---------------------Anjali POV--------------------
I stand in the middle of Asher's living room with a racing mind, but I try to block out all my questions and just focus on the crying little girl in my arms. Sucking her thumb, she was trying to calm herself down.
I take her over to the portable highchair and try to strap her down. I needed to find that schedule asher was talking about. When I tried to put Taylor in the highchair, she started to kick and scream.
"Taylor!! We don't behave like that!! Now stay still so I can strap you in." I try to assert in a way that won't cause her panic.
Taylor shoots me a death stare and continues her tantrum. Not being very large or strong, I eventually got Taylor in the highchair, but her fight was not over. "I WANT OUT!!" She yells. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!? IM 14 YEARS OLD AND DON'T NEED A FUCKING HIGHCHAIR!! Why do you guys treat me like I'm a baby? I don't get it, I just want to go home... I'm scared."
Taylor's vulnerability caught me off guard, I haven't heard the girl say much since I met her, so the outburst was surprising. I know why Asher wants me to treat her so young, it's because of the way she looks and behaves. She wets the bed, sucks her thumb, spills her drinks, and is super emotional. Asher and I treat her like she's a baby because she sorta is one.
I lean down so that I'm leveled with the upset girl in the high chair. "Baby... Asher and I are just... Protective, over you. We are just trying to keep you safe while we figure this stuff out."
"Why can't you just let me go home" mumbled Taylor ever so quietly.
"Taylor... You don't have a home. Where ever you live is illegal and not safe. I don't know what relationship you have with your landlord, but I think you should stay away from him. Your 14 sweetheart, you're not old or mature enough to live alone. So until we figure this out, your staying with asher and me, or, we can call child protection services." I gently note.
Taylor's bottom lip starts to quiver, and tears fill her big sparkly eyes. "P-please don't" Taylor pleads with pain in her sweet voice.
"We'll ll do all we can to prevent that, okay?" Taylor nods her head in agreement.
"Okay then, you sit nicely in your chair while I go find something." I voice.
I go into the kitchen and begin looking through drawers and cabinets to find the schedule. Finally, I find the schedule I've been looking for, the little space schedule. I'm a little confused about why Asher wants me to follow the little space schedule for Taylor. I know that she has regressive tendencies, but I didn't know Asher was going to full on treat her like a little.
I glance at the schedule while walking into the playroom. I pick out some drawing supplies for Taylor so that she'll stay out of trouble while I make breakfast.
"Here you go darling, you can draw while I make us some breakfast," I say while setting the drawing supplies on the highchair tray.
"Th-thank you but I don't eat breakfast." Informed Taylor.
"Well, it's been a very long time since you last ate. So I think you should eat some yummy food!"
Defeated, Taylor nods her head. "Can I at least get out of this chair though?" she requests.
"Love, your going to have to stay strapped into the highchair. Just till I trust you won't run away again. Why do you want out, do you have to go potty"
Taylor blushed at my choice of words and repeatedly shook her head no.
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20mins later, I managed to finish cooking pancakes. I prepared a dish for Taylor and me, making sure to fill a sippy cup of milk for her as well. Before serving the food I had to go over to Taylor and clean up the art supplies.
As I went over to her I mentally cooed at the sigh. Taylor was happily coloring a picture with an adorable focused expression on her little face.
"Time to clean up" I cheerfully announced.
Taylor jumped a foot in fear.
"What did you draw?"
Taylor looks at her drawing in front of her. She isn't the best with faces or anything so she often enjoys drawing buildings. "House, but a Victorian one."
"How pretty! Such a smart girl" he praises, making the younger blush.
"You ready for some yummy food?"
"That's very kind of you, but as I said, I don't eat breakfast." Taylor restated.
"Why not?"
"I'm just not hungry." she shrugs.
"Well then what do you eat for lunch?"
"I-I don't eat l-lunch."
"What!" I express with complete shock. How could a person go that long without eating?
Taylor looks at me scared. Her eyes gloss over, so she sticks her thumb in her mouth to comfort herself.
I try to restrain myself from voicing my thoughts and began clearing Taylor's tray of art supplies.
I place her food and drink on the tray in front of her. Then I sit down with my food and the schedule I was given and study it while I eat.
After a little while I glance in Taylor's direction. She sat sucking her thumb with the untouched food in front of her. I feel bad, there obviously is some deeper meaning of why she isn't eating, but Asher made it very clear that he wants her to eat all her meals, so I have to enforce it.
"Taylor, eat your breakfast" I warn.
"No"
"I wasn't asking"
"I wasn't asking either"
"That's it'" I push my chair over to Taylor and pick up her plastic fork. I scoop up a strawberry and bring it to her mouth. "Eat" I demand strictly.
