If He Wanted to, He Would

Surprise Visit

"No fucking way you're here right now" Taylor screeched in joy, flinging herself into the arms of her 6'4" football player the moment she got off stage. "I can't believe this!"

"Well you better believe it!" Travis said, wrapping his arms around her torso and turning them in a circle, both clutching onto each other like they hadn't seen one another in months.

 It had only been a 72 hour absence but that didn't matter, Taylor had missed him terribly. Travis had flown back to the US to attend a friend's wedding and while he was only supposed to be gone for 4 days, the prospect of being separated had felt unbearable to Taylor. She had been counting down the hours till his return since he'd left 3 days earlier. They were used to being separated for days to weeks on end but the football off season and her tour break had given them so much time together that she had become accustomed to being with Travis all the time. Now any amount of separation was uncharacteristically painful. Maybe the knowledge that he would be tied up in training camp soon was making her anxious and exacerbating her disdain for separation. Activating the abandonment issues she'd developed over the years. Probably. 

Taylor had been in tears as they got ready for bed the night before he left. He had done is best to comfort her but there wasn't much he could do. He'd been sad too, already missing her. She had laid awake all night, watching him breathe, feeling the heat and weight of his body against hers. Trying to memorize the feeling incase it would be the last time he'd visit her on tour. It could've even been the last time they slept side-by-side. Logically, Taylor knew that was extremely unlikely and that he would be back in four short days but fear had been bubbling up inside her. Fear that he wouldn't board the flight back to her. Fear that he'd never visit again. Fear that he'd end it all. Maybe he'd get bored of watching her onstage, of sitting in the hotel rooms all day, of endless plane rides, time zones, and visiting cities they never got to see. Here he was though, a whole day early. 

"I couldn't believe it when I saw you in the tent. " Taylor told him once he's stopped the spinning and pulled away a little bit so they can see each other's faces. The joy that had rushed over her when they locked eyes mid-song felt like a scene from one of those romantic movies she loves so much. As if they had been apart for months and he had just surprised her and they would walk off into the sunset together and live happily ever after. 

"Your face was priceless, my love." he replied, and her expression was. She'd gone from concentrating on the lyrics and dancing to childlike excitement. 

"I missed you, thank you for coming out again. I know it's a long way;" she said. It is a long flight and the time change is rough as well. Taylor knows it's a lot of ask someone to spend hours on a plane so frequently. Even if the plane is a private jet, it's still annoying to be in the air for 10 hour increments multiple times a week. Joe had made it pretty clear how much of a nuisance the travel was for him. If Taylor's being honest with herself the only reason they lasted so long was the complete cessation of travel caused by the pandemic. 

"It doesn't feel long when I know I get to see you. Any time I have a break, I will come and see you" he promised. "In fact, I think I have a couple days between mini camp and actual training camp so I'll probably fly out for those days as well."

 Taylor smiles and nods eagerly, interlacing her hand with his so the pair can walk through the backstage area and towards the car. Travis is big on promising and making plans, but unlike Joe, his materialize quickly.

"I'll hold you to that" she says a moment later. "And I'll do the same for you."