The Cruelest Summer

Chapter 13- All Time Low

Bing!

***

Frosty A played you in 'Words With Friends'

***

Taylor glanced down at the notification, but resisted the urge to reply and instead buried her phone deep within her purse. Today, she was focused on her mom. Scrabble with Joe could wait.

She felt a little guilty for ignoring him, however, especially since he had texted her a few hours ago about grabbing drinks before his flight home. She didn't want to spoil their friendship and was in fact, looking forward to meeting up with him again. Taylor felt icky about ghosting Joe even though she knew she couldn't help it. It wasn't her fault that her Mom's cancer came back. It wasn't her fault that Joe wasn't being upfront about what he wanted out of their relationship.

"Teffy, you look exhausted," Austin said pointedly.

"Thanks," Taylor scowled.

She did look exhausted- or "knackered" as Joe would say had he been here. Her eyes were hooded and rimmed with dark circles. She hadn't even bothered to brush her hair. Taylor had simply thrown on a pair of leggings and a sweatshirt, and taken the quickest flight to Nashville.

It was now ten o'clock in the morning and she still hadn't gone to bed yet. She had been unable to fall asleep on the plane because she was far too anxious about her mother's health. By the time her flight landed, Taylor had given up on sleeping.

So, sleep-deprived, and apprehensive, Taylor laid her head against the window of the black SUV. She was waiting in the parking lot of her mom's doctor's office. Ideally, Taylor would have gone inside the office to show support, but that plan had to be aborted after Brandon noticed two paps camping out in the waiting room. The Swift family agreed that it would be better if Taylor waited inside the car, so that Andrea's health could be kept out of the headlines.

"They should be back any second since the appointment was at 9:00," Austin muttered, glancing at the clock on the dash. He had been kind enough to wait in the car with Taylor, not wanting her to be left alone.

"Yeah. I really hope they have good news," Taylor murmured.

"Soon she'll get better," Austin breathed. "She has to."

Taylor felt her eyes prickle with tears at her brother's words. Before they had a chance to fall, Andrea and Scott were tapping on the car window.

"We're back!" Scott exclaimed, sliding into the passenger seat, besides Brandon. Andrea squeezed into the back row, in between her two children.

"So?" Austin probed.

"I start some radiation therapy next week," Andrea explained. "It's a very successful treatment plan, so I'll be fine. Doctor said my tumors looked smaller since my last visit, anyway."

"Oh, thank God!" Taylor trilled, letting out a sigh of relief. She threw her arms around her mother, which made Andrea chuckle.

"Mom's gonna be just fine, sweetheart," Scott assured her. "I'll fly down from Florida and check on her, don't you worry."

"Dad, I wanna be here," Taylor scoffed. "I'll stay in Nashville."

"Honey, that's unnecessary," Andrea retorted. "You should go back to New York- it's your home now. We'll manage."

What if New York doesn't feel like home anymore? What if I don't want to go back? What if I'd rather stay inside this car and never come out?

"But..."

"Taylor, I'm home too," Austin offered. "Besides, the paps have been following you non-stop around Nashville. That could get messy if they start coming to all of Mom's appointments."

"Yeah, I agree," Scott nodded. "When things calm down with the press, you can go to Mom's next treatment."

"Now, that's perfect," Andrea clapped, squeezing her daughter's hand.

Taylor squeezed back, not wanting to ever let go. She was terrified that if she did, she'd lose her.

Taylor was also deeply frustrated that she couldn't be there for her mom in her time of need. Leave it to the fucking paparazzi to ruin everything! First New York City turns on me, now my family decides they don't want me to come home?! What the hell? This has got to be a new all-time low.

But of course, this wouldn't be Taylor's all-time low. Not even close. In just two short days, things would start getting progressively worse for her-starting with a text. A text from Joe. A text that would read.......