A request for shivika0219
It's not one big thing--rather, a series of collective events over the years that happen as Travis begins the natural evolutions in life; getting older, getting closer to retirement age, the yearning to find someone to share the future with.
Before, as recently as a couple of years ago, the thought couldn't be any further from his mind. A family was something he knew he wanted down the line, but he was fairly comfortable with the way his world was. Part of it, he came to realize later, was that having divorced parents had slightly skewed his viewpoints on having kids with the wrong person. They had made it work and though he nor Jason never felt any tension, (solely because Ed and Donna had been careful about that, too) as soon as they were old enough, they were both aware that something was off. He loved them unconditionally, had the best childhood possible and he could understand, from an adult perspective, why they'd held off on separating until he and his brother were out of the house.
At the same time, he realized that was something he nessacarily wanted for himself. There were no guarantees, but he also wanted to absolutely certain the decision to get married or to have children wasn't anything to take lightly. There was a time, to be sure, societal expectations had made him question his desires, especially being a witness to Jason finding the love of his life and starting a family with her. Another bigger issue was the constant feeling he was continually always slightly "behind" his brother. In school, in his career, plans for the future. Jason had led the way and he treaded in his footsteps. Thank God for Ed setting him straight, letting him know, more or less, he wasn't ready; wrong time and most definitely the wrong person.
His father had stopped him from making a very big mistake, one he knew he would have regretted. The relief he'd listened to very sound advice hit hard after he and Kayla broke up and he realized how deeply the damage could have run.
There was no yearning to rush ahead after that...no yearning he had to choke down. He was content just enjoying his life, in the very specific season it was in.
And then Taylor came sweeping into his world with all the force of a storm, but with gentle rain. Something settled down in him, an uneasiness that sat down low, gone---just like that. When he had put himself out there, threw the ball in her court and she accepted, he never could have dreamed they'd be where they currently were. Not in a million years.
All of a sudden, being alone wasn't satisfying. Her smile filled all the empty spaces, her presence made the dark corners disappear and his house a home. Letting her in was seamless; no holding back, and now, it was difficult to imagine there had been a time without her.
The little moments snuck up on him gradually. Watching her with his nieces at Easter, how Bennie, the shyest of the three, took to Tay instantly, wanting to be picked up within ten minutes of meeting her, the way she video chatted frequently with the older girls. The joy he saw on their faces in the pictures from the Miami show, the genuine kindness she showed them...his heart thumped crazily with every interaction.
Britt's family. Taylor adored Sterling and Bronze and the feeling was mutual. She'd hang out over there on several occasions while he was at practice and she and Sterling would whip up cookies or cupcakes together. She was exceedingly patient, heaping praise on the little girl as she measured out flour, dumped teaspoons of vanilla into a mixing bowl. And when Brittany told them both she and Pat were expecting their third while they all were in Amsterdam, glowing and happy, Taylor had been over the moon for them, confiding in him that she was excited to start working on a blanket, bubbling with joy at the possibility of a brand new little life. Thoughts infiltrated his mind, thoughts he kept to himself, even though they'd definitely spoken about the future on multiple occasions. The last thing he ever wanted to do was send her running or put any kind of pressure on her.
