The Fast Times

"What--" Nancy stopped for a moment as her eyes laid on Pete, looking him up and down briefly, "How do you know where I live? Have you been following me?"

Pete shook his head, completely forgetting why he was there, "Last week at Starbucks was by chance...dinner too. My mom wanted to celebrate me finally coming home."

Nancy coursed her fingers through her hair, "Well what do you want? Why were you playing with my daughter? What did you tell her?"

Pete's hands shot up to defend himself "Calm down, Nancy! I didn't say anything...I just said hi and we played doctor...she operated on my heart."

"I wasn't aware you had one," she spat. "Now, why are you here? Did your mom force you to come, or did you come to berate me?"

"No. My mom doesn't know I'm here, and I...I didn't come to be rude or whatever. I'm here because a letter came," he reached into his back pocket, pulling out the crumpled check, "my girl--ex girlfriend opened this letter...it's from you. Your address is on the corner."

Nancy snatched the check from him, looking at it, then at him, "This is for your dad, why didn't you give it to him?"

"Because I wanna know why you wrote him a check for $10,000. He says he paid you to leave...but did you ask for the money?"

Nancy felt her throat grow tight, ready to cry. She coughed and turned away for a moment, "No, I didn't ask him for any money. I was willing to leave on my own."

"Why?"

She looked at him, "He threatened to call the police and have me removed since I wasn't paying rent. I agreed to leave so you could go to school and do something with your life, Pete."

"I didn't want--"

She put her hand up, "Shut up. You needed to go, I wasn't gonna hold you back...with your dad threats, I decided I should just go then. I didn't ask him to give me money, he just waved it at me and said I had to go...so I went."

"Why didn't you just tell me?" Pete stressed shortly.

"Because I didn't want to hold you back!" She exclaimed, "I didn't want to be the one to ruin your life! You got the greatest opportunities, and I wasn't going to snatch them from you, I didn't want you to grow to resent me and hate me for tying you up. I didn't want you to hate Holliday."

"I loved you, you know."

"I never doubted you for a second, Pete, but there's someone better for you."

He shook his head, "No. No, I'm not gonna look--"

"You have a girlfriend--"

"She broke up with me," he said, and then chuckled, "it's a long story."

"What about when I called you two years ago, when I told you your dad made me leave? When I called you on Holly's first birthday?" Nancy questioned him shortly.

"I honestly...I was messed up on drugs, I don't even remember what you said. I'm sorry...if I had shut up and listened--I was so fucked up and mad...heartbroken, Cy."

"I'm sorry I lied, but I did it for you. I repaid your dad, I worked my ass off--I still work my ass off! I barely see Holly, sometimes I feel like I ruined her life too."

"You didn't ruin anyone's life," Pete mumbled, "my dad did."

She exhaled, "So...what now? When you go back to school?"

Pete ran his hand through his hair, "I'll transfer, go to DePaul. I'll find a place here, cuz hell hasta freeze over before I go back to living with my parents."

Nancy shut her eyes and sat on her bed, groaning, "God, this isn't what I wanted to happen!"

"You didn't do anything--"

Nancy stopped him, looking up at him, "I try and do things for the greater good and I end up fucking up. I...I don't want you to hate your dad, okay? It was partly my fault, I left without telling you the truth, I should have. I...I should've...told your mom. I'm sorry I broke her heart, I never meant to, I was just doing what I thought would be best."

"We can't turn back time, we can only make up for it," Pete said as he sat, even shaking his head at his sudden maturity, "I wanna be Holly's dad, and I want her to meet my family...even my dad."

Nancy looked over at him with tearful eyes, "Please forgive me for taking her from you."

"I forgave you last week. I feel like such a dick for calling you names and not listening to you. I'm sorry I...I didn't, you know, force you back."

Nancy just gave a small nod, "I forgive you. I think it's about time you've met Holliday anyway."

Pete smiled, "I love her, Cy."

Nancy smiled, "Yeah, she'll do that to ya. We should break it to her gently."

Pete agreed, nodding.

