golden [2] | TAYLOR SWIFT

03

As Taylor got dressed in the first pair of leggings she found and a hoodie she was sure belonged to Kaia, she tossed her phone onto the unmade bed, listening to it ring on speakerphone and ran around in search of shoes and the underwear she forgot to add to her messily packed bag.

"Hello?"

"Oh, good! I didn't wake you, right?" Taylor called out when she heard Layla's voice coming from the phone.

"No, I'm getting ready for work!" The older Browne sister responded. "What's up? Oh, please tell me you're not involving me in another one of your fights with Kaia?"

"No, no," Taylor chuckled softly, slipping her sneakers on. She lost her balance for a second and fell back against her mattress with a small oof. "Uhh... I had a small favour to ask, actually."

"Okay, shoot!"

"Hold on," she muttered, slipping on her second shoe and bringing her leg up to tie her laces. "So, I'm going to London right now."

"Like, right now, right now?"

"Yup," Taylor responded, finally standing back up. "By the time I get there, Kaia would probably be asleep already. And I want to surprise her anyway. Do you happen to have an extra key to the house?"

"Oh! Yes, do you know the tiny birdhouse that hangs by the window á gauche ou á droite?... uhh... yeah, that would be your right side when you're facing the front door from outside!" [On the left or the right?...]

"Sure... yes, sure," Taylor nodded as she faintly remembered the birdhouse Layla was talking about.

"There's a key hanging around the bird inside."

"Great! Thank you!" Taylor breathed out in relief. "Oh! How do you feel about coming over once a day and feeding the children?"

"Do you mean the cats?"

"Yes, that's what I said."

Layla snorted on the other end of the line. "I'll be there. The bloke that's always outside knows me, doesn't he?"

"I'll tell him. Thanks, Layla! I'll see you around."

"No problem," she responded softly. Taylor was about to hang up when she spoke up again. "How's Kaia doing? She always says she's fine, but... you know how she is."

Taylor hesitated, unsure if she should recount the incident that happened less than an hour ago to Layla.

"I don't know, honestly," she admitted with a small sigh. "She tells me she's fine, and tells me that I don't need to come to London. And that I actually shouldn't. But then..."

She cut herself off, holding her phone in her hand and her bag in the other.

"Did something happen?" Layla asked in concern.

"I— William called earlier. She had a small panic attack. I think she's fine now, but I wanna be there for her. I need to—" Taylor sighed again and started walking downstairs. "I need to make sure she's okay."

"Shit, are you sure she's fine?" Layla's voice was tight.

"I think so..."

She stopped by the kitchen, making sure the cats had everything they needed at least for the day before grabbing her keys and heading toward the front door.

"Taylor, take care of her, will you?" Layla said after a few moments of silence. "Kaia probably won't let you. You know how she gets; she'll just let everything build up until she can't take it anymore and well, she hasn't had a proper panic attack in a while."