Nursery dreams

                                    

                                          
Taylor walked into their house, kicking off her heels with a tired sigh. The day had been long, filled with meetings, interviews, and trying to find the right color palette for their new living room. But despite the exhaustion, a small smile played on her lips. This house was her sanctuary, and more importantly, it was filled with him.
"Travis?" she called, her voice echoing slightly in the quiet hallway.
"In here, Superstar," his deep voice called from the direction of the nursery.
Taylor felt her heart skip a beat. Travis had been insisting all week that she let him handle the finishing touches for their baby's room. She'd been tempted to peek, but he'd sworn her to secrecy, claiming he wanted it to be a surprise.
As she approached the room, she noticed the door was slightly ajar, a warm glow spilling out into the hallway. Pushing the door open, Taylor gasped.
The nursery was perfect.
Soft, neutral tones adorned the walls, accented by golden stars painted across the ceiling. A crib stood in the center of the room, draped with a delicate canopy. There was a cozy rocking chair in the corner with a knitted blanket thrown over it. A small bookshelf held an assortment of baby books, stuffed animals, and framed photos of the two of them.
"Travis," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
He turned to her with a sheepish grin, his large hands dusting off his jeans. "You like it, Angel?"
Taylor stepped further into the room, her eyes scanning every detail. "Like it? I love it. It's... it's everything I imagined and more."
Travis walked over, pulling her into his arms. "I wanted to make sure it was perfect for you... and for the little one."
Taylor rested her head against his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heartbeat. "You're amazing, you know that?"
He chuckled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I try, Sunshine."
She pulled back slightly, her hands resting on his broad chest. "You didn't have to do all this by yourself."
"I wanted to," he said simply. "You've been working so hard lately. You deserve to come home and relax, not stress over paint swatches and furniture assembly."
Taylor smiled, her eyes shining with gratitude. "You're going to be the best dad, Trav."
"And you're going to be the best mom," he said, his voice full of conviction. "Our baby's lucky to have you, Superstar."
Taylor's hand drifted to her growing belly, and Travis followed suit, placing his large hand gently over hers.
"I still can't believe we're doing this," she said softly. "That we're going to be parents."
Travis knelt down in front of her, his eyes level with her bump. "Hey, little one," he said, his voice tender. "Your mom is the most incredible woman in the world. And I promise you, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you both are happy and safe."
Taylor felt tears prick her eyes as she ran her fingers through his hair. "You're going to make me cry, you big softie."
"Good tears, I hope," he teased, standing back up and wrapping his arms around her.
They spent the next hour sitting in the nursery, reminiscing about their journey so far. Taylor laughed as Travis recounted their disastrous attempt at building the crib together a few weeks ago.
"I swear, the instructions were written in some secret code," he said, shaking his head. "But look! It turned out okay."
"It turned out perfect," Taylor corrected, leaning her head against his shoulder.
As the evening turned into night, they found themselves lying on the plush rug in the middle of the room, staring up at the painted stars on the ceiling.
"Do you think they'll like it here?" Taylor asked, her voice soft.
"They're going to love it," Travis assured her. "This room is full of love. Just like you."
Taylor turned her head to look at him, her heart swelling with affection. "I don't tell you enough, but I'm so lucky to have you, Trav."
He smiled, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "I'm the lucky one, Angel."
The baby gave a small kick, and Taylor placed her hand on her belly with a laugh. "Looks like someone agrees with you."
Travis placed his hand over hers, grinning. "That's my kid, already taking my side."
Taylor rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh, great. I'm outnumbered already."
"You'll manage," he said, leaning down to kiss her softly.
As the rain began to patter against the windows, they stayed there in the nursery, dreaming about the life they were building together.
And in that moment, with the storm outside and the promise of a bright future inside, everything felt just right.