The pair got up and headed out the room, heading to the kitchen. Rae was feeding Holliday, letting her hum and dance in her lap. Rae looked up when they entered; her eyes narrowed at Pete, while Holliday smiled, "Surprise!" Holliday exclaimed again.

Nancy laughed softly, "Actually, this is more of a surprise for you, baby girl."

Rae looked at her cautiously, "What's going on?"

Nancy just bit her lip, "Well I have something to tell Holly."

Rae shook her head, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure," she answered.

Rae got up and placed Holliday in Nancy's lap, "Alright, this is a long time comin', so I won't butt in. You sit," she ordered Pete, then leaned into his ear, "you even think of hurting Holly, I will personally see that she's the last. Got me?"

Pete nodded quickly, almost nervously, to his threat and sat. Rae glared sharp daggers at him, then turned her attention to Holly, "Love you, baby doll."

"Love ya, Aun'ie Rae," Holly kissed Rae's cheek before she went off to the bathroom to shower.

Nancy exhaled, relieved that the tension evaporated. She bounced Holliday in her lap, absentmindedly, then began, "Holliday, um...remember when we talked about daddies?"

Holliday looked up at Nancy, nodding as she reached for a fortune cookie, "Uh-huh."

Pete looked at them, nervous all over again.

"Well," Nancy's eyes flicked over to Pete's, then back down at Holliday, "um...Pete...he's...your daddy."

Holliday dropped her cookie, accidentally, not seeming to notice what Nancy was saying, "No he's not," she said nonchalantly.

Pete's brows shot up, while Nancy was dumbfounded. She was at a loss for words, "Wha--yes, he is," she muttered before correcting herself, "I mean, what do you mean he isn't?"

Holliday climbed off Nancy's lap and grabbed her cookie, "An'y 'n' Patrick are my daddies, silly mommy," she giggled and climbed back in her lap.

Pete was a bit relieved, but to say he wasn't hurt would be a lie. He sat quietly, letting Nancy handle the situation.

"Baby girl, remember how I told ya how daddy helped me make you?" Holliday hummed, "Pete helped me make you, he's your daddy."

Holliday looked over at Pete, taking a bite of the fortune cookie, "You's helped mama make me?"

Pete smiled softly and nodded, "Yeah...yeah, I did."

Holliday frowned a bit, "How come you was gone?"

The tears burned the back of Pete's eyes, he exhaled deeply, "Cuz I was dumb. I'm...I'm back, though. I'm here to stay, Holly...if you want me to be your daddy."

Holliday saw no difference, in her little head, if Pete stayed or went; she tilted her head, "Ya play wit' me like An'y 'n' Patrick?"

"Yeah, any time you want...I love you, Holly," he bit at his lip, "I've been dyin' to meet you."

Nancy said nothing, only watching them interact; she let Pete take her and set her in his lap. Holliday took to him easily; there was heavy guilt in Nancy's chest at the sight of them. Pete didn't seem to care about that, it was all in the past; all he cared about was now, being with Holliday.

"Do you wanna call me Pete or daddy?" He asked while she tore open a new fortune cookie, "You can call me anything you want."

Holliday hummed, "Um...I like daddy, cuz you're my daddy."

Pete grinned, his heart swelling twice it's size, and his stomach filling with butterflies, "You know, I have a brother and sister who want to meet you...especially my mom--your grandma. She'll be so happy to meet you, you wanna meet her tomorrow, Holliday?"

Holliday bit at her cookie bits and looked up at Pete, "C'n she make cookies, daddy?"

Again, butterflies erupted in his stomach at the way she called him daddy like she had been since she could form words; "My mom makes the best cookies in the world."

She made a little face, "Not-uh! Ms. Pat makes yummy cookies! Da bestest!"

Pete raised a brow, "Ms. Pat?"

"Patrick's mom," Nancy told him, "Patrick takes her over there sometimes."

Pete definitely wanted to question it, but kept it to himself. He just smiled and kissed Holliday's cheek, "Well, my mom makes good cookies, they're yummy."

"She nice?"

"Yeah, she's the nicest," Pete chuckled, "she's gonna be so happy to meet you."

"Tomorrow most definitely," Nancy started, "baby doll has to eat and make sure she doesn't get a tummy ache, and she has to have a bath."

