Delicate | Taylor Swift

Chapter Nine

TAYLOR SWIFT

I sat leaning against the wall next to the bathroom, a cup full of Miralax beside me with a curly straw poking out of it. This was Ruben and I's routine for the last three hours, every 60 minutes we would do this for 30. 

"OK Ru, the timer went off!" I yelled through the door. I stopped the timer on my phone and set a new one for an hour. After a minute the door opened to a exhausted little girl. "I know it's not pleasant honey, but it's the only thing that's going to make you feel better," I sighed. I turned to head out of the room but Ruben stopped. "Tay..." she said, unease laced in her voice. "What's the matter?" I asked, turning around. She had a hand on her bubbling belly. 

"Uh oh, is it time?"

The girl nodded and quickly ran back into the bathroom and shut the door. I walked back over to my designated spot by the door. After around ten minutes I routinely got up and knocked on it. "You doin' OK sweetie?" I asked. She responded with a sad grunt. "I'm sorry darling, I know how much it sucks. Is there anything I can do?" I asked. 

"Can you come in Tay?"

"Yeah, of course." I slowly turned the handle and pushed open the door. "You OK?" I asked with an empathetic frown on my face. "My legs hurt...But I cant get down." She said. "Oh, do you need some help getting off?" I asked. She shook her head; she'd been on the toilet so long her legs were going numb, but she wasn't finished going to the bathroom. "Ohh OK.  Here, let me pull this stool over so you can rest your feet on it- that should help." I suggested, pulling the plastic stool by the sink over to the toilet. 

She placed her two little sock clad feet onto the stool delicately, in fear of having pins and needles in her toes from her legs being asleep. "All good now?" I asked, showing her a thumbs up, the other hand snaking into the back pocket of my jeans to grab my phone that had now started vibrating. 

With Rubens thumb in response I left the bathroom and stepped out in the hallway to answer the phone. "Hey mom," 

"Hey Taylor, how's it going over there? Is the Miralax working?" Andrea asked. "It's going alright. It's far from pleasant for poor Ru but you gotta do what you gotta do I guess." I sighed. "Is she drinking water? You've gotta keep her fluids up, Taylor." My mom instructed. "Yes mom, I did everything you told me and more. I've got it under control, just like how I had last time you called." I chuckled at her insistence. 

"If you say so," She sighed. Just as I opened my mouth to speak I hear a loud thump and scuff of plastic on tile, followed by a pained wail. "I'll leave you to it then Miss 'got it under control' Update me later!" Andrea giggled hanging up the phone as I swore under my breath. 

I ran into the bathroom to find Ruben picking herself up from the floor, her blue eyes spilling with tears. "What happened! Are you OK?" I spat out at the girl, rushing over to pick her up. She pointed to the stool angrily.

"Did you fall off? Oh no! I'm so sorry!" I apologized profusely as I held in her in my arms. "My legs fell asleep..." She cried, wiping her face furiously with her sleeves. "Aw baby, It's OK. Are you hurting anywhere or did it just give you a fright?" I asked, checking her over for any obvious injuries. The girl shook her head. 

"That's good, I'm glad. But do you know what's even better? You finally pooped, baby girl!" I cheered making her teary frown turn into a smile as she started to giggle. She wrapped her little hands around my shoulders so I stood, taking her up with me. "Did you wash your hands?" I asked. She shook her head so I lowered her in my grasp so she could reach the tap and wash the germs off of her hands.

"Good job, lets get out of this stinkin' room, shall we?" I suggested, hoisting her back onto my hip. She nodded and leant into me. 

As we entered into the hallway, the toddler wriggled in my arms after seeing a fluffy white tail disappear into my bedroom. I put her down so she could run after the cat. I followed in suit and sat down on my bed, watching her play with Benj. 

She trailed her hand gently down his neck all the way to the end of his tail, Benji purring the whole time. I couldn't help but admire how perfect she was. She suddenly stopped petting the feline and froze. "Ruben?" I asked. She glanced up at me, bright red. Her hand lowered toward her backside, leading me to the messy conclusion. "Uh oh." She said quietly. 

I giggled to myself and stood up, holding my hand out to the tot. "It happens to the best of us Ru,"

She carefully stood up and grabbed onto my hand. "Sorry Tay..." She mumbled.  "It's alright darling. Lets go clean you up."

And in that moment I knew I was never going to let her go. She was mine, and I was hers.