evil. There was no way she was letting him take her dragon to this ‘vet’, whatever a ‘vet’ was, with out going to make sure Tiny wouldn’t be harmed.

Travis laughed as she walked over nervously, head down, a scowl on her face and lifted her arms for him to pick her up. Tito hung from one hand, his legs and bottom dragging on the ground from the short distance. He probably should’ve given her something smaller.

Picking her up, he walked to the truck putting Tiny in the bed of the truck and Hayley in her seat.

“Was Vet?” Travis glanced back at her before at the road. This was probably the most conversation he’d get from her till she warmed back up to him.

“The vet’s a place we talk out pets,” Hayley turned as best she could to see Tiny leaning over the edge of the tuck, tongue out drool flying like rain off his large tongue. “To make sure they’re healthy and not sick.” She gasped looking at Travis. Tiny was sick? “Or,” he lifted a finger. “To get their hair cut like you got yours done yesterday, so they can see. Tiny’s going to get his hair cut so he can see.”

“’Ee no ‘ick?” Hayley pouted, wary.

“Nope. Perfectly healthy. He just needs to get his hair cut.” Travis laughed looking at her when they reached a stop light. “I see Gi Gi fixed your hair since you sat still for her.” Hayley nodded weakly. “I like it. It’s pretty.”

“’Ike a ‘in’cess?” She whispered nervously, watching him.

“Like a pretty, pretty princess.” Travis smiled, chuckling softly at her small smile and ever so softly tinted pink cheeks.

Travis hadn’t expected Hayley to cry when they took Tiny to the back to cut his hair. He got her calm after pointing out they were just going to go get something from another store in the outlet mall and come back to get him. She wasn’t happy and still teary-eyed but let it go. She sucked her thumb most the trip constantly looking out the window of the store towards the vet.

“He’s fine.” Travis laughed picking her up and moving through the store. He loved the dollar store. “You want a toy?” He asked tipping his head back to see her, she was still looking out the window.

“Eyes wans Tiny.” Hayley sniffled sadly. Travis glanced at his watch.

“We’ll get Tiny back in five minutes.” He was grateful she couldn’t tell time. “How about…” He spotted it down an isle way. “How about a book?” Hayley turned to him instantly. “You want a new book?” She loved being read to or looking at the pictures in the book trying to read them herself.

Travis moved to the small section of books and set her down, kneeling behind her. She looked at all the pretty books before her unsure of which one she wanted. Travis just let his hands rest on her sides as he waited for her to pick one.

Hayley pointed at one, looking up at him unsure.

“You want the little duck book?” Hayley nodded vigorously. Laughing he took it down and handed it to her. With that he stood up as she pulled open the small cardboard pages to look at the pictures.

They wandered around the store for a while. Travis grabbed a few random things for himself and laughed every time Hayley pushed the book up into his face for him to read to her after looking at the one page for five minutes and trying herself. That’s how it went.

Stepping back into the vets he sat down as Hayley looked around calling Tiny’s name, wondering how the massive dragon was hiding! She couldn’t find him! Huffing she looked up at Travis confused as he laughed at her. She crossed her arms and kept looking while pouting. If they’d taken Tiny she’d cry! Which would work in her favor, Travis had yet to master stopping the tears. Tears scared him.

The nurse brought Tiny out on a leash only to stop as Hayley threw herself at the massive drooling, newly groomed dog like her life depended on it. Travis took the leash thanking the woman and stepping up to the counter as Hayley rubbed her face into Tiny’s side.

“Eye luv yew Tiny.” She breathed. Travis rolled his eyes. The dogs got more love than anyone he knew. Travis looked down at Tiny and frowned, he was jealous of a dog.

“How cute.” The woman next to him cooed down at Hayley. “She’s adorable, is she yours?” Travis blinked, was everyone going to ask that? He’d been asked that more times while he was out and about with Hayley on his hip looking around. “She looks like you.” Atleast that part came second this time. Usually it was: She looks just like you, if she yours? The answer he wished he could give: No, she just looks like me.

“Yeah, she’s mine.” Travis smiled. The woman crouched down next to Tiny, Hayley still hugging him stating she loved, and missed, and worried about him while he was gone in her little gibberish.

“What’s her name?” What was she? His pet? Who treated a child like a pet?

“Hayley.”

“Huh?” Her head snapped up though she never let go of Tiny. “Eye no dos.” She stated out of reflex. Travis laughed ruffling her long curly hair.

“I know you did do it.” Chuckling he shook his head. His mother constantly asked her, jokingly, ‘what’d you do?’ to which Hayley had picked up – from Andy- to say ‘I didn’t do it!’ she was in the habit of saying it when her name was called just like Andy.

“Oh…otay!” She chirped going back to petting Tiny happily muttering to him under her breath.

“She’s precious.”

“Yeah.” Travis smiled at the woman behind the counter, quickly paying and picking Hayley up to leave. She huffed at him till she noticed Tiny was going with them and smiled brightly, happy to not be leaving the large fuzzy dog behind.