Taylor's POV
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The tiles on the floor turn cold as I kneel behind Jay, refusing to move. Ross hands me a blanket from the lounge which I proceed to wrap around both myself and my husband. Matthew begins to wrap another around Claire, over her shoulders as she sits watching Andrew Gilbert Scott for any signs of life. Paramedics it turns out are unable to pronounce his death and so we are waiting on a coroner. Despite the efforts to resuscitate him at the scene it has become pretty clear that the patriarch of the Gilbert Scott family is no longer alive.
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Jay is devastatingly quiet and I'm sure that he has gone into shock, I wrap my arms around his chest as I sit behind him feeling his chest move up and down as he breathes.
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"Jay" I begin quietly as Rachel and Christopher begin clearing away cutlery and plates, my mind sporadically reminds me of the linguine on the stove and I long to travel back in time to a point in the past where this travesty hasn't yet happened. Childishly believing I can change the fate of the future.
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"Taylor, I need to do so many things, like check his pulse and his breathing did you see that" he gasps as I shake my head tears falling down my cheeks.
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"He just breathed Taylor" he says softly as I rub his arms with my fingertips, feeling his cold skin underneath my own and pulling the wool blanket over him.
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"Jay" I say softly in his ear as he shakes his head, his eyes red raw, strained from crying and staring without blinking at his father.
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"I love you please just stand up with me" I begin softly.
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"Let the medical professionals do their work" I say pleading with him as Matthew manages to move Claire over to a chair at the table. He kneels before her speaking with her insistently as she nods and shakes her head. He makes sure the blanket is tightly around her as Ross offers her a glass of water.
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"Henry" Jay murmurs and I take the opportunity to pull him to face me. He resists me but I'm insistent, I pull his body and he turns as I catch his face in my hands holding onto his jaw and maintaining his eye contact.
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"In the house with my mom" I explain as he nods just once. My mother, Evelyn had taken Henry upstairs and I imagine her now rocking him to sleep and placing him down for bed.
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"Taylor Jesus" he gasps shaking as he looks down at me on my knees before him.
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"My dad" he cries his face dropping in agony as he cries into his chest. Tears stream down his face as I begin to scoop up his head in my arms and hold him into my chest.
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"Jay I got you" I tell him as his arms reach around me. His body shakes involuntarily as he sobs and the darkness surrounds me whilst I hold his body close.
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"Shhh I have got you. I love you. I'm here" I repeat over and over as I stroke his hair back. Ross eyes me as I comfort him on the floor. Lost and floundering as he pushes his blonde hair back with a pained expression over his soft features.
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"Let's get him up" Ross says softly as I shuffle back removing my stilettos and standing up slowly. Ross and Christopher assist Jay up from the floor just as the coroner arrives. An older man with chestnut hair who enters the scene calmly and performs a few preliminary checks. Jay lunges for his father as Christopher and Ross both pull him away from Andrew Gilbert Scott's body when the coroner finally announces him dead at the scene. It takes three grown men to hold Jay back from the body bag containing his father which is taken away for autopsy. Matthew and Chris plead with him as they pull him back and Ross comes to stand by me as I stare at the pools of blood on the floor.
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"Let's get everybody inside" Ross begins as I stare up at him and the moonlight shining over his angelic features.
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"Here" he begins softly holding onto my back and guiding me around my discarded stilettos and the smashed plates. He scoops up my body as I fall into his arms breathing finally. I hadn't realised that I had been holding my breath until he rubs my back and looks down at me warily.
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"That's it, keep walking you're cold" he whispers pulling my body into his as he guides me over to Rachel. Standing by the double doors I watch on as Jay fights with Matthew. Matthew wearing a stricken expression as he attempts to hold his arms down and put a stop to the punches, without fighting back.
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Incensed, I push at Ross and stumble over to them despite the shouting I grab at Jay's arms even as his knuckles connect with my shoulder. Searing pain that burns through my chest as I take in a huge gulp of air to stop myself from yelling. Shock emanates through me as I realise that he has punched me out of sheer confusion and grief. I stagger back slowly my hands instantly going to bump.
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"No Taylor" Matthew shouts as he lets go of Jay and shoves him to the side before pursuing me. Staggering back into a chair as Matthew softens my fall to the floor and I look up as Christopher seizes both of Jay's arms behind his back and physically pushes him to the double doors.
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"My shoulder" I gasp at the pain that shoots through my arm and into my shoulders as I try to push myself up from the ground. Matthew curses before lifting me up and holding me into him as he guides me towards the house.
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"Your shoulder needs seeing too" he murmurs as he takes me inside and the shouting only intensifies as we get closer to the kitchen.
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"We can go to the hospital now" he says pulling me back slightly as I shake my head determined to see this night through, for better or for worse I tell myself reminding myself of my wedding vows.
