Kaylor: The Timeline

Chapter 3

July 11, 2014

Just tell them. They're not going to care. They're going to be happy that I'm happy.

The thought that has been sounding in Taylor's head all day. It was the thought that she couldn't get off of her mind as her family sat together for brunch in her apartment, it was the thought that wouldn't quiet when she found herself in a room alone with her mother packing for their weekend in Rhode Island, it was the thought that drowned out the boring game of golf she had watched with her father, it was the thought that was so overpowering she had completely forgotten she was on an airplane 10,000 feet in the air surrounded by the three members of her family on their way to the coastline of New England.

The thought wouldn't leave her, and neither would the nervousness she felt each time she even considered opening her mouth to speak the words she needed to share. Because of that thought she had avoided her iPhone for the latter half of the day, knowing there was an unopened text message from Karlie asking, "How did your family take it?"

I told her I would tell yesterday. This is my last chance before she gets here.

Taylor takes a deep breath and remains seated on the couch, as the rest of her family begins to stand up and mill about the first floor of her Rhode Island mansion, now that the ending credits of the movie they had just watched were playing. It had been a romantic comedy, a movie about two best friends finally ending up together.

"So when will Karlie be here?" Scott asks, as he walks around the house shutting off lights in unused rooms, obviously readying himself for bed.

"She's stopping in New York City for some reason first and then flying out here, so probably not until 2 in the morning," Taylor replies.

"Well, we'll have to say hello to her in the morning then," Andrea comments, pulling down window shades. "I'm just about ready to go to sleep now."

Taylor shakily stands up from her couch.

"Is Josh coming?" Austin asks nonchalantly, not even looking up from his cell phone.

Tell them. Tell them before they all go to bed. Just say it.

"They actually broke up," Taylor says. She sounds breathless when she speaks, her body somehow forgetting to rhythmically inhale and exhale.

"What?" Austin asks, sounding incredibly surprised. Taylor's answer gets him to look up from the screen he had been captivated by.

Even Taylor's mother stops what she is doing. "Uh oh, I hope she's doing alright," Andrea says, sounding sympathetic.

"She is, she broke up with him," Taylor replies. She broke up with him for me.

"She's so young, and so busy. These things happen," Andrea says, as Scott and Austin silently listen on.

All eyes are on Taylor now, as her family waits for more details about the sunshiney girl who they met and fell in love with weeks ago.

"She's happier now," Taylor replies. Her mouth is dry, her heart pounding so hard she can feel each beat throughout her entire body. Tell them. Tell them you're dating Karlie. She'll be here in a couple of hours, you need to tell them.

"Well that's good to hear. As long as she's happy," Scott replies.

"Josh is a nice guy, but I can't say I'm too surprised. They were such an odd couple," Austin adds. Austin had shared his thoughts about Josh and Karlie when they had all been in Rhode Island together last.