You're On Your Own Kid

Peace

1/10/23

[Taylor's pov]

After driving for what felt like forever, we made it to the hotel. Just like I had thought, Ette was knocked out in the back, which is good. It means we are going to be able to stay up and hang out later than usual. 

"Honey, wake up. We're here." I whisper as I shake the sleeping girl. Rubbing her eyes she looks around and, gaining her bearings before reaching out for me to pick her up. It may seem like something small, something all parents see everyday, something they see as annoying, having to hold their kid while trying to bring their bags up to their room, another thing they need to do for their kid. But to me, it's everything, this sweet little girl wanting ME to hold her tight and walk her up to her room, that takes trust, especially for someone like her, who has been through so much.

"Can we get chicken tenders Taylor?" She whispers while hiding her face in the crook of my neck. I chuckle and nod while grabbing Willow's bar and heading inside the hotel, I've been to this hotel many times in the past, they are usually very good with discretion and keeping my nights private. I get the same room every time, room 213, yes because of the 13 but it makes it easiest for me to not get caught being out, private pool, small kitchen, great views and it just so happens to be right by the door they come out for room service. 

"Reservation for Brown." I say, walking up to the front desk.

"Uhhh let me look." The seemingly very confused girl at the front desk tells me while typing something on her computer. I assume the found the reservation notes when she says, "Ohhh! Yes ma'am I see your reservation now. Sarah, right?" She chuckles as she, looks up at me. 

"Yep, that's me, Sarah Brown." I also chuckle, looking at the confused girl in my arms, I kiss her forehead and look back at the young girl behind the counter.

"Great, you're in room 213, here is your key." She says, handing me a little paper envelope and sending me a big smile, trying her hardest not to ask for a picture or an autograph. I grab the envelope and leave her a tip before walking to the elevator, heading to our room. 

"Your name isn't Sarah." Ette says, very confused.

"No, my name isn't Sarah, and the girl at the desk knew that. It just says that so the people who have access to the reservations don't know I'm here, so they don't send the scary men, with the scary cameras here." I say while opening the door to our room and setting Ette down, flopping down on the bed.  

"Is it bedtime?" She looks at me, using her cute little blue eyes, begging me to say no, tell her she can stay up as long as she wants. Which just so happens to be exactly what I was planning on doing.

"Nope, we're gonna stay up, as late as you want. What do you say we change into our pjs, order some chicken tenders and ice cream, turn on a movie and have a girls night? How does that sound lovie?" I say, almost right on cue as the driver brings our bags into the room. I turn my head back to the little girl, who has the biggest smile I have ever seen on her face. She nods and makes her way to her bag, opening it and pulling her pjs out, then going to the bathroom to change. I go ahead and call up room service and order our food, chicken tenders with fries and mustard, which I think mustard is absolutely disgusting but it's what she wants, for some reason.  I order myself an Alfredo then hang up the phone grabbing my pjs out of my bag and going into the small closet in the room to change before Ette is done, it takes her a lot longer than normal to change when she doesn't have her leg on, having to hold herself up on one leg and not fall over. Once I get changed I walk back into the room, sitting on the bed and pulling out my phone.

"Can we watch Up?" Ette says after walking out of the bathroom. Every fiber of my being wants to say no, we have seen this movie about 80 times in the past week, it's a great movie, I will say that, but it gets to be too much once you've been able to memorize every bit of dialogue that is said. 

"Of course Lovie." I say turning on the tv and pulling up Disney+, right as I turn on the movie, room service shows up with our food. We grab our food and sit down back on the bed, Willow sitting on the floor with a bone and her favorite blanket, a blanket I have since been informed was stolen from a 6 month old at one of the girls old foster homes. 

"Thank you Taylor." She whispers and scoots closer to me. Placing her plate on her lap and resting her head on my arm. For the first time, I can feel her heart at a normal pace as she lets herself calm down, for the first time she isn't watching someone to make sure she doesn't need anything, for the first time she gets to be a kid, a 7 year old little girl, relaxing with the person she should trust most. She's just sitting here, watching a movie and eating her dinner, but it feels huge, a big step in the right direction. As I am getting lost in my own thoughts, I feel the tiny form next to me fall limp and I hear a soft snore. I look down and smile, watching her little chest rise and fall as she holds onto me, in her perfect little mind, there is nothing to worry about, she's just in a big comfy bed, asleep with her favorite person in the whole world. And for the first time in the past 10 days I finally feel at peace.

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A/N 

Tell me if im crazy, but I kinda want to make a separate story for social media posts, it might be silly. Let me know what y'all think.