Pete bit at the inside of his bottom lip, "Okay. Can...do you have a picture of her I can give my mom?"

Nancy stood as she nodded, going towards the living room, "Yeah, Andy took a couple of her last week at her birthday party."

Holliday ate her cookie and looked up at Pete, "Mommy buyed me a pretty dress!" 'N' shoes too!"

Pete frowned, only slightly, at the thought of not getting her a gift, "Hey, you want me to get you something, Holly?"

Holliday shrugged, "If ya wanna, daddy."

He smiled and kissed the back of her head, "I will. It'll be a surprise."

She giggled, "I love surprises."

Nancy returned with Polaroids, "Okay, these were from a couple of days before and on her birthday," she handed them to Pete, "I've got hundreds of photos, thanks to Andy and Rae. If your mom wants to see them, ya'know, just call me."

"When do you wanna come over tomorrow?" Pete asked as he and Holliday looked through the photos.

Nancy sighed softly, "I have work at Starbucks from 9 to 3, then Georgio's from 5 to midnight."

Pete looked up at her with a cocked brow, "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, I mean, I have to pay the bills, and those two places are the only ones close to home and flexible."

"Cy," Pete began as Holliday looked at the pictures by herself, "you don't have to pay my dad back, okay? Use the money to take a break."

Nancy shook her head, "I can't, I didn't want that money--"

"He won't care," he stressed, "believe me. You need it more than he does. Do you know how much money he made last year? $500,000 on some accidental death suit with a production company. My old man doesn't need your money, especially since you fucking--"

"Hey," Nancy snapped at him, "no bad words."

Holliday didn't even move, she was too fascinated in the photos.

Pete only smiled, "Sorry. But my dad doesn't need it, okay? You earned every penny, you deserve a break, and you're gonna call in sick tomorrow, you and Holliday are gonna come over and meet everyone."

Nancy felt her heart flutter, "Are you absolutely sure?"

Pete nodded, "I am. If my dad doesn't like it, then he just has to deal with it."

Tears were forming, she felt like the bulk of her stress was gone, "Thanks."

"Don't thank me. You shouldn't have to pay him back anyway, after all the crap he put you through."

Nancy rubbed the tears in her eyes away, "I'm sorry I never told you. Just know, Holliday loves you now...even after a few hours."

Pete chuckled, "It was kinda love at first sight. Right baby girl?"

Holliday looked up, "Huh?"

He and Nancy laughed together, "Right."


After Pete picked a few photos of Holliday that he knew his mom would love, he said goodnight to them both. Holliday had hugged him tight and said, "Come back soon, 'kay?" causing Pete to tear up. He had kissed her and went on his way, all the while looking at the pictures of her.

When Pete was gone, Nancy fed Holliday until she was happy and full, then off to take her bath. Rae had finished in the bathroom and was getting ready for bed. Nancy knew that when Holliday went to bed, she and Rae would talk. She was sure Rae wouldn't be too happy about not chastising Pete enough, she just knew it, but she knew Rae was right.

Nancy washed Holliday's hair and cleaned the food from her face, and then got her out the tub. Holliday was singing to herself, something she often did; she sang louder as Nancy wrapped her hair up, causing her to giggle at her baby girl.

"How do you want me to do your hair tonight?"

"Um..." Holliday hummed as Nancy dried her off, "Braids!"

Nancy nodded, "Alright, let's get you warm and dressed."

Nancy dressed her and then sat on the bed with her, brushing through Holliday's long hair; "Do you like your daddy, Holly?"

Holliday nodded, "Uh-huh, he's nice."

"Yeah, he is," Nancy replied as she began to part and braid, "his mom, your grandma Dale, she's so sweet too. She's like Ms. Patricia, and you're gonna be seeing her a lot...will that be okay?"

Holliday nodded, "'S okay, mama."

"I'm gonna stop working at Starbucks," Nancy went on, "I'll be home with you more...maybe with your daddy around, we can finally get a house; me, you and Rae...maybe Andy, too."

"'N' daddy?" Holliday looked back at Nancy.

