Page 82 of Taylor

“Not really.”

“Why not?”

Because I got tired of giving him blow jobs and taking him to hockey games. “I think we’ve just grown apart.”

“Well, what have you been up to lately? Is there anyone new?” her mom asked.

Yes, there is, and I’m so in love with him, and he treats me so well. So well it has me questioning other people in my lifeis what she could have said.

“I’ve been pretty busy with work. I’ve also started working on my art again,” she said, feeling the excitement bubble up inside of her.

“I’ve been doing some research,” Alice continued. “And I think I might try to start doing some commissioned sketches. I’ve been talking to someone who’s an author, and she says that a lot of writers are looking for people to do character art?—”

“You started playing around with that again?” Isabelle asked.

Usually, this attitude just caused shame and shut her down... but instead of shame, she felt a different emotion. Anger.

“I’m not playing around. I’m good at it,” Alice said with all the confidence she could muster.

“Oh, honey, you are good at it. Your drawings are great. They always have been. I just think, sometimes, it’s best to keep your hobby just for you and focus on your job.”

Hearing how wrong those words made her feel also made her aware how much she had believed them until recently.

“Why don’t you think I can do it?” Alice asked plainly.

“Honey, it’s not that. I think you just need to be realistic.”

“You do know there are people who manage to make a living doing art, right? And maybe instead of spending so much time and energy telling me how hard it is going to be and helping me find all these jobs I’m bad at, you could, for once, see that I am good at something. And maybe we could work on figuring out how to make it work instead of trying to make me fit into molds I’ll never fit in to.”

Her mother’s mouth dropped open and looked at her like she had just been slapped across the face. “How long have you felt like this?”

“I don’t know, a long time, I think... I’m just trying to figure out some stuff,” Alice said.

Her mom’s face fell a bit, a pathetic look that made Alice’s skin crawl. “I just worry about you, sweetheart.”

“I’m going to be fine. I just need to figure some stuff out on my own.”

“Okay, sweetheart, you figure it out, and I’ll keep my mouth shut. I’ve heard the chopped salad here is good. Should we get two?”

Alice just raised her eyebrows.

“Or you get whatever you want, and I’ll get the chopped salad.”

Alice nodded and ordered the lasagna, the most non-salad thing she could think of... And it also may have reminded her of Taylor and their Christmas Eve in the cabin.

Later that night, she was working on setting up her Instagram page while watching the hockey game.

It was nice to see Taylor play, even while he was far away. Sasha had her working from home. She would get sent pictures and videos to post to the team’s pages.

This next one, she was really happy to post. It was a video of Taylor getting a goal. Part of her was tempted to put a heart eyes sticker on the post, but she didn’t.

About an hour after the game was over, her phone was ringing, only this time, she realized it was a FaceTime call. She decided to answer it on her laptop. And there he was, in his own hotel room.

“Hey there, Rainbow,” he said, smiling at her.

“Nice goal tonight.”

“Thanks, it was a lucky bounce.”

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