But Loving Him Was Red...

Three Weeks Later

TK smirked, as a wild smile met his lips when he approached my table, fixing the rim of his ball cap. I smiled, putting my notebook and pen back in my bag and pulling my mug of peppermint hot chocolate towards me.

I could barely believe it was the end of April, it meant I had only a few months until I started back up classes at the college in town, for my Journalism. It was two years late, but better late than never I guess.

“Hey boo,” TK pulled out the chair across from me and sat his Starbucks to-go cup down next to my mug. This coffeehouse didn’t even care if you brought outside drinks or food inside. I did it all the time, with Lucia. “Where’s little boo?” He looked around, obviously expecting her to come running out of nowhere to greet him.

“At daycare,” I sighed, twirling my finger through my hair. “So Sidney’s been calling…” I smiled brightly. I knew in my heart that Sidney was already taken by her and wanted to spend every waking second with her, with him calling me practically every day to check in. I was really happy that Sidney was now back in her life and back in mine.

It felt like we never stopped seeing each other, but I, on the other hand really wanted to be back together with him.

“Son of a bitch, really?” TK leaned in; a goonish grin covered his face, beneath his ball cap and scruffy facial hair. What kind of look was he going for? Pubescent Justin Bieber? “Tell me everything; does he want back on the jungle gym?” He waggled his brows.

“What?” I laughed, playfully pushing his shoulder. “I don’t know, but he wants to see Lucia and he’s calling every day to check in on her… it’s the sweetest thing, ever,” To be honest, I was the one who wanted back on the jungle gym.

“Somebody wants to gets their fingers back in the honey pot,” He winked, licking his lips. Such a pervert. “Are you going to let him start taking Lucia?”

I shrugged. “Yes, of course,” I said. “I would love to have him take her for a few days, so she can get more used to him. If I’m starting classes in the fall, I’ll need someone to help me with her,”

“Em!” I startled and looked over as a pregnant Taylor Crosby come walking through a group of people, dragging a bag behind her. She stopped at the table and sat down in the middle chair, between us.

She was wearing a dress, which looked puffy so you really barely even knew she was pregnant. She flicked her blonde hair over a shoulder and looked at TK, who obviously had her undivided attention. “Hi, who are you?” She held her hand out at him, a gleaming smile on her face.

He took up her hand in his and smiled. “I’m Tyler, Tyler Kennedy, and you are?” I rolled my eyes and sat back in the chair, sipping my hot chocolate. Oh geez. I highly doubted Tyler even knew who she was.

She introduced herself to him and I smiled, waiting for him to connect the dots, which of course he didn’t, he claimed Taylor was a gorgeous name for a pretty girl; that made her blush.

I rested my head on my palm and watched the sparks fly between them. I doubted either of them took a breath.

“Here’s my number, call me sometime,” She stood up and pushed her chair in, and looked directly at me. “So, I will go to my gyno appointment and I will be back after 2,” She nodded as she started walking backwards. “I will see you both later,” She turned and hurried out the door.

For a pregnant chick, she sure moved around fast. She was due anytime within the next month and couldn’t wait for him to arrive.

She was already going to name him Landon and had no intentions of telling Claude, which I disagreed with.

“So,” Tyler looked directly at me. “Why haven’t I met her before?” He pointed at her chair and wiggled his brows. “Where have you been hiding her?”

“Uhm, you have,” I rolled my eyes. “That’s Taylor… Crosby,”

His face went white as his eyes widened. “No way, that’s not Taylor…” He dropped his jaw. “Sid’s little sister,”

“Yeah,” I rolled my eyes. “The one who’s completely… oh what’s the word Sid used?” I scratched my chin. “Fucking off limits to anyone on his team,”

“I had no idea she was pregnant though,” He rubbed his face. “Who’s the Dad? Is she a player?” He dropped his jaw. “No way in hell am I just going to be another one,”

I arched an eyebrow. “Just another one?” I questioned, narrowing my eyes. “Tyler, you’re the player, and besides, the guy who got her pregnant, just up and left, you jerk,”

He let his eyes fall to his lap. “You think Sid would mind if I went out with his sister?” Would he mind? Of course he’d mind! “I’m not that much of a whore anymore and she seems really nice,”

“Of course he’d fucking mind, that’s his little sister,” I laced my fingers out on the table. “He’s not okay with any guy dating his sister,”

There was a slight pause as Ty scratched his scruff. “Fine, I won’t,” He crumpled up the paper she gave him and tossed it in the garbage. I knew he wouldn’t stop there; this was Tyler Kennedy we’re talking about.

