Tayvin | Better Than This

21 》 Surprise!

Taylor's POV

"Surprise!" We all shouted.

"Oh my God! Mom, Dad, sophie, Edward! You're all here!" Adam exclaimed. He had watery eyes and the biggest grin spread on his face. Lots of hugs were exchanged between the family before we made our way back into the living room.

"Look at all the toys, Mom!" Adam's niece, Ava, squealed.

"Yeah and I'm sure Leah would love to play with you." I tell the little girl. I walk over to where Leah was happily playing with her gifts. "Hey baby, could Ava come and play with you?" Leah tensed up a little but then muttered an 'Okay'.

"Baby, is there something wrong?" I ask her.

"Mmm..."

"What is it baby?"

"N-nothing..." Leah stuttered.

"Hi, I'm Ava!" Ava said confidently.

"Hi." Leah mumbled.

"Oo! Can we play dress up!?" Asked Ava. Leah's eyes lit up at this and she nodded her head, handing Ava a Belle dress whilst she took the rapunzel one. I walked back over to the couch and sat next to Adam. We talked lots and caught up on everyone's lives. It had been so long since Adam had seen his family.

We spent the rest of the morning talking and the two girls had fun playing together.

"So how is it being a mother, Taylor?" Pamela, Adam's mom, asks.

"Tiring but amazing." I say.

"The tantrums and tears are all worth it though aren't they." Pamela says.

"Definitely." I reply.

-----

"Where are you guys going to be staying?" Adam asked his parents.

"Taylor's very kindly booked us in at a hotel." David, Adam's father, replies. I smile and say goodbye to Adam's family.

"How long are they staying again?" Adam asked.

"A week." I said with a smile. "We'd better be going now too. It's way past Leah's bed time and I'm not in the mood to deal with a grumpy little girl tommorow morning."

We packed up the things we had taken and said goodbye to my parents.

"Today has been the best Christmas ever!" Adam says as we start driving towards my Nashville apartment.

"Agreed." I say.

We reach the apartment and put Leah straight to bed.

"Goodnight my beautiful little princess." I mumble, kissing her forehead.

I go back to mine and Adam's room and get into bed next to him. It doesn't take long for us both to fall asleep.

I wake up in the early morning and I feel really nauseous. I get out of bed and sprint to the bathroom where I lean over the toilet bowl emptying everything inside of me. I lean back against the wall but it isn't long before I throw up again. I wipe my face and brush my teeth to get rid of the taste before heading back to bed. I carefully climb into bed and under the duvet, making sure I don't wake Adam. I don't fall back asleep, I just lay there thinking.

After a while of laying in bed I get up and head to the kitchen to start making breakfast. I take out the ingredients for pancakes and start mixing then together in a bowl. I hear footsteps going down the stairs and soon Leah is in the kitchen.

"Hey there, baby. You hungry for breakfast."

"Yeah." She says, peering into the mixture. "But mommy, you forgot the choc chips!" She exclaims. I laugh and reach into the cupboard to take them out. Leah sits on a stool at the island.

"Are we doing anything today." She asks.

"Yep." I say, setting the plate of pancakes in front of her. "You and daddy are going to go to the zoo!" I say, trying to sound enthusiastic about it.

"What about you?"

"Mommy has to stay at home..."

How am I meant to explain this to a 3 year old? She doesn't know I'm famous and there are people which want pictures of me. Nashville paparazzi was fairly respectable but they had been really bad recently knowing I was in Nashville with my daughter. Pictures of Leah could sell for millions.

"Mommy isn't feeling too well, baby."

"Oh, ok. Is Ava gonna be there?"

"She is and you're going to have so much fun together!"

"But I want mommy..." Leah says, reaching her hand out for me to pick her up. I scoop her into my arms and shower her with kisses, desperately trying not to cry. I want to join them at the zoo more than anything but it wouldn't be worth the mess I bring along with me. Atleast if I'm not there, it might not be as obvious that it's Leah - Taylor Swift's daughter.

"I promise we will go and do something special as soon as mommy is feeling better."

It was a promise I was willing to make but not one I was sure I could keep.

-----

Adam and Leah have left now. I was really upset that I couldn't join them. I really wanted to be there for Leah's first time going to the zoo. At the same time, I didn't want to ruin it.

Telling Leah I wasn't feeling well wasn't a complete lie either. I had been feeling a little sick most of the day.

Since I was alone I decided to call Karlie over.

-----

"Hey Karlie!" I say excitedly as I wrap my friend in a hug.

"Hey Tay, how are you?"

"Good. Tired but good."

We start baking cookies and catching up on what we've been up to.

"So, did you find out why Leah got so shaken up?"

I sigh as she asks this.

"No... she's been ok since then though. Always a little shaky around others but she is talking a lot more with me and Adam."

"That's good." Karlie says with a reassuring smile.

"I just. Karlie what if adopting her was a mistake. It won't take much for the media to destroy her and I have no idea what I'm doing trying to be a mother. If I had been a better mother then she wouldn't be acting up like this and constantly looking shaken up..."

"Taylor, look at me." Karlie says sternly. She places her hands on my shoulders and turns me around so I'm no longer facing the mixing bowl but instead looking directly into her eyes. "You are a great mother. Whatever has Leah shaken up isn't your fault. What you're doing is helping her to get away from her rough past."

Tears spill down my cheeks as I hug her tightly. We then get back to baking and I pick up the large metal bowl before letting out a piercing scream as a sudden pain hits my back.

"Whoah... Tay are you ok?"

"Yeah, it was just my back. I haven't been feeling too well today. I've thrown up a couple times this morning. "

"Um your not like...pregnant, are you?" Karlie asks. I freeze. Was I? "Is it a possibility, Tay?" She asks me.

"Umm... yeah."

"If you want I can go out and get you a couple of tests. I get how the media would make a big deal of it if they spotted you buying them."

"Thank you." I mumble.

The thought of being pregnant scared me. I had only just adopted a little girl and she needed to be my first priority.

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EXTRA LONG CHAPTER EVEN THOUGH I UPDATED YESTERDAY BECAUSE THIS STORY REACHED 2K READS WHICH IS UNBELIEVABLE I DIDN'T THINK ANYONE WOULD READ IT BUT OMG ILYSM THANK YOU FOR READING!!!