December 14, 2020
Taylor's POV
"Four days ago, our first guest surprise released her second album of the lockdown. Yesterday, she celebrated her 31st birthday. Tonight, she is here with us. Her self-directed documentary the Long Pond Studio Session is on Disney Plus, and her new album is right here. It's called evermore. Please say hello to Taylor Swift!" Jimmy Kimmel introduced me to the virtual crowd. I gave a big smile into the camera when my video square popped up next to Jimmy's on my screen.
Zoom meetings were the new normal. Since the COVID-19 lockdown began, I stayed safely connected to everyone through video calls. Well, everyone except Joe. We decided to quarantine together. Although 2020 was nothing like anyone expected, I still managed to release new music, film a documentary, do interviews, and celebrate my second luckiest year.
Jimmy talked with me about my birthday and new album. A few seconds into the interview, I realized that I was still wearing my wedding ring. Careful to keep my hands below the camera view, I slipped it onto another finger. I hoped that it wouldn't raise suspicion. I hadn't been going out much or seeing people who didn't already know that Joe and I were married, so I grew accustomed to wearing my ring most days.
After answering some questions about evermore, Jimmy brought Joe into the conversation. "Now, your boyfriend wrote some of the lyrics to some of the songs under a pseudonym, William Bowery. Who chose that name? Did you or did he?" he asked.
"He did," I confirmed. I gave a quick glance to Joe who sat behind the camera.
"Is there a meaning to that? From the Bowery hotel I know people have speculated," Jimmy wondered.
"Well," I began. Joe was trying his best not to start laughing from behind the camera. "You gotta ask him because it's really more his story than mine." There certainly was a story behind the name choice.
Jimmy jumped in, "alright, turn the camera around. Let's see where he is."
We both laughed off the request knowing that Joe would not make an appearance. The interview closed out with the typical promotion of my documentary and album.
"You didn't want your husband to join you on camera?" Joe asked as he closed the laptop.
Smiling and rolling my eyes, I stood up from my chair. "It's nice to be home for interviews."
"You did great," he complemented me and pulled me into a hug.
"How about we order takeout tonight?" I suggested. It was getting close to dinner time, and neither of us had prepared anything to eat.
"Yeah, that sounds good," he agreed.
"I can go pick it up," I offered.
Joe raised his eyebrow. "Are you sure? I mean with the paparazzi and all?"
"I'll be fine," I assured my concerned husband. "With our masks on and winter coats, we're less recognizeable. Mia would probably like to come along and get out of the apartment."
Mia started kindergarten virtually this year, and it was taking a toll on all of us. She had been staying with Joe and me for the past month in New York. The nice thing was that she could still be in school even when she was traveling between Joe and Natalie's place.
After bundling Mia up with her jacket, mittens, and hat, we headed out. "Be back in a few!"
We chose to pick up some Chinese food from a nearby restaurant. Normally when I go out, I would have a security detail with me. Since it was winter during a pandemic, there hadn't been as many paparazzi around in general. I felt okay walking a few blocks.
Once we arrived at the restaurant, we waited outside on the sidewalk with the other customers to pick up our food. The restaurant wasn't letting people into the building because of COVID. Mia waited patiently with me. We counted the cars that drove by together.
"She's gotten big," I heard someone comment from behind me. Or was it beside me, I couldn't tell. I had a bad feeling about the situation and squeezed Mia's hand tighter.
To my right now stood a middle aged man wearing a baseball cap and a long winter coat. "Nice to see you again, Taylor," he said, sending a shiver down my spine.
I didn't have to look twice to know that this was one of the CIA agents who had grabbed Joe and Natalie years ago in the park. By the time the grabbed the two, I had already put Mia in the car. To my knowledge, he wouldn't have seen her that day which meant the CIA had been keeping tabs on Natalie longer than I thought. "I can't say the same," I replied. I kept my voice low and in an even tone. Though I shouldn't have been, I was creeped out by how easily they could find me.
