Sacred New Beginnings

Chapter 37 - I've had the time of my life fighting dragons with you

October 22nd 2016

The last few weeks have been so happy for the couple. They're at peace together and there has been a brighter energy in the household since Leo came home and they all faced the parts of themselves that have been haunting them.

In two days time they'll hit what should be Taylor's due date, so the blonde has been feeling the slow return of the ache in her chest that she nursed for months after losing her baby. However, Karlie has been amazing at keeping her sadness at bay, not wanting to see the woman she loves lost again in the grief that she fought so hard to stop overwhelming her for months. They know it's going to be a really difficult few days, but Taylor is determined to remember Melody without letting it tear her apart.

"Are you ready, buddy?" Taylor coos as she holds Leo, swaying with him as Karlie helps Bella grab his things. It's really early and they're flying out to Texas for her show tonight so the baby is fussy and tired and Bella is really grumpy because even though she's a mom, she still isn't used to being up this early. Taylor did tell her that she didn't have to go to the show considering she has the baby and it's so much effort travelling with him, but Bella was insistent that they need to be there to support her.

The car is waiting outside so Karlie takes the couple of bags they have downstairs and Taylor double checks that the cats have enough food and water until they get back tonight while Bella gets the baby into his car seat. "Have you got everything?" She checks with the teen one more time, knowing that leaving a single pacifier could upset Leo for the whole day. "I've triple checked everything and I think we're set," Bella lifts the baby's seat as she looks around one last time and Taylor nods in agreement.

They go down to the car where Karlie is waiting, the model helping the teen into the third row and then helping her with the car seat as Taylor gets in, Karlie soon following and pulling the door closed behind her.

This is the first time they're travelling as a family and Taylor is a little nervous to have them at her show tonight, but she's also excited to finally perform with Bella there. She wants to make her girl proud.

"How are you feeling?" When Leo is settled and Bella is occupied with her phone, Karlie squeezes Taylor's hand and pulls her attention away from the window she was staring out of, lost in a daydream. "I'm nervous, it's been a while since I've performed," she gives her girlfriend a sad smile as Karlie strokes her fingers, "and as long as nobody brings her up then I'll be able to hold it together," her miscarriage was very public because of Adam and that made it harder for Taylor to move on. She knows it's something people are going to want to talk about but she just can't face that pain.

Karlie lifts Taylor's hand to her lips and leaves a soft kiss on each of her knuckles in a gentle act to comfort the singer's fears. Bella observes silently from behind them as Karlie goes on to give her strong words of love and encouragement, simultaneously easing Taylor's nerves and prompting the most innocent of smiles from the blonde.

Karlie has always had this way of knowing Taylor's worries so deeply that she can calm her greatest fears, sometimes without even saying anything at all. It's the purest form of the love the two women share and when Bella witnesses these moments she almost feels like they're too intimate for her to see - like she's bearing witness to the words you whisper in the dark when nobody else can hear.

Their love gives her hope that one day she'll find someone to love like her mom and Karlie love each other.

—-

"Your Grammy is gonna be right up here, little man, she's gonna sing for hundreds of people and she's gonna be amazing," Karlie coos as she carries Leo, talking gently to him as she tries to walk him to sleep. Taylor is in a meeting and Bella went with Elliott and Melanie to get coffee, so Karlie is showing Leo around and trying to get him to sleep. "You're gonna watch from the sidelines with me and your mommy, and I know you're far too little to remember tonight but you'll have years of watching Taylor's shows to learn how incredible your Grammy is."