But Loving Him Was Red...

Three Days Later

“So, how’s school coming?” I smiled, sipping my peppermint hot chocolate out of the mug. Taylor was sitting across from me, feeding Landon with a baby bottle.

She was nursing, but only used breast pumps to get the milk. She said she didn’t feel comfortable actually nursing. I didn’t either, so I just used formula on Lucia.

She ended up clearing things up, got a new VISA and started her final year of high school at RidgeMount, and so far, she likes it, but the classes are hard.

She has Landon in a day care right now, so she can go to class and not have to worry about him all day.

“I like it,” She kept her eyes on Landon’s. “I’m just shocked that they actually gave me a new VISA, I thought they wouldn’t let me do it all over again,” I had this bad feeling in my stomach that they wouldn’t just let her come back, but they did, and of course her grades and attendance were being monitored, not just by her VISA company, but also by her parents.

Trina and Troy weren’t taking chances with her this time.

“You explained what happened, they probably understood that you couldn’t do what your VISA entailed,” I explained. She was at SSM to play hockey, how can you do that pregnant, especially being a goaltender like she was. “I agree you should’ve called and told them ahead of time,”

“That’s what the lady said,” She moved her bangs out of her eyes and lifted Landon up, placing him on her shoulder. She was such a good Mom and I was already noticing the changes in her. She wasn’t drinking anymore, or partying.

She went to school, got Landon on her way home, and stayed in with him. She was a whole different person and I knew it was because of Landon. “She gave a warning, if I leave school without informing again, I could be facing huge fines and even jail time,”

“I will be there to help you every step of the way,” I said happily, watching her patting Landon’s back. There was a silence as he belched into the air. A couple ladies a few tables away were cooing at them and giggling.

“What a good boy you are,” Taylor cooed to Landon who smiled up at her, and circled his hands around her finger. Even though I had Lucia, and she was two, still a baby, every time I saw Landon, I wanted another baby. Why I wanted another baby right now, stunned me. “You are Mommy’s special boy, aren’t you?” She giggled, putting his bottle away in the bag. Her stroller was beside us at the back table. “So what have you and my brother been doing?”

Oh god. Where do I even begin? I smiled, twiddling my thumbs. “We went to the zoo, I don’t know if I told you,” I held my hand out and she shook her head. How did I not tell her? I told my Dad all about it, he was thrilled and asked when the wedding was. It was a trip to the zoo, not a walk on the moon. She immediately looked interested. “Well, it was in July, I don’t know how I never told you, but anyway, he came to take Loosh to the zoo and all of a sudden invites me,”

“Woooo,” She cooed, earning a glare from me. “What?” I raised an eyebrow, hoping to deter her from saying how badly I wanted her brother. It was evident to me, I didn’t need anyone trying to tell me about it.

“It was just a trip to the zoo,” I laughed it off, moving my side braid back onto my shoulder. “But he invited me and he’s carrying Lucia around, and it’s like the cutest thing,” I rested my head on my palms. “He’s such a good Dad,” He was, and I was feeling like I was falling for him all over again. I didn’t want to. I was starting to like Seth and Sidney was dating Carly, so we were each going our separate ways, I didn’t want stupid feelings to get in the way.

“He is,” Taylor smiled. “I’ve never seen him like that before, so gentle,”

“Lucia fell and cut her hands, so he got this first aid pack out and cleaned her hands, and my heart was melting, because it was so sweet,” I sighed. “I picked the perfect guy to have a kid with,”

She smiled at me, and patted my hands. “Ohmygod,” She squealed. I looked up at her. “Ohmygod, Ohmygod,” I raised an eyebrow. “Are you in love with my brother?”

“Taylor,” I groaned. She smiled showing all of her teeth. “Like I’ve said a billion times, there is feelings between us because we have a kid, and he’s dat-“

“I swear to god, you bring up Carly and I will smack you,” She pointed her finger at me. “Just because he’s dating someone else, doesn’t mean he stopped caring about you,”

“It means he’s with someone else and he’s happy and I’m moving on too,” I smiled. “Seth and I are… going out on a date,” She furrowed her brows. “Taylor, I still care about Sid, I do, but I am not going to break him and a girl up just because I am back in town, it’s not fair to him and I don’t deserve a happy ending,”

“Emily,” She covered my hand with hers. “I loved you and my brother together, you genuinely cared about each other and I get along with you, and my parents liked you,”

“Maybe we just weren’t meant to be,” I frowned. “And anyway, it doesn’t matter anymore,” With a sigh, I looked down at my phone. “But he invited me to the Philly game the day after tomorrow,”

Her jaw dropped open. “You have to see Claude again,” I slowly nodded my head. “I can’t even stand to be around him. He treated Landon and I like crap,” She had told me earlier that she took my advice and told Claude and he denied the kid and said he wanted nothing to do with a whore like her and her bastard child. It took everything in me to restrain myself from clocking him.

“Have you even told Sidney that Claude is Landon’s Dad?” She better tell him soon, because one of these days it’s going to slip out and she’s going to regret it. I told Sidney about Lucia, but I had a feeling he already knew. She shook her head. “Taylor, you need to. Someone is going to let it slip and you will wish you told him,”

I took her hand in mine. “I will even come with you if you want,”
“I can’t face him, though,” She pouted. “I know how hard it was for you, and how good it turned out, but he’s not going to like this,”

“Like you told me, give him the benefit of the doubt, he may surprise you,” I quoted her and she gave me a smile. “I am not going to pressure you into this, you are the one who has to live with it, but I will be there to support you every step of the way,”