Nicki was unable to face Taylor properly for the rest of the week.
This wasn't helpful as social services were due to pay them a visit over the weekend just to make sure that Taylor had had no trouble adjusting to her new lifestyle and that they were happy together.
Well obviously Taylor hadn't adjusted from where Nicki was standing.
She couldn't even look at her in the same way.
Why hadn't she just told Nicki? ...
When social serviced turned up on the doorstep on Saturday Nicki tried her best to but on a brave and welcoming face.
'Come in,' she greeted as they introduced themselves.
'So,' the woman began as she sat on the sofa surveying nicki and Taylor, 'how do you feel that you are getting on together?'
'Amazing!' Assured Taylor before Nicki could even open her mouth, 'I fit in perfectly here. Everyone is so nice too. It is so much better than the foster home because I'm actually treated like a proper person who has feelings and emotions.'
Nicki stared at taylor.
The rest of the little interview seemed to go quite well until she stood up and said, 'well I think I'd better just go check out the house, and your room Taylor.'
Nicki gasped slightly. No! She would see Taylor's bottles.
Nicki and Taylor waited outside the bedroom as the social service woman inspected her room.
'Well well well, look what I found,' came a voice from inside the room.
Taylor clapped her hand to her mouth and, without even thinking, Nicki stormed into the room, exclaiming, 'it was me!'
'What?' Inquired the woman, perplexed, 'I was merely looking at this framed picture of the two of you I found under the mattress. Looks like you two have really bonded.'
'I-I- ... okay,' replied Nicki taken aback. She looked nervously at the wardrobe however it was ajar and, strangely, completely empty.
Taylor seemed just as stunned as Nicki was to see the absence of all of her bottles.
'Well, it seems like there's no problems with you continuing your stay here taylor,' said the woman, 'a good family you've got here might I say.'
As soon as she had left the house, Nicki turned to Taylor.
'You knew...' muttered Taylor as her mother looked at her sadly.
Nicki merely continued to look at her daughter.
She couldn't think of what to say.
Instead she just walked into the kitchen.
'Tom,' she said softly when she saw him, 'did you remove the bottles from her bedroom?'
Tom inhaled deeply before nodding, 'I had to because I know how much Taylor means to you and-'
But he didn't need to say anymore as Nicki had wrapped her arms round him and was hugging me tight.
'Thank you so much,' she murmured.
'I think it's time to confront Taylor though don't you?' Inquired Tom.
Nicki gulped before nodding.
She did need to get to the bottom of this.
She loved her daughter and couldn't stand to see her throw her life away with a bottle in her hand.
It was going to be hard but she was going to talk to her.
Nicki still feared though that it was her fault...
Well, if it was, she was going to fix it.
From now on she was going to ensure that her daughter's life was nothing less than perfect.