It's a girl

Who: Domino – NPC Vikki
When: Mid afternoon
Where: Via Phone

Domino was outside taking a smoke break from his mulling about and more cleaning, he'd just mopped the kitchen. His mind was drifting over the possibilities of what was going to happen when Brian got home. Would he be invited to go with? Would they break up? Would he need to find a new place to stay? They were all questions he couldn't answer and it was killing him. He tapped the bit of ash off the end of his cigarette and leaned back, placing his hands on the patio and lolling his head back to soak up the sun.

His moment of peace was disturbed however, by the ringing of his cell. Domino reached into his pocket and pulled the phone out, he didn't recognize the number. "Hello?" He asked as he pressed the button to pick up the line and put the device to his ear.

"Hey," the other voice on the line said, a possibly unfamiliar voice, female and with a definite Canadian accent. "Is this Domino? Domino Maddox?"

"Yea, this is him." Domino replied, arching his brow. Domino had lost count a long time ago as to how many people had his cell number so this could be anyone really- though most people he'd programmed in himself so the caller ID would show up something, he had been bound to miss a few.

"Oh, good." The voice was relieved, and more than a little tired-sounding. There was even a hint of desperate impatience that she was trying even more desperately to mask. "Wasn't sure if this number was even still good... Anyway, hi. It's Vik. Jen's friend?"

Domino furrowed his brow and cocked his head slightly, why did the name sound so familiar… Vik… Jen… Vik… Je-! "-Jen-, Jen?" He asked. "Like Vik friend of the 'save the world one whale at a time' Jen?" If it was then this would surely be a blast from the past. Domino hadn't thought of Jen in near three years now.

"That's the one!" Vikki exclaimed, though the undercurrent of impatience was still there. "Though she's not so much about saving whales anymore. Grew out of that one, I guess. Where are you?"

"America… a little town in Michigan t'be more precise." Domino replied. He flicked some more ash off the cigarette. "So, what do I owe this ring?" He inquired.

"Jen," Vikki said dryly, and there was the growing sound in the background of children screaming in play and various people talking, as if Vikki had been walking and was now walking into a crowded, indoor place. "She gave me some vague directions and a phone number. What town in Michigan? Got an address I can look up?"

"Y'r visitin'?" Domino asked, a bit surprised. Vik hadn't exactly been his biggest fan while Jen and he'd been seeing each other. "Marquette..." He said, giving her the address.

"Not exactly a visit. I won't be staying. -Taylor! Come on, it's time to go!" The last wasn't meant for Domino, it was yelled out across whatever space Vikki was in. "We'll be there tomorrow morning sometime, probably. If this little monster doesn't derail us too much longer."

"Wait, we?" Domino asked, now confused.

"We," Vikki repeated, as if it ought to be obvious. As if he ought to know exactly what she was talking about- and that she disapproved of it, too. "Me, and Taylor."

Domino couldn't be more lost, and the woods were very thick. "Who's Taylor." He asked, his voice sounding just as lost as he was.

"Taylor, don't make me come get you!" Vikki called, away from the phone, again. Then her voice came "closer" again. "Taylor," she repeated. "Tay-lor. Your daughter? Don't tell me you forgot. Not that I'd be surprised. You always were a self-centered little asshole."

It went over Domino's head for a moment before sinking down. "Daughter?" He tilted his head to the other side trying to absorb the word. "I don't have a daughter." He said slowly, trying to figure out if he missed something.

Vikki paused on the other line, and for a moment all there was was background noise. "Jen didn't tell you?" she finally asked, slowly.

"Jen didn't tell me..." His mind worked out all the confusing comments that had been directed toward him in the last few minutes. "Jen's daughter." He finally said, the thing starting to click into place. "Taylor is Jen's daughter."

"Jen's and yours, yeah," Vikki reiterated. "And I'm bringing her to you. Shit, I thought you knew. She really didn't tell you? You didn't just forget, or something?" It was like Vikki couldn't believe that he didn't know; it didn't seem possible to her.

Domino shook his head as if she could see it. "I didn't know." He said. "Is she sure it's mine?" It was probably the wrong thing to ask, but he was having problems believing it. "Last time I spoke with Jen was the fair right 'fore I left." Domino rubbed his temple slowly. "Shit, Jen really had a- wait!" Domino snapped his head up. "Y're bringing her t'me?"

"Oh, she's yours, all right," Vikki said sourly. "Taylor, get the f- frick over here! I said now! -Yes, we're going to be at the border soon, then we'll be a ferry ride away. Jen's in trouble, she can't look after her, and we don't want the cops coming looking for her. Look, I gotta go, Domino. Little brat won't come out of the ball pit."

"Wait, trouble, cops? What's goin' on, Vik?" He asked, drifting back into the confused state again. Domino put the cigarette out and ran a hand through his hair. This was not something he needed to hear today, not after the news Brian had got that morning.

"I'll explain everything when I get there, okay? I gotta go, Taylor's- shit. Damn it, Taylor, do not eat the- Taylor! Bye, Domino." Then the line went dead as Vikki stormed into the play area in pursuit of one very active little girl.

Domino sat there, staring at the phone for a long moment. Things didn't compute very well. He was a daddy.