We Aren't So Different, You and Me

Boarding the plane was a little difficult. Bandit was wired beyond comprehension and wouldn't stop rambling on about how much fun her and Taylor were going to have together. Lindsey tried to calm her down but it failed miserably. Taylor just took it like a champ and held onto Bandit's hand, playing with her hair occasionally. I was a little nervous, to be honest with you, and I wasn't sure how things were going to end up between us just yet but I could hope for the best.

On the plane, Bandit fell asleep watching a movie with Taylor on her iPad. Bandit's head rested on Taylor's shoulder, and Taylor occasionally stroked her hair out of her face. B wrapped her arms around Taylor's and sighed in her sleep, bringing her thumb to her mouth. I didn't know whether or not Taylor felt uncomfortable around the idea of a new family or not but I figured we'd find out sooner or later. But she seemed fine with B hanging on her all the time and even grew accustomed to Linds showing some affection towards her too.

****

Arriving back home, Taylor carried a sleeping Bandit into the house, much to Lindsey's demand to take a rest. I showed her the way to Bandit's room and she laid her in her bed, tucking her in. Bandit latched on to Taylor, whining when she said that she had to go to bed. I chuckled, relaxed and relieved that for once, it wasn't me telling her to go to bed. When everything was all unpacked and B fast asleep, Lindsey and I got started on getting Taylor settled in in the guest bedroom.

"Usually my parents stay in here, or Mikey when he visits, but no one's been in here in ages," Lindsey sighed, pulling clean sheets and duvets from the hall closet.
"That's fine," Taylor sighed. "It's only temporary, right?"
"Well, yeah, but who knows? Maybe some day you'll wanna make this your permanent home."
"I'm only here for the summer, actually. I go back to school in the fall."
"Right, well..."


I took Taylor out to the back yard and tried to start up a small fire. She laughed at my feeble attempts and took over the reigns, getting it to go faster than I ever have. We sat around the fire awkwardly for a little and eventually started talking about art and music. Her schoolmates were really big fans of the band and of my art and I felt flattered, oddly. She said that some of her school friends even mentioned that she looked a great deal like me but she always shrugged it off. I laughed and took in her features a little bit more. Her brown eyes were obviously from her mom but she had my eyebrows and high cheekbones. Her mother's nose, smile, and laugh but she had my boyish giggle that I'm famous for. Her fingers were long and slim, again from her mother. She said that she painted a lot and I imagined what her fingers looked like dancing across the pale shade of nude canvas. She pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one up, blowing the smoke up into the night air. We stayed out there for hours it seemed, until Lindsey finally came out and said that she was going to bed. I pulled out my phone and noticed it was 2 a.m. and sighed.

"We'll be right in, babe."

I put the fire out and held my hand out for Taylor. She took it and sighed, standing up. We walked back to the house and I locked the doors. I said goodnight to her, kissing her jawline softly,and made my way to my room where I had the best sleep I've ever had in months.

Notes