'Yay! Go daddy!'
Taylor is holding Matilda on her hip, both of them cheering wildly for Travis, who had just scored a touchdown in the first game of the season. It was a warm Thursday night in August at Arrowhead, the beginning of football season, and she and Matilda had only arrived back in Kansas City that afternoon after finishing her run of shows in London.
She was exhausted, but the adrenaline was keeping her going, spurred on by the fact that she was now back in the States for the foreseeable, the long 3-and-a-half week period of her little family being apart now over. They'd arrived too late this afternoon to see Travis before the game, so they had instead hung out with Donna, Ed and Jason and Kylie, as well as Travis' friends, before heading to the stadium. He'd left a brand new football jersey for Matilda in her room, with a little note which read: For my baby girl, from daddy xo, and she was proudly sporting it now, waving down at him on the field.
She's chatting to Brittany, who had called in after the game to say hello, when she jumps as hands that can only belong to Travis snake around her waist and she smiles, leaning back into his touch. 'Hey, my girl. I've missed you so much', he whispers in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.
'I've missed you too, Trav. So fucking much. I love you', she murmurs back, turning around in his arms to kiss him. She doesn't even hear Brittany's laugh, shaking her head as she leaves the pair of them, knowing that now they've been reunited their previous conversation is of no interest to Taylor.
They stay like that for a while, caught up in being reacquainted, when Travis feels a tug on his trousers. 'Daddy, uppy please', Matilda's little voice requests, and he melts, bending down to scoop her up into his arms.
'Hey baby girl, are you tired? Did you have fun at the game with mommy?'
Matilda shakes her head against him, her hand resting against his cheek, but the toddler is tired, now awake way past her bedtime. 'Time to get this one home to bed, huh mommy?', he asks Taylor, who nods, looping her arm through his free one. 'Yes, let's go home, Trav'.
They have a little opening night party back at the house, everyone hanging around to eat some pizza and have a few drinks together, and they're not crawling into bed until nearly 2am. Crawling over the top of her, Travis whispers 'God, I missed you so much', in Taylor's ear, before starting to kiss a path down her neck, his hands wandering underneath the shirt she'd worn to bed.
Before they can take it any further, though, there's a sharp cry from the baby monitor, and Taylor groans, throwing her head back. 'God, we should have gotten a babysitter'. Chuckling, Travis laughs, standing up and fixing his clothes before fixing Taylor's. 'Tomorrow night, baby, I promise'.
Taylor smiles, pecking him on the cheek, before swinging her legs out of bed to tend to Matilda. 'It's okay Tay, I've got her', Travis stops her with an outstretched hand and walks the short distance to Matilda's room, finding her sitting up in her little toddler bed, her hair askew.
'What's up honeybun?', he says as he enters, hearing her whimper. 'Daddy, monsters', she cries, pointing towards the wardrobe door, and Travis gives in to her demand to be held. 'It's okay baby girl, no monsters are there. Daddy will protect you'.
He stands with her in his arms and goes to put her back in her bed when he can feel Matilda's grip tighten on his T shirt, and suddenly he's transported back to the night almost a year ago when she and Taylor first stayed in Kansas City. 'Okay girly, daddy's got you', he whispers in her ear, picking up her bunny rabbit and her blanket and carrying her into his and Taylor's bedroom.
'Oh, what happened?', Taylor asks as she sees them come back in, Matilda's eyes now heavy on Travis' shoulder. 'She had a bad dream, I think. Looks like we've got a little bed invader for the night'.
