Found In A Family

2: Just A Child Survivor

Taylor's POV

I just lay in my bed. The white ceiling hangs above me as I stare at it. Thinking.

Was it all a lie? Am I the weakest? Was I unwanted? How can she be my mother? Well, birthmother. Am I really a product of them? Have I got siblings?

"Knock knock?" Someone says.

"Come in," I say from the floor.

"Hey, don't believe anything Riley says," Claire says taking a seat on the floor next to me.

"Why? What if it's true? I've literally been in the hospital half of my life," I tell her.

"Taylor, I don't think you realize this but your medical problems have only strengthened you. Who can say that they were in a coma for a year when they were two. Or that they have family that stretches coast to coast," Claire tells me.

"I don't think that's something to be proud of, I just happen to have those things living in my past and future," I tell her.

"Hey, Tay? Can I talk to you?" Emily says from the doorway.

"Uh sure," I say sitting up.

"Let's go to my room," she says taking my hand. I sink into her bed while she shuts the door behind her.

"Taylor, you aren't the product of them, you are the product of your mistakes and your accomplishments. You have lots of things to be proud of. I'm a survivor and so are you. Everyone is. Everyone has something that makes them want to turn back but you have to stand in front of it and face it. This is just another hurdle in the way, another thing to face, I'll be beside you," Emily says after taking a seat on the bed next to me.

"Emily, I'm not a surviwor. I'm a child who acts older than she is," I say looking down at the carpet on her floor.

"A child, a teenager, or an adult. Age is a number but life is a story. Your story is complex and hard to understand but that doesn't mean that you're just a child with a strange history," Emily tells me which makes me look her in the eyes.

"When I was younger I was happy and free of scary things but now I'm bigger and I'm always afraid," I say with a shaky voice.

"Taylor, I'm always afraid too, but what people like us do is they put on a brave face. They stand tall and be courageous," Emily says sitting closer to me.

"Why can't I be normal?" I say looking down again.

"Why would you wanna be normal when you're amazing just the way you are?" Emily says lifting my chin.

"Because then people would like me and not be so mean," I tell her with tears in my eyes.

"Taylor, there are a million people waiting to tear people down. There is always gonna be people trying to hurt you. You don't need everyone to like you or for everyone to be kind to you. You'll have good days and bad days, you'll meet good people and bad people but you get to decide who is who," Emily tells me before wrapping me in a big hug.

About an hour later, I slowly fall asleep to the sound of a new song. Emily says it's one of her favorites: Play On by Carrie Underwood.

Jen's POV

Upon walking into the house at midnight, I quickly slip off my high heels before climbing the mountain to my room. I change into sweats and a t-shirt before slipping into bed. I don't really know what happened tonight but the house is a disaster.

I wake up like seven hours later to the loud sound of the breakfast. Slipping out of my sheets, I hurry downstairs to greet, Austin, Claire, and Faith.

"Hey, sorry you didn't win," Austin says once I make it to the kitchen.

"It's fine, I enjoyed the show though," I answer, "How were the kids?" I ask taking a seat at the bar after pulling Faith out of the high chair.

"Um, they were good but we did come to an interesting coincidence," Claire says.

"Uh oh, what happened?" I say worried that the toddlers broke something or worse got hurt.

"Well, you remember Brooke?" Austin asks.

"Yeah, Kait and James' mom," I say vaguely remembering her face.

"Well, she is also Riley, Taylor's birth mom, and my ex," Austin says quickly.

"What the...," I say as my jaw drops.

"Yup, she's a lunatic," Claire laughs.

"What?" I say still confused.

"Jen. Riley, she showed up here. Taylor told me it was Brooke but once I answered the door and she turned her face, I knew it was her. Plus she said, Austin? Like it was a surprise for me to be here," Austin explains slowly enough for my brain to absorb the information fully.

"I'll be right back," I smile handing Faith to Austin. I quickly walk outside and into the yard. I make it to the tramp before a crapload of swears and screams flood out of my mouth. I then storm back into the house.

"So what do you wanna do about her?" Claire asks.

"Restraining order is number one, number two is getting rid of any trace of her, well actually number one is Taylor," I blurt out really quickly.

"What about Taylor?" Emily yawns while walking into the kitchen.

"Last night," Austin reminds her.

"Oh, yeah, she's pretty upset. Someone, not me, is gonna need to talk to her again," Emily says taking Faith from Austin.

"Okay, let's wake for her to wake up though," I answer, "in the meantime, I'm gonna call my lawyer." I go upstairs and get my phone from my nightstand before dialing my lawyer's number.

****

After getting off the phone with my lawyer, I hurry back downstairs. Instantly, Taylor jumps up from the table and runs into my legs. I lift her up on my hip while carefully rubbing her back.

"I missed you," I hear her whisper in my ear. I'm pretty sure she has a bit of separation anxiety. Well, when we do separate something bad always happens.

"Well, I missed you too," I response kissing her cheek.

"Mommy, Riley came over last night. And she said she didn't want me," Taylor says as tears spill out of her eyes.

"Oh, okay. I think it's about time we talk," I say turning back towards the stairs. I carry her up to my room before carefully sitting down with her on my lap. I rub her back for a while until her breathing returns to almost normal. She nuzzles her head into my chest and I wrap my arms around her small frame.

We sit like that for a while, well ten minutes, before I speak. "Hey, Tay can we talk about Riley?" I ask gently. She stares at me to continue. "When I say, Riley, what do you think?" I ask her.

"I feewl scarwed and hurwt. And sad," she says in a baby voice. That's one lisp that I haven't heard in awhile.

"I'm sorry you feel like that. Why are you scared?" I ask confused.

"I scarwed that she wil-wil tak-take me away," she stutters.

"Aw, baby. The thing is that Riley has no custody over you and she has no ties to you anymore. I have a note from when you were left on the doorstep that says she gave you up," I say as my heart shatters. Taylor is worried that someone else will take her away when I just got her back. I just got my baby back and someone threatens her safety. Not if I have a say will they. 

A/n

Thanks for reading. If you read DITS, Wattpad just deleted the chapter I had 3/4 of the way written so it's coming but it's taking a while. 

CQ: What song(s) are you currently obsessed with?

Tin Man by Miranda Lambert

Road Less Traveled by Laura Alaina

Bleeding Love sung by Hanna Eyre