He loved a chase and loved it more when it was forbidden. I had a feeling that eventually he’d go on a date with Taylor; it was only a matter of time. “Just now that you and Sid are friends again, please don’t tell him this… I really kind of like my limbs intact,”
= = =
“Hey Taylor,” I smiled as she walked into the house, dropping her bag on the arm chair and came walking into the kitchen. It kind of dawned on me when she mentioned going to the GYNO today, she is Canadian, how is she paying for her medical bills?

“How’d it go at the gyno today?” I asked, scrolling through a site that was telling me how long Canadians stay in America illegally.

I knew she mentioned being on a Visa for SSM in Minnesota, but she’s been away from SSM for almost a year now, I was so confused when it came to this. And if she wanted to do anything, she was kind of 16, she needed her parents permission to practically breathe.

Her parents knew about her pregnancy, one day a few months ago, her mother called her up and bitched her out and all was revealed. Her Mother quickly got over being mad, and was kind of happy for her, but I knew deep down she was kind of disappointed.

I know my parents are happy about being grandparents again, but part of me knows they are heavily disappointed that I left school and I was 17.

“I am ready to pop any day,” She laughed, lowering herself into the chair across from me. “How was your day?” She was due on May 12 and couldn’t be any more excited about it.

“Great. Uhm, how are you paying for your medical bills?”I asked. I knew it was coming out of left-field, but if we were living together, I had to know these things.

If she was an illegal alien, then technically I was harboring her and I could get in major shit and that’s the last thing I wanted.

“Oh…” She itched the back of her neck. “It’s complicated. My parents have health insurance, because of all the travelling they do to see Sidney and I, with us both in America, so I’m on the coverage, but in other parts, I’m supposed to be in Minnesota right now,” She chuckled nervously. Seriously?

“TAYLOR!” I belted out. “I swear to god, if you are here illegally…” I tugged at the ends of my hair. “How long have you been out of SSM?”

“Uhm… I found out I was preg in December and left SSM in January, my parents said they got a notice of me not attending classes in February, and I’ve been in Pittsburgh since January I want to say,” She counted on her fingers. “Yes, because I’m due in May, so it’s just under a year,”

“Taylor… you had better clear this up, because if you are here illegally, you could get me in so much shit, how did you even cross the border?” I was amazed that her being here illegally hadn’t crossed my mind before, especially when I myself left the boarding school I was in, I had to go right back to Sweden or take a test and find permanent residence and work, or attend school.

I ended up taking the test for citizenship so I could go freely, and obtain an American passport, but that was a lot of work.

“I charged a plane ticket on my Dad’s card and flew in, my parents know all about that stuff,” She waved her hands around. “When I have my baby, I am already planning on going back to the Harbour, I’m just a flight risk right now,”

“I swear Taylor, you get me in shit, I don’t even want to speak what I’d do to you,” I balled my hands into fists. “How are you going to clear this up?”

“I don’t know yet, I am just going go back home, and have my parents help me, I’ll probably have to get my GED there, and apply for another Visa to come back here,” She pointed downwards at the table. “I don’t want to stay home with them, I’ll never hear the end of them trying to talk me into involving Claude,” Ugh. She was still determined to raise Landon on her own, I gave her props, but it is difficult.

“Taylor,” I groaned. “You better hope that this baby is covered, it’s like almost 30 thousand to have a kid, I don’t think your parents or Sidney could help you out,” I knew Sidney would if he had to…

“It’s 30 thousand to have a kid, here?” She asked, her eyes wide. “Seriously?”

“Yes, my sister got nailed with a bill because she came from Australia to here, her paperwork for citizenship hadn’t went through yet,” I shook my head. “Just please clear this up, I love living with you, “ I grabbed my keys and bag off the counter. “I got to get Lucia,”

“I will call my Dad and see if he can help me out,” She grabbed the phone and started dialing as I walked out of the house. Lord, help that child. I hoped she got all this shit cleared up. Even taking a test to get citizenship wouldn’t hurt, but still.