These Lines Were Never Established

Travis sat on the patio with his feet kicked up on the table as he watched Hayley through the break between the banister for the wide, four person set of stairs. She wasn’t hard to miss with her fire truck red snow jacket, her yellow show pants, her yellow and red striped beanie with red stars on the ends of the yellow braided tassels and her bright yellow mittens. She stuck out like a sore thumb. He smiled ever so slightly at the sight of her, proud he’d gotten her into her snow cloths all by himself.

She was building something it seemed like, but he couldn’t tell. He just watched her though, adjusting his hat every once in while as the warmth from sweat on his brow met his cool skin.

He didn’t fully understand how this whole idea or whole situation was going to work out. The other day he’d hired a private investigator after Hayley seemed to run off two of them for asking one too many questions about how they found things and if they ‘oozing hag-nif-prying gasses wike earl-lock domes’- Why Travis had told her about Sherlock Homes he had no idea but it was one of the few things he could compare a private investigator too- or why they wore funny shoes. The third one had laughed and answered her questions as if she was the one hiring him. It was interesting to watch her interact with another person. She was fearless. But he still didn’t know what was going to happen or what he was going to find out.

He wanted her mom to be alright but his parent’s had pointed out two-year-olds didn’t understand lying and she probably wouldn’t learn it till about eight while living with him since he rarely lied. Most children didn’t learn to lie till about four or five, the people at all the kids stores, his mom was still dragging him to, told him that.

“Yo! Gimp!” Travis jumped at the voice and snapped his eyes away from Hayley playing in the snow. “Whoa, who gave you a kid to watch?” Andy laughed noticing the red and yellow in the sea of white.

Hayley took no notice of the four stepping out onto the patio. She kept rolling the snow in small balls and stacking them in different piles. She kept moving around making more and more piles and Travis stood to greet his friends.

“What are you guys doing here?” he asked confused. He had his time off.

“You asked for three days off, so we gave you three days off.” Jim mused. “Why is there a kid?” He asked pointing.

Laughing nervously Travis began rubbing the back of his neck, his eyes focusing on Hayley. His cheeks began to flush at the thought of having to explain this on multiple occasions and not cause heart attacks or tornado of media over it.

“That’s Hayley.” He whispered threw the cloud of white breath he’d exhaled.

“Why is she here?” Andy pressed leaning in. Travis looked up at him with a sigh. Only one person had known of Travis’s roll in the sack of a one night stand, and that one person was Andy. Andy had been the reason the two of them woke up so early in the morning.

Whining Travis adjusted his hat once more and glanced down like a lost puppy.

“No.” Andy whispered.

“What?” Jim, Tommy, and Jolene asked confused. The three glanced between the two of them confused beyond belief, but only Jim and Tommy kept looking Jolene got distracted by Hayley still playing in the snow and paying them no mind.

“Is this from…?” Andy pointed at Hayley amazed.

“Maybe. Being looked into, more than likely yes.” Travis breathed. Jim and Tommy lifted their hands for clarification. “Two years ago, when we were spending our time in L.A. after X games celebrating I kinda…” Licking his lips he looked at Hayley. “I had a one night stand towards the end of it…” Travis now had all of their attention.

“Where’s the hot blonde you banged?” Andy asked.

“How’d you know?” Jolene asked eyeing him.

“He’s the one that woke us the next morning by barging into my room.” Travis flinched. “He promised not to tell.”

“And I didn’t! Now where’s the hot blonde? She didn’t get fat did she?”

“No. Um…I don’t know.” Travis rubbed the back of his neck again. “Hayley was left on my doorstep about… three days ago? With a note. We think her mom is in the hospital dying…not sure. I hired a private investigator to find her and make sure. I’m going to have a blood test done too. You know, make sure she’s mine.” Bobbing his head he looked back at Hayley still crouched in the snow “Despite the fact she looks a lot like me….”

“She does?” Jim asked as they all moved to the banister slowly.

“Yep. My parent’s are thrilled and I’m scared shitless.” He froze as Jolene’s hand smacked right upside his head. “Ow! What was that for?” he whined, rubbing the spot slowly.

“There’s a child right there,” She pointed at Hayley. “Don’t swear! You want her saying those words already?”

“Can she even talk?” Tommy asked lightly.

“Like you wouldn’t believe. It’s a miracle when she isn’t. I’ve never enjoyed silence so much.” Travis laughed. “She talks to and about everything. That girl had opinions.”

“How old is she?” Jolene whispered.

“Two.” Bobbing his head and stuffing his hand in his pocket’s Travis watched Hayley like a hawk. “She’ll be three in April.”

“Wait, that was end of September… april’s not nine months.” Andy mused.

“She was two months early.” Travis mused. “Her mom left me a letter explaining a lot and leaving a lot of questions.” He glanced at his friends. “But on the upside….I haven’t found an upside yet…”

“She’s cute, lovable…and I want to be introduced!” Jolene laughed.

