Does It Feel Alright To Not Know Me?

2

AN: Here's part two, also just a heads up, there is going to be a lot of time jumps between the chapters early on just until we reach as specific year I have in mind where they'll reconnect, and the time jumps will be minuscule after that so just be aware of that. Once again, I apologize for any spelling or grammar mistakes 

January 2008

Theodore Michael Swift come out into the world with a ferocious scream on the 20th of January 2008. Taylor is alone in her hospital room in Nashville General Hospital, and she cries right along her son. She has a son. She's barely 19 and she already has a son who is depending on her.

"Are you sure there is no one I can call for you Taylor?" Dr. Madeline, her gynecologist, who's been more like a mother to her throughout this pregnancy asks again as she hands Theodore over to his mom

"Hi Theo, hi ducky. It's mommy, I love you so much" she whispers to the baby boy that's now being held by her and she shakes her head to answer Madeline's question. There is only one person she wants here, and he doesn't want to be here.

"Taylor, you just gave birth, you should really have someone to help you for the next few days if not weeks" Dr. Madeline sighed. She has been worried about Taylor ever since she'd met her a few months ago and learned that she's going through this pregnancy alone and by choice, no family and no significant other. She refused to talk about the father, the only information she would give was related to any questions related to the genetics of the father and whether he had any health issues that might be passed down to his son, which told Madeline that Taylor knew who the father was, he just wasn't involved.

"Abigail will help me" Taylor said.

"Abigail?" Dr. Madeline questioned

"I've met her through the group you recommended" Taylor replied as Theodore turned his head and started rubbing it against her breasts, the nurse the was standing next to her and checking her vitals quickly helped her move the hospital gown and showed her how to get him to latch. She turned towards Dr. Madeline when Theo finally latched on "We became friends and then roommates two months ago, we'll help each other out. She has Penny and I have Theo and we'll make it work"

The group Taylor was talking about was a group that met in one of the hospital meetings rooms every week. It was organized by the obstetrics department and was aimed at helping single mothers. Dr. Madeline recommended it after knowing about Taylor's situation. Taylor met Abigail there. She was the only one who was her age, the rest of the women there were in their late twenties and early thirties. They bonded immediately, Taylor found out that Abigail already had a daughter, Penelope who was 2 years old, she had he as a teenager after a drunken mistake at a party while in high school. The boy she slept with denied any responsibility. Abigail's parents help as much as they could, but Abigail had to eventually move away from home to go to college after she was accepted in Vanderbilt, and she couldn't leave Penny behind with her parents. Abigail was juggling going to school, working part-time and taking care of Penny, so moving into an apartment with Taylor was beneficial for both of them. Taylor would have a support system to help with Theo while she worked part-time at a diner and trying to make to as many open-mics as possible and score a record deal and she could do the same for Abigail when she was busy at her job or at school.

"Why wasn't she here today?" Dr. Madeline asked.

"Penny isn't feeling well, she's driving down to Memphis to drop her off at her grandparents for a few days. She'll pick me up tomorrow, she didn't want to risk Theo getting sick with whatever Penny has" Taylor answered.

Dr. Madeline nodded as she finished up with Taylor. Soon enough Taylor was alone with Theo in the room. He had finished feeding and she was now just holding him and looking at him. She still couldn't believe that that was her baby. She had a baby. He had her nose and his hair, what little he had on top of his head, looked to be blonde and she was thankful for all of twenty minutes that there weren't any traces of Travis that she could pick up in him until he opened his eyes and those gorgeous green eyes looked back at her. she held back her tears and smiled down at her soon "Hi Theo" she whispered "I love you so much, you have no idea" she leaned down and kissed his forehead "you have your daddy's eyes and they're so pretty ducky. I wish he was here and that he could meet you, I'm sure he would've fallen in love with you as soon as he laid his eyes on you" she choked back a sob "I'm sorry he isn't here but I'll be there for you every step of the way, ok? I'll love you enough for both of us" she whispered as she kissed his forehead again.