I stepped forward in line and hoped our food would come faster. The man didn't care that I wasn't interested in what he had to say and continued talking. "The CIA wants you back." He leaned in now so that our shoulders touched. I tried to put some distance between us, but he grabbed my wrist and leaned in closer. "Despite your incident, you were one of the best agents they had. The work hasn't been the same without you."
"Clearly," I scoffed. "Must be why the sent you."
The man rolled his eyes, ignoring the jab. "I'm here to broker a deal. They've got a job."
"I'm done with that, and I'm not going back." I pulled Mia closer and continued to advance in line.
"Name your price, and I'm sure they'll pay. More money, your own team, more resources."
I shook my head no. I was angry that he wouldn't leave us alone. However, I couldn't act in a way that would bring attention to myself because the paparazzi and fans would come running.
"More time with your family?" he pressed.
I finally snapped. "They're foolish to think they can give me what I want. That's why I left it behind. Tell them I'm not interested."
The man gave a slight head nod. "Well, if you change your mind, you know how to get in contact with us." He bumped into me as he left. I felt him slip something into my coat pocket. I didn't even have to reach in to know what it was. The weight and size felt familiar. A burner phone.
As soon as we got our food, I hurried back to the apartment, dragging Mia along. I kept checking over my shoulder, nervous that someone would be following us.
"Who were you talking to?" Mia asked me.
"Nobody sweetheart. It was nobody."
Ignoring the paparazzi waiting outside our building, I guided Mia inside. I made sure the entrance locked behind us.
"Joe?" I called into the apartment when we got back. I helped Mia take off her coat and boots. "Joe?" I called out again with a growing sense of a panic. Maybe the CIA had come here.
"Yeah?" He said casually, poking his head around the corner.
I let out a sigh of relief and wrapped my arms around him without saying a word.
"Mia, please put the food on the table. We'll be there in a few seconds. You can start eating," I instructed gently.
"Are you okay?" Joe asked in a hushed voice once Mia was in the kitchen.
I folded my arms over my chest. "Joe, they approached me outside the restaurant about a job?"
Joe didn't have to ask who 'they' were. He knew. Although we expected something like this to happen, it still rattled me.
"Did they hurt you or Mia?" He instinctively asked.
"No, no. We're both fine. I don't think Mia processed what was going on."
Joe started to raise his voice. "The nerve they have approaching you in broad daylight. And with Mia!"
"I know." Part of me felt guilty for taking a chance this time and going without security.
"Did they tell you what they wanted?" Joe wondered.
"They didn't tell me about a specific job. But it sounds like they're desperate to have me back," I told him.
"You said no right?"
Upset that Joe would even think I would say yes, I quickly replied, "Of course I said no. After all the shit they dragged me through, I'm never going back." I remembered that I had the burner phone in my pocket. Pulling it out, I said, "Um, they gave me this."
We opened the simple little flip phone together. A black business card with bold gold lettering fell out. On the back was a silhouette of a tiger's head. That definitely wasn't CIA. The phone only had one contact phone number listed and an address.
"What do you think this is?" I asked Joe. I turned the business card over again to look at the contact information. "You know what? I don't care. I'm not getting pulled back in."
"Taylor, are you sure you talked to someone from the CIA?" Joe asked with a level of concern in his voice that scared me.
"Well, the guy who approached us was from the team that took you and Natalie," I replied.
Joe looked at the business card again. He glanced up at me and then set the phone on the hall table. "Let's eat!" he said in his cheerful British accent as he walked into the kitchen.
There was definitely something he wasn't telling me, but I wasn't in the mood to investigate further. Life's been good the past few years. I'm determined not to let the CIA screw it up. I fell in love for real and married the man of my dreams. I've been free from the CIA for a few years now. I've got my cats. I've got my music. With COVID, I finally get some privacy. People will speculate about my life until the day I die and perhaps even long after I'm dead. However, the world may never know about my involvement with the CIA, and I am totally okay with that. It's time to bury that chapter of my life and move forward.
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Well, we have finally reached the end. I'll let you imagine what happens next. Thanks to all of my loyal readers who supported this work. Follow me to check out more works and get updates on new ones!
Talk soon!
JJ