“Oh yeah! Right…oh guys…” All four looked at him. “She doesn’t know I’m her dad yet.” They frowned. “I didn’t want to tell her then find out I’m not because of the test and break her heart. In her mom’s letter I guess on her second birthday she wished for her dad. I don’t want to shatter that wish…” All four nodded.

“Does she know her mom left her?” Jolene asked gently.

“No. I think she thinks I’m a friend of her mom’s and I’m just watching her.”

“Darn it Travis!” Jolene punched him in the chest. “I wanna be Auntie Jo! Way to ruin that for me!”

“If I am her dad you’re her godmother, feel better…please don’t hit me!” He stepped back hands raised at Jolene’s wide eyes.

“Reh-really?” Jolene whispered confused and surprised. Travis nodded weakly. “Who’s the godfather?”

“Jim or Andy I’m not sure yet.” He mumbled. Jolene nodded slowly before pointing at Hayley with narrowed brows. “Okay! Okay! Don’t get your knickers in a twist. Calm down.” He breathed. “Hayley.”

Hayley’s head snapped up at her name. She’d forgotten she wasn’t alone. Turning she looked at Travis and spotted the four new people on the patio. They smiled and waved as Travis called her over kindly.

Waddling over due to the snow and the size of her new snow pants she climbed up the tall stairs using her hands to support herself, once at the top she moved behind Travis’s leg and watched the new people. One caught her attention most of all, the big round one.

“Oh.” She whispered putting a gloved finger by her mouth. Tugging on Travis’s pant leg she watched as he crouched down next to her. “Ee big.” She stated, trying to whisper. All five began laughing.

“Yeah he’s big. That’s Tommy.” Travis stated watching his friends as Hayley looked back at Tommy. “These are my friends.” He added. Hayley nodded weakly. “Tommy’s is the big one, Jim is the one in Blue.” Jim waved with a kind smile. Hayley waved back. “He’s kinda like a dinosaur.” He pointed out.

“Eyes wike I’no’sores!” She chirped making the group laugh once more.

“I know.” Travis laughed. “That, that’s Jolene.” He pointed at Jolene as she crouched down. Hayley waved.

“Hi there sweetheart.” Jolene smiled. Hayley flushed slightly waving again while hiding in Travis’s side.

“And that’s Andy.” Andy made and funny face at her, smiling at the giddy giggle he got. “He’s a little weird.”

“Dey ‘ice ‘iants?” Hayley asked looking up at Travis.

“I wouldn’t be friends with them if they weren’t.” He stated with a sharp nod and a bright smile. “Guys, and Jo,” He laughed at Jolene’s slight scowl. “This is Hayley.”

“Hed’o!” Hayley chirped.

“Hi.” They all chorused at her just as nice.

“Eyes go pay?” Hayley asked looking at Travis with giddy eyes. Nodding he gave her a slight pat on the back, urging her to go. “Yay!” Turning around Hayley moved down the stairs carefully and quickly going back to building her piles of snow.

“She’s so cute Travis.” Jolene whispered. He nodded weakly at the idea. “What is she doing?” She asked leaning on the railing with the others, just watching Hayley work. Travis gave a dramatic shrug. “You don’t even know?”

“I don’t know what she’s doing half the time let alone what she’s saying half the time.” Travis huffed. “I’m bad at this…parent thing…” He whined helplessly as he watched Hayley running about collecting things despite the twenty or thirty piles she had of snow.

“What is she doing?” Jim laughed watching her start messing with each pile one by one, taking her time with it. “Are… those…” He looked at the others just as surprised by what the piles were turning into. “Are those screaming, terrified snowmen?” he laughed looking at the horror struck, stick arms raised in defense, or pressed to their faces snowmen. A few of them looked to even be crawling on the ground to get away.

“Looks that way…you have one messed up two-year-old.” Tommy whispered.

Grunting Travis rubbed his face concerned as well for Hayley’s well being. Andy leaned over the railing more as Jolene pulled out her phone recording the scene before her in amusement.

“Hayley!” Andy called, a chuckle stuck behind his words. She looked up at him, messing with one of her snowmen. “What are you doing?” Hayley smiled.

“Just hate!”

“Just what?” Andy asked looking around stunned.

“Just wait.” Travis laughed at his friend. The group nodded understanding. “This is why I never know what she’s doing. It’s always one second, just wait, or hold on! Never what she’s doing when I ask.” He laughed. The others laughed as well.

“Why do they look so scared?” Jim called.

“You’ll never get an answer.” Travis mumbled.

“Just hate!” Hayley sighed heavily, looking slightly frustrated with all the questions. “Eyes no done jet!” She huffed with a shake of her head. The tassels on her beanie catching her attention for a second before she went back to putting rocks, twigs, and dirt she’d dug up to make their faces and expressions.

Standing back Hayley looked at all the snow men looking up in horror and trying to crawl away. Smiling she lifted her arms above her head wiggling her fingers and jumped on one growling.

