The morning light filtered softly through the curtains, casting a gentle glow over the room where Taylor laid in bed, her body feeling heavy and worn out. She blinked slowly, trying to shake off the fog of sleep and the lingering discomfort from the feeding tube that extended down her throat, keeping her nourished as she battled her conditions.
The events of the previous night replayed in her mind like a relentless loop. Against doctor's orders and Travis's pleading, she had snuck out to attend his game. The adrenaline rush of cheering for him from the stands had momentarily eclipsed the reality of her fragile health.
Now, as she lay there, every part of her body seemed to protest against her actions. Exhaustion seeped into her bones, and pain gnawed at her abdomen where the feeding tube irritated her sensitive stomach.
Travis entered the room quietly, his expression a mix of concern and weariness. "Hey," he said softly, approaching her bedside.
Taylor managed a weak smile, though guilt weighed heavily upon her. "Hey," she greeted hoarsely, her voice strained from the strain of recent events.
Travis sat down beside her, taking her hand gently in his. "You scared me last night, Taylor," he admitted, his voice laced with worry. "I understand why you did it, but you can't keep pushing yourself like this."
Tears welled up in Taylor's eyes as she looked at him, the weight of her decisions crashing down upon her. "I'm sorry, Travis. I just... I needed to be there for you. I needed to feel like myself again, even if it was just for a little while."
Travis squeezed her hand gently, his gaze full of understanding. "I know, Tay. But you have to think about the babies and your own health. We can't afford to take risks like this."
Taylor nodded, her throat tightening with emotion. "I know, I know. I messed up."
"Also Ophelia told me everything why would you say that?.... You know she wants you safe just as much as I do babe I love you but you literally told her you would ground her if she didn't let you leave." Travis brought up what she told her daughter and that just made the feeling of guilt for Taylor even more worse than how she felt.
"I'm sorry I knew she was gonna tell you and I thought I could by pass the system and go unnoticed but well that backfired thanks to your teammate. I wasn't thinking straight ok I'm sorry." She said starting to hyperventilate and cry even harder.
Travis leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead wiping her tears away from her eyes. "We'll get through this, okay? Together."
As the day progressed, Taylor's discomfort only grew worse. So Travis took matters into his own hands and took her to the hospital. The doctors, upon learning of her unauthorized outing, were firm in their response. "Taylor, you've put yourself and your babies at risk," Dr. Ramirez explained sternly. "We need to take extra precautions now."
Taylor nodded solemnly, her gaze fixed on her lap. "What do we need to do?"
"We're putting you on hospital bed rest we'll keep you here until the babies are ready to be born." Dr Ramirez explained with no way for Taylor to argue against her.
Dr. Ramirez outlined the new measures: stricter bed rest, increased monitoring, and closer observation of both Taylor and the triplets. The reality of her condition sank in deeper as she listened, her heart heavy with guilt and regret.
Back in their room that evening, Travis helped Taylor settle into bed, adjusting the pillows around her to ease her discomfort. She winced as she shifted, the feeding tube a constant reminder of her limitations.
"I'm sorry, Travis," Taylor whispered, her voice filled with anguish. "I didn't mean to put us all in danger."
Travis shook his head, sitting down beside her and taking her hand in his. "You don't need to apologize, Taylor. We'll get through this. We just have to focus on what's ahead."
Taylor closed her eyes, tears slipping down her cheeks. "I love you, Travis."
"I love you too, Taylor," he murmured, his voice a soothing presence in the midst of her turmoil.
As the night deepened around them, Taylor drifted into a restless sleep, her dreams haunted by visions of what could have gone wrong. But through the darkness, she clung to Travis's promise to stand by her, to guide her through the challenges ahead. And with each heartbeat monitored, each breath taken with the aid of the feeding tube, she found a renewed strength to face the reality of her condition and the impending arrival of their triplets.
The next morning
Ophelia had come in with Andrea and when Andrea heard of why and how Taylor ended up on hospice bed rest she blew up and explained her opinion of how wrong she was for putting herself into that kind of danger let alone 'the baby' (she still doesn't know there having triplets).
