hits different - Taylor Swift and Travis kelce

elena and jacob

-Taylors Pov-

We are finalizing the details of the house before the social worker comes to drop off the siblings, we are taking in. The oldest is Jacob, who is ten, and Elena is his little sister, who is nine. So they are almost middle school-aged kids and therefore harder to place. Most people want babies or toddlers, not the older kids, but we figured that we would give someone harder to place a home. To show them that they don't have to be hard to place anymore.

Maddie and Avery are in the park with Hannah so we can greet Elena and Jacob on our own, even though they have been told two-year-old twins are living here as well. I can't imagine what they are feeling right now, being put in a car and driven to yet another place that will take them in. but we don't intend on being a station along their road, we intend to be the destination. I want them to feel welcome here like we can be their family.

"stop pacing Taylor. everything is perfect. No need to pace around" Travis stops my pacing by placing his hands on my shoulders and I take a deep breath. "what if they don't like us, Travis? What if we are terrible parents to them?"

"we are good parents to the twins and that won't change with Jacob and Elena. And we can't force them to like us, but we can work on that. it will take time beautiful; these things take time. it will take time for them to trust us and to accept us" he caresses my face and presses his lips against mine like a soft flutter.

"I know. I just want everything to be perfect" I grumble just as the front doorbell rings. They are here. they are really here.

Hand in hand we head over to the door and open it. there stands the social worker with a long brown-haired girl and a short-haired boy. Elena and Jacob. "hello, welcome to our home" I smile at them and step aside so the three of them can come through the door.

"It's like a palace" the boy mutters in awe as he looks around while the girl is quiet and looking at the floor. They both have a bag with them, slung over their shoulders. But it breaks my heart when it's a trash bag, not a real bag. No one has bothered to get them a simple bag. No, they stuff all their things in trash bags.

The kids have been in care on and off since they were babies, but permanently for the last five years, so everything they own is reduced to that bag. It's sad to think that their whole life is just stuffed in a trash bag like it doesn't matter. but I can't let this get to me now, they are here, and we are going to take care of them properly now.

"I'm Taylor and this is Travis. It's so good to meet you. we have been waiting for you to come join us" I continue to smile what I hope is a reassuring smile at them.

"here is the last of the paperwork you will need. And I just need your signature to say you have been handed temporary custody of the kids" the social worker that we haven't met before, but is apparently called Charlotte Hammer, says. She is pretty standoffish, but I won't comment on that to her obviously. She just seems more interested in getting the kids out of her hands than making sure they are welcomed. I like our case worker Ginny better, but I guess you can't like everyone either.

Travis and I both sign the papers and that's that. they are in our care now. "if there aren't any questions I need to be on my way. I have more appointments today" Charlotte says, and I force a smile at her, so she isn't even going to make sure they are settled? "that's fine. we have it handled. Have a nice day." With that, she leaves and leaves us with the kids.

Turning to them I smile "So this might be a little terrifying for you guys, a new home and not knowing where anything is. But we will get through this together" I say.

"let us show you around the house maybe? And take your things up to your rooms?" Travis says and the boy nods. "okay"

We show them around the property, all the rooms so they don't have to wonder what's behind a door. Nothing is really off-limits to them; we don't want that kind of household when nothing is off-limits to the twins either. They are free to go wherever they want. No dungeons of dark arts here.

"This is the kitchen where there are plenty of snacks ready to go. You can always take anything from the drawer in the fridge, there is plenty of fruit, cheese, and other things there. And then there are other snacks in baskets in the pantry to eat, but maybe not just before a meal. We like to eat at that table together as a family as much as we can" Travis explains as we move through the kitchen and show them where everything is.

Many kids in their situation have food issues in terms that they might hoarding food because they aren't used to getting any, so it's important to have "yes" areas where there is always something for them to eat if they get hungry during the day or night. The only thing we don't want them in all the time is the candy bins, but we told them that and that it's for the weekends. That's the rule for the twins so it's the rule for them. We don't want to do things differently for them just because they came from a different place, they are going to be part of this family just like the rest of us.

Next, we head upstairs to the bedrooms, and I show them where ours is, as well as the twins "They are still in cribs so if you hear yelling from a shrieking two-year-old that's Maddie who doesn't want to be confined anymore" I tell them. Maddie isn't a fan of her crib, but it's the best option for now because I know that girl would be all over the place I we transitioned her to a toddler bed right now. We are considering it though, maybe in a few months.

"This is your room Jacob" Travis says as he walks into the green room "It's green" he grins "That's my favorite."

"We were told, so we had to paint it for you. and if you want any changes or decorations just tell us and we will make it happen. This is going to be your room and we want it to be just the way you like it. we made it basic for now, so you had a blank canvas to start with" We want them to be able to decorate the way they want when they are ready for that.

"how about I help you unpack, and Taylor go show Elena her room?" Travis suggests and we agree so I head across the hall with Elena. Her room is identical except that she has soft pink walls instead of Jacobs green walls. "we heard you like pink, so I got some pink paint and bedding for you. but if you don't like it just tell me and we will fix it"

She is shy, that I can already tell. "thank you" she looks up for the first time, meeting my gaze for a brief second before looking around the room and taking it in. It can't be easy being nine and having moved around as much as she has, thankfully she has had her brother through it all, but it's probably been really hard anyway.

"do you want some help unpacking your bag? I could help you" I ask, and she reluctantly nods. "sure"

Together we make piles of the clothes she has, and I take note of the sizes, some are too small for her, and I make a mental note to take both kids shopping later this week. They need clothes that fit, especially now in these cold times. We didn't know what to get for them clothing-wise, so we didn't buy any yet, figuring that the kids might want to go with us to do that.

"we will go shopping later this week for some more clothes for you. some of these look way too small for you honey" I tell her, and she tenses up "That's not necessary, I'm fine. You don't need to use money on me. I'm fine" she says ever so softly that I can barely hear her.

"it is necessary, we want you to be warm and have clothes that fit. Money isn't an issue, you don't have to worry about that" I tell her, and I'm tempted to run a hand along her back, but I think better of it, she seems tense, and I don't want to make it worse.

But money will never be an issue again in their lives. Not that money can buy happiness or anything, but it can buy them what they need, and I intend to do just that. they will never go without again. Their lives are going to be turned upside down now, I just hope we can guide them through it because being our kids isn't a walk in the park with the media and such. I'm going to do what I can to protect them but it's only so much I can do to keep them away from that part of our lives. I just hope that we can figure it out together. all of us.