Shirtsleeves

Chapt. 2

Taylor paces around her hotel bedroom. It's nearing eight at night here in California and she's exhausted from the long court day, but the phone call she's in the middle of right now seemingly can't wait.

"Kendall.... Okay yes I know.. Kendall please.." Taylor stammers as she tries to get a word in. Today was the day that Karlie came home from rehab, and Taylor didn't. It's the day that Taylor has been waiting for, she didn't need Kendall to remind her. And yet by the sounds of this phone call and the yelling she's been receiving since she picked up, Karlie must've said something to their friend.

"I really don't fucking get it Taylor. You were all 'Oh Karlie, my lil sunshine, I'm so in love with you' and blah blah but now all of a sudden you're not coming home?! What the fuck Taylor." Kendall practically yells.

"If only you'd let me explain..." Taylor mumbles defeatedly, sitting down on the hotel bed and resting her head in her available hand that wasn't holding the phone.

She's exhausted. From the second she stepped off the plane three months ago she's been busy non stop. Meeting with her new client, endless hours of the case study and meetings with the prosecutors. Then the charges being presented which went public and that alone was a disaster. She hasn't had a day off in three months and it's really getting to her.

"It'd be nice to hear why you broke my best friends heart all over again." Kendall huffs on the other line.

For some reason, that pisses Taylor off. She has half a mind to hang up the phone and throw it against the wall so Kendall can't call back, but she knows that's ridiculous. Kendall only knows half of a one sided story, so she allows herself the chance to explain.

"Kendall, listen. This case is huge, and you know it because you've been sending me things from my office so you have some sort of knowledge of it all. It's been hectic in LA. I can't even have a ten minute lunch break somewhere without some kind of press tracking me down. It's strenuous. On top of that, three months ago things were a hell of a lot different. Never did I think that this case would still be going on, I thought I'd be coming home the same day that she did. Yet, here we are. The prosecution hasn't even rested yet, Ken. Our defense still has our entire side to go through. I want to be home, more than anything. And I can't."

Taylor doesn't mean to come off as harsh nor as rushed as she does but once it's out it's too late. She's irritated, she's been fighting to end this case as soon as possible and yet it's dragging on, all she wants to do is be back to her life in New York. She never imagined just how huge and publicized this all was going to be. It's been awful to handle.

"I guess that makes sense." Kendall responds simply, her voice more relaxed now that she's heard it directly from the source herself. "Karlie said though that you weren't coming home and that you were staying in California."

Taylor rolls her eyes. Of course she said that because that's the story I fed her.. She remarks mentally. "Karlie said that because that's what I told her."

"Why would you say that?"

"Because Kendall! I don't know how long I'm going to be here! And if there's any sort of chance that Karlie can have a good life outside of me, then I want that for her! Do you get that?" Taylor yells, abruptly standing from the bed and tightening her grip on her iPhone.

"Calm down, killer. So what you're saying is that you obviously love Karlie and she's totally your soulmate but since you have no idea when you're going to be able to come home, you want her to think you're not coming at all?" Kendall asks lightly.

"Yes, exactly." Taylor sighs.

"...Because you love her and you want her to take any opportunity of love or whatever may come her way without her feeling some kind of overwhelming guilt of waiting for you?" Kendall concludes with a questionable tone.