The Lucky One (2) - Taylor Swift

3

It was noon when she finally snapped, she had been sitting in that office all day alone trying to figure out Michael's computer system and she needed help beyond what he could do from a job site.

"Hi, Gracie," Taylor said into her phone, she was about to leave for dinner at Ed's.

"Do you know how to use Microsoft Excel?" Grace sobbed, "Do you know?!"

Taylor had not been expecting that, she stopped walking through her hotel room and furrowed her eyebrows with concern, "I'm sure there's a google link. I mean- I probably could figure it out but... is no one helping you?"

"No! He left me with a list of things and no explanation on how to do them. I would like to pay these people who likely work very hard for their money but I do not know how to do that."

"Oh," Taylor sighed weakly, her heart hurt from hearing that, "I'm sorry. It sounds like you need to call him though, baby. I can google a guide to Excel but I can't do much from here."

"I don't want to do this. I don't- I cannot do this," Grace clicked the pen button over and over with a strong grip around it, "I have made a mistake."

"You're overwhelmed and stressed, it happens. Take a breath with me, Grace. Can you breathe with me?" Taylor inhaled loudly a few times and waited for Grace to follow along. She did that for about a minute before she said, "You learned how to use your phone and you can learn how to do that. He will need to actually train you, it's your first day of your first job ever. That isn't your fault."

"I really want to have a drink," Grace admitted sheepishly, "I really, really want a drink right now."

"I love you and I'm proud of you for doing your best," Taylor shut her eyes, she didn't know how to reply to that. She didn't want Grace to start drinking again.

"I apologize for calling you like this, I know there's nothing you can do."

"You can call me for anything, whenever," Taylor said firmly, "I've got your back."

"I know you do," Grace sniffled and reached for a tissue to wipe her eyes, "I love you. May I still call you tonight?"

"Wouldn't have it any other way. I love you so much, you can do it."

Grace found a guide on google and managed to gather a basic understanding by the time Michael returned at the end of the day to see how things had gone.

"Did you know when you left me here that I barely know how to send a text message never mind operate whatever creation straight out of hell you have on this computer?" Grace said as soon as he walked through the door.

"Hi..." he cautiously began. He didn't walk any closer, she looked mad.

"Do not hi me, Michael Kent— whatever the fuck you call yourself. How do you use this?! I'm one more cell style away from ending up in a cell myself," she accidentally snapped the pencil in her hand in half. She'd had an incident with a pen cartridge earlier in the day and switched to a less inky alternative.

"My bad. So... politely, you need to go to a meeting."

"I have come to that conclusion as well," she did not bother to shut the computer or any of the tabs down before she stood up and he noticed the blue ink on her sleeve and thigh.

"Did you murder a pen?"

In London, Taylor returned to her hotel from dinner with Ed and considered that she hadn't heard from Grace again yet. She was worried about her and she loved her so much that it was almost impossible to focus. She sent her a quick text with hearts, she figured the new phone and no reason to hide made it possible for her to do that.