Make You Smile

I feel so

August 17th 2001

Taylor's P.O.V

We were all gathered at Tom and Jen's house. Everyone was singing happy birthday and Tom and Mark were playing along on acoustic guitars.

I let JB use my wish to blow out my candles too.

"But Auntie Tay don't you want to use your wish?" Asked JB with a concerned frown.

I smiled and shook my head as I looked around at all of the people I was so thankful to have around me.

"No I already got everything I could possibly ever want." I said.

JB frowned but nodded.

"I made a wish for you. I wished that-" 

I pressed my finger to her lips.

"Shhhh don't say it out loud or it won't come true remember. But thankyou it was so sweet of you to use your wish on me JB."

She nodded and I ruffled her hair as she hopped off my lap. Mark was walking over to me and she gripped onto Mark's leg. She squealed as Mark hoisted her onto his shoulders.

I smiled as I watched them messing around. He was so good with her. Sometimes I forgot how much time had passed until I saw them together like that. I'd held new born JB in my arms 4 years ago to the day. Now look at her. And me...22 years old. I couldn't believe it.  Mark would be 23 in a few months. We were all grown up.  And the scariest part was that I wasn't scared of that. Not really.

For almost an entire year Mark and I had been living together and I'd never felt happier.  Tom constantly teased me about being all settled down.  I couldn't quite believe it myself. I was never one of those people that dreamt of settling down with someone. Or getting married or having kids or anything like that.

But with Mark I thought maybe...I would like to do all those things. And maybe not in the too distant future either.

Jen passed me a glass of wine and my eyes lingered on her sparkling engagement ring.

Tom had been so nervous about asking her it was adorable. I'd had to give him a super long pep talk to calm him down. I was so beyond happy for them both.

Jen and Tom were getting married next summer. They'd set the date. She'd asked both Kari and I to be bridesmaids. I was so honoured to be asked and neither me or Kari had any fucking idea about anything to do with wedding planning so this would be a total disaster without a doubt. But Jen was so cool and she wasn't into anything too fancy. She just wanted something simple. Something classy. And I just knew it was going to be beautiful and perfect.
Because Tom and Jen were perfect together.

Later

Mark was having a seemingly in depth conversation with Corey on the couch. I smiled. Corey hadn't been too happy about Mark and I getting back together at first. He'd been slow to trust Mark again but now they were very close.

I think Mark made Corey feel comfortable about telling him anything. Even things he didn't talk to me about. The main topic lately being his very new relationship with Lori that everyone was teasing him relentlessly about. I was so happy for him. He was so adorably awkward and besotted with her.

I couldn't believe my little brother was in his senior year. And dating.  He looked so grown up now.  He was clearly taking style inspiration from Tom, which he vehemently denied, but it was undeniable. He'd even got his lip pierced over the summer. Mom was not pleased at all. She still didn't know about my impulsive navel piercing and I intended to keep it that way.