'Baby, they already love you. Please don't be nervous'.
'I'm not really nervous about your friends, Trav. It's everything else. It's a lot, you know?'
Taylor sighs as she rubs her hand over her face, attempting to hide her anxiety from Travis, looking intently at her from her phone screen.
'T, baby. What's really going on in that head of yours?'
Taylor can't stop the soft sob that rises and escapes from her lips, her eyes betraying her with tears starting to fall. She can't even look at Travis, the look she knows will be on his face, his words of reassurance not having their desired effect.
'Taylor, please don't cry. Especially when I'm not there to hold you. Please, let me in'.
Relenting, the gentle tone of voice, the emotion she can hear in it making her turn her head, finding him looking at her with soft eyes, red rimmed.
'I don't want any public reaction to push you away from me. I know we've talked about it, Trav, but it's so intense. I can't really explain it until we're living it. Until the whole world knows about us, and your life changes forever. Your family's life. God, I come with some much baggage, and it invades everything and everyone I touch. It's overwhelming, and I already can't bear to lose you. I don't want it to overwhelm you'.
She dares to look up at him, meeting his face, seeing the tears that have started for him, too. Her fear and anxiety once again threaten to take over, afraid that the very admission of her thoughts had driven him away.
She's shaken out of her reverie, though, when she sees him wipe his face and smile at her, that smile that makes his eyes crinkle and takes over his face. The smile that she likes to think, is reserved just for her.
'Tay, I love you. And I know this has been a problem for relationships you've had before. I'm not going to dismiss your feelings and say everything will be fine. There will be a lot of talk, yes. Some of it will be fucking nuts, and make my blood boil. But the bottom line of it, sweetie, is that I love you. And none of that outside noise is going to make me go anywhere, okay? I'm in this, Taylor. No matter what other people have to say. Me, you and Matilda, that's really all that matters. We stick together, and ignore the rest. I love you, baby'.
The tears continue to fall, but for both of them they're now of the happy variety, Taylor smiling back at him, her gentle giant of a man.
'How do you always know just what to say to me? I love you too, Travis'.
Reassured, but still apprehensive about tomorrow, they chat for a while longer before Travis has to bid her goodbye, team curfew coming into force. Eager to get some rest before a big day tomorrow, she curls up in his bed in Kansas City, hugging his pillow, his scent invading her nose, making her sleep.
In the morning, Matilda is awake early, so Taylor decides to make the most of her extra time, prepping breakfast for when Travis gets back from the hotel. That's where he finds them just after 8am, Matilda in her high chair, Taylor singing nursery rhymes, whisking something in the new baking bowl he'd purchased last week.
'Good morningggggg', he declares, elongating the word, making them both laugh.
Taylor sets the bowl down on the worktop, Travis coming behind her, hands wrapping around her waist. 'Hey, T. You have no idea how happy I am to walk in here and see you both', he whispers into her hair, kissing her neck.
Taylor reaches behind her, running a hand through his hair. 'Hmmm, we're very happy to be here, baby. Isn't that right, Tilly?'
Matilda coos in response, hands clapping as Travis rounds the kitchen island towards her, pulling funny faces. He plucks her out of the seat, twirling her around before holding her close, Matilda resting her head in the crook of his neck. 'Hey girly, I missed you'.