“Rawr!” She yelled kicking one as she began pouncing and kicking snow destroying everything she’d just built. Growling and roaring Hayley picked up a few snowmen throwing them as she stomped on others.

“Oh my god.” Jolene laughed as all five of them watched in amusement as she destroyed her creation. “She’s a monster!” Jo chirped watched as Hayley growled picking one up and biting into it only to freeze.

Grimacing and whining Hayley opened her mouth stick her tongue out as her teeth and mouth froze painfully. Falling backwards on her but she waved her free hand in front of her face.

“Iz ‘old!” She yelled.

“It’s cold?” Travis called after her, getting a vigorous head nod. “Then why’d you bite it? I thought you figured out snow was cold earlier.”

“Eyes for-dot!” She whined smashing the evil snow man in the ground.

“You forgot?” Travis laughed. Hayley nodded with a strangled whine. “Can you still feel your mouth?” He asked interested. Leaning more of his weight on the railing he laughed at her disgusted and pained faced.

“Is ‘urt!” She called using her gloved hands to remove the dissolved snow from her tongue. “Ugh! Oh! Blech!” She called jumping out the snow shaking her head and destroying a few more snowmen. “Des tas’ bad!” She yelled holding her hands in the air. “Ew!” She began spitting in the snow at the horrible taste of the cotton-wool blend and yellow dye on the fabric.

Turning Hayley looked at the five adults watching her for help. Her nose scrunched up in disgust as her tongue hung out of her mouth.

“Taste that bad does it?” Jim called laughing. Hayley nodded weakly. “You’ll never lick another pair of gloves in your life will you?” She shook her head no.

“Why tas so bad?” She whined.

“Because they’re gloves.” Tommy called. “They’re not meant to taste good.” He laughed. The group nodded making whispered comments on how Tommy would know a thing or two on what’s supposed to taste good and what isn’t.

Travis looked down at his watch once Hayley had gotten over the taste and temperature change in her mouth and yawned.

“Alright ya little monster,” Travis called pushing himself up off the railing. “Time to go inside.”

Whining in distaste she pouted at him. Travis nodded his head to the door with a pointed look to get his point across. Trudging through the snow Hayley pouted her way up the stairs and onto the patio.

“Aw. Travis.” Jolene tugged on his sleeve. “Let her play some more.” Jolene whispered watching Hayley move towards the door.

Travis looked at her with horror written across his face.

“And have her miss her nap? Yeah right. I like living. Have you ever seen a cranky two-year-old before? I thought doing a double back flip was scary. That’s nothing compared to her,” he pointed at Hayley rubbed one of her eyes and yawning. “Not having a nap. Dear god.” He breathed. Ignoring that his friends were laughing at him he opened the door for Hayley and stepped in behind her.

As they all stepped inside, closing the door behind them, Travis removed his jacket, his snow boots, and his snow pants before turning to Hayley. Lifting her arms Hayley let Travis remove her jacket, gloves, snow boots, and snow pants. Once she was down to her long sleeve shirt and jeans he patted her side sending her on her way.

With a grunt and groan Travis stood up and frowned at his friend just staring at him.

“What?” He asked concerned.

“You’re really good at this parent thing,” Jim waved a hand at Travis. “As you put it.”

“I wish.” Travis huffed heading to the kitchen. “Get down.” He pressed on Hayley’s head as she tried to scale the stool.

To her it wasn’t a stool it was a towering cliff in the middle of a beautiful forest. She wanted to climb to the top and see the whole forest in its intertie. Pouting at Travis’s giant form just easing through the trees and greenery as he stopped her from climbing to the top she crossed her arms over her chest slightly annoyed. She wanted to climb!

Travis pulled paper and Crayons out of a kitchen drawer. Holding them up he watched Hayley’s eyes go wide at the sight. To her he wasn’t holding computer paper and crayons, no, he was caring gold and priceless jewels.

Hurrying after him she made grabby hands for the box of crayons. Travis set them on the floor with a blanket and a pillow and watched as she got her self comfortable in a flash, pulling open the crayon box like her life depended on it.

“Wow. You are good at this.” Andy mused easing onto the couch next to his friend. Travis exhaled slowly as he watched her color wildly.

“Because I was told crayons and paper will be my savior?” he laughed. “I have so many drawings it’s completely ridiculous.”

“Yeah, where are they?” Tommy mused looking around.

“Stored random places, but my parent’s have taken most of them. I feel horrible for them if this doesn’t turn out…” He whispered rubbing his face as he watched Hayley color. “anyway!” he chirped trying to change the subject. “What’ve you guys been up to?”

“No.” Jolene pointed at his attempt to change the subject. “Not happening, you’re stuck here. When do the test results come in?” Everyone looked at the motor super star interested.

“We haven’t gone yet. I want her to trust me first because,” Sighing he licked his lips. “They need to do a blood test.” The group nodded at the idea of a toddler with needles around.