Los Angeles (Four days earlier)

"Mom! What are you doing? We're going to be late." Nikki hollered across the house, rolling her eyes when she got no response again. "Seriously, Mom. It's not every day that I get to see him. I don't want to be late." She put the last item in her suitcase and walked out of the room.

"You know, just because he calls out of the blue, doesn't mean you have to go see him. He could make more of an effort to be around." Beth was sitting on the couch, silently refusing to move.

"Mom. Let's get going. I want to see him. And before you say it. Yes, I know he only shows up once in a blue moon. But I still want to see him." A hand on her hip, Nikki dangled car keys and waited impatiently for her mother to get off the couch. "Please. Let's go."

Heaving a great sigh, Beth stood up and walked towards Nikki. "Okay. Let's get this over with then."

Los Angeles Airport

"Got your phone?" Beth looked somewhat frantic, trying to mentally tick off all the necessary items before Nikki boarded the plane. "Toothbrush? What about your phone charger? Oh, and socks. Did you pack socks?"

Laughing, Nikki hugged her mom. "Yes, I remembered all of those. I'm going to miss my flight if I don't leave now. I love you, I'll miss you, and I'll be back in a few days." Sparing one moment to smile reassuringly at her mother, she turned and hurried off towards her departure gate.

Chicago Airport

"Hey Dad. It's Nikki. Just calling - again - to remind you that I'm here. At the airport. Right now. Hopefully you're on your way or something." She sighed and clicked the call off. She'd been standing outside the airport for almost two hours at this point and still hadn't heard from her father. 'Why are you surprised he's not here? Not like this would be the first time it happened or anything,' she thought to herself. Nikki looked around, spotted a taxi stand and decided she was tired of waiting. Grabbing her suitcase, she made her way to the stand. 'I think I remember the name of the shop he used to hang out at. Tool's, right? Yeah, that was it.' So that's where she went.