10 years later [Tayvin AU]

Part 17

JUNE 2016

TAYLOR POV

"Charlotte Wiles.... You better get down here right now missy. You have school." I called up the corridor to Lottie, who was dawdling again while getting ready for school. Today was the last Monday before the summer vacation and everyone was getting fed up with school.

Adam had been out of town since last Monday and wasn't getting back until tomorrow, having gone on a whirlwind travelling photography job for a clothing catalogue's Autumn/Winter range. He was going to be in California, Washington State, Western Canada, and Alaska over the course of the week. While he was away, I was in charge of the apartment, Lottie, and the two cats (who were finally starting to behave), while also going to rehearsals for a play I was going to be performing for 4 days in July in Central Park..... Even though it was all stressful, I felt like I was used to the slight chaos by now and it felt almost normal to have kid doodles on my script, cat hairs everywhere, and random polaroid photos Adam took sticking out of every book or magazine I read and in my wallet.

"I'm here mo--- I mean Taylor." Lottie said blushing as she put on her sandals and grabbed her knapsack and lunchbox. I froze. She almost called me MOM!

I quickly snapped out of it and smiled down at her while opening the door and getting us on our way.

ADAM POV

I had told Taylor I had work until Tuesday, so I wouldn't be back till then, but actually I had finished all my work on Sunday evening and was only still in California for one reason: to talk to her parents. I had met them a few months earlier, when they came to New York for Easter and took us all out for a meal, so was slightly nervous...especially since I had a very important question to ask them.

"Hello Adam!" Taylor's mother, Andrea, greeted me as I arrived at their door.

"Hello Andrea, I hope you and Scott are well?" I asked, greeting her with a hug.

"We are indeed. Come on in, I'll just call Scott. I must tell you it was a surprise to us both when you called....especially as you asked us to not tell Taylor." Andrea replied, smirking slightly. They had obviously sussed out my reasons for visiting them.

"Hello Adam!" Scott said, coming down the stairs and shaking my hand.

"Hello Scott." I replied, smiling at him.

"Why don't we go sit down...."Scott said, leading the way to the living room. Andrea joined us with a tray containing biscuits and lemonade. "So....why exactly are you here?"

"Well...I have known your daughter for over 11 years, although we only really met just under 11 years ago when we were in High School. Over those 11 years, whether I wanted to admit it to myself or not, I developed deep feelings for your daughter. In the last 9 months I have had the privilege of finally properly getting to know Taylor, and my feelings have only increased. She is like a breath of fresh air, sunshine on a cloudy day. Since she became part of mine and Lottie's world, our lives have been exponentially better. What I am saying with all of this is..." I spoke with as much confidence as I possibly could, taking a deep breath before continuing, "I would like your blessings to ask your daughter to marry me."

"We figure as much." Scott said, smiling gently, "And as much as I would love to say no, I realised at Easter that I had not seen Taylor as happy and carefree since she was a little girl riding horses and playing in trees all day. You have somehow truly made her happy, and for that I must thank you. So yes, Adam, I give you my blessing."

"My baby is going to get married!" Andrea said, tears springing to her eyes.

"Thank you both. And please can I ask that you do not tell Taylor....I still need to actually ask her." I said, a sense of relief washing over me.

We made small talk for about an hour longer before I left to go back to my hotel and pack my bags. As I was leaving the Swift's house I looked down at my phone and saw one new message from Taylor.

*from taylor: Hope work goes well today. Please call ASAP....urgent thing to discuss. Love you, T xx*

This message concerned me slightly and I decided to call her back.

"Hey babe! What's up? Are you OK? Is Lottie OK?" I asked as soon as she answered.

"We are both fine. It was just something small, I think, that happened this morning when we were getting ready to leave." Taylor said, slightly warily, obviously not wanting to tell me straight away.

"Okay....what happened?" I asked again.

"Lottie almost called me mom." Taylor said in a whisper so I barely heard her.

"Lottie almost called you mom?" I repeated back to her.

"Yeah..." She replied.

"And that's good or bad?" I asked, knowing I needed to get it out of her.

"I don't know....I thought you might mind....Or at least her grandparents might..." She replied.

"Taylor. I don't mind what she calls you. If she calls you mom, it's because you are basically her mom, she's never had anyone else to fill that role. And Amy's parents love you, they told me that. They just want Lottie to be happy and they can see that you make both of us very happy." I explained, "Feeling better now?"

"Yes, thanks....I think I was just getting stressed over nothing." Taylor replied, taking a deep breath at the other end of the line.

"Okay... I will see you both tomorrow when I get in, ok?" I replied.

"Sounds great! See you tomorrow!" Taylor said before we both said goodbye and hung up the phones.

Now I had her parents blessing, and had the ring I bought a few months before, I just needed the perfect opportunity to ask her. And I knew exactly where and when that would be.