TAYLOR'S POV
Karlie had long ago fallen asleep. Her protective arms were wrapped around me in bed and my back was pressed against her front. I had been awake since Caroline came home and there was no way I'd be getting any sleep tonight. I laid still in the pitch black room just thinking for hours on end. I would have gotten up, but I wanted Karlie to get some rest. She'd had a rough night too after all. So I let her cuddle up with me and succumb to sleep as I watched the minutes tick by on the bedside clock.
I had been imagining different scenarios in my head all night. Caroline doing downing beer after beer, Caroline doing shots, Caroline getting wine drunk. None of them seemed like her, but then again, what did I know? She was out partying all night and I had no idea until she came home at 3 in the morning. She even called my girlfriend to pick her up instead of calling me. Was she was scared to call me because she knew that I try to instill good values in her and I wouldn't approve? But how good of values could I have passed on if she ended up going out with her friends and getting wasted?
I beat myself up all night over it. I was so mad at Caroline, but the immediate anger had subsided and now all I was feeling was sadness and anxiety. Anything could have happened to her at that party, she was drunk and vulnerable. Being out and about without security near is a frightening thought for me, so thinking about Caroline drunk and passed out at a strangers house was enough to give me a heart attack. I was so emotional that night that my stomach ached as I laid there in Karlie's arms.
When the clock read 6:30 I slowly wriggled out of Karlie's warm embrace while trying not to wake her. It was no use, she began to stir when I got out of bed.
"Babe?" She whispered in a raspy voice.
"Go back to sleep Kar." I said quietly before leaning over to her side of the bed and pressing a light kiss to her lips. I tiptoed out of my bedroom and without thinking, I made my way upstairs and to Caroline's bedroom door.
I turned the handle and quietly stepped into her room. She was fast asleep in bed. I climbed into the empty side of my sleeping daughters bed without waking her and covered myself with her comforter. She must have showered before she went to bed last night because her hair was damp and she smelled like body wash. Her eyes were still red and puffy from crying, but she looked much calmer in her sleep.
I didn't know what I was doing in Caroline's room but being there with her eased my anxiety. It assured me that she was safe and it gave me the illusion of having everything under control.
I didn't understand how I could be so mad at her but feel so much love toward her at the same time. I wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake some sense in to her while also wanting to continue lying there beside her, cuddling up.
I tried to think of what I'd say to her when she woke up. We needed to have a real talk about last night, but Caroline had never given me the chance to have much experience in the underage drinking department. I needed to be assertive enough to give her a punishment, yet levelheaded enough to have her take me seriously.
I pulled up the comforter a little more and glanced over anxiously at her sleeping body. Her red eyes were evidence of her regret. Finally, I was able to get some sleep. and although it wasn't very restful, sleep was sleep.
I woke up when I felt Caroline waking up. I was ready to shut my eyes again and go back to sleep when I remembered everything that had happened and everything I needed to say.
"Hey you." I sighed, prying open my eyes. Surprised, she turned her body to find me lying there in her bed. She pulled the covers over her body a little tighter as if she were shielding herself from me.
"We need to talk." I said plainly and I noticed her wince at my words. We were both lying on or sides facing each other, but she avoided my eyes.
"Karlie told me everything that happened last night." I said softly, trying to get her to look at me.
"What were you thinking?" I added, tiredly and desperately. Caroline looked at me for a second, only to look away again without ever saying anything.
"Please don't do that again." I said, surrendering to the fact that she wasn't going to be speaking.
"You're grounded until I say you're not. And I don't think you should hang around with those girls anymore, they seem like a bad influence." I added, remembering what my parents used to tell me. I still felt out of place saying it and I hoped she didn't notice. The fact that Caroline was staring past me and not reacting to any of this made me sigh. I climbed out of her bed and started walking towards the door. Before I left I turned back to Caroline, having one thing left to say.
"When you're ready to talk for real you owe Karlie and I apologies." I said.
"I apologized last night." Caroline said in a week voice, finally turning to look at me.
"I want a sober apology. I couldn't sleep at all last night, my anxiety was eating me up. I deserve a real apology." I said and before I shut the door and went downstairs Caroline glanced at me with a tear in her eye. At least that was a reaction and at least that meant she felt bad.
"What have you been up to?" Karlie asked with a yawn when I got downstairs.
"I was with Caroline." I sighed walking over to her and falling into a much needed hug.
"Did you talk?" Karlie asked.
"I talked, she didn't. I'm waiting for her to come down here so we can talk for real." I replied.
"Listen, I know you said you didn't want anything special but I think you and I should do something for your birthday on Tuesday. You need a break from this and from everything, it'll be fun." Karlie suggested. With everything that had been going on I had kind of forgotten about my birthday coming up. I was happy she suggested we do something though.
"I'd love that. But maybe we shouldn't leave Caroline here alone? I guess I don't really know exactly how these grounding things should work." I joked with my arms still wrapped around her neck.
"We'll figure something out." Karlie said, leaning in and pecking me on the lips. And for a moment, I forgot about my anxiety.
"Thanks for taking care of her last night." I said quietly as thoughts of Caroline's night drifted back into my head.
"Anytime." Karlie said simply. The thing I loved about Karlie was that she knew what I was feeling and she knew how to make me feel better about just about anything. Most of all, she loved Caroline as her own. Even when she was being stupid.
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Okay so I'm going on a mission trip this week and I won't be able to update until I get back. Be sure to give me your thoughts on this chapter!
