THE ESCAPE: TAYLOR X DAUGHTER

[ THREE ]

hazel's pov ౨ৎ

it was the next morning, i still felt weird about going back to school. but i wanted grandma, i wanted to see her. everything felt safer when she was around.

"mama, can we go to grandma's today?" i asked, trying to sound normal, but my chest still felt tight, like yesterday at school.

mama looked at me for a moment, like she was thinking real hard. "you really want to see grandma, huh?" she smiled, but there was a little bit of sadness in her eyes.

i nodded. "yeah, i just... miss her."

mama didn't argue or ask too many questions. she just said, "okay, we can go to grandma's. let's get your stuff."

so, after breakfast, we drove to grandma's house. mama stayed for a bit, talking to her, but then she said she had some things to do at home. she kissed me on the forehead before she left, telling me she'd pick me up later. i didn't mind. i liked spending time with grandma. it made me feel better.

taylor's pov ౨ৎ

leaving hazel at my mom's gave me the time i needed. i had been thinking about it for days now, her room needed to change. everything in there was still the same as it had been when joe was around. and every time hazel stepped in there, i could see it in her face, she didn't feel safe.

i drove home, my mind already racing with ideas. i didn't have much time, but i could do enough today to make a difference. hazel deserved to have a space that was hers, somewhere she felt happy. somewhere that didn't remind her of... him.

i started by clearing out the old pictures. the ones of joe, hazel, and i. i replaced them with pictures of just hazel and i, her playing at the beach, holding her guitar, laughing in the backyard. i hoped those memories would fill the space, not the ones tied to joe.

next, i ordered a new bed. one with led lights that i knew she'd love. it was soft and cozy, and i picked out bedding in her favorite color, pink. while i waited for it to arrive, i got to work on the walls. i had picked out a baby pink paint, i spent hours painting, covering up the old, darker color with something lighter, more hopeful.

i hung up fairy lights, added a fluffy rug, and arranged some new stuffed animals on the bed. i swapped out the old curtains for lighter ones, letting the sunlight in. the whole room was changing, little by little, and by the time i finished, it barely looked like the same place.

i stood back, looking at the room, feeling a mix of pride and nerves. would this help hazel feel better? i hoped so. all i wanted was for her to have a space that felt like hers, a place where she didn't have to worry or feel scared.

the baby pink walls gave the room a soft glow, and the pictures of hazel smiling back at me made the space feel warm, i finished just as the delivery for the new bed arrived. once it was all set up, i placed the new blankets, including a weighted one i had read might help with her anxiety.

i looked around once more. the room was perfect, at least to me. it was bright, welcoming, and full of things hazel loved. she wouldn't see it yet, not today, but when she did, i hoped it would make her feel safe. that's all i wanted, for her to feel safe again.

hazel's pov ౨ৎ

mama picked me up from grandma's house, and i felt a little better, but mostly i was tired. spending time at grandma's was nice, and she always made me feel better, but by the end of the day, all i wanted was to go home and be with mama. she had this way of making everything feel right, even when things didn't make sense in my head.

when we got home, i started walking inside like usual, but mama stopped me. she had this big smile on her face, like she was hiding something exciting. "hazel, wait," she said, her voice all soft but happy. "i have a surprise for you."