What About Now

Chapter 33 - Not A Very Merry Christmas

Taylor's P.O.V.
Thomas and I sat in the kitchen for a while; him telling me jokes, and me laughing till I felt like my sides would split. My thoughts drew away from Ben, and before I knew it, I was as happy as I had been earlier.

"You okay now?" Thomas asked me gently, as I quietened down my laughter.

"Yeah, I'm good now," I smiled, looking into his chocolate brown eyes, "Thank you, Thomas. For everything!" Thomas opened his mouth to reply, but was quickly interrupted by Kaya, who rushed into the kitchen with a concerned look on her face.

"Oh God, Taylor!" She cried, running towards me and crushing me with a hug, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm okay thanks," I croaked, looking to Thomas for help.

"Um, Kaya, I think you're crushing her!" Thomas chuckled, receiving a glare from her.

"If I want to crush her with a hug, then that is what I'll do!" She nodded, looking back to me, "How could he do this to you? What sort of guy goes and leaves his fiancée at Christmas? Bloody hell, if he were here right now, I'd kick him in the bloody-"

"Okay, point taken," I laughed, holding up my hand, "We don't need to hear the rest!"

"No but seriously Tay, if I see that guy again I'm gonna bloody attack him!" She exclaimed, "You're lucky Thomas and I didn't burst in here when you both were in here. Thomas would have given him a black eye, and I would have... Well, let's just say there would be a possibility of you not having children with him!" The three of us all laughed, and Kaya smiled at me.

"Right, you ready to celebrate the rest of Christmas in the living room, as oppose to spending it sat on the kitchen floor? My knees are already going numb!"

"Okay okay! We're coming!" I laughed, bringing myself to my feet. I looked down at Kaya, who grinned up at me and held out her hands.

"Mamma, pick me up!" She said in a very poor excuse for a baby's voice.

"You've got to be kidding me?" I groaned. But Kaya wouldn't budge, and after she gave me the 'puppy eyes' look, there was no chance I wasn't getting out of this. Giving in, I took her hand in mine and pulled her up.

"Bloody hell, Kaya!" I huffed, "How many mince pies have you had?"

"Hey!" She pouted, hitting me on the arm. Rolling my eyes, I picked up my umbrella and CD, and began to head towards the kitchen door with Kaya. However, feeling someone's absence, we paused and looked back to Thomas. He was still sat on the floor, with a sad look on his face.

"What about me?" He asked, in the cutest voice I've ever heard.

"Okay, now you've really got to be kidding me!" I moaned, exchanging glances with Kaya, "Thomas, there is no way we're picking you up!"

"Pwease?" He begged, holding his hands out to us.

"Oh my God, fine!" I exhaled, "Kaya you grab one hand and I'll grab the other." Groaning, Kaya sulked round to Thomas' right side and took his right hand. Surprisingly, Thomas was quite light, and we didn't have half as much difficulty pulling him up as we would have done with Dylan. Who knows how many mince pies he's eaten already!

"Here they are!" Dylan cheered, as we entered the living room.

"Hey guys!" I grinned, plopping myself down next to Bella on the sofa, who looked at me sympathetically.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay thanks," I smiled a little. Of course I wasn't okay! My fiancé had just left me on Christmas Day! But I had to put on a brace face. If not for me, for everybody else.

"Right then, let's finish off these presents then!" Dylan said excitedly, drawing the attention of the kids away from the tele.

"Presents?" They cried, jumping up and rushing to the tree.

"Yes presents!" Dylan grinned, grabbing the nearest parcels to him, "Right, this one is for Dylan. Oh and this one is for Dylan too. Dylan. Dylan. Dylan. The most awesome person on the planet. Dylan. Dylan."

"Right let me see those!" Thomas laughed, taking the parcels from Dylan. Once we had discovered that the presents weren't all in fact for Dylan, and had opened what was left, it was time to start with the Christmas dinner. I was head chef. Thomas was second in command. Dylan and Kaya were in charge of setting the table, whilst Bella organised the dessert. We left the kids to entertain themselves with their new toys in the living room as we all cracked on with the dinner.

"Okay, potatoes are done! Now we're just waiting for the turkey!" I grinned, slapping my hands together.

"Check!" Thomas grinned, looking over at all the mess in the kitchen, "Now all we have to do is clean up."

"Urr, right," I groaned, realising just how much mess we'd made in the process of cooking our dinner. There were pots stacked high by the sink. Bowls and chopping boards littering the worktops. Numerous knives and forks were dotted around the place, and there was the occasional spill of food.

"Who's in charge of cleaning up?" Thomas asked, looking worriedly at the kitchen, "Because I don't really fancy- "

"Hey guys," Dylan exclaimed, walking into the kitchen, "Listen, Kaya and I have finished setting the table now, so do you need our help with anything?" A smirk instantly grew on Thomas' face and he turned to me and jerked his head at Dylan.

"Seems like Dylan and Kaya need a job to do," He said slyly, "Do we have anything for them to do?"

"Well, if you really need a job," I sighed, throwing down a tea towel, "Then there is always the rubbish that needs taking out?"

"Ur no," Dylan said bluntly, "Anything but that!"

"Cleaning the fireplace?"

"No no no no!" He cried, shaking his hands out in front of him, "Listen, we'll do anything you want, other than that! Promise!"

"Well then, there's only one thing left," I said, a smirk starting to form on my lips, "You can tidy up this lot!" Dylan's jaw dropped as he looked around the kitchen.

"But that's abuse!" He breathed, "You can't make me do that!"

"But you offered!" I grinned, taking off my apron. All of a sudden, my phone started ringing from beside the cooker. As Dylan started moaning about the amount of washing he had to do, I jogged to the cooker and picked up my phone. Sydney.

"Hey Sis!" I called down the phone.

"Hello? Is this Taylor?" A woman's voice said hurriedly. A woman who was not Sydney.

"Yes," I said slowly, "Who is this?"

"Whoa, did a bomb go off in here?" Kaya cried, entering the kitchen.

"Yeah, and their names are Thomas and Taylor," Dylan grumbled as he slipped on some yellow rubber gloves, "And the best part is, we have to clean it up!"

"Guys, shut up a minute," I fanned my hands in front of Dylan to stop him from talking. He shot me a funny look, but the kitchen fell silent.

"Sorry, who is this?" I asked again.

"I'm part of the Cornwall Ambulance crew," She explained. Wait, ambulance?

"What's going on?" I said quickly, my hands beginning to shake. Why would an ambulance crew be calling me from, from... Sydney!

"Where's Sydney?" I cried.

"There's um, there's been an accident," The woman continued, "Your sister has been in a car crash."