Forever Almost

Chapter 37

Taylor hurried after Travis, her heart racing as he stormed out of the courthouse. "Travis, please stop!" she called out desperately.

Jason and Donna followed behind, both worried, but Taylor was determined to reach him first. Jason managed to get ahead of her and grabbed Travis's arm. "Bro, stop! Just talk to us!" Jason pleaded.

Travis turned around, his face red with frustration. "Leave me alone, Jason! I don't want to talk to anyone!" he shouted, shaking his brother off.

Taylor finally reached them, her breath ragged from running. She grabbed Travis's arm, desperate to get through to him. "Travis, please listen to me!" she cried, her voice cracking with emotion.

But in the heat of the moment, Travis, thinking it was Jason still holding him back, forcefully pushed her away. Taylor stumbled, her feet faltering as she lost her balance, her arms flailing as she nearly hit the ground.

But in a flash, Travis realized what he'd done and lunged forward, catching her just in time. His heart pounded in his chest, panic rising. "Taylor!" he gasped, his voice full of worry. "You're pregnant! Don't do that!"

She was still trembling, gripping his arms tightly as she steadied herself. "I wasn't trying to fall!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with fear but also pleading. "Please, Travis, just hear me out. Please..."

He looked at her, his chest heaving, trying to fight the frustration swirling inside him. Despite everything, he couldn't stay angry at her. With a sigh, he nodded. "Fine. We'll talk."

They found a quiet spot nearby, away from the courthouse, under the shade of a tall tree. The sounds of the bustling city around them faded as they sat down on a park bench, the air between them tense but filled with a need for resolution.

Taylor took a deep breath, her fingers shaking as she intertwined them in her lap. "I wanted to tell you," she began, her voice soft and shaky. "After I found out I was pregnant, I was going to tell you. But everything was happening so fast, and we've barely had time together since then."

Travis watched her closely, his eyes narrowing in confusion and hurt. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" he asked, his voice edged with pain. "Why would you keep something like this from me?"

Tears welled up in Taylor's eyes as she met his gaze. "Because I was scared, Travis!" she confessed, her voice trembling. "When I found out I was pregnant, I was so happy. But the doctors told me there were complications... that it might not be safe for me to carry the pregnancy. I didn't want to burden you with that. I thought if I told you, you'd want me to... to terminate it." Her voice broke, and she swallowed hard, blinking back tears. "But I want these babies. I want to try."

Travis blinked, absorbing her words. His expression softened, his anger melting away as her fear and vulnerability washed over him. "You should have told me," he whispered, his voice filled with regret. "I would've never made you go through this alone. I would have been there for you, no matter what."

Taylor wiped at her tears, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know that now. But I was scared, Travis. I didn't want to lose you, or our babies..."

"Babies?" Travis interrupted, his voice catching. His eyes widened in surprise, his breath hitching in his throat. "Did you say... babies? Plural?"

Taylor blinked, realizing her slip of the tongue. Her cheeks flushed, but she nodded, a small, nervous smile tugging at her lips. "Yes, Travis. We're having twins."

For a moment, Travis just stared at her, his mouth slightly open as he processed the news. Then, without warning, his eyes filled with tears. "Twins?" he repeated, his voice cracking. "Taylor... we're having twins?"

She nodded again, this time more confidently. "Yes," she whispered, her heart swelling as she saw the raw emotion in his eyes.

A mixture of joy, relief, and disbelief flashed across his face. His hands reached up to cup her face gently, his thumbs brushing away the stray tears that had spilled onto her cheeks. "I can't believe it," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "Twins..."

Taylor let out a shaky laugh, her own tears of joy threatening to spill over again. "I know. It's a lot to take in."

Travis shook his head, his eyes still wide with amazement. "No, it's... it's incredible. You're incredible, Taylor." His voice was full of awe as he leaned forward, pressing his forehead against hers. "I love you," he whispered, his lips brushing against hers. "I love you so much."

Taylor closed her eyes, her heart swelling at his words. "I love you too, Travis," she whispered back, her arms wrapping around his neck as she pulled him closer.

For what felt like an eternity, they stayed like that, wrapped up in each other, the weight of the past few weeks lifting from their shoulders. It didn't matter what Kayla had said, or the threats they had faced. In this moment, all that mattered was that they were together, and they had each other.

As they pulled back slightly, Travis's hands gently moved to rest on her stomach, his eyes softening as he thought about the life growing inside her. "Twins," he repeated again, shaking his head with a disbelieving smile. "I still can't believe it."

Taylor laughed softly, placing her hands over his. "It's real," she said, her voice full of warmth.

Travis leaned down and kissed her belly softly, his heart swelling with love and anticipation. "I'm going to take care of you and these babies," he promised, looking up at her with a fierce determination. "Nothing is going to come between us, Taylor. Nothing."

She smiled, her heart full. "I believe you, Travis. We're going to be okay."

Just then, they heard a soft sound behind them. Turning, they saw Donna standing a few feet away, her hands clasped over her mouth, tears streaming down her face. Jason stood beside her, smiling proudly.

"Oh, Travis," Donna whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "I'm so happy for you both."

Travis smiled at his mother, the old hurt between them finally starting to heal. "Thanks, Mom," he said softly.

Donna wiped at her eyes, stepping forward to gently place a hand on Taylor's shoulder. "You two are going to be amazing parents," she said, her voice full of love.

Taylor smiled, feeling a warmth in her chest. For the first time in a long time, she felt like everything was going to be alright.

As they stood there, together as a family, Taylor's heart soared. They had been through so much, but they had made it through, and now they had a future to look forward to — one full of love, hope, and the little family they were about to create.

And as Travis wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close once more, Taylor knew one thing for sure: they were ready for whatever came next.