These Lines Were Never Established

Hayley put her thumb in her mouth looking around the room not paying any mind to Debbie staring at her in aw. Debbie licked her lips slowly at the feeling pounding in her chest from holding the small child.

“Mom, you okay?” Travis whispered seeing his mother’s watery stare.

Debbie slowly looked at her son with a small smile.

“This is the dumbest thing you’ve done and I’ve never been more pleased.” Travis laughed nervously. “We’ll let you get dressed.” She whispered leaving his room, closing the door behind him.

Wandering down the hallway Debbie kept looking down at Hayley in aw. She thought she’d never have a grandchild but here in her arms was the potential and it felt so right to her. Hayley bounced slightly as Debbie entered Travis’s Office where Robert was waiting for the computer to boot up.

“Yeah?” Robert asked gently hearing Debbie enter the room.

“Rob.” Robert hummed watching the screen. “Hold her.” Robert looked up confused as Hayley scanned the new room. There were shirts and shiny things hanging on the wall.

“Do what?” Robert asked confused, finally looking at his ex-wife.

“Hold her.” Debbie strained. “Just once.”

“I don’t want to get my hopes up.” Robert grumbled. He wasn’t going to hold a child that wasn’t for sure his, with a test in hand proving he had a grand child.

“Trust me.” Debbie sniffed, near tears. “She is. Just hold her, you’ll under stand.” Huffing Robert looked at Debbie again and grunted.

“Fine.” He sighed holding his arms up for the two-year-old. “I don’t like this though.” He added as Debbie reluctantly handed Hayley over. “I don’t…hi.” He laughed as he sat Hayley in his lap and she began playing with the buttons on his shirt.

“Just, hold her Rob.” Debbie breathed, sniffling back tears.

Robert huffed but picked Hayley up holding her against his chest. Debbie smiled as he looked up at his Ex-wife stunned at the swelling in his chest. Licking his lips he pulled Hayley from his grasp letting her sit in his lap, just watching her.

“Mom? Dad?” Travis called. “oh!” he laughed as he passed the office, back tracking into the office. “You okay?” he asked eyeing both his emotional looking parents. “Dad…” Tipping his head sideways he licked his lips. “Are you going to…to cry?”

“Shut up.” Robert huffed watching Hayley play with the buttons on his shirt. They were shiny and she couldn’t help herself. So round and shiny.

“Okay…” Travis took a step back. He’d never witnessed his hard ass of a father nearly cry, the act of crying was frowned upon.

“We’re so proud of you.” Debbie sniffed hugging her son close.

“Ooooooh.” Travis laughed. “That’s what this is about.”

“Come on let’s go spoil this kid rotten.” Debbie sniffed taking Hayley back, ignoring the glare Robert gave her. He wasn’t ready to give up his grandchild, where’d she get off just taking her?

“What about a jacket?” Travis asked following his mother out of his office.

“Doesn’t she have one?” Debbie asked gently. Travis shook his head. “How’d she show up?”

“Wrapped in a blanket.”

Travis glanced down at the growling and began laughing at Hayley in one of his large, fur lined DC sweaters. The hood was pulled up over her head, hanging down over her chin, and her arms were raised as she waved them around flapping the sleeves as they nearly touched the ground.

“Rawr!” She growled following the shoes Travis wore as best she could.

“What are you doing silly?” Travis asked picking the hood up revealing her smiling face

“Eyes a ‘onster!” She gasped before she began growling at him again, snapping her teeth a few times.

“You more of a piranha there.” He snapped his teeth back at her. Hayley huffed as he dropped the hood back over her head.

“No! Eyes a ‘onster!” She gasped growling again.

“Alright, you’re a monster.” He laughed looking around for his mother who’d disappeared in the store. He had no idea where he was or what store it was. He listened to Hayley growl and roar at his legs. His eyes shifted down to her as she grabbed his leg. “Don’t eat me, I’m no good.” He laughed. Hayley giggled pushed the hood up as best she could.

“Eyes no eeps yew!” She giggled. “Eyes a ‘ice ‘onster!” she added letting the hood drop.

“Oh you’re a nice monster?” Travis asked watching her nod, holding his leg. “Well that’s good.” She gave a small ‘uh-huh!’ to him making him laugh.

“Travis! Come on!” Debbie urged appearing out of seemingly nowhere, scaring him half to death. She grabbed his arm pulling him along as Hayley ran along side them, waving her arms around and trying not to trip on the length of Travis’s sweater, or one of the sleeves she was flailing about. “Stop wasting time.” She huffed. “What about this?” She asked waving her arm at the massive thing.

“What is it?” He asked confused.

Hayley looked at it and pushed the hood back as she began climbing up on the massive stroller. It was a little small for a two-year-old, it was meant for infants or newborns. It had a car seat attachment and everything.

“It’s a stroller with a car seat. It’s meant for younger children, but she’s small I figured it’d work.” Debbie shrugged. Travis puffed out his cheeks confused and began shrugging slowly, not a clue what to do or what he needed for a small child.

