The call comes in during the afternoon when she's napping and she bolts upright, her hair all over the place as she lunges for the phone, still half asleep.
"Trav? What's up, what's wrong?"
Typically, while he's at practice, he'll text her, never an actual phone call and immediately, Taylor's stomach twists. Even his greeting sounded strained and she steels herself for bad news, fingernails digging into the edge of the mattress.
"Nothing bad, baby. I'm sorry---I didn't mean to scare you. Everybody's fine."
"Oh, thank God. That's good."
In the midst of the relief, the fact he thought whatever was going on was important enough to forego a text, isn't lost upon her.
"Something's up, though. You're supposed to be at practice."
They'd discussed him flying to Indianapolis and it would be tight logistically, so she starts to put two and two together; he probably can't make it and he's trying to soften the blow. It's his last chance to catch the show and she knows how disappointed he must be.
She's about to tell him, it's okay, she completely understands that it wasn't a guaranteed thing, but he rushes ahead which isn't like him, either. He typically takes his time, unbothered. This sounds as though he needs to get out what he has to say as fast as possible and that makes the uneasy feeling kick back up.
"It's Jason. He's okay...he's fine. I just wanted to tell you before you saw it on the internet."
"I was sleeping, I haven't---what about Jason, what happened?"
"Some punk kid was running his mouth off. Called me a slur because I was dating you. He was being an asshole even before that, though, according to Jason. Following him around, baiting him...that was the last straw."
She sucks in a breath. "Did he hit him?"
"No. Thank God. But he grabbed his phone, smashed it on the ground."
Her head is spinning. "Poor Jason. Did he call you?"
"Little while after it happened. He was so ashamed, Tay. He kept apologizing for losing his cool like that...that's not who he is."
"He was defending you," her voice breaks, "I know he regrets doing what he did, but I get it."
"I think he was most ashamed about saying it back. The slur. Said it made him no better than that kid. He's a good guy, Taylor."
"What did he say?"
There's a minute of silence, his hesitation and then he tells her.
She gets the feeling that he was afraid she would think less of his brother, maybe think less of him. She abhorred violence of any kind and Travis knew that. These seemed like extenuating circumstances and as someone who had a younger brother who she'd go to bat for against anyone, she understood.
"Thank you for telling me. How's he doing?"
"Not too great," Travis admits, "he's worried he fucked up to the point he'll lose his gig. Not that anyone's talking about that yet, but---"
"I know. It sucks. Please let him know I'm thinking of him. And please let him know he doesn't have to embarrassed. Things happen, Trav. Emotions run high...he's one of the most gentle people I know. To be pushed to that point..."
Travis exhales. "I appreciate you understanding. It just sucks one moment could have serious repercussions. I know better than anyone, even sometimes with the best intentions, you fuck up. And that fuck up can cost you everything."
