I do not own the Biker Mice from Mars. I only write this for the shear enjoyment of writing and hopefully to share with others. I do not own Zoë; she is the creation of Hayden and is a character from her "Bloodties," story lines. If you have had a three-year-old or have been around one for more than five minutes you will be familiar with this little scenario. I tried to write how a child would sound at that age; I hope it's not too confusing. Zoe's dialog is in italics.
How Come?
Vinnie tinkered with the motor of his bike, trying to stop the odd sound it had been making. Since Zoë had come into their lives, Charley just didn't have the time she use to, so he and his bros. had decided to try and take care of any minor repairs themselves.
Charley was taking time for herself, spending the day with Gates, the one human girlfriend that shared her secret, while Vinnie kept an eye on Zoë. Their adorable little girl, still in her pajamas, sat on some crates that had been covered with her favorite Blues Clues comforter. She swung her feet over the edge, humming, and playing with Freddie, her favorite stuffed toy.
"Daddy, isth Sweetie broked?" she said as she propped her chin on the top of the dusty brown hair that covered the toy's head.
"Yes, Baby, she's making a funny noise when I start her and daddy's trying to find out why?" Vinnie answered not looking up from his work.
"Daddy?"
"Yes, Precious?"
How come Mommy's not fixin' hur?" she laid back with her legs straight up while balancing the toy on her bare feet, wiggling his soft tattered fur between her little toes.
"Because, Mommy had to go out and daddy can fix Sweetheart just fine." Vinnie answered just a bit annoyed, knowing that Charley would have found the noise and fixed it by now.
"Daddy?"
"Yes, Baby?"
"How come Mommy can fix stuff bedda dan you and Unca Trottle and Unca Modo?" her voice was slightly muffled, since Freddy now had fallen off her feet and landed across her face. She had both arms and legs hanging limp draped over the edges of her make shift bed.
"She just smarter than us I guess," Vinnie chuckled having to admit the truth, but still not taking his attention from the bike and not showing the slight bruise in his ego.
"Daddy?"
"Yeah, Pumpkin?"
"How come we got tails and Mommy don't?" Zoë pulled the bear in front of her, sitting up flopping forward to rest on him like a pillow and looking up at her father, her own tail wrapping around her ankle playfully.
"Remember what Mommy and I told you? It's because I am from Mars and Mommy is from Earth and you are a little bit of both of us." Vinnie answered with a slight sigh.
"Daddy?"
"Yes, Angel."
"How come Mars people got tails?" Her small white tail slipped up from behind her, reaching over her head to touch her nose, as she looked at it cross-eyed.
"Umm….umm… because…well it's just that…. they… help us…. ride better, that's it, we ride better with the tails," Vinnie suddenly began to realize why Charley needed to take a break.
"Daddy?"
"Yes, Baby girl?"
"How come Mommy rides good and she don't got no tail."
"Because um… because….she's… Mommy and she can do a lot of things better than most people."
"Can she ride betterin' Auntie Carbime?"
Vinnie again laughed to himself, "I wouldn't say this in front of, Auntie, but yeah she can."
The answer seemed to satisfy Zoë, since now her attention was focused on a loose string she was determine to remove from Freddie's foot. Vinnie breathed a sigh of relief hoping the inquisition had come to an end.
"Daddy?"
"What is it, Zoë?" Vinnie's voice filled with that, "I love her madly, but if she asks me one more question I'll put a muzzle on her," tone, that only another parent of a three year old could truly understand.
"How come my tennas are teeny tiny?" her fingers softly tapping on the small pink bumps, that would hopefully, grow into the feature common to her Martian ancestry.
"It's because you are just a little biker mouse, they will grow in time," Vinnie answered as the wrench jerked out of his hand, slipping off the bolt, making him slam his knuckles against the side of the bike.
"Owww….son of a..a…belching bog dog!" Vinnie caught himself remembering his three-year-old daughter was with in repeating range. He leaned his head against the bike and took a few deep breaths
"Daddy?"
"Yes, Darlin'?"
"How come you fath so red?"
" Zoë?"
"Yes Daddy?"
"Honey?"
"Yes Daddy?"
"Wouldn't you like to go inside and watch one of the nice movies Mommy got for ya?" Vinnie asked, slowly tapping his forehead on the bike while counting to ten.
"No Daddy, wanna stay here an' keep you company," her small voice turning very serious, not even imagining leaving her father out in the big scary garage all by himself.
"Okay Sweetie, but why don't you talk with Freddie for a while and let daddy finish fixing Sweetheart, Please!"
"Yes Daddy." Zoë sat up and crossed her legs pulling Freddie nose-to-nose smiling as if they were sharing some special secret. Vinnie breathed a sigh of relief and thought that he could finish what he was doing in silence. (Yeah right!)
"Daddy?"
"What is it Zoë?" Vinnie dropped the wrench, sat down and looked back at his daughter, with a tired and frustrated expression.
"Are you glad I was borned, even if I'm a half beaded fweak?" The little girl's eyes looked to her father with a questioning sadness.
Vinnie looked into to the sweet baby face of his little daughter, a precious face that had seen way too much cruelty. The vicious names she was called, the ugly things they made her believe, Vinnie tried hard not to think about? Most of the time she seemed so happy that he would almost forget the harsh world she'd started her young life in. A life Charley, he, and his bros were finally able to free her from.
He stood and walked over to the unsure, almost, mirror image of himself picking her up and settling her on his lap. He hugged her gently while stoking her baby soft white and brown hair. "Doll face, I have never been happier, than when I found out I had such a beautiful little girl to love. You are not a freak or a half-breed anything. You are the best part of your Momma and me. We love ya more than we can ever tell ya," Vinnie tried to speak with out letting his voice reveal the tears his heart was crying
"Do you really, Daddy? Really, truly?
"Ya Sweet baby, really truly?"
Zoë smiled curling into a secure ball, snuggling, as close to her daddy's warm chest as her little body would allow. "I love you too, daddy. Forever an' always."
"Tell you what, why don't we leave Sweetheart for your Momma to fix when she gets back? You and me will grabs some snacks, pop your favorite disk into the machine and just chill for a while.
"Kay, can we watch the "Ninjie Turkles" tapes Mommy got, pwease?" Zoë cooed giving him her cutest smile, curling his bandana around her tiny finger, along with his heart.
"Okay, I guess, but who ever heard of green super hero's that wear shells?"
"And Daddy, no hot dogs and ruthbeer, I wanna cheese samich n' milk."
Vinnie just looked at his daughter, shook his head, and smiled as he carried her into the kitchen.
The End