2 (jaylor) ethereal daylight and golden epiphanies

chapter twenty six.

"You really are the nicest person alive, you know that, right?" Joe said as they walked home. "Of course, it doesn't surprise me... but I just... you're the kindest person out there."
Taylor felt herself turn pink. She had more than enough money, more money than she knew what to do with, and this was one of those things that she wanted to do. It was things like this that made her so glad she had enough money to help. She wanted Rosa to never have to worry about going out of business. And she was keeping their secret - what else could she ask for? She would definitely have to keep in touch with her, even when they went home, because Taylor didn't want her to get lonely.

Taylor was waiting outside on the porch, waiting to see Blake's car pull up the drive. Joe was inside changing Thea, and Taylor just couldn't wait. She knew that Blake truly understood what it felt like to only want to talk about their children, and knew that she'd be happy to listen to her.
This was the most relaxing holiday that they'd ever had - she didn't force herself to keep working hard. She and Joe were working on a couple of songs, but they only worked on them when they felt like it. There was no pressure to just sit down at the piano and write a perfect song. She'd taken that expectation off herself, because it had been dragging her down.

Taylor stood as she saw their car coming up the drive, a smile on her face.
Blake got out of car first, flinging her arms around Taylor, squealing. "I can't believe you're a mom now! I can't wait to see her - ugh! I bet that she is just the cutest little thing there ever could be - well, except mine, obviously." She laughed. "I missed you so much! It feels like we haven't seen each other in ages, even though we talk all the time."
"I missed you too! Thank you so much for coming," Taylor grinned. "Joe and I listened to your advice, and we just packed up and left for a while. I haven't regretted it once. Meredith loves it - she thinks everything is so new and exciting. I'm sure Inez will find Benji around somewhere."
"She's been talking the whole ride here about how excited she is," Blake moved to help Ryan get the kids out of the car. James ran to Taylor, wrapping her arms around her.
"Hi!" Taylor hugged her.
"I missed you!" James said into her legs, and Taylor laughed. "And the cats! And Mommy said that Joe was here too!" She shrieked as Joe came outside holding Thea. "Joe!" It was clear who her favourite person was. James held onto Joe, who laughed.
"Hi, James! Wow, I love your dress!" Joe bent down to see her. "Do you think it would look good on me?"
"No!" James giggled.
"What about me?" Ryan asked as he got the bags out of the car.
"Daddy! It's mine!"
"Oh? Is it? I think that-" Ryan started, but was cut off by Inez, who Blake had gotten out of the car.
Inez was giggling, just like her sister. "Kitty?"
"They're inside, baby!" Blake said as she fixed Inez's top. "We'll get to see them soon!"
"How are you?" Taylor asked Blake as Inez grabbed her hand.
"Having three kids is definitely different to having two," Ryan laughed. "It's the girls way or the high way."
Blake swatted his arm. "It is not!"
Ryan nodded behind her back, mouthing the words it is, and Taylor laughed.
Blake got Betty out of the car, holding her car seat in her arms.
"She's grown up so much!" Taylor smiled.
"She sure has! She's grown so fast! I can't wait to see little Thea, the photos you've sent me have been so beautiful." Blake grinned.
"Kitty?" Inez asked again and Taylor laughed.
"Alright! Let's go and find Benji! I'm sure there's one of his toys around here somewhere!" Taylor lead Inez inside, the others following along beside her.

