Tayvis: Twists of Fate

Chapter - 27 : A good day (not so)

Donna walked into Travis's room and found him crying, his face buried in his hands. Her heart ached to see her son like this. She rushed to him, sitting beside him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"What happened, Travis? Why are you like this?" she asked softly.

Travis wiped his eyes and took a deep breath. "Taylor called me to a restaurant yesterday," he began, his voice trembling. "She introduced me to her fiancé. I thought... I thought maybe she had feelings for me."

Donna's eyes widened in surprise. She had also thought Taylor had feelings for Travis. She knew how much her son cared for her. "Oh, Travis. I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?" she offered.

Travis shook his head. "No, ma. I'll be leaving for the NFL soon. It will help me clear my head and move on. I'll be okay. Don't disturb Taylor. She deserves to be happy."

Donna, however, was determined to help Travis. She picked up her phone and called Taylor. On the other end, Taylor's heart raced when she saw Donna's name on the screen. She quickly answered.

"Donna, what happened? Is Travis okay?" Taylor asked, her voice full of concern.

Donna's tone was gentle but firm. "Taylor, I wanted to invite you and your fiancé for lunch before Travis leaves for his NFL preparations. It would mean a lot to us. We won't have many chances to get together once Travis starts his games and you move in with your fiancé. Please, don't say no."

Taylor hesitated, her mind racing. She didn't want to hurt Travis or Donna, but she had to keep up the facade for now. "Okay, Donna. We'll be there," she agreed reluctantly.

After hanging up, Taylor felt a knot in her stomach. She had no choice but to call Shawn. She dialed his number, dreading the conversation.

When Shawn answered, she spoke firmly, "Listen, Shawn. I don't want you to misbehave again with me. Just come to this place on the day I tell you. You don't need to pick me up or drop me off. I can handle myself. If you don't keep your hands to yourself, you'll be very sorry about it." She cut the call, not waiting for his response.

The day before Travis was set to leave, Taylor dressed carefully, trying to mask her anxiety. She arrived at Donna's house, her heart heavy. Shawn met her at the door, his expression smug, but Taylor shot him a warning look.

"Remember what I said," she whispered sharply as they walked in together.

Inside, Donna greeted them warmly. "Welcome, Taylor. And you must be Shawn. Thank you both for coming," she said, leading them to the dining room.

Travis was already seated, his expression a mixture of sadness and resignation. He stood up when Taylor and Shawn entered. "Hi, Taylor. Shawn," he said, forcing a smile.

Taylor's heart ached seeing him like this. She hated lying to him, but she felt trapped by her own decision. They sat down to eat, the atmosphere heavy with unspoken emotions.

As they ate, Donna tried to keep the conversation light. "So, Shawn, tell us about yourself," she prompted.

Shawn leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips. "Well, I've been in business for a while now. I met Taylor through Joe, and we've gotten closer since then," he said, his eyes lingering on Taylor.

Travis clenched his jaw, his knuckles turning white as he gripped his fork. Taylor could see the pain in his eyes and felt a pang of guilt. She wanted to reach out to him, to tell him the truth, but she knew it would only make things worse.

As the lunch continued, Taylor's phone buzzed with a message from Tree. *Everything okay? Need backup?*

Taylor discreetly replied, *No, I'm okay. Just need to get through this.*

After lunch, Donna invited them to the living room for coffee. Taylor took a deep breath and followed, feeling the weight of the charade pressing down on her. Shawn's hand found its way to her lower back, and she subtly shifted away.

Finally, it was time to leave. Taylor stood up, forcing a smile. "Thank you for having us, Donna. We should get going."

Donna hugged her tightly. "Take care, Taylor. And you too, Shawn. Look after her," she said, her eyes lingering on Travis, who stood a few steps away, his expression unreadable.

Taylor and Shawn walked to the door. She could feel Travis's eyes on her, and it took all her strength not to turn around. Once outside, she exhaled deeply, feeling the tension ease slightly.

"That went well," Shawn said smugly.

Taylor glared at him. "Just remember what I said," she replied icily before getting into her car.

As she drove away, she couldn't help but glance in the rearview mirror, seeing Donna and Travis standing at the doorway. She felt tears welling up but blinked them away, focusing on the road ahead. She had made her choice, and now she had to live with it, no matter how much it hurt.