An Unlikely Pair

14| talking cradles

——third person—
~Six months ago~

Taylor had planned a date with Joe as an early birthday dinner for just them.
She was going through her closet trying to find a specific pair of shoes and stumbles across an old box.

She sits on the floor completely and opens it up with it between her legs

It was onesies.

Pacifiers.

Pregnancy tests.

Ultrasounds.

Her cradle.

It was her pregnancy box.
It just seems like she's in a daze
Not able to look at anything other than what's in the box, and she doesn't really want too.

——-first person🎀——-
—-6 months ago still—-

I stare at the items in the box

Frozen.

I hold up a onesie rubbing the fabric

I put my head back holding it to my chest, trying to not let the inevitable tears fall from my eyes

"Taylor?" I hear Joe call out

But I can't move.
I can't turn my head
I'm only able to weep

He comes into my closet and sees the box of memorabilia, and the onesie in my lap with my head in my palms

He just stands there, staring at me in my most vulnerable state.
Just acting as if he's never seen me cry.

I can't get any audible words out
I'm only able to sob, and sob

After what feels like years he finally kneels down, trying to take the onesie out of my lap

"Taylor it's time to just let it go, you gave her to Ryan and Scarlett. You see her too often, you don't have anything to be sad over." He spits out, coated with annoyance, and egotistical machiavellian

I grasp onto it pulling it away, lifting my head and staring at him

He's never said anything about Annabelle in the sense before

"Get out." I say staring into the eyes I once saw my future in

"What?" he asks,not breaking the eye contact

"I said get out Joe. I will not let you just watch me break down and tell me about being sad. You don't get to tell me about sad Joe. And you sure don't fucking get to tell me how to feel about my daughter." I say
"You don't get to tell me how to feel about her okay Joe?? You can't just expect me to be randomly over it when I wake up one day! You can't expect me to not feel regret, and guilt, when it comes to Annabelle!" I get out between sobs and stand up pushing him, and slapping his chest, to the door

"Taylor." He says in a completely calm and quiet voice

"No!!" I scream out trying to push him into the hall

He gets ahold of my wrist and holds them in one hand wrapping the other around me, holding me to his chest

I just completely break down

Why does it have to be so complicated?
Why can't Joe just understand that he can't read my mind.
Why can't I just tell belle.

There's so many whys and not enough answers.

——-present day——-
-—-third person——

Taylor had left belley with Blake and Ryan for the weekend and went to the airport getting on her plane

She steps on and sees Travis, and she just beelines for him

She climbs into his lap wrapping her arms around him,trying to get as close as possible to him

"You okay tay?" He asks gently, while holding her

She just holds on tighter and completely deadweights herself

———first person 🎀——-

I stay still in his arms, not moving an inch for what feels like an hour, when in reality it was only twenty minutes

"Hi" I eventually mutter after staying silent

"Hi baby" he said quietly while rubbing my back with his fingertips underneath my shirt

I rest against him, with my hand rubbing the back of his head slowly

"I missed you" I say in a whisper even though it's only me and him

"I missed you more sweetheart" he said in whisper, matching my tone

I smile against his neck, feeling my eyelids get heavier and my breath slowing down

"I want to talk to you but I need sleep" I mumble into his neck

"We have all day sweetie, you take a nap alright?" He says repositioning me in his lap

That's all I need to hear before falling asleep in his arms

He brings me so so much peace

———-
Guys.
Ttpd was actually perfection
I 🩷 clara bow, I can do it with a broken heart, I can fix him no really I can, and JUST AHH ITS SO SO SO SO SO GOOD

-edit-
I had to add the name of the chapter bc I literally forgot 😔