Under His Protection

Chapter 63: Holding On

The soft cries of Ethan and Evan echoed through the villa as Taylor sat on the edge of the couch, her hands trembling in her lap. She tried to focus on the rhythmic pattern of her breathing, but the sound of the babies crying made her heart race. She loved her boys fiercely, but the weight of their needs-and her own exhaustion-was crushing.

Travis was in the nursery, rocking Ethan to sleep. Bronze sat quietly on the floor nearby, his favorite toy cars spread out in front of him. Sterling toddled around, babbling happily to herself, blissfully unaware of the storm brewing inside Taylor.

Taylor glanced at the clock. It was only 10 a.m., but she already felt like she was unraveling.

Why can't I handle this? she thought, her hands clenching the fabric of her shirt. Other moms do it. I love my boys, so why do I feel so broken?

Her chest ached with guilt. She'd been snappy with Travis earlier, brushing off his offer to help. Now, the thought of him seeing her like this-crumbling under the pressure-made her stomach churn.

Taylor's eyes darted to the doorway as Bronze approached, clutching a drawing in his small hands.

"Mama, look!" he said, holding it up proudly.

Taylor forced a smile, taking the paper from him. It was a stick-figure drawing of their family: herself holding hands with Bronze, Ethan, and Evan. Her heart twisted at the sight.

"It's beautiful, baby," she said softly.

Bronze climbed into her lap, resting his small hand on her cheek. "Why are you sad, Mama? I can make you happy."

Taylor's throat tightened as tears threatened to spill. "Oh, sweetheart," she whispered, pulling him close. "I'm just tired. But I love you so much."

Travis entered the room moments later, his gaze immediately landing on Taylor. Her face was pale, her eyes red-rimmed. She was holding Bronze like a lifeline, and Travis could see her trying to hold herself together.

"Sunshine," he said gently, crouching in front of her. "Talk to me."

She shook her head, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. "I don't know, Travis," she admitted, her voice trembling. "I feel like I'm drowning."

"You're not alone," he said firmly, resting a comforting hand on her knee.

Bronze looked up at his dad with wide eyes. "Mama's sad," he whispered.

Travis nodded. "I know, buddy. We're going to help her, okay?"

Later that evening, after settling the kids, Travis stepped onto the terrace to take a call from Brittany and Ross.

"How's Taylor holding up?" Brittany asked. Her tone was laced with concern.

"Not great," Travis admitted. "She's not herself. She's exhausted, emotional... I think something's really wrong."

"I was afraid of that," Brittany said. "She's been pushing herself too hard. Between the twins, Bronze, and everything else, it's no wonder she's struggling."

Ross chimed in. "She might be dealing with postpartum depression, Travis. It's more common than people think, even for someone as strong as Taylor."

Travis's chest tightened. He hated the idea of Taylor suffering in silence. "What do I do?"

"Be there for her," Brittany said. "And get her to a doctor. She needs help, Travis, and she won't ask for it herself."

The next morning, Travis made a call to a trusted local doctor. He spoke quietly on the terrace, his voice tinged with worry.

"She's not herself," he explained. "She's exhausted, crying all the time... and I think it's more than just stress."

"I'll come by this afternoon," the doctor assured him. "We'll figure out what's going on."

When Travis returned inside, he found Taylor sitting on the couch with Sterling and Bronze snuggled on either side of her. The twins were napping in their bassinet, giving the older kids a rare moment of undivided attention.

"How are you feeling?" Travis asked, sitting beside her.

Taylor looked at him, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I don't know," she admitted. "I'm just... tired, Travis. And I feel like I'm failing everyone."

"You're not failing," he said, pulling her into his arms. "You're doing the best you can. And we're going to get through this. Together."

Bronze climbed into Taylor's lap, wrapping his arms around her neck. "Mama, you're the best," he said earnestly.

Travis kissed the top of her head, his heart breaking for her. "You're not alone, Sunshine," he whispered. "We've got this."