Love's Charade

twenty nine - travis

We landed in Reading shortly after four on Friday afternoon, and Taylor couldn't stop fidgeting the whole time that I drove us to her Mom's house. She tapped her leg, biting her lip and twisting her hands together in her lap. I kept glancing over at her but didn't speak, knowing she was deep in thought. 

I knew she was stressed about introducing me to her parents and telling them she was pregnant at the same time. Honestly, I was a little stressed as well. It would come as such a shock to them since it would seem so quick, but Taylor had assured me that they were amazing people and wouldn't be angry about it. Even so, she was very visibly nervous, which made me nervous as well.

"Hey." I reached over and took up her hand when I parked the car where the GPS told me to. "Don't worry about this sweet girl. I'm sure they'll be so happy when we tell them. You're making them grandparents, remember? They're going to be so supportive."

"Yeah, right." Taylor's throat bobbed as she swallowed, nodding along even though her worried expression didn't change. "Or maybe we don't have to tell them that I'm pregnant this time." Her eyes flickered over to meet mine. "Maybe we just keep this weekend as a meet-the-boyfriend thing and tell them about the babies next time we come to see them."

"Didn't you say that your Mom knew you better than anyone else in your life?" I asked, gently reminding her that she couldn't keep secrets from her mother no matter how hard she tried. Taylor sighed with a grudging nod, realizing that I was right. "It'll be okay." I assured her. "I'll be right here with you okay?"

"Kay, let's do it." She said with a false sense of confidence and a forced smile. I leaned over, guiding her into a slow, lingering kiss until she relaxed against me. "Mhmm." Taylor sighed when I pulled back. "Okay. I'm ready."

"I love you." I whispered.

"I love you too." She squeezed my hand.

I walked around to help Taylor out of the car, and I couldn't resist dipping down to press a kiss to the tattoo behind her ear as I locked the car. She smiled adorably up at me when I shifted back, linking her hand with mine as we walked up the path to the front door. Taylor squeezed my hand again, smiling nervously before reaching up and knocking lightly. Footsteps sounded down towards us after a moment, and then the door opened to reveal an older woman with pale blonde hair who's face immediately broke out in a kind smile at the sight of her daughter.

"Taylor, honey, hi!" She pulled Taylor into a tight hug, holding her daughter close with a sigh of relief. Taylor let go of my hand, wrapping her arms tightly around her mother. "Oh we missed you so much. I'm so glad you've come home to see us."

"Mom." Taylor mumbled, sounding a little embarrassed, but still, she was smiling. "Mom." She pulled back and glanced over at me. "This is Travis."

"Travis." Andrea let go of Taylor and took up both of my hands, smiling warmly at me.

"It's nice to finally meet you Miss Swift." I told her, knowing that Taylor was watching us.

"Please, you call me Andrea." Taylor's mother smiled wider at me. "It's so lovely to finally be able to put a face to the name I've heard from Taylor so many times." She squeezed my hands. "Thank you for making my little girl so incredibly happy. I know you two have had your problems, but she has never smiled more than the amount she smiles when she talks about you." I smiled, glancing over at my girlfriend. She blushed as she watched us, hiding a smile behind her hand as she chewed on her nails. "Well come in, come in." Andrea ushered us into the house.

We walked inside, and Taylor looped her arm through mine, giving me an encouraging nod as we followed her Mom down the front hallway. She led us down to the living room where Taylor's Dad was sitting on the couch, and he got up, putting his book down at the sight of us coming in. I saw his eyes quickly look me up and down before he smiled, moving forwards to shake my hand.