a sound she hadn't heard before

sixty-five.

The show's first performances couldn't go better. Of course, the creative team makes changes daily, but they're generally quite small. The audiences are lively and receptive of the show in front of them. Before anyone knows it, there's only a week until they open.

That means that there's only two weeks until Taylor has to go to New York for the trial with Adam.

She is getting more and more anxious about it by the day. Ayla isn't budging. She wants to go to New York with Taylor- no other compromises. Taylor has tried every tactic in the book. "You could see Dani and Jane and Claudia if you go to New Jersey and stay with Grandma and Grandpa." No. "Joe would take you out for lots of treats and fun outings if you stay with him in London." Not having it. "Grandma would take you to any Broadway show you want to see if you stay with her in Jersey." That one was a little more enticing, but still ultimately ended in a no.

Taylor has no idea what to do. Ayla's anxiety has been under control lately, but she fears that it's only any day now until it all blows up. She feels her own anxiety is about to do the same. Everything has been so crazy lately, so go, go, go. She fears that after opening, after the show is frozen and she has time to be left to her own devices, it's all going to blow up in her face.

And when she confesses that to Joe, he looks at her and shakes her head. "Taylor..." he says, "I know now isn't the right time to bring this up probably, but don't you remember when you promised you'd start going to therapy regularly, just like you're making Ayla do?"

Taylor bites her lip. She knows Joe's got a point. She went once, and hasn't been back.

"I just... I don't know. It's scary to share all of that with someone. They'd have to know lots of things that could absolutely ruin me. I'd have to revisit too many moments that I don't want to revisit. Joe, my life has been absolutely chaotic. Before Ayla, before Adam... since I was sixteen, I've been in this spotlight, and it has made many aspects of  my life a living nightmare."

"T... I realize that, but maybe that's all the more reason to go. You've gotta find a way to get out of that nightmare," Joe tells her.

"I've been too busy," Taylor tells him, pulling a sweatshirt over her head. "Between taking care of Ayla, working on the show, and getting everything in order for this trial, I haven't had time."

Joe shakes his head. "That's rubbish and we both know it. You could've found an hour a week. You've been shut away in your piano room for hours upon hours. You keep playing me all of these new songs you've been writing... ones that aren't for the musical. What about that time?"

"Writing those songs is what keeps me sane," Taylor spits, a certain edge to her voice. "You can't ask me to give that up." She can feel her heart begin to beat faster as she starts to get frustrated with Joe. She knows deep down that it's rooted in all of the stress, but she so rarely gets upset with the man she loves so much that it scares her. Still, she can't find a way to manage the feelings and instead lets them take over her. Especially upon hearing Joe's response.

"I'm just saying that I think it's unfair of you to make Ayla go and you don't have to, even when you told her that you would. I think you would really benefit from it."

"I'm in charge of Ayla," Taylor snaps. "It's my job as her mother to make decisions about her well being. I missed the moment when it became your job to make decisions about my well being."

"I never said that," Joe replies defensively. He takes a breath. "I just want you to be the best version of yourself, and I'm worried that it's not what you are right now. I know how worried you are at everything. You think I don't hear you crying over it every night when you think I'm sleeping? Hon, you can't hide that kind of thing from me." He is trying so hard to be patient with her but his frustrations are growing. "I just want you to be happy..." As those words come out of his mouth, his voice is small. He really hopes that it comforts Taylor, but it seems to do the opposite.