The Soldier's Girl (Under Editing)

Chapter 36

CAROLINE'S POV

When I was eating breakfast the next morning Scott had already gone to work and it was just me and Andrea. I didn't feel like talking but I conversed with her just to be polite. Just thinking that Taylor wouldn't be home until tomorrow afternoon brought tears to my eyes. But I wasn't going to cry in front of Taylor's mom.

"Are you done?" Andrea asked before taking my plate away. After breakfast I went and sat in the living room. I really wanted to go back to Taylor's old room and sleep because I didn't sleep well last night but I didn't want to be rude.

For the rest of the morning I fought on through the pain and the hurt. I held conversations and I faked smiles. By lunchtime I was tired of it. This was probably the first time since my dad died that I'd made it to lunch without crying. I missed Taylor a lot but I think that it was because Taylor was the one who was always there when I missed my dad. And I was still hurting about my dad. After lunch I couldn't take it anymore, I told Andrea that I was going to take a nap and when I headed back up the stairs I finally broke into tears.

Just when I think I might be healing a little everything comes back at once. All if the pain and sadness hit me like a pound of bricks. I laid under the covers of the bed and let my vision go blurry because of the tears. I tried as hard as I could to not pick up the phone and call Taylor because I just talked to her last night, but eventually it became to much for me and I dialed her number and by the time she answered I had stopped crying.

"Hello?" Her voice said.

"Taylor?" I asked even though I knew it was her.

"I'll be right back." She said to the people in the background and I heard a door shut on her end.

"What's wrong? I'm in the middle of a meeting right now." She told me.

"Oh." I said ignoring her question. The truth was I didn't really know why I called, I just wanted to hear her voice and be with her.

"What are you doing right now?" She asked patiently, but I could tell she was wanting to get off the phone.

"Laying in bed." I said slowly and tiredly.

"Do you need something?" She asked.

"When are you gonna come home?" I whined even though I knew the answer.

"I'll be there tomorrow." She told me and I sighed into the phone loud enough for her to hear.

"Hey, I gotta go now okay?" She said immediately after.

"Okay." Was all I said but on the inside my heart was breaking.

"I love you Care."

"Love you too." I said.

"Bye, talk to you later." She told me.

"Wait." I said before she could hang up.

"Hmm?" She asked.

"I don't know." I said with my voice shaking a little because I knew soon she'd be gone.

"Hey, don't cry. If you need somebody go get my mom. Please. For me. Now I really have to go, goodbye, I love you so much." And then she was gone.

I absolutely did not want to go get her mom. I wanted her to come back. I ended up taking a nap until 3 o'clock. Then I went back downstairs for a while, but not for too long. At 6 o'clock that evening I was sitting in Taylor's old room and my chest was physically hurting. I couldn't tell who I was missing more; Taylor or my dad. The difference between how I missed Taylor and how I missed my dad was that I knew Taylor would be back at this time tomorrow, but my dad was never coming back. My thoughts were interrupted by Andrea calling up the stairs.

"Hey Caroline can you come down here for a minute?" I internally groaned but I pulled myself up and walked down to the kitchen. Andrea was at the stove making supper and I sat down on a bar stool. She looked back at my and smiled a little and then her eyes moved to something above me. Before I could look up I heard a voice behind my head and I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey you." It said. I turned around and couldn't help but cry when I saw Taylor standing behind me with her arms open, waiting for a hug. I was crying partly because I had missed her and partly because I was still upset that she would leave me in the first place.

I hopped right out of my barstool and let her hug me. My head was on the familiar spot at the top of her chest where it always rests. My tears were getting her shirt wet but she just held me tighter. I heard Andrea laugh and walk out if the room. Taylor's hand was rubbing my back and she was swaying back and forth. I took a deep shaky breath and then let out another big cry.

"Awww, I missed you." Taylor laughed. I was confused as to why she was back so early, but I didn't ask. Taylor kissed me on the head and let go of me.

"Do you wanna get your stuff?" She asked while getting loose strands of hair out of my face. I nodded and she followed me up to her old room. I put all of my stuff into my bag and when I was still crying after that Taylor pulled me in for another hug.

"Are you okay?" She said concernedly. I was crying too much to answer.

"Come here." She sat me down on the bed and put her arm around me while I calmed down.

"I was worried about you so I came home early." She told me.

"I missed you." Those were the first words I'd said since she got home. Taylor kissed me on the cheek and told me she loved me before helping me up and getting my bag. I had cried, but I was beyond happy that she came home early. If my dad hadn't died 2 weeks ago I would've been okay for the weekend without Taylor. But now I needed her. She was my only person. We said goodbye to Andrea and Taylor took me back home.

"Did you ever get sick again last night?" Taylor asked me on the way home.

"No." I told her.

"Well that's good, I was worried about you." She said. It's a weird feeling when somebody is worried about you. It doesn't feel good because you know you're a wreck when people worry about you. But then again it does feel good to have somebody that cares and hopes that you're doing okay.

I fell asleep in the short time it took us to drive back home. But it was a much happier sleep now that Taylor was back.