Nancy responded with an uncertain shrug, "Dunno...I don't think so, baby doll."

"'Kay."

Holliday was quiet after, growing sleep from the bath; Nancy finished her braids and then tucked her into bed, lying beside her with her favorite book; Cinderella. Holliday snuggled in close to Nancy and yawned, looking at the pictures while Nancy read. It didn't take long for Holliday to fall asleep, prompting Nancy to close to book and kiss the top of her head, saying, "Love you, baby girl," before she inched out of bed, careful not to wake her.


Pete returned home, it was dark out, he thought about Holliday falling asleep in bed. He tried to imagine it, but all he got was her cute giggles and her funny little faces. He looked at the pictures as he got out the car, waiting a moment just to catch a glimpse of her, because he was happy to finally have her. Her smiles were reminiscent of when he was a kid, playing with Hilary; to him, Holliday looked just like her. Pete just couldn't wait to get inside and show his family.

Pocketing the keys, he held the pictures and jogged into the house. The faint smell of food was in the air, reminding him of how long he had been gone and the fact that he was starving again. He walked in, hearing his family talking in the dining room; he went in, but stopped in his tracks when he saw Crystal there, talking with his mom and Hilary.

"Baby, you're back," Crystal cooed happily.

Dale looked up, "There you are! Where did you go?"

Pete was dumbfounded, not knowing exactly what to say. He swallowed, "There's...I was..." He was at a loss for words. "You go first, why are you here?" It was obvious he was speaking towards Crystal.

She exhaled, "I wasn't thinking clearly. I'm sorry...how long did you look for me?"

Pete wasn't sure he could say a word without angering her, so he lied, "For awhile...then I met up with...Nancy."

Dale's attention was on fully on her son, Crystal's lips turned down, and Hilary was confused, but intrigued, "You met up with Cy?"

Crystal held back a disgruntled huff.

Pete exhaled and went over and sat down next to Hilary, "Look, before I explain everything, I want you to know that nothing happened between me and Nancy. I ran into her and she...she introduced me to Holliday."

Dale smiled widely, "Holliday? That's her--that's Holly?"

Pete nodded, "Yeah, she's amazing," he handed the Polaroids to her, "her birthday was last week."

Dale gasped as she looked at the photos of Holliday, "She's beautiful, Pete! She looks just like you and Nancy! Hilary, look!"

Hilary leaned over and looked at the pictures, she smiled, "She's cute!"

Crystal was frowning at Pete, he licked over his lips, "Let's talk in the other room," he said to her.

Crystal got up and Pete followed her; the two stopped in the hallway leading to the stairs. They could hear Andrew and a friend of his playing video games in the living room, so they had to stop short. Pete coursed his short hair back, beginning, "If you're gonna be with me still, then you needa know that Holly comes first. I'm gonna transfer to DePaul, my grades are good enough that I can do it, and I'm moving back here."

Crystal was now fully heartbroken, "You can't be serious."

Pete exhaled, "I am, and I'm sorry, Crys, but I don't wanna leave my daughter."

"Be honest," she grabbed his hand, "are you dumping me for her? For that Nancy girl?"

Pete shook his head, "No, I just wanna be with my kid. I'm gonna get my own apartment and spend all the time I can with Holly."

Crystal bit at her lip, "Do you love me?"

Pete was caught off guard, "Crys, you know I do."

"Then why don't you say it? Do you wanna just let me go?" She fired questions at him with a sadden tone of voice, "Don't you even care?"

He nodded, "I do. But right now, Holly's my top priority. I'm not tryna get with Nancy, I just want my daughter, she comes first."

Crystal sighed softly, "Okay...I'm sorry, I just love you and I don't wanna lose you," she pulled him into an embrace, to which he returned, "I can't wait to meet her."

Pete shut his eyes for a moment, having an inkling that Nancy would not like seeing Crystal around Holliday. He kept quiet, not wanting to upset Crystal anymore.

After a moment, they parted, but Crystal kept ahold of Pete, his hands were planted in her waist, "Let's go back, I have to tell my mom all about Holly."

Crystal kissed his lips quickly, "Sure thing."