What I Should Have Said

18

It had been months since Elizabeth had seen or talked to Taylor. She just wanted to forget anything happened and get back to what she knew. She sat silently in her father's room signing medical forms and documents. He observed her in silence.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing." Elizabeth replied and continued to read through the documents.

"You seemed pretty happy a few months ago when you were leaving for Nashville. Did something happen?" He asked. Elizabeth remained silent. "Okay, so something did happen."

"Nothing happened, Dad." Elizabeth sighed.

"So how is Taylor?" He asked.

"I don't know, I've been busy. I haven't talked to her." She shrugged.

"I remember how close you two were." He smiled. Elizabeth sat back in her chair and rolled her eyes. "You were inseparable. Scott and I used to joke that you two would end up married because of how close you were."

Elizabeth grew tense and shifted around in her seat, clearly uncomfortable about the conversation. Mason noticed and chose not to comment. " So how are things with Alex?" He asked. "He's off on at a seminar in New York." Elizabeth replied. "But is everything fine between you two?" He questioned. "Why wouldn't it be?" She questioned. "Just wondering." He smiled. Elizabeth stayed silent and fidgeted around with the pen in her hands, "I should go...I have some things I need to catch up on." She sighed.

"Thanks for coming by." He tiredly smiled.

"Don't really have a choice." She coldly replied and gathered her things.

"I love you, Betty." He replied as she was about to leave. She froze and stared down at her hand on the handle of the door. He always did this and she always took it as disingenuous. She stayed silent and left the room without giving him a response.

--

Elizabeth was catching up on last-minute work assignments. Her eyes were barely able to stay open long enough for her to finish looking over the paperwork. A knock at the door woke her up, she looked at the time. It was 1 in the morning. "Who the hell..." She mumbled to herself and cautiously approached the door. She peeped through the hole and saw Taylor standing in the hallway. "What the hell?" Elizabeth mumbled and opened the door.

"Taylor?" She questioned, "What are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?" Taylor asked.

Elizabeth sighed and moved to the side to let her in. Taylor entered and looked around the apartment. "What are you doing here?" Elizabeth asked. Taylor turned to look at her and took a deep breath, "I took the rest of the time on tour to think about what you said..."

"And?" Elizabeth asked confused.

"And you're right. I left you without ever giving a reason why." Taylor explained.

"Taylor I don't have time for this." Elizabeth sighed.

"Betty I'll be spending the rest of my life trying to make it up to you. But I'm here now and I'm not just going to let you go this time." Taylor replied. Elizabeth stared at her in silence. "Taylor I already told you...it was nothing. I'm with Alex." She coldly replied. Taylor stepped closer, Elizabeth grew nervous, "What are you d-doing."

Taylor's hands gently cupped her face and pulled her in for a kiss. Her lips felt warm and soft. Elizabeth felt her heart racing. She was fighting every part of her to not give in. All that kept running through her mind was:

This is wrong.

This is wrong.

But regardless of it being wrong, she didn't want it to stop. Taylor slowly pulled away. Elizabeth was speechless. "I'm not going away that easy." Taylor whispered and slightly smirked. She left the apartment before Elizabeth could say a word or process what happened.

--

Mason watched the television in his room in silence. It got lonely when Elizabeth wasn't around, his only company were the nurses who came in from time to time. He heard a knock at the door and half expected it to be Elizabeth finally here to visit him. "Hey." Taylor smiled as she entered the room. "Is that really little Taylor in my room?" Mason smiled. She softly laughed and approached his bedside. "I figured visiting might be a little better than flowers this time."

He smiled and nodded, "You have no idea."

She pulled a chair near his bedside and sat down. "How are you holding up?" She asked.

"I've been...holding on." He shrugged.

"Still on the waiting list?" She asked.

"Yep."

"I'm sorry about that." Taylor frowned.

"Don't be, it's not your fault." He replied, "Either way a transplant isn't really my main concern."

Taylor looked at him confused, "What do you mean?"

He looked over at her and faintly smiled, "Making it up to Betty is."

"How so?" Taylor asked.

" I know I wasn't the best dad and she has every right to be angry at me and hate me. But I love that girl, dying wouldn't be the worst thing to happen to me. Dying without ever making it up for any damage I caused would be." He sighed. Taylor faintly smiled, "I'm sure she doesn't hate you."

"Maybe...but I wouldn't hold it against her. I'd hate me too." He replied. He looked over at Taylor and smiled, "But I'm glad she has you around again."

Taylor looked at him confused, "Why?"

"I haven't seen her happy in a long time...but when she called you about the flowers a few months ago she was smiling that bright smile I hadn't seen in years." He smiled. Taylor smiled to herself and sat back in her chair, " Really?"

--

Elizabeth was making her way toward her father's room for her daily check-in with him after work. She heard laughing from outside the door and opened the door. Taylor and Mason looked over as Elizabeth entered the room. "What are you doing here." Elizabeth asked. "She was just visiting me and keeping me company until you arrived." Mason replied. "We were just catching up." Taylor smiled. Elizabeth glanced at her father and over at Taylor, "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure." Taylor nodded and followed Elizabeth out of the room. "What the hell are you doing?" Elizabeth whisper shouted. "I came to visit your dad while I was in town?" Taylor shrugged. "Why?" Elizabeth questioned. "I wanted to see how he was doing. I know when my mom was sick she appreciated the company. I just wanted to keep him company until you came by." Taylor explained.

Elizabeth sighed and glanced into her father's room. "How about we go out for dinner and properly catch up?" Taylor asked. "What are you trying to do?" Elizabeth glared. Taylor softly smiled, "I just want to keep an old friend company. We have years of things to catch up on."

"Friend?" Elizabeth questioned and looked around to make sure no one was listening, "Do 'friends' do what you did last night?!" She whisper shouted.

Taylor kept a smile on her lips, "We used to." She shrugged.

Elizabeth was slightly taken aback by her response and her cheeks flushed red. "I can ask your dad if he minds?" Taylor asked. Elizabeth remained silent as Taylor looked over at Mason. "Mr. Hayes, do you mind if I take your daughter off your hands for the rest of the night?" She asked. Mason smiled