These Lines Were Never Established

“You training for X-games here?” Travis asked into the phone softly. Sitting at the kitchen island he pushed a small piece of paper around on the clean marble surface. With a sigh he listened to the light pause. “I’m making Jim do the front flip if he’s ready…” He added trailing off at the end. “Ya, he says he’s ready now, but I highly doubt it. I’m hoping he’d be ready by X-games.” Stopping he listened closely. “I know it’s eight or nine months out but you gotta start now if you wanna win…” He stopped again as they cut in. “Okay…” Sighing he hung his head at the answer on the other end. “Is this because… ya I thought so…” He whispered gently rubbing his forehead as a small dull throb began to bother him. “Okay, Ya I guess it’s better that way…Okay. Ya. It’s cool, if that’s how you feel I can’t change that ya know? I wish it was different but it’s not. Still friends?” With a weak smile he nodded at the answer. “I’ll talk to you later then.” With that he hung up.

Putting his head on the counter he groaned a bit frustrated. That had been short lived and not very rewarding. Maybe he should stick to parent and father only and not try adding boyfriend and lover to his many skills. He wasn’t a very good multitasker anyway.

“Trav what are you doing about…you okay?” Turning his head he gave a weak smile at Jolene standing in the kitchen doorway. “How’s Sherri?”

“Good, good.” Travis muttered putting his head face down on the counter again. “We’re not together anymore but good.”

“Oh, what happened?” Jolene asked quickly pulling up a seat next to him.

“She was fine with being with me till she found out about Hayley then she got a little wierded out I guess.” He shrugged sitting up and watching Jolene. “She said she’s not really a kid person…or something.” Shrugging again he placed his head back down on the counter. “So what’d you come in here for?”

“I wanted to know what you were doing about Christmas…with Hayley.” Travis’s head shot up, his eyes wide, and a panic look stretched across all his features.

“Chris…christmas?” He questioned nervously. “Oh man! I totally forgot about Christmas!” Holding his head and groaning he licked his lips “When is it?”

“End of the month. You have time I just wanted to know.” Jolene laughed as Travis kicked himself mentally.

First he forgets about Thanksgiving and now Christmas! Too huge Holidays and he forgets about them! What kind of parent was he? Those are two of the big ones, Halloween following right behind Christmas!

“I don’t know. I don’t think I even own a Christmas tree I usually spend it at my Gi Gi’s.” He groaned knowing he probably couldn’t spend it at his Grandmothers house again this year. “If I’m even here.”

“This year means something more though. It’s your first year with Hayley and you can start making traditions…” Jolene whispered at him thoughtfully. “Even if there weird and bizarre. I mean my family does beer over ice cream on Christmas eve….why does everyone give me that look?!” She gasped at Travis’s confused, disgusted, and horror struck features. “I’m not saying giving her a whole beer! Just a little taste with a little ice cream. We got a treat in the ice cream, mom and dad got a treat with the beer on top, and then we left cookies for Santa. So everyone got a treat!” She tried to reason, throwing her arms up in frustration.

“Oh god. Santa.” Travis shifted gears. He was going to have to do Santa.

“And his eight reindeer and little helper elves.” Jolene nodded at him so he would get the point he had to do this right and all out.

“Oh god…” Slamming his head on the counter he pulled at his hair. “Christmas.”

“What are you going to do with Halloween comes around and you have to walk her from door to door to get sweets?” Travis pulled at his hair tighter. “When she’s all dressed up and her nose is probably red form the cold night air and there are kids screaming…I’m taking her trick-or-treating.” Jolene snapped at him. There was no question about it, she was doing it whether he liked it or not.

Travis simply nodded at her.

“I don’t even know where to start!” Travis gasped looking at her.

“Decorations and a tree would be good…” Jolene laughed at him. “Oh! And stocking! And…presents.” Grinning like a little kid Jolene watched as Travis groaned.

“What kind of decorations?” Travis whispered confused.

“Lights for outside and the tree…ornaments for the tree, stocking to hang for you and her over the fireplace, and maybe a wreath for the door.”

“A wreath? Like…those round green things on the door?” Jolene simply nodded at her. “Fine.” Standing up he picked his hat up off the counter and pushed his stool in. “Watch her for me?” Jolene nodded at him with a smile. “I’m taking Andy, Jim, Special…I’m just taking the guys with me.” He stated.

“Oh yes, they’ll be helpful.” Jolene teased knowing the rest of the guys were probably as lost as he was on how to celebrate for a small toddler.

“So…” Travis scratched the back of his neck as they walked into Home Depot. “Where do we start?” He mused.

“Tree.” Special nodded. “How big do you want it?” Travis shrugged.

“Where would you put it?” Erik asked looking around the large store. Again Travis shrugged.

“There over here.” Jim pointed seeing a fake tree sticking out one isle.

Making there way over Travis grimaced at all the options.

“Do you want a real one or a fake one?” Andy asked. Travis stopped at that. His dad use to take him out in the woods and cut a tree down every Christmas. Nibbling his bottom lip he licked his lips.

“I want a real one.” He stated looking at the fake trees and trying to remember how big his dad use to get for trees. “I want a real one.”

“Well that solves that.” Tommy laughed. “To…uh… lights then?” They all nodded heading down the isle and around the corner.

“Whoa…” They all whispered looking at all the glowing lights before them. So many to choose from…

“I think….uh….” Travis swallowed nervously. “Which ones do I need?” How was he supposed to know which ones when inside on the tree and which ones when outside on the house? How many was he going to need for outside? “How many do I need for outside and the tree?” He gasped, overwhelmed.

“Let’s get them all?” Jim shrugged just as confused.

“I think you need to plan this…” Erik whispered. “Where, what kinds, where does the tree go, how big is the tree going to be? Things like that…then shop.” Travis pointed at the good idea.

“I still got to get a wreath though.” Travis grumbled looking around for a wreath to hang on the door. “So this trip doesn’t look like a total waste and Jo doesn’t kill me for it.”

“Good idea!” Andy snapped at the idea.