miracle | tayley

nothing compares to a quiet evening alone

     "Is she okay?" Are Hayley's first words as Taylor swings open his front door. 

     "Yeah," he says, and he's positive she can see the outright relief on his face at the sight of her. Hurriedly, he tries to shift his features into something less dramatic.

     His eyes rake over her features, drinking her in. She's wearing a navy tank top and gray, cotton shorts, and her feet are bare inside of her sneakers. Her hair is down and messy, strands flying in every direction. She looks beautiful and young, he thinks. It's been awhile since he's seen her looking all sleep rumpled and adorable but the sight hasn't lost its appeal.

     When her slender arms reach out for their daughter he turns the crying child toward her mother and tries not to feel too disappointed when she practically launches herself into Hayley's waiting arms. He guesses he should be glad she was even willing to go with him in the first place.

     "Oh, my baby. Shh," Hayley coos lovingly into their daughter's ear as she burrows into her mother's neck, seeking comfort. "I'm here. I'm right here. You're okay, honey," she says, rubbing Rowan's back, softly. "And your Daddy was here with you the whole time. You're safe, Ro," she assures, her eyes flicking up to meet Taylor's. "Mommy and Daddy would never let anything happen to you, baby."

     Hayley's trying to include him, and he appreciates the effort, but he's still struggling to keep the disappointed expression off of his face. He must be failing miserably because she says, "Hey, it was the first try. Give her time. It'll get better."

     He watches her sway back and forth, gently, as she continues, "It's such a big deal that she even wanted to go with you this soon in the first place." She's reiterating words he'd thought to himself mere moments before, but he can't help but wish that his daughter would cling to him for comfort the way she's clinging to Hayley right now. He won't push her though, he will give her all the time she needs.

     "Yeah, you're right," he acknowledges. "I just hoped she'd do okay. I'm really sorry I had to drag you out of bed," he offers again, scratching distractedly at the hair on the back of his neck.

     "It's part of the job," she says, shrugging and smiling, good-naturedly.

     Rowan's sobs have already begun to settle into pathetic, shuddering little cries, and he breathes a sigh of relief. He'd spent the past hour trying to calm her down as she spiraled further and further out of control. She'd done great as the kids were settling down to sleep, but once Taylor had attempted to leave her in her bedroom in her nice, pink toddler bed she had begun to fuss and demand drinks and stories and extra hugs. 

     Eventually, when he'd realized she was keeping her cousins, and by extension their parents, awake, he had given up and taken her with him to his room. By then, she'd already geared up to full-on hysteria though, and there'd been no talking her down. No amount of swaying, soothing words, or singing had managed to get her off the ledge. He'd finally had to admit defeat and call Hayley.

     "Geez, Taylor, invite her out of the hallway, will you?" Justin ribs him, coming down the stairs, his hand on the small of his wife's back, guiding her easily along with him. 

     Taylor realizes with a start that they are, indeed, still standing awkwardly in the front hallway.

     "Uh, yeah, sorry," he mutters. "Come on in," he says, gesturing vaguely toward the center of the house.

     Justin and Jana pause at the bottom of the stairs. "Everyone's asleep up there," his brother says, tossing his head back, indicating the second floor. "We're heading to bed, the kids will be up early. Just holler if they bother you, but they'll most likely come wake us up as soon as they're awake."