“Do you two need help?” Travis spun around at the voice breathing a breath of relief.

“No.” Debbie smiled.

“Yes.” Travis breathed. “Dear god, yes. Ignore her. She doesn’t know what she’s doing and doesn’t want to admit it.” Debbie frowned. The woman laughed, probably no older than twenty five and stepped between the two Pastrana’s.

“You having another one?” She asked eyeing Travis.

“No. New.” The woman looked at Hayley still standing on the front of it looking into the seat.

“Oh…okay.” The woman coughed nervously. “Okay. How old is she?” She asked nervously, eyeing Travis and Debbie.

“Two.” Travis licked his lips, scanning his shoes.

“Oh, She’s small…” the woman whispered.

“Two months early.” Debbie stated. Travis nodded in agreement.

“Okay, well this isn’t the proper stroller. She’ll more than likely grow out of it in a couple months you’ll want something more like…” She back tracked looking at the strollers. “This.” She pointed at it on the shelf. It was simple with its cloth seat and buckle. “It’ll last with how small she is, for atleast till she’s four. It also comes in different colors.” She mused.

“See I told you we needed help.” Travis stuck his tongue out at his mother.

“No, you need help. You’re going to be horrible at this.” Debbie waved a hand at Hayley playing with Travis sweater again, ignoring the stroller. She’d pulled the hood over her head again and once again began growling and waving her hands around.

“Hey, I’ve had serious traumatic events in my life.” Travis reasoned pointing. Slightly annoyed his parents didn’t believe he could be a good parent if it came down to it. Despite the fact the thought of being a parent scared him shitless at the moment, he could do it…maybe.

“Events you put yourself in.” Debbie dead panned before turning to the stunned sales associate. “So this will work?” She chirped happily.

“That’s beside the point.” Travis huffed like a small child. Groaning at his mother ignoring him, like normal, he looked down at Hayley watching him. She was holding the hood back with both hands. “You and me we’ll get along just fine.” Hayley tipped her head to the side confused. “You think I’m good at this right?” He asked. Sighing, he pursed his lips realizing he was asking advice of his potential daughter.

“’Ood at wha?” Hayley asked confused. “Yewr a ‘ood ‘iant.” She smiled. Travis frowned.

“I’m a good what?” He laughed picking her up. Hayley giggled as the hood dropped over her face.

“Yewr a ‘ood ‘iant.” She repeated.

“I’m a good giant?” he laughed. Hayley nodded vigorously with a massive smile. “Well that’s good.” He mused. “I mean you’re a good monster.” He smiled as Hayley giggled growling at him, hands raised over her head.

“Travis focus!” Debbie laughed at him.

“Sorry.” He grumbled following the two women down the isle.

“Oh here.” Travis grunted as Debbie shoved the box for the strolled into his chest. “Hold that.”

“You have a cart.” He whined. “She’s mean to me.” He whispered down to Hayley who was pawing the box in aw. “Besides I’m carrying a small child!” Debbie rolled her eyes.

“You are a small child.” She laughed. Travis huffed following the two through the store as they grabbed basic things for caring for Hayley.

After loading up the truck and setting up the booster seat in the back so Debbie wouldn’t have to sit in the back holding Hayley for dear life. Then once Hayley was strapped in, which took Travis ten minutes before Debbie swatted him away, they were on their way to another store to get her cloths.

Stepping into the store Travis swallowed nervously at everyone standing in the doorway, seemingly waiting for them. Debbie laughed at them and waved at all the girls.

“Sandy called?” Debbie asked. Travis frowned at her words and placed his hand on the back of Hayley’s head as she tried to hide from all the older women swarming them. “Sandy called.” Debbie reasoned as they all began making comments on how cute Hayley was.

“Okay. Okay.” Travis slid out of the group as best he could. “No more harassing. No more.” He added. “Sorry ladies, media moment is over.” He pulled the hood over Hayley head. “Stay still and don’t move. They won’t attack.” He whispered in her ear causing her to giggle.

“She’s so cute!” One of them voice loudly at the giggle.

“Mom.” Travis groaned. “Can be please hurry this up?”

“Why do you have things to do?” Debbie asked slightly peeved that Travis was possibly putting himself before his child, which wasn’t the case.

“No. But this is scaring her.” He pointed at Hayley before he began rubbing the un-frightened child’s back. Debbie blinked at him. “So, let’s go. Where is the speed shopper in you that I know so well?” he breathed.

“She was hoping to enjoy this. Who knows when I’ll get this chance again?” Debbie huffed walking along. “You’ll get details later ladies.” The women all pouted as the two began wandering through the store. “She’ll need jeans, shirts, sweaters, jackets, socks, shoes, scarves, mittens, and snow gear.” Travis looked out the stores large window as snow dumped down on the town like many days prior.

“Yeah she’s been eyeing the snow.” Travis mused. Hayley had been. When they were outside if she could’ve she would’ve jumped out of Travis’s arms and played in the slushy mess below his feet.

“I know.”