GETAWAY CAR

14. Real Friends

January 12th 2017

•••
Taylor's POV

"Are you sure you wanna do this?" Karlie asks and I turn to look at her. "After what happened, its probably best if I make this check up. They told me to check in with a doctor when I got back anyway and I haven't done that, and anyway, we need to make sure Maisie's developing properly so this is for her, not me." I sigh, repeating the same excuses I've been telling myself since I
made my decision.

"Okay, i'm going to get Maisie ready, we still have plenty of time so don't push yourself too much." She warns me before leaving the room. I sigh and look into the mirror in front of me. I'm already dressed, I just have to cover the bruising on my face and neck and then I should be good to go.

Karlie has been amazing the past couple of days. I can't say that anything has gone back to the way it was before, but it's definitely getting slowly better. I've started leaving my bed a bit more and Karlie hasn't given up on pushing me to get better. She's sleeping with me at night which helps a bit, I feel safe with her but it still doesn't stop the nightmares from plaguing me. I honestly don't know what I would do without her.

I cover my face and neck with concealer, making sure that none of the  bruises are clearly visible and then for the first time in a while, I do a full face of makeup. I wanna put on a brave face and make it look like I'm unaffected, I don't want the world to know how much this has really broken me.

When I'm done, I get up, leaving everything scattered all over the vanity table. I'll tidy it later. I take all of my stuff from the side of the bed and leave the room. "Karlie?" I say as I walk around the downstairs of the house, looking for the two. "We're in here." She calls after me and I follow the sound of her voice into the dining room. She's putting Maisie into her carseat and I stand beside her as I look down at the baby. "Are you ready?" She asks and I nod, tucking Maisie's blanket around her as Karlie checks the diaper bag.

"Let's go then." The woman smiles as she picks up Maisie's car seat. I take the diaper bag and hang it over my shoulder as I follow her out of the house. The car is waiting in the driveway and I climb in one side as Karlie clicks Maisie into the other. I sit in the middle and finish fixing Maisie as Karlie gets in beside me.

When we're all ready, Ian pulls out of the driveway and onto the street. Karlie reaches for my hand and I jump a little but soon relax as her fingers entwine with mine. "Are you okay?" She asks as I stare out of the window, my thumb absentmindedly stroking the side of her hand. "Yeah, just a little nervous." I smile softly and she squeezes my hand.

We stay silent for the rest of the ride, neither of us knowing what to say. Karlie's been my only source of comfort and security the past couple of days, but last night I woke up from a nightmare so bad that I couldn't sleep the rest of the night and she just comforted me and held me until I calmed down, and I spent the rest of the night tending to Maisie and listening to Karlie's steady breaths to keep myself calm.

We pull into the car park of the doctors clinic and Karlie keeps a firm grip on my hand as we get out of the car together. We decided that it's the best option for us to keep at least one member of my security team with us at all times, just as a precaution, and Ian kindly removes the car seat from the car and carries Maisie inside, keeping close to mine and Karlie's side as we walk a couple of steps ahead.

We go to reception first and they tell us to go straight through to the doctors office to wait for the them to join us in a minute. Karlie takes Maisie from Ian who's going to wait outside the door, and we go into the room. The baby is starting to get restless lying in her carseat, so I take her out and she lies happily in my arms as we wait for the doctor to come into the room.