taylor
ella: age 17
rylee: age 12
gavin: age 9
charlotte: age 4
nashville, tennessee
ik big jump, but i wanted to do it
we're all sitting around the table right now eating breakfast, which is rare because it's usually just the five of us because ella is usually getting ready or sleeping till the very last minute but travis dragged her down here.
"ella, i need you to pick up your siblings from school today." i say but she doesn't move she continues to be occupied by her phone. she has a new boyfriend now and as cute as they are, it's like she's glued to her phone when they are not together
"ella." i repeat
"what?" she almost snaps
"did you hear what i said?" i ask
"yeah pick up them from school." she mumbles
we finish up breakfast and i help the kids get their stuff together for school. ella drives herself but then usually travis or our driver takes the younger kids to school because we've realized it isn't safe for me to driving them around all the time. i do it sometimes but not everyday. it's one of the reasons we moved to nashville, it's so much safer. i'm actually able to look out my window of my own home now without being scared that my picture will be taken, or i can go to school events without having paparazzi waiting outside the doors.
charlotte stays back with me because she is too young to go to school with the older kids.
"mommy i don't want them to go." charlotte cries into me after they all leave
"i know baby." i say and rub her back. it's the same ritual every school morning
"why don't we get your paint set and you can paint while mommy works?" i offer "does that sound fun?" and i feel her little head nod against my chest.
i go grab her paint set and set it up in the kitchen where i decide i'm going to do my meeting from. in case she spills something, i don't want her in the office.
"k baby, can you be a little quiet while mommy is in a meeting?" i ask
"mhm!" she nods making me smile.
"ok you start and i'll be right back." i say and go grab my laptop and go back to the kitchen table and set up.
i start my meeting with my management team as charlotte paints happily next to me
"mommy." charlotte starts to hang on me after about 45 minutes into the meeting
i pick her up and sit her on my lap. my whole team lights up and says hi to charlotte.
"say hi baby." i say and charlotte waves making me smile
"tree!" she exclaims when she spots trees face on my screen
"hi char!" tree says
we finish the meeting and charlotte and i spend the rest of our day playing whatever she wants to.
i go into my music room and fiddle around while charlotte naps.
a little while later travis comes home.
travis had to swing by the offices for his clothing brand after he dropped off the kids and then when he comes home we have to get ready to go to an event at the country music hall of fame downtown. i'm performing at their event tonight which is exciting and is also the reason we can't pick up the kids from school.
travis and i go get ready. my stylist sent over my outfit and everything so now no one has to be in the house when they don't have to be.
travis finishes getting ready before me so he just sat on one of the chairs by the couch on his phone and waited for me and then we go downstairs once i'm done getting ready. i hear the doorbell ring as we get downstairs so i go over to the door and open it and see one of the moms from school that's one of rylees friends mom and then next to her is rylee and gavin.
"hi uh what's going on?" i ask confused
"i saw rylee and gavin waiting at pickup and when i was picking up chloe. they said that ella was picking them up but she didn't end up showing so i just thought i'd bring them home." she explains and i realize that ella must've forgotten to pick them up even after i told her. i'm honestly so embarrassed right now i don't even know what to say. i glance around them and see ella's range rover in the driveway meaning she's home which just infuriates me even more.
"oh my god, i'm so sorry. ella was supposed to pick them up. i'm so so sorry." i basically plead
"it's really okay. you're on my way home. please don't feel bad." she says
"ok well thank you for bringing them home i really appreciate it." we talk some more and then say goodbye and thank you again.
the second i close the front door my anger flows over
"ella majorie! get your ass down here!" i scream
"ooo someone is in trouble." rylee says
"be quiet." i state
"ella!" i scream again
"what do you want?" she answers full of attitude i see her come to the banister
"forgot something on the way home today?" i ask
"oh shit." she mumbles
"oh shit is right." i say
"mom. i'm hungry." gavin grabs my hand
"rylee, can you take your brother into the kitchen and get you guys a snack and send your dad in here." i say and rylee and gavin leave the room.
"didnt i say come down here?" i snap
"oh my god." ella groans and rolls her eyes like always. she walks down the staircase as travis comes around the corner
"what's with the yelling?" he asks
"your daughter forgot to pick up your other children from school and chloe's mom drove them home." i say. he knows who chloe is as she's one of rylees best friend. travis takes a deep sigh and looks at ella.
"dad, i forgot okay, i'm sorry. i didn't mean it." she says to travis. he's always believed ella is such a princess, he usually sees right past her and thinks she does no wrong
"it's okay ella. mistake happen, we just learn from them." he says and looks over at me and ella smirks right when travis turns away. i swear to god she knows exactly what she does.
"no travis. it's not okay." i argue "what if chloe's mom didnt see them?" i ask
"well thank god she did. it's all fine now. ella, you know not to do it again?" he asks
"yes." she nods
"ok well problem solved, no need to ruin our evening over a mistake." he says and kisses my head. "apologize to your mother." travis instructs
"i'm sorry mom, i really forgot." she says more sympathetically
"i don't want that to ever happen again when i ask you to pick your brother and sister up." i say sternly
"it won't." she says
"ok, go back upstairs." i sigh and she walks off
i lean into my husbands arms grateful for him and everything he does. if it wasn't for him i'd probably still be screaming at ella
