The Vacation Of Reconnecting

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The next morning when Taylor woke up from her terrible night sleep her heart was still aching in her chest, all she wanted was for Travis to have invited her into his bed last night and held her, telling her everything was going to be okay. But instead she felt like he had just laughed in her face and pushed her the other way.

What hurt more was knowing she had done the same to him so many times. She had created this distance between them, and now that she wanted him back—really wanted him back—she couldn't blame him for keeping his guard up.

Taylor stayed in bed for what felt like hours, replaying the night in her mind. The dream had shaken her to the core, and she still couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that it was more than just a figment of her imagination. It had felt like a warning, like a glimpse into something she was terrified to lose.

A knock on her door broke through her thoughts. Before she could respond, the door creaked open, and Travis stepped inside, his face full of quiet concern.

"You okay? Poppy's been asking about you."

Taylor nodded slightly, but her eyes were red-rimmed and tired. "I'm sorry," she whispered, looking up at him. "About last night. I didn't mean to—"

Travis raised a hand, cutting her off gently. "Tay, stop. You don't have to apologize. But we need to figure this out. This whole back and forth... it's not fair to either of us."

Taylor swallowed hard. His words cut deep, but they were true. She had been pulling him close, only to push him away time and time again. "I know," she whispered. "I know I've been all over the place, and I'm sorry. I just... i've been thinking about it and I really do miss you. I miss us."

Travis crossed his arms, his expression softening just a little, but there was still a wall between them. "Tay, it's not that I don't miss you too. But every time I start to think we're getting somewhere, you pull back. I can't keep doing this, getting my hopes up, just to be let down again."

His voice was calm, but Taylor could hear the hurt underneath it. He had every right to be cautious, and she hated herself for making him feel that way. She sat up in bed, her hands trembling slightly as she tried to find the words. "I'm not going to run this time," she said softly. "I know I've made mistakes, but I want to fix this. I want us to be a family again, Travis."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair, clearly torn. "Tay, I want that too. But I need to know you're serious. I need to know you're all in. I can't keep letting myself hope if you're just going to change your mind again."

Before Taylor could respond, the door burst open, and Poppy came running into the room with her usual bright energy, clutching her stuffed bunny. "Mommy! Daddy!" she giggled, hopping onto the bed between them.

Travis smiled softly, his expression relaxing as he reached out to ruffle Poppy's hair. "What's up, kiddo?"

Poppy grinned, her eyes twinkling with excitement. "I was just playing with Bunny, and we're getting ready for baby sister!"

Taylor blinked, caught off guard. "Baby sister?"

Poppy nodded enthusiastically, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Yeah! Bunny said she's coming soon. We're going to share my room."

Travis chuckled, shaking his head. "Pops, we've talked about this. There's no baby sister, remember?"

But Poppy just stared at him, confused. "Yes, there is! She's in Mommy's tummy!" she said with absolute certainty, pointing at Taylor's stomach.

Both Taylor and Travis froze.

Taylor's heart skipped a beat, her breath catching in her throat as she exchanged a wide-eyed look with Travis. "Poppy, sweetheart..." Taylor began carefully, her voice shaky. "There's no baby in Mommy's tummy."