Stolen Memories [Tayvis Fanfiction]

PAINFUL

One Week Later
February 1st; 2025
Taylor Swift's Point of View
My stomach churns, waging a war against the trail mix Travis holds out. I plaster a smile on my face, grabbing a handful despite myself. Chewing feels like slogging through mud, but I manage a swallow. Thankfully, Travis seems oblivious. But the secret writhes in my gut, a live wire buzzing under my skin. Just one more day. One day until I tell him, and this suffocating weight of pregnancy will finally lift. Travis wanted to take Joy to see her cousins alone, but after the arm incident, trust is a fragile thing. So here I am, stuck in the car with them, the open road stretching before us like an unwelcome challenge.

He'll be an amazing dad to this baby, I have no doubt, but I have no idea how to tell him. The anxiety is constantly gnawing at the edges and the media frenzy doesn't help. They're already obsessed with every detail of our relationship, dissecting every glance, every social media post and we're not even together. When they find out about the baby, it'll be a feeding frenzy. My life feels like it's about to be turned upside down, and a tremor of fear runs through me.

We pull into Jason and Kylie's driveway, and I take a deep breath. The boys will be easy enough to manage. A loose-fitting shirt should and excuses should do the trick. But Kylie... there's something in her eyes, a knowing glint that makes me sweat. We've only been here for a couple of hours, and already I feel like my secret is hanging in the air, a silent scream waiting to be heard. Did she notice the way I lingered by the ginger ale instead of grabbing wine with everyone else? Did she see how I politely declined lunch, pleading a sudden stomach ache?

Now, my eyelids are drooping like heavy curtains. It's only two o'clock, but I feel like I could sleep for a week. I glance at Travis, hoping he might be feeling the same exhaustion, but he's happily wrestling with Wyatt on the floor, both of them giggling. Wish I could be a toddler again. A nap wouldn't seem so out of place then.

Suddenly, Jason appears in the doorway. "Ellie and Bennett just woke up from their naps," he announces. "Thought maybe we could take the kids to the park?"

Joy practically explodes with excitement. Before I can even answer, she's rocketed across the room and launches herself at me. "Yes! Please, Mom! Please!"

"I don't know, sweetie,"  I hedge, groaning internally as I shift on the couch. This little bean growing inside me is seriously sucking the life out of my energy reserves. "I'm exhausted."

"It's okay, Taylor," Travis says, rolling onto his back with a playful groan as Wyatt tries to climb on his chest. "I'll take her."

"Dad will take me!" Joy shouts, already bouncing on the balls of her feet.

A tired smile spreads across my face. "Thank you," I mumble. "Kylie and I will hold down the fort."

A wave of relief washes over me as Jason shepherds the girls out the front door. I watch, a smile playing on my lips, as Travis gives Joy a piggyback ride, their laughter echoing in the air. In that moment, the exhaustion melts away, replaced by a warm glow as I envision the beautiful chaos of my future.

The slam of the door jolts me back to reality. My stomach grumbles in protest – lunch skipped entirely thanks to the relentless tiny tenant inside me. "Hey Kylie," I call out, making my way towards the kitchen. "Any chance there are leftovers from lunch? I'm starving."

"Absolutely. Help yourself," Kylie's voice floats back from the living room.

My hand hovers over the fridge door, salvation in the form of leftover food just out of reach. But a wave of nausea slams into me, cold and unwelcome. My grip tightens on the handle, knuckles turning white as I squeeze my eyes shut, willing it to pass. A shaky breath in, another out, and the feeling recedes as quickly as it came. False alarm, I think, relief washing over me.