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"Just please help me to the kitchen" I say to Matthew defiantly glancing down at my ripped gown, it must have caught on the chair as I fell I think idly. He only nods supporting me with his arm around my back as I wince from moving my shoulder.
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Ross is holding Jay back forcefully as Christopher reasons with him. The smashed glass from earlier still scattered over the usually clean marble floor. He's a picture I think to myself as I look over Jay and his crisp white shirt stained with his fathers blood. Blonde hair pushed off of his wild face as his mom cries into Rachel's shoulder on the sofa by the window. Jay's eyes meet mine and he breathes steadily no longer shouting at Christopher as Ross relaxes fractionally holding him against the far wall.
His eyes wash over my shoulder as the pain and sorrow engulfs him. Anger and rage taking over as he looks at Matthew holding me as he lunges for the keys to the Lamborghini, snatching them from the countertop as Matthew quickly positions us to the side of the door that Jay is approaching fast. One mission on his mind as he looks past us to the front door.
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"Do something" Rachel cries as I look up at Jay grabbing at his hand before he pushes past me.
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"Jay" I plead with him softly as he falters looking ahead and not at me.
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"You have a son" I say softly tears streaming down my cheeks as I pull at his cold hand and he yanks it away.
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"You have us" I say to him as he wipes his face with his other hand.
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"No" he says defiantly as I pull at his arm again to stay put.
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"Please Jay" I wail feeling his strength working against me as he walks away towards the door.
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"No" he repeats pushing his hair back the grief and the brandy guiding him down the hall. I collect myself up half limping over to him as I rest my sore shoulder on the handrail to the staircase. He grabs at the door handle as I take in one huge gulp of air.
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"Jay Gilbert Scott" I scream at the top of my lungs imagining him speeding to his death as he walks out of the door.
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"You will not walk out on me and your unborn child" I scream as he stands utterly still under the porch light facing the steps he was about to bolt down. Rachel gasps with her hands over her lips as she looks at me from the doorway of the kitchen.
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"You will not" I say crying, a small whisper as I sink down to the floor too tired to stand any longer. Defeated, I turn my gaze to my ripped dress and the cuts on my bare feet from the glass. My head in my hands as I cry unbelieving of the tragic turn of events of this evening that was supposed to be filled with love and family. Instantly the burning tower tarot card flashes before me in my minds eye and I dismiss it in denial.
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"I will not" he whispers as I look up into eyes that are wild and full of pain. Ashy blonde hair that falls over his forehead as he looks upon me assessing every millimetre of my body. His eyes staring at my shoulder as he implores for my forgiveness.
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"Fuck" he curses in a voice that is strained as he cries lifting me up instantly in his arms.
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"I will not, I would not ever" he whispers through sobs as he holds me into his chest standing underneath the glow of the chandelier in the hall. One hand on my lower back as my legs wrap around his waist.
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"Your shoulder I'm so sorry" he whispers beside himself.
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"Your shoulder, fuck Taylor" he says looking into my eyes in disbelief.
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"The baby" he gasps in shock as I think of how I stumbled onto the floor when his hand connected with my shoulder. I kiss him fervently accepting his apology instantly. Jay sets me down on my own two feet as Matthew approaches us with an expression of worry.
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"Man I am so sorry" Matthew says instantly as Jay looks upon him still holding onto my waist a bewildered expression on his face.
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"I'm so sorry Jay" he says again and it's sincere I can feel it through his eyes and how they watch Jay's grief stricken face.
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"My mother" Jay says and Matthew nods simply.
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"Right through here" Christopher calls out from the kitchen doorway as we look over at the oak door.
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"I'm taking Taylor to the hospital" Matthew declares pulling my good arm back softly.
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"I'm sorry for your loss man truly I am, but she needs to be checked over." He begins softly as Jay eyes him beginning to see sense, his logic returning as he nods solemnly.
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"Let me just get her some help for her shoulder and see what pain relief she can have being pregnant" he reasons with him as Jay holds onto my arm.
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“I understand” he says solemnly as he pulls me into his arms.
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“I am so so sorry not only for harming you, but for causing you stress and pain. I love you so much Taylor. I will make this better” he whispers as I stroke his hair back.
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“Jay you don’t need to apologise, your dad…” I begin without wanting to finish my sentence as he shakes his head fervently.
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“No it’s inexcusable” he says finally before kissing my forehead, he pulls back eyeing me steadily. And although he has pulled himself together the sorrow sits just behind his eyes. He hands Matthew the keys to the Lamborghini and thanks him before we get ready to leave. I watch Jay briefly through the doorway in the kitchen as a world of worry falls over his shoulders and he collects his mom up in an embrace. Tears streaming down their faces as I close my eyes to the pain.
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“Here” Matthew says placing my wool coat delicately over my shoulders before we walk out into the night.
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