The next few days were tough. Especially for Taylor and I could tell she wasn't feeling great. She'd obviously been terrified after what happened but I tried to be patient and understanding with her. I spent a couple nights at her house to try to get her going again and she had cheered up slightly.
"You okay angel?" I asked Taylor as she got into the passenger side of my car
I had offered to pick her up from her work since she had taken the bus there.
"Fine" She answered bluntly
"T, come on. You know you can talk to me."
"Im fine Travis." she said sternly
"okay" I sighed. Something had obviously happened at work. She was happy as a horse before she left but I knew if I kept pestering her to tell me, I'd just end up pushing her away. I needed to cheer her up.
I dropped Taylor off at her apartment and told her I'd be back soon and rushed off. I drove to the nearest store and wrote a list of things I wanted to get in my phone incase i forgot.
Walking into the store, I grabbed a basket and started searching the aisles for my stuff. I grabbed some of Taylor's favorite snacks and candy, a fur blanket, fuzzy Christmas socks, a mug, a stuffed animal, flowers and some other little items that I knew she would love. Then I picked up a big tweed basket. I paid for all of the stuff and continued my journey.
I quickly drove to my house and ran to my closet to pick out a hoodie that I don't wear as much. Then I sprayed some of my cologne on it, so it would smell like me. I hopped back into my car and sped off to my final destination. My girlfriend's apartment.
I parked a block down from Taylor's apartment building so she wouldn't see me. Then I gathered all of the stuff I bought and placed them in the basket along with my – well, now Taylor's – hoodie.
Taking the basket in my hands, I walked up to Taylor's door and gave a knock. A minute later the blonde opened the door, eyes puffy like she'd been crying.
"Hey." She whispered, attempting a smile
"Oh, Taylor"
Taylor let out a sob and fell into my arms. I hugged her tightly and whispered loving words to her, trying to ensure her that I wasn't going to let her go. Because I wasn't.
"I got you a surprise beautiful girl " I said after a while, taking her face in my hands.
"Really?" Taylor's face lit up immediately. I knew she loved surprises, that was her love language.
"Yep" I tapped her nose and picked up the basket I'd dropped to embrace her.
"Travis, I-" Taylor's mouth dropped open at the sight of the little basket in front of her. "This is too much, too nice"
"You like it?" I asked hopefully
"You're so sweet to me" She said and looked up at me with her teary baby blue eyes. I could stare into her eyes forever. I leaned down to capture her soft lips in mine. Taylor sighed softly and I could feel her smiling against my lips. We stood there, in Taylor's open doorway, lips lingering on each other's. We pulled back and I let out a chuckle when I saw Taylor's cheeks a very deep shade of red, maroon almost.
"You're laughing at me!" Taylor pouted
"I am not" I said, trying but failing to hide my grin
"Stop! You know you make me feel things and I cant help myself blushing." She said in an annoyed tone.
"Oh do I?" I raised my eyebrows at her, slowly advancing over her. Taylor straightened up and started backing away.
"I dunno" She snarked "But I want to open my basket so if you would stop looking at me like that and come with me to the living room, I would much appreciate that."
"Alright then, lead the way my princess." I swung my arms outward towards the living room. Taylor grinned and skipped down the little hallway before her living and kitchen space.
"Okay" She sighed as she flopped down on to the couch. "What did you get me?" I gestured to the big basket on her lap and Taylor started digging at the basket. She hummed in approval as she picked up the snacks and the candies and placed them on the couch in between us. She let out little gasp and picked up the fuzzy Christmas socks, immediately turning to put them on her feet.
"Oh these are great." She said and wiggled her toes. Taylor continued to dig the basket, telling me how much she loved each thing and ghat she'd never ever loose it. A while later, her eyes landed on the last thing in the basket that she hadn't yet seen, the teddy. Her mouth dropped open slightly as she picked it up, put it to her chest and cradled it.
"Travis this-" Taylor's eyes filled with tears as she tried to get the words out. "This looks exactly like-"
"Like shaggy?" I asked - more as a statement - and Taylor nodded eagerly.
Taylor had a childhood teddy, shaggy, who was a fox. Shaggy, because well, he was a little shaggy.
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She loved this fox like nothing else and was attached to it like glue. She would sleep with it every night (even as an adult), cuddle it and even talk to it. That was until it got lost a couple years ago. Taylor was absolutely devastated and wouldn't talk to anyone for days. She cried and tried desperately to find it and get it back, but there was no luck. I'd obviously tried searching for a replacement immediately, but again, no luck. The fox was so old there was not one on the web that looked like it. And when I went to buy the stiff for Taylors basket, I had seen the fox in a boutique window.
"Oh my god, Travis, this is crazy! Where did you find him?" Taylor sniffled
"Don't worry about it angel, aren't you glad you have him? I mean I know its not shaggy but he looks the same and I thought it would make you happy, so I really hope you li-"
"It's the best thing someone could and has ever gotten me." She cut me off gently "Thank you so so so so much Travis" She lifted her head to look at me, her eyes filled with tears.
"Oh come here angel" I said opening my arms for her, which Taylor fell into at once. I rubbed her back to comfort her as she cried against my chest. She was so adorable.
