The Soldier's Girl (Under Editing)

Chapter 20

Taylor got up and answered, it was the room service bringing us the Chinese food. Taylor had all of our little boxes and handed one to Andrea then me.

"Here you go, Care." She said as she gave me it. I liked it when she called me that, having a nickname made me feel special and warm inside. We ate right where we were sitting and finished watching the movie. When we were all done and the movie was over I decided that I would get in the shower. I went into the bathroom leaving only Taylor and her mom in the main room.

Once I was out of the shower I thought I was all set, then after putting only half of my pajamas on I realized that I'd forgotten my shirt in my suitcase, and I sure wasn't about to walk out there shirtless to grab it. I stayed in the bathroom for a while, brushing my hair and wondering what I should do.

Eventually I poked my head out of the door with a towel wrapped around my upper half.

"Taylor?" I called out for her. I heard her ask what was wrong and then I heard footsteps coming my way.

"Will you get me my shirt?" I said quieter when she was standing next to me.

"Yeah." She said while giggling.

"Your pajama shirt?" She asked when she was squatting back in front of my bag. I told her yes and she came back to the door and handed me the shirt with a smirk on her face. I softly laughed before I closed the door behind me again.

That night I was lying in bed drifting off to sleep while Taylor was in the shower and Taylor's mom was on the phone with Taylor's dad at the other end of the room. The tight hotel sheets were warm around my body as I laid curled up in a ball facing the open side of the room. My back was to the wall which was about a foot behind me. From where I was I could see the other half of this bed and the whole next bed, where I was assuming Andrea would sleep. I was already fast asleep by the time Taylor came to bed beside me... But that wouldn't last for long.

Soon I was a bystander on a battlefield once again. I never had the exact same nightmare night to night but what happened in them was always pretty similar. I watched my dad suffer and I couldn't move, although I was sure my outside body was thrashing around in bed. I tried to scream, I tried to do anything so somebody could save my dad. I was all alone watching this all happen, one by one my dad's buddies all fell to ground. I was more scared than ever but a few moments later I found myself sweating and crying in the same hotel bed that I'd fallen asleep in.

I looked around frantically, still kind of in shock. Everything was dark but I felt a soft hand on my body and I heard Taylor's tired voice. I couldn't stop breathing hard and crying so I didn't say anything back to her. I felt movement on her side of the bed and soon the bedside lamp was on.

"Care, what's wrong?" She asked me quietly in a scratchy voice with concerned eyes. I was laying down on my pillow facing her and she was facing me propped up on her elbow, it was around 3am. I didn't answer her because I couldn't calm myself down. I realized that my whole body was shaking. Taylor layed down on her side and moved closer to me so her arm was around my back and my face was in her neck. She held me tighter when she felt me shaking and softly whispered 'shhh'.

"Did you have a bad dream or something?" Taylor asked into my ear. I nodded my head because that's all I could manage. After a minute I'd calmed myself down a little, but I was still pretty shaken up. I have to say it did feel good to have Taylor there to comfort me. When Taylor loosened her grip on me I was able to see past her and realized that I should quiet down because Andrea was sleeping in the next bed.

Taylor turned off the lamp before coming back and protectively slinging her arm around my body. Now everything was dark again but I knew Taylor was still awake because everything I made any type if movement she'd be there and ask me if I was alright.

"Was your bad dream about your dad?" Taylor whispered into my ear as I rolled into her. It was like she read my mind, as soon as she said it I broke down again. This time there were no tears, just all the same crying motions I was so used to. Which signified yes, it was about my father.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Taylor said over and over into my ear.

"I'm here, it's gonna be alright." She whispered while rubbing my back up and down, it sounded cheesy, but it actually calmed me down. Before long I was back to sleep, this time feeling safer than I had before because I was still curled up in a ball against Taylor.

In the morning I woke up to the sound of the shower running, I forced my eyes open and saw Taylor standing up and looking through her suitcase on the other side of the room. I assumed Andrea was the one in the shower. I rolled over into my stomach, I remembered thinking last night that one side of the bed smelled like Taylor and the other smelled like me, now it was all kind of mixed.

"Morning Caroline." I looked up at the sound of my name but Taylor's back was still towards me, I guess she had heard me wake up.

"Good morning." I said back while pulling the covers up over me and taking in their warmth. Taylor was quickly going through the things in her suitcase before she finally pulled out her phone.

"I have to leave for a meeting now or I'm going to be late." Taylor said as she walked quickly toward me. I sat up to hug her and she was bent down so she put her face in my neck.

"I love you." She said as she pulled away.

"Love you Taylor." I said while I pulled the covers back over me and layed down again.

"I'll be back around lunchtime, Care!" She called out before I heard the door to the hotel room shut. Just as she promised she was back by lunchtime, her Andrea and I all had lunch out together before the two of them had to go to another meeting. This time I was left alone in the hotel room until around 4 o'clock when they got back.