When the Sun Comes Out

Chapter 9 ~ Tae

     Rhett kissed me. Rhett kissed me. Rhett just kissed me!

Taylor's brain was working double time trying to process Rhett's kiss. She hadn't expected it. She knew that they would have to pretend to be a couple, but she didn't realize he would take it so seriously.

The whole room had watched it happen, too. She was beyond embarrassed, but she didn't have time to think about it.

"Well, he's taking this seriously," Caroline said to her with a smirk.

Their backs were to the room, and they were filling up drinks. They were letting the guests get food first, then the family would fill up their plates, afterward.

The Family.

I'm part of the family now, she thought to herself.

They took relationships seriously here. They accepted her fully, just because she was with Rhett.

"Yes, he decided he was going to do it right," she snickered.

"Well, I'd say he's doing it right all right. That was a hell of a kiss," Caroline said, giving her a look.

Taylor was surprised to hear her curse. She didn't seem like the type to. She shrugged her shoulders pretending to be unaffected by the kiss.

"He seemed really upset about you being worried for him," she told her. "When I told him that you were worrying about his capability to be in a relationship, he got really worked up. He just wants to see you happy. So yes, he is taking the making you happy part seriously," she explained.

"Hmm, that sounds like him," was all his mama said.

"He loves you; that's for sure," she said smiling warmly.

Caroline looked out around the room and finally found her sons.

"It's good to see the three of them together. Now, it's time for Jake to come home," she said with tears in her eyes.

Taylor didn't know where Jake was. She knew he was the next born after Rhett though.

"Where is Jake?" she asked Caroline.

"Jake is in the army. He's stationed in Afghanistan right now," she told Taylor. "Or at least that's where he says he is. We never really know."

She was looking out the window as if in a daze.

"Oh, you must be so proud," Taylor said to her.

She watched as pride filled Caroline's eyes. She could only imagine what it would be like to have a son in constant danger. It had to be hard on her.

"Yes, we are very proud of him, but we still miss him, and I still worry too. I'm a mother. It's what I do," she said simply.

Laughing sympathetically, Taylor said, "I can't wait to be constantly worrying about my children when I'm a mother."

Caroline looked at her with what looked like hope in her eyes.

"You want to have children?" she asked.

Taylor thought it over. She had always wanted to have kids. She thought babies were precious, so it was easy to decide.

"Yes, I would like to have a family one day," she told Rhett's mother.

Nodding her head, she gave her a small smile. Caroline said, "You will make a great mom."

It meant a lot to Taylor to hear her say that. She had to fight back tears as she thought of her own mother. She would never get to see Taylor as a mom, or hold her own grandchild. She changed her focus to thoughts of Rhett.