Safe & Sound- (A Taylor Swift AU)

~chapter 21~ vulnerable

Chloe's POV (December 5th)
Mommy has been acting weird ever since we got home from the toy store yesterday. Something is wrong, but she won't tell me what. Daddy doesn't seem completely right either but he hides it better. I can see right through my mom. Something is bothering her, and I need to know what! Dad just announced that his son Jayden is gonna be staying here for a week during his Christmas break, December 15-22. But I don't think that's what's bothering her, she doesn't care about that. It's something else.

"Mommy?" I say, I'm trying to be straight forward. "Wassup?" She asks me. "Are you okay? Like actually, okay?" I question. She looks at me, her eyes going wide, then she gives me a smile, "Mommy is fine! I'm just tired because of the babies in my belly." I sigh knowing that's not the truth and just give her a nod. I then walk away and go to Travis who's in the kitchen. "Daddy?" He looks away from his phone to look at me, "Whatcha need girlie?" I bite my nails as I speak, mumbly, "What's wrong with Mommy? She's not herself." He looks at me with a smile, a smile I can read through, a fake smile, "Mommy's okay sweetie. The babies are probably just making her hormonal."

I roll my eyes as I walk away. I know I'm only 5 but they need to quit treating me like a baby. I go back over to my mom and she's now asleep. Her phone is laying next to her. I look and make sure Travis isn't watching me as I pick up my moms phone. I enter her passcode.. my birthday. When the screen comes on it automatically opens up to Instagram, a baby announcement post. She announced her pregnancy? I smile at the picture of me in my big sis tee shirt with an ultrasound picture, I look so excited. Okay enough about that. She announced it? I click on the comments. I can only read certain words because I'm not very good at typing, spelling, or writing. I'm just a good speaker. I can make some of it out though.

@tswiftaclown: "Gonna put your career before this baby too?"

@justiceforchloeswift: "Poor Chloe is already put in your shadow, now another one?"

@taylorswiftSUCKS: "What will happen when you and Travis break up?"

@swiftiesaredumb: "Atleast she has an actual excuse for being a fatass now."

@theycallswiftaslutbecausesheisone: "Is the baby Travis's or a random guy at a club's? Keep your legs closed slut."

I don't fully understand these comments but I know they are being really mean to my mom. Is this why she's bothered? Why can't she just ignore them? She always tells me to ignore things people say about me because I'm perfect the way I am. And so is she, she's the most amazing person I know! I run to Travis holding the phone, tears pour out of my eyes. "Why are you on your moms phone?!" He somewhat yells. Then he notices I'm crying, "Chlo, baby, what is it?" I show him the Instagram post and he lets out a knowing sigh. He picks me up and wraps his arms around me.

"Is this why mommy's upset?" I ask him. He nods. I scream out of frustration. Why are people so cruel? They don't truly know my mom. They can't judge someone based on song lyrics! Most of them are based on my moms experiences, but some of them are also random fantasies she had.
She's a good person, not a slut. "Daddy why did they say those things?" I ask him with a sniffle. He shakes his head just as sadly, "They are probably jealous of your mom. She has a great life, a great career, and the cutest daughter. She's got it all." I sigh, "Wrong. She's got almost everything. She just doesn't have self respect. She doesn't understand how amazing she is because of these people constantly saying gross things about her." He nods, "You're right Chlo."

"Can we do something to help her realize her self worth?" I ask him. "Like what?" He asks curiously. I get up, "Follow me mister." I lead him to my room. I love having my own room in his house. I grab some paper and markers. I write down sweet things I love about my mom. I then grab some tape and tape them on every mirror in this house. "Now every time she looks in the mirror today she will have to see a compliment first," I say happily. He kisses my head, "That's very sweet of you." I smile and I hear my mom wake up. I run over to her and give her her phone back.

She looks at me angrily, "Why did you have my phone?" I groan, "Because mommy! You lied to me! You said you were okay, but I knew you weren't! So I took your phone and it opened up to Instagram and I saw everything." I leave out the part about the fact that I saw death threats in her dms. She looks at me upset, "I'm so sorry you had to see those comment Chloe." I shake my head, "No. I'm sorry, you had to see those comments. They affect you more than they affect me. I don't care what they say about me. I know you love me, I know daddy loves me, and I know we will be a happy family when the babies are born. None of what they say is true, and I know that." She cries and looks at Travis, then she gets up and goes to the bathroom.

Oh no. Did I upset her? Is it my fault? Did I say something bad? As I watch my mom walk off tears well up in my eyes. I bite my lip and then they really start to pour out. As my cries become audible and not silent I run to my room. "Chlo!" Travis calls after me. I close my door and lay down in bed. I stare at the ceiling and eventually drift off to sleep.

**
I wake up a while later. I don't know exactly how long I've been asleep, but the sky is a little darker now. I go downstairs and my mom is laying in my dads arms. Her eyes are red and puffy, she looks so vulnerable. I walk over to them and climb into my moms arms. I hug her chest and cuddle her, "I love you mommy." She kisses my head, "I love you too squirt." She then looks into my eyes, "I didn't mean for you to feel bad, I wasn't upset because of what you said, I was just upset and couldn't control my emotions when you started saying that. It was too sweet. You're the best little girl ever." I smile, everything is okay for now. We have each other, that's all we need.

My dads phone starts ringing. "Its Jayden," he says as he answers it. "Sup kid?" He puts it on speaker phone, "Travis, can I fly to you? Like now?" My mom raises an eyebrow out of curiosity. And honestly I'm just as curious. What's going on? Why does Jayden wanna fly here so bad. "My moms husband is here back from the Navy just for a few days. And he hates me. He's so rude to me and I don't wanna be here while he's here. He already yelled at me." My mom clenches her fist. Why is she getting protective over him? I let out a small giggle to my moms reaction.

"I'll send you $350 on Apple Pay. Use what you need for the flight, and save the rest. Text me your flight details and I'll track it and come get you at the airport," Dad says with no hesitation. "Thank you," Jayden says during a sigh of relief.
They hang up the call and my mom looks at Travis, "Is he okay? Can we do something about the husband?" Travis massages her shoulders, "He's gonna be okay. He's coming to us, that's how we know he will be okay." She nods and sighs, "I just hate when people mistreat their kids or their stepkids. It's sick." He nods, "I know."

**
4 hours later Travis walks in the house with Jayden. Taylor comes running to the door, "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" Jayden nods, "I'm okay Taylor, it was just his words. I left before it could become more than that." She hugs him, "I just don't want him hurting you." I walk over to Jayden and give him a high five. He smiles and high fives me. "Can you come play with me?" I ask him innocently. He smiles, "Of course!" I squeal and take him to my room. Maybe Travis having a son isn't bad after all?