One Chance: a Ted Sweeran fanfic

Ch 24

Taylor's POV

"Thanks again, you really are an amazing friend," I told Cara for the millionth time, while quietly eating some chicken noodle soup Cara had made for me.

"Of course, isn't that what friends are for?" Cara innocently asked. I knew she didn't really mean anything by it, but I still felt like I was getting stabbed violently in the heart. Which, of course, is how she must have felt after learning that I had kissed her husband.

"Cara, I really can't be more sorry-"

"Taylor, just please drop it okay?" Cara cut me off, putting her hands up, signaling for me to shut up.

"Okay, so um, is there any lead on the case?" I asked, slowly stirring my spoon in the warm broth.

Cara took a sip from her tea then told me, "Well no, but he has now lost his visiting privileges for the time being." There it was again, the violent pain erupting from my heart as if someone was slowly pulling the fatal dagger from it.

I couldn't help it, I began crying, which was so pathetic. I was the one who had screwed everything up as usual, and now I was crying in front of my friend who I had greatly hurt because of what I had done. If I was her I would have slapped me.

And that she did.

Smack! Her hand met my face and I  was sent reeling out of my chair. The world was spinning and I desperately groped for something to hold on to. Anything that would stop the world from spinning so fast.

Thankfully Cara rushed over and sat me down on her couch, frantically whispering how sorry she was. She was crying and we were both such messes and I couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous we both looked. 

"I'm so sorry Taylor, I just needed to do that, and you needed to get it together somehow, and yes I am still trying to understand why you kissed Harry but right now but I realize you need me and we only have each other, so I forgive you Taylor," Cara shakily explained as she folded me into her warm embrace.

She kissed my forehead and then released me, and staring into my eyes slowly wiped the tears from my face. Meanwhile all I could think about was how on earth had I been so blessed to have a friend like her.

She stood up as if suddenly remembering something. "Oh, I forgot to tell you that I talked to Ed, and he should be here soon. As for me," she added, picking up a piece of paper, "I have to go grocery shopping, do you want to come or are you okay staying here by yourself?" I got the feeling that she was asking partly because she cared about my wellbeing and partly because she was praying she wouldn't have to be seen in public with the girl who kissed her husband.

"No, I'll just stay here and take a shower if that's okay with you," I replied. For a second a faint look of relief came over her face before quickly being changed.

"Sounds good, I'll see you back in an hour?"

"Okay, see you then."

Cara grabbed her keys and left through the front door. I then went back to the room I had been staying in, the same one I had been in on the morning of the broken wedding frame, and went into the bathroom. I turned the water on, and before undressing stood parallel to the mirror, holding my belly. The signs of pregnancy were fully there now, with a bulging stomach from the baby. It still amazed me how I could possibly be deserving enough to have a child that would someday be mind growing inside of me, each day closer to when he/she was ready to come into the world. I almost wished that the baby would stay in there forever, not that I wanted to be perpetually pregnant, but because I knew at least for now that I could keep my unborn child safe, and nothing could hurt him/her.

I then quickly undressed and got into the shower, letting the warm water cascade over my body, relaxing my muscles and soothing me in the warm rhythm of the tiny drops. I was washing my hair of shampoo when I heard something outside the bathroom.

"Hello?" I asked, wondering if Cara had forgotten something and had come back.

No one responded, so I called for Cara one more time, only to be met with silence once again. I was officially freaked out, and I grabbed the towel hanging over the shower and wrapped it around my still soapy body. I turned the water off and slowly stepped out of the shower, my heartbeat echoing in my eardrums as I did.

As soon as I stepped out, an alarm sounded, and I heard someone cursing and the hurried scuffling of people trying to run. I grabbed the nearest heavy object-a can of hairspray-and slowly opened the door to the bedroom.

No one was in there-but all of my things were thrown across the floor as if someone had been looking for something. I bent down and started gathering my things. As I began picking my things up, I noticed something shiny attached to the bed. As I looked more closely, I gasped.

Attached to the bedpost was a picture of me and Ed alone in our flat-and a knife in between.