The Alchemy [Taia (happy) AU]

Part 2

y'all it's Sunday innit

🥰🥰🥰

———

Taylor was back in New York between shows and Blake had invited her over. She was hosting a big dinner, claiming she needed some time with all of her girlfriends, without the husbands or the boyfriends.

She needed the distraction, for sure. Besides, it wasn't like there was anything or anyone to occupy her time. Maybe that was exactly why she needed the distraction, anyway.

She didn't even get out of bed until one in the afternoon. In her defence, though, she didn't make it back home until around three in the morning and didn't sleep until four. She was hauled up in that studio room with Jack almost all night trying to finish up that new song. It was taking everything in her to do so but she knew once it was done, it was going to be cathartic.

She made sure her cats were all fed and taken care of while brewing herself a cup of coffee and opening her fridge to see what she could make herself for lunch when her phone started ringing.

She knew it was Blake before even reading the contact name.

"Morning, sunshine! You better not bail on me tonight," Blake greeted her. Taylor could hear the loud New York traffic in the background, along with her kids screaming excitedly. "Hey, I'm on the phone, kiddos. And stop distracting your dad. We all wanna get home in one piece, right?"

"Sounds like you got your hands full right now," Taylor chuckled, pulling out a few vegetables from the bottom drawer and laying them out on the counter.

"Nah. We just picked the kids up from school. They're excited. You're still coming over tonight, right?" Blake asked and Taylor hummed in response as she grabbed the cutting board and a knife.

"Yeah, god, I need a night out. I need—" She cut herself off, squeezing a cherry tomato in her fingers a little too tightly. "I just need to get my mind off things."

She winced when she got tomato juice all over her hand.

"How are you doing, babe?" Blake asked, her voice gentler.

"I'm great! Why wouldn't I be great?" Taylor replied before going back to chopping her veggies. A little too aggressively. "I can handle my shit."

"I know you can, but it's fine if you're not great right now, too," Blake told her.

"Right. But I am! Anyway, do you need to bring anything with me? Some wine or dessert?" Taylor asked instead, changing the subject.

"Just your beautiful face!"

After they hung up, Taylor decided to bake some muffins anyway once she was done making her lunch. Then, she went upstairs to shower and get ready. She picked out her best dress, made sure not a single curl was out of place, and picked out her favourite purse to carry. Then she sat down in front of her vanity and started with her makeup, going all out, because if she looked her best, then maybe she might feel at her best. That's how it worked, right?

Fake it till you make it.

That's what they all said.

It was easier said than done though.

She rummaged through her makeup bag for the mascara but couldn't find it anywhere.

"Fucking hell, where is it?" she muttered under her breath, looking everywhere in front of that mirror. She got up to look in the bathroom as well, figuring it must have been in some drawer. That, or she had forgotten it at her hotel the previous weekend.