What I Should Have Said

8

This time around Taylor was the one who went out of her way to avoid Elizabeth the rest of the school year. Elizabeth felt awful about what happened at the dance, she never intended to hurt Taylor. But she knew it was probably best the two kept their distance.

Taylor and her family were gone over the summer and Elizabeth often caught herself staring off at their home and thinking of her. She wished they could be together like old times, laying under the trees Taylor always attempted to climb. Playing in her room and listening to Taylor attempt to make a song as she strummed away on her guitar.

She missed her.

"Hey, kiddo." Her dad asked, noticing his daughter staring out the front window. "Hey, dad." Elizabeth sighed. "Missing your friend?" He asked.

"What? No." Elizabeth denied as her cheeks turned a light shade of red.

"It's okay to miss your friend." He laughed.

"I don't miss her." Elizabeth mumbled.

"Whatever you say kid." He nodded.

"Where's mom?" Elizabeth asked. "Not sure...she's been out quite a lot these past few months." He sighed. Her parents fighting seemed to be getting worse. Some days her father worked late and some days her mother stayed back to work late all to avoid coming home. Her mom stopped being the one parent who was always home and her dad became the one who was around more.

"Well I wish she was home more...I've been taking care of the garden alone." Elizabeth sighed. "I can help." He offered. Elizabeth gave him a look," What do you know about gardening?" She asked. "I know you give a plant water, how hard can it be?" He shrugged. Elizabeth laughed, "Dad it's not that simple."

"Well, then you can teach me." He smiled. Elizabeth shook her head, " I appreciate it Dad but gardening is mine and mom's thing." His smile slightly faded but he tried to hide his disappointment, "That's okay."

He knew he wasn't always the best parent and was always busy working most of the time but he knew how close his daughter was to her mother. She was around more and it was a no-brainer that she would obviously be closer to Eleanor. But ever since she's been gone more, he knew things started to become difficult for Elizabeth so he tried to make an effort to be there for her. He'd been trying to fix his marriage and be a better father but Eleanor never made it easy and didn't seem to care to give him a chance to redeem himself.

"Well, I'll be watching TV if you need me." He replied.

"Okay." Elizabeth said giving him a polite smile.

----

Elizabeth had fallen asleep waiting for her mom to arrive. Mason was getting ready to go to bed when he noticed her sleeping by the window. He walked over and carefully scooped her up in his arms.

He carried her off to her room but couldn't help but smile as he watched her soundly sleeping in his arms. He started to reminisce on the first time he held her. She was smaller. She was his innocent little baby girl. The moment he first laid eyes on her he knew there was nothing he loved more than her.

He settled her down in bed and tucked her in. The last time he did this was when she was 4, after that he was always busy and it was Eleanor doing this with her.

He left her to rest and went off to his room to sleep and wait for Eleanor to come home.

But she never did.