2. mirrorball (a taylor swift au)

-chapter six-

Ellie was telling Margot the names of all of the chickens. Taylor was holding Lottie's hand, as the kid was the tiniest little bit afraid of them.
"Taylor?" Margot asked, and Taylor smiled.
"Yes?"
"Is my dad gonna be okay? He hasn't been away in ages. Since Mom got sick."
"Your dad told me he's going to send lots and lots of pictures, and I told him we'd send lots back! He's just gone away for work - he'll be back tomorrow night. But I'm sure he'll be okay. He'll probably miss you lots though." She'd managed to pull herself together. Having another person know how she was feeling did help, even though she hated talking about her emotions and worries. Especially in front of Derek, because she didn't want to embarrass herself like that.
"Dad gets really sad sometimes," Margot sighed, turning to face Taylor. "But he hasn't been as sad lately," Margot observed.
"Daddy loves coming around to see you," Violet giggled.
"Vi, you know we weren't supposed to say that!"
Taylor laughed, looking away.
"Sometimes all grownups get sad." She told the girls. "Alright you lot, who wants to make pizza for dinner?"

Ellie was excited that Margot and Violet were with them, and the more time that went on, the less worried about bedtime she became. Margot just... understood it so well. The girls spent the time before dinner sitting on the upstairs balcony - on the swinging chair that Taylor had put up there when they'd moved in - just talking.
Taylor had heard the two of them talking, given a small smile, and gone downstairs to colour in with Violet. Violet was adorable - she looked just like Derek. Her hair was sitting in two little buns on her head, and was happily colouring in some pages that Taylor had printed out for her.
"That looks gorgeous!" Taylor smiled, picking up the purple pencil to colour in her own picture.
"Thank you!" Lottie grinned. "I like drawing. I'm gonna be a bigggg artist. I wanna move to a biggg city and be a princess."
Taylor laughed. "I think you'd be a great princess!"
"Daddy says I get a bit angry to be a princess," Violet sighed, continuing to colour in. "He says Princesses don't have a temper."
"Hopefully when you're all grown up, you won't have such a temper," Taylor grinned.
"Maybe. Maybe then I'll get to be a princess."
"You know, I used to have quite a temper when I was your age," Taylor told her, adoring the wondrous look on the child's face.
"Really?"
Taylor nodded. "I sure did!"
"Wow." Violet laughed. "Maybe I could grow up and be a princess like you then."

-

Saturday rolled around quickly, which Taylor was excited for. She'd been trying to think of the perfect outfit to wear for so long - what would Derek like? She knew that it probably wasn't a date, but she did want him to see her wearing more than leggings and a sweater. She was just going out for dinner with a friend - that was it. Besides, the kids would be there. Ellie was over the moon that she was getting to have dinner with her two new best friends, Margot and Violet. It made Taylor so happy to see her that excited. Ellie had been talking all day about what she was going to wear and how cool it was going to be to have grown up dinner at a grownup restaurant. Taylor was also excited, but she'd stopped herself from bouncing off the walls like Ellie had been.

It was a little bit terrifying just how quickly Derek had become one of her favourite people to talk to.
"I'm all ready to go mom!" Ellie called out with a giggle, and next thing Taylor knew, Ellie was running into her room wearing her favourite dress. It just so happened to be the dress she wore to the final Los Angeles concert a few weeks ago - and Ellie wore it as often as she could.
Taylor grinned. "You can wear that if you want, bee."
"Really?" Ellie seemed surprised. "I thought you'd want me to keep it safe and not get it dirty or anything. What if I break it? What if it rips or I get food on it or... or tear it or literally anything?!"
Taylor put down her comb, turning to face her daughter with a smile. "You're only going to be this little once," she booped her nose with a laugh. "You'll grow out of this dress before you know it and you've got to make the most of it before that happens, I don't care if the dress rips or breaks or gets dirty. Things like that can be fixed, they can be cleaned or sewn up." Taylor told her. "Life's too short not to wear your pretty dresses, Ellie."
Ellie's eyes sparkled with joy as Taylor looked down at her.
"I love you, Mom." Ellie cuddled into Taylor. "You're the best."
Taylor wrapped her arms around her favourite kid in the world.
"I love you even more, little bee. Alright, now it's my turn to get ready." Taylor leaned down and kissed her head.
"Are you gonna wear a fancy dress like me?" Ellie pulled away and did a little twirl.
Taylor laughed. "I don't know about that..."
"You've gotta wear what makes you happy!" Ellie told her as she slipped out of the room.