Beyond Me. {Haylor}

Chaptet Eleven.

---Harry---

Taylor had been gone longer than she should've been. No one is making conversation at the table and it's making things even worse. Paula is staring me down like I had tried to hurt her baby cub. Her mother sits, tears in her eyes, her father just as choked up. Scott and Sandy sit, not sure what to say. These people had watched Taylor grow up, and I highly doubt I'm the person they want to be with, the one that knocked up their daughter.

I excuse myself from the table after twenty minutes of Taylor leaving. She's got to be upset herself. She's very hard headed but a girl can only take so much. Her mothers wasn't impressed with her actions nor her father or brother. I knock at the ladies door and after a minute of no reply I knock again. There wasn't an answer. Frantically, I turn the door knob trying to get in. I bang at the door, tears in my eyes. "Taylor!" I call, "Taylor! Let me in!"

I start clenching my fists. Not sure what to do. And just before I'm about to go find someone to help me in there the door opens and Taylor jumps into my arms, silently sobbing. I push us back into the washroom, closing the door behind us. By now, I've learnt to just hold her and wait for her to calm herself. To hold her and comfort her, then ask questions. If not, she gets too worked up and it spirals even farther downhill from there.

After a few minutes, she's loosens her grip, pulling herself from my body for her to stand on her own. "I swear Harry, I didn't mean to."

Her eyes ooze of pain and in that moment I just want to take it all away. "You didn't mean to what? What didn't you mean to do."

She swallows hard. "I didn't mean to create this mess. I just... I'm not ready... If pregnancy is overwhelming me this much, how will I ever be able to survive parenthood." Her eyes race back and forth.

"You didn't create any mess." I say, putting my hand to her clammy cheek. She pressed her eyes shut. "We got into this together and we'll get out of it together. We're a team." My lips touch her forehead.

"I didn't break." She says, opening her eyes and there deepen with colour. "I was going to, but I didn't. I came in here for air. And then I found myself in a relapse and I couldn't breathe. And then you came into my mind and I didn't want to let you down. I can't do that anymore. I can't let this one down..." Her fingers grab mine and she holds them to her stomach. Her lips turn a smile. "I can't let Ali and Rob down."

"I agree." My hand wraps around her waist and I pull her closer to me for a kiss. Quickly she backs away and turns away, bending over the toilet and letting herself go. I rush to her assistance in pulling her outta her way. And grabbing a disposable cup of water with the other hand.

"I don't think the baby likes Chinese. Take note."


---Taylor---


A week passes and I'm in Canada getting ready for a show tonight in Toronto. I'm in the car running late for sound check, due to nasty morning sickness. Rylee didn't warn me about that but I guess it should've been obvious. "Eta?" I ask my driver while looking at my phone.

"Five minutes." He replies and I look out my window. Fans are already making their way to the venue. It's like a sea of red everywhere I look and I'm in astonishment. My fans go all our, they've never once let me down. How I was going to break the news to them about the pregnancy was a aching thought in the back of my mind. My belly wasn't showing that much but it was enough for me to notice. My phone buzzes from my lap and I look. I don't recognize the number so I pull it to my ear and smile, "hello?"

"Hi, is Taylor there?" The voice is sweet, but I can sense nerves.

"Speaking. What can I help you with?"

"Hi Taylor, this is Ali Jaymes. Diane gave me your information and letter and such..." Her voice drowns out.

"Oh! Hello Ali!" I'm taken back and somewhat surprised, I don't know what to say. Well really, what do you say to a woman who might be your child's future mother.

"Did I catch you at a bad time?" She asks, her voice timid. "I know you're on tour right now and constantly busy."

"Oh, no! It's alright! I'm just on my way to sound check. No big deal though, I've got time."

"Okay, well I'm not really sure how to go about this, I'm just so astonished that you even looked at our profile."

I smile, "ya'll seemed like a good match. You send you live in Nashville, right?"

"Yes! My husband and I both grew up in Memphis but moved to Nashville for bigger and better things. My husband, Rob is absolutely in love with his job, music is his blood I swear." I spend awhile talking to Ali and she's absolutely darling. She talks to me like she's known me forever and I really feel a friendship growing. I talk to her until I'm away in my dressing room and we must have been talking for a good half hour if not longer. "So how far along are you?" She asks. "When's your due date?"

"December 7th is what we've figured."

"Wow! So like six months to go! How has the pregnancy been?" She asks, obviously the questions burning inside her.

"We've only known for twoish weeks. It's been okay though. Stressful, trying to figure out what we're going to do. But since we found you, we've been able to breathe a little more."

"That's good!" She laughs, "ya know, Rob and I, we've always wanted kids. Like ever since we were teenagers just dreaming about our futures. We knew were gonna be Together for the rest of our lives. So I guess you can imagine how heartbreaking it was to find out that we just couldn't have kids."

"Well, Harry and I... As you can imagine, are busy. I mean, we hardly see each other as it is. Our relationship is spread across the world and the last thing we need is for us to get criticized for having a baby here and here and all over the world. That's why we found you." A smile breaks at my lips as a sign of hope. A knock at the door interrupts us. The stage manager holds up her hand as a sign for 'five minutes til sound check' and she wonders off. "Hey Ali, I would love to talk some more, but sound check is calling. I'll be back in Nashville within the next few days and I would love to meet up for lunch or something. Text me, alright?"

"Oh absolutely! I'm looking forward to it! Break a leg? I feel kinda weird saying that." She laughs and I join in.

"You're good! Talk to you later!"