Beautiful things - jaylor story (peace book 4)

friend in need and bottling up feelings

** monday february 25th, 2036** 

-taylors Pov-  

After I finish my phone goes off and when I pick it up, I hear crying "Abigail what's wrong?" I ask her and go into the bathroom so kenzie doesn't hear what I'm talking about, she doesn't need to worry about anything else right now. 

"I... I'm so sorry I haven't told you... but I need your help. I need to get out of the house" she sobs and my heart breaks for her "what happened? Where are you right now?" 

"i'm in the ER... I just couldn't tell you. Matt.... he is hurting me... I just.... fuck I can't believe it's out... but I passed out today after he hit me in the eye so its black and bruised. I don't know what to do Taylor" I'm in tears as she is telling me what's going on. I know they have had a rough several years, actually since Lauren was little when they almost split up and then the cheating a couple of years ago.

"i'm so sorry this is happening to you. Pack some bags for you and Lauren and come to our house, I will send one of my security to meet you and make sure you're safe. I can't leave kenzie though but you're welcome to stay with us" I tell her and try to not sob myself. 

We talk for a bit more before we hang up and I call one of my security who heads to the ER right away to help her. Aperently matt was arrested and is being questioned by the police. They are waiting to tell Lauren before after school, but according to Abigail she has seen some of it and is terrified as well. 

I go back into the room to joe and write a note for him so he can read, I don't want to talk about it in front of kenzie. "You should go home and meet her" joe says, and I furrow my eyebrows. "i'm not going anywhere joe, I'm staying here" 

Even though I would love to be there for Abigail and sit with her and let her talk, I can't leave kenzie here. My daugther needs me more than my friend and I need to stay here. 

"i've got her Taylor, you should go" he argues, and I shake my head and cross my arms "you go... I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying right here because my daugther needs me. If she is here, I'm here" I tell him and make it known by my expression that this isn't something I'm even interested in discussing. 

"Taylor, she is both of our daugther. I'm her father and I can be here too. You're being unreasonable" he says sternly, and I roll my eyes "you can say whatever you want, I'm not going anywhere. And of course you're her father, that's not even part of the argument. I'm not going anywhere" 

-joes pov- 

I know Taylor feels like she has to be here all the time, but the fact of the matter is that this treatment is long, they said that in total it's about a year of treatment if things go according to plan, but we don't know for assure. She has an advanced stage of an aggressive cancer, and that takes time and different approaches to get it out of her body. Taylor can't stay here every day because it's not good for her and it's not good for our two children at home that also needs their mother. 

"Taylor--" I start but she cuts me off "we aren't going to continue this conversation in front of her" she whispers, and I roll my eyes. This is what she does to avoid a hard conversation these days, and it's frustrating for me. 

"well, then I'm going home to console your best friend because someone need to be there to greet her, not to mention that her 15-year old's world is going to get turned upside down." I say and carry kenzie back to her bed and tuck her inn, she is sleeping. 

Taylor isn't talking to me, she just looks out the window, but I know she is exhausted. She has dark circles under her eyes that she tries to cover with concealer, but I see it. I know her, and I know she feels like she needs to do everything herself, but this is a marathon, not a sprint, and she needs to lean on me. But I can't force her either, that's the hard part. She isn't opening up to me and if she isn't talking, I can't find a way to help her either.