The Seven Husbands of Taylor Swift

2

TAYLOR SWIFT
I pace on the plush rug in my living room, my mind racing. I just sent Alice that email, my heart pounding in my chest. It's a gamble, a huge one. She's the only one who could capture the raw, vulnerable side of me that I desperately want to potentially share with the world. But I can't just ask her to write my autobiography. She'd probably laugh in my face.

I need her to feel like she's doing me a favor, like she's the one in control. The article is just a decoy, a way to reel her in. Once she's hooked, I can slowly reveal my true intentions.

I know it's manipulative, but I'm desperate. I glance at the photo of Alice on my computer. She's sitting at her old, chipped desk, looking lost and yet determined. There's a strength in her eyes that captivates me.

I just have to hope she says yes.

Travis watches me pace, a nervous tic I've developed over the years. He knows it's a sign of deep-seated anxiety, something I often bottle up. Finally, he decides to intervene.

"Can you stop pacing so I can talk to you for a minute?" he asks, his voice gentle.

I stop, but only briefly. "You can pace with me," I reply, my voice a little strained.

Travis chuckles. "Not with these knees I'm not," he says, referring to his arthritis and old football injuries.

"I'm just walking back and forth!" I protest, a bit defensively.

"Yeah, but I have arthritis and football injuries. We're almost 60, you know!" he reminds me.

"Shut up!" I say in mock frustration, not wanting to be reminded of my age.

Travis chuckles and steps in front of me, gently grabbing my shoulders. "Just stop pacing," he says. "What's got you all worried?"

I sigh, my anxiety evident. "Alice hasn't responded. What if she doesn't respond? What if she thinks it's a scam? Oh my god, she's never going to respond."

"Hey, it's okay. She's probably just busy. Maybe her phone's dead. Let's give it a little more time," he says, his voice soothing. "I'm sure she'll respond soon."

Travis knows I'm a bit of a worrier, but this is even more intense than usual. He decides to try a different approach. "Look, I know you're nervous, but this is a big deal. If she does say yes, it could be a real game-changer for you."

I look up at him, my eyes filled with hope. "You think so?" I ask.

Travis nods. "I do. And even if she doesn't, it's still a great opportunity to connect with someone who might be able to help you. Just be yourself. She'll appreciate that more than anything."

"I'll just wait a little longer," I mutter to myself as I sit down on the couch, trying to calm my racing heart.

"How about we talk about the autobiography a bit? You haven't told me much about what you want to do. Are you going to talk about your past relationships?" Travis asks, his voice laced with a hint of concern.

"Travis, you know you're the one for me," I answer, trying to avoid the question.

"That didn't answer my question!" he chuckles lightly, trying to lighten the mood.

"Of course I'm going to talk about it, Travis. Being married seven times isn't something that happens a lot!" I chuckle, trying to downplay the significance.

"I just don't know how comfortable I am with you telling the world about your relationships," Travis says, his voice growing more serious.

"I'm just giving the world what they've been wanting. An explanation. But you get to be on there, and the cool part is you're the best one of all of them, so I get to brag about how awesome you are," I explain, trying to reassure him.