"N-no" she stutters, slightly shaking.
"Taylor, I said eat!"
"I-I c-ca" before she could finish her sweet voice cracked as she began to sob.
I put down the fork and let out a long sigh. I leaned back into the wooden kitchen chair waiting for the crying to stop.
After about 5mins of continuous crying, I decided to just forget about breakfast. I lifted Taylor out of the high chair and into the living room.
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10minutes later Taylor was all done with her meltdown. She lay limp in my lap as I combed my fingers through her platinum-blond hair. Her breaths were slow, matching my heart rate. Two of her fingers hung loosely from her drooling mouth whilst a soft whistle escapes her stuffy nose. The melting warmth of the mid-morning sun gave the apartment warming glow.
"Are he all calm now, hm?" I questioned with humor in my voice.
She slowly nodded her head into my chest.
"How about I bring you into the playroom to play a game, there's so much fun stuff to do in there!"
She slowly raised in my lap, stretching her arms and straightening her back. She shrugged at my question with uncertainty in her eyes. I took that as a yes and lead her to the playroom.
Once inside I let go of the small girl's hand. "Go on, look around." I push.
Taylor takes a singular step forward and stops. She observes the colorful space around her. The playroom was rather large. On the furthest wall, there were lots of large full-size windows with white trim. The space was divided into three sections with sectional shelves. The two smaller ones on the left and right side of the door were a quiet space and an art space. The rest of the room was completely random. The playroom was intended for all age groups, so there was a large variety of activities.
"Ajlai, why does asher have a playroom in his house?" Taylor asks innocently.
"Well, it's because Asher's house isn't exactly just his, he sorta lends his house to the whole school."
"What do you mean by that," Taylor pry's further.
"Asher's house is a safe space for all. When he bought this apartment he designed it to fit everyone's needs. If there's a kid that got kicked out, parents are mad at them, needs someone to speak to, or even just needs a buddy, they're allowed to come here. There are multiple guest rooms for people to sleep in. Lots of supplies like clothing, toothbrushes, deodorant, and food. This place is truly for all high school students."
"Why is their baby stuff here then?"
Taylor's question caught me off guard, I just assumed Taylor knew about the little space and stuff like that.
"Well, it's for kids whose age regress. You know what age regression is... right?"
Taylor shook her head with genuine confusion on her face.
"Age regression is a coping method where one reverts to a childlike state of mind. It's most commonly practiced by those who have had childhood trauma. Some people regress on purpose, as a way of therapy. Doing things like coloring, drinking out of a bottle, and baby talk can help these individuals feel safe, and like they can escape. Others do this involuntarily due to intense trauma. Habits can include thumb sucking, being mute, wetting the bed, throwing tantrums, and behavior like that."
Taylor stood patiently absorbing the information she was receiving.
"So Asher cares for these people like babies!?"
"If it's what they want. Or if it's what they need." I inform.
She bowed her head to the ground and nodded.
"Okay enough with the talk, let's play!!" I exclaim throwing my hands on my knees with enthusiasm.
Taylor walked around the room before finding a shelf full of board games. Her tiny hands gently pulled the 'Find 5 Fast' game out from the bottom of the shelf.
"Do you want to play that?" I ask
Taylor nods her head and finds a seat on the gray plush carpet of the room right next to a large window.
I help her set up the game and go over the rules, but before we started I ran to the kitchen to grab something. I grab a sippy cup and fill it with Apple juice for Taylor. Since she is refusing to consume any solid proteins, Apple juice will at least get something in her belly.
I set the pink and purple sippy cup on right by Taylor and take my seat on the floor.
"Okay, I'm going to flip the first card, are you ready?"
Taylor nods her head with a confident gleam in her eyes.
I flip the card and began looking for a snake on every card. After a failed guess I try looking for a horse.
"HEART!!" Taylor excitedly yelped, bouncing up and down whilst still sitting.
"Haha, good job!! Don't get used to it though, I was just taking it easy on you." I kidded.
"Yeah right," Taylor snickered.
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2omins later we finished 4 rounds of finding 5 fast. Taylor won every single round. I DIDN'T GET EVEN ONE POINT!! The little champion and I also played a round of candy land. She, of course, still beat me. We cleaned up and head into the main room.
I glance at the schedule laying on the kitchen counter, it says there's nothing we have to do till noon. So I decided to ask Taylor if she had any ideas. Taylor was lying on the sofa very content, with her legs cris-crosses and her chin resting in her hands.
"So Taylor is there anything you want to do?"
Taylor shrugged.
I sigh, having no clue what else to do. It made me question. What's Asher doing right now?