unfinished echoes - taylor swift

13

The smell of freshly cooked pancakes and sizzling bacon greeted Taylor and Daisy as they stirred awake the next morning. Daisy groaned softly, burying her face in Taylor's shoulder as the warm light of morning filtered through the curtains.

"Is your mum always this extra with breakfast?" Taylor asked, her voice still husky from sleep.

Daisy chuckled, her voice muffled. "Always. You'll see—it's her masterpiece."

With a sleepy reluctance, they untangled themselves and padded downstairs to find Angelina bustling around the kitchen, flipping pancakes, frying eggs, and setting out a spread that could rival a holiday buffet. Plates of toast, bowls of fruit, and freshly brewed coffee filled the table.

"There you two are!" Angelina called, turning from the stove with a bright smile. "Come sit! Breakfast is ready."

Daisy and Taylor exchanged amused glances before sitting down at the table, where Daisy's dad, Richard, was already pouring syrup over a stack of pancakes. "Morning, girls," he greeted with a cheerful nod.

They ate in comfortable conversation, talking about everything from childhood Christmas traditions to Angelina's meticulous holiday plans. Daisy's parents asked Taylor about her favorite winter activities, and though Taylor tried to deflect, Daisy couldn't resist teasing her about her competitive streak during the gingerbread house competition.

After breakfast, Daisy leaned toward Taylor, her eyes glinting with mischief. "Do you wanna build a snowman?"

Taylor raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Are we quoting Frozen now?"

Daisy grinned. "Yes. But I'm serious. Come on, it'll be fun."

Taylor pretended to consider it before sighing dramatically. "Fine. But only because it's almost Christmas."

They bundled up in coats, scarves, and gloves before heading outside into the crisp morning air. The backyard was blanketed in fresh snow, untouched and sparkling under the pale winter sun.

Daisy immediately began gathering snow, packing it into a firm ball. Taylor watched for a moment before shrugging and joining in, shaping a larger base for their snowman.

"Not bad," Daisy commented as Taylor expertly smoothed the second snowball.

"I'm a natural," Taylor quipped, her breath visible in the cold air.

Together, they worked to stack the snowballs, giggling as Daisy nearly toppled the entire thing while adjusting the middle section. Once the snowman was built, they added the finishing touches: a scarf, a carrot nose, and a pair of twigs for arms.

Stepping back, Taylor nodded in approval. "It's pretty good, right?"

Daisy grinned, brushing snow off her gloves. "It's not bad. But it's missing one thing."

"What's that?" Taylor asked, tilting her head.

"A photo," Daisy replied, pulling out her phone.

Taylor smirked. "Oh no, let me do the honors." She pulled out her own phone and motioned for Daisy to stand next to the snowman.

Daisy laughed but obliged, posing with her arm slung around the snowman's shoulder. Taylor snapped a few pictures, her eyes lingering on Daisy's bright smile as she reviewed them.

"Alright, your turn," Daisy said, holding out her phone.

But instead of going to stand next to the snowman, Taylor hesitated. She looked at the photo on her screen, then back at Daisy. "Actually... I think I'm gonna post this one."