It's All Part of the Story

You are in love

June 2016

Taylor keeps her eyes closed even though she can feel Karlie stirring behind her. She isn't sure what time it is, but she knows it's still early because the room is dark and the house is quiet. She feels a hand travel down her side until it reaches her waist, sneaking under the hem of her t-shirt and brushing idle circles against her skin.

"Morning," Taylor Mumbles and she scoots closer, although there really isn't a lot of space between them to begin with, and takes Karlie's hand, lacing their fingers.

"Good morning," Karlie replies, her voice still thick with sleep and she leans over to press a kiss against Taylor's cheek. 

"How did you sleep?"Taylor rubs her tired eyes, smiling at the sight of a picture of a teenage Karlie in her cheerleading uniform with a group of high school friends on the bedside table, and rolls over to face Karlie. 

"Your bed is a little small."

"It's a queen size."

"It's tiny." Taylor says as she rolls over with some difficulty, trying not to fall over the side, and pecks her lips. "But I don't mind cuddling close."

Karlie smiles, wrapping her arms tightly around Taylor and nudging her nose with her own before kissing her deeply.

They'd flown down to St. Louis the previous day, and arrived at Karlie's childhood home after midnight. It was Taylor's first time coming back to St. Louis with Karlie and Taylor can't help but feel a little nervous, although there had been countless visits to their upstate New York house for impromptu Sunday dinners and weekend trips.

"Let's go downstairs," Karlie says when she pulls away, brushing back Taylor's hair and rolling out of bed.

Taylor follows Karlie out of the room, stopping when they get to the stairs to look at the pictures on the wall. She runs her finger down the frame of an old picture of Karlie and her sisters as little kids opening presents next to a Christmas tree, all with huge smiles on their faces. She keeps moving down, passing a picture from Karlie's high school graduation and another of the Kloss family at the beach. 

 "Babe?" Karlie asks turning at the foot of the stairs to look up at Taylor expectantly. "What are you doing?"

"I was just looking at these." Taylor answers pointing at the pictures and smiling. "You were cute."

Karlie scoffs and takes her hand tugging her along into the kitchen. "I'm still cute."

"Well, you were cuter," Taylor argues settling at the kitchen table with Karlie's mom on one side and her father on the other, watching Karlie pull mugs from the cabinet. 

"We can't all age as well as you," Karlie fires back distractedly, which pulls and indignant gasp from Taylor and a wry chuckle from her parents. 

"Morning Mom and Dad," Karlie says walking over with two cups of coffee and setting one down in front of her father. "Black," she says, then walks around the table and places the other mug in front of her mother, "and diabetes in a cup." 

Taylor hides her smile with her hand but Karlie just laughs outright at her own joke, a sound that turns into a yelp when her mother reaches out and pinches her. "Ow! Mom!" 

"Don't make fun of me, we have company and I'm an old lady," Tracey says and Taylor wisely keeps her mouth shut. 

Karlie however raises her eyebrows and asks, "So I'm allowed to call you an old lady?" 

Tracey pinches her again and Karlie squeals, squirming out of reach. "Mo-om!" 

"Absolutely not."