Benjamin kept Inez busy all afternoon. They chased each other around the house, and it really was fun to watch. Inez would hide in a room and call out Benji's name, and he'd come and find her, and then he'd run away when she followed him.
Taylor was sitting on the floor of the living room, plaiting James' hair. She'd seen Taylor with her hair in a French braid, and wanted her hair like that too.
"Oh, Taylor," Blake said as she sat down beside them. "Thea is just the most beautiful name for her. She just looks so sweet. She's the perfect mixture of the two of you." Blake admired Thea in her arms. Betty was still asleep in the car seat. "I'm so proud of you!"
Taylor smiled, her cheeks turning red. "I just never want to stop talking about her," she admitted. "I really have to stop myself."
"Oh, please don't! I love talking about babies, especially Betty. Or Inez. Or James. I would love to hear all about her. Does she sleep well? Betty is a terrible sleeper. I think we got lucky with James and Inez, because Betty does not like bed time." Blake laughed. "It's a workout just trying to get the three of them to bed at night."
"So far, she's a great sleeper." Taylor smiled as she finished plaiting James' hair. "There you go! It looks perfect!"
"Thank you!" James turned around and flung her arms around Taylor, sitting in her lap. "Do I look as pretty as you now?"
"I think you look even prettier." Taylor smiled as James gave her a glowing smile.
"Mommy! Do I look pretty?" She asked her mom, and Blake smiled.
"You look beautiful!"
"I'm going to go and show Joe and Daddy!" She said before running off to the kitchen, where they were cooking dinner together. Blake and Taylor were on baby duty, with both Joe and Ryan refusing to let them help.
"She only cries when she needs something, and she's started to look at us like she's trying to understand us," Taylor smiled. "And we've worked hard to get a good routine going for bed... which seems to be working so far! I- this is all very boring for you to listen to."
"It isn't! Trust me, I love hearing other people talking about their babies. They're the most precious things in the entire world, and I love to see how much you love her." Blake smiled down at Thea. She was watching everything, her eyes open, watching Blake's face, watching Taylor as she moved closer. "So do not stop!"
"What about Betty? How is she? I bet the girls love her to pieces."
"Oh, they do. It's the cutest thing when Inez lies down on the floor beside her - and Betty will look at her, smiling and laughing. I have about fifteen thousand photos on my phone, and I am absolutely positive that 14,999 of them are all of cute moments between the girls."
"I always find myself taking photos of everything. There's just so many things that I don't want to forget," Taylor smiled as Blake laughed. "It's just so beautiful. And it's even more beautiful because we're here and we don't have to worry about everything else." She sighed.
"It's going to be okay," Blake took Taylor's hand in her own. "You're the strongest woman I know, and you can do this." She squeezed Taylor's hand. "He deserves everything that's coming for him, Taylor. You just have to get through the next two and a half weeks, and you'll be free from all of that."
Taylor nodded, looking down at the ground. "I just can't believe that I have to tell a room full of people... exactly what he did. I have to say it while he sits there... it just doesn't seem right."
"It's not fair," Blake told her quickly. "It really isn't. The fact that you've got to tell that room exactly what happened. That's not fair. I'll be thinking of you."
"You're the best." Taylor pulled her in for a hug. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Taylor - you're the best. But seriously, I know that you can do this. You make that piece of snickerdoodle - oh god, did I just say that out loud?" Blake laughed. "You make that piece of shit pay for what he did to you, to those other women. He doesn't deserve to see the light of day again."
Taylor smiled at Blake's words. "I will."
"And don't you ever hesitate to call me if it gets too much, okay? If you just need a pep-talk, or anything, I'm here. Or if you just want someone to talk about Thea with, I'm here for that too. I know you can do this."
Taylor was so glad she had Blake in her life. So glad that she had a friend like her.
"Oh, and I almost forgot!" Taylor smiled. "I have gifts."
"What? You didn't have to - but I've got one for you too!" Blake gently put Thea in her portable cot, as she rummaged through her bags.
"Ryan?" She called out as Taylor went to find James and Inez. "Where did you put their present?!"
"What present?" James asked excitedly, and Taylor laughed. "I love presents!
"If you go and sit on the couch, I'll get it for you!"
Inez was lying on the bed beside Benji, watching him sleep, a big grin on her face. "Would you like to come and get a present?" Taylor asked her, and she sprung out of bed.
"Yes!"

"It isn't anywhere as good as the ones that you gave me," Blake said as Taylor opened up the present. "But Inez and James both love theirs so much, that I wanted Thea to have one too."
Blake had given Thea a soft blanket, with her name embroidered on the corner of it, laced with little suns.
Taylor smiled. "It's so beautiful!" She gave Blake Betty's present, which was also an embroidered blanket. Taylor had gotten into a habit of doing this for her friends children, because it was something so special and meaningful.
She'd gotten Inez her own special cat toy, that was exactly like Benji. Inez was so happy, and clung to it for the rest of the evening.
James opened her present, and was very excited. Taylor had gotten her a special book that was written just for her. She'd heard Blake saying how much James loved reading books every night before bed, and Taylor had decided that it would be a good present for her. It was a book that had been especially written with all of their names, and James was so excited.

It took the four of them two hours to get all of the kids to sleep, and even then, Inez woke up needing a glass of water. They all sat down on the couch, staring into the dark night outside the window, and talked about their favourite parts about being parents. The clock hands moved through the night, midnight falling upon them all. Their list of all their favourite things about being parents was endless. Blake had brought up the fact that Inez had begun to want to fist bump everyone, and Joe talked about how Thea had managed to hold her head up for fifteen seconds yesterday. Ryan talked about how James was obsessed with fairies, and couldn't wait for the tooth fairy to come again, insisting that she was going to stay awake all night just to meet her. Taylor talked about Thea had started to smile more often, about the daylight she brought into her life, about how she just couldn't wait to be with her, through all of her firsts. She couldn't wait to have Thea's name written in the stars beside both hers and Joe. She couldn't wait to do it all - all of it.

She just had to get through the trial, just had to make sure that Adam was locked away and then she wouldn't have to worry anymore. She'd be able to hold onto Thea's golden string without worrying that someone would cut it, snap it or break it. And that day would come, and it would be the best feeling in the world. She just had to get there, to that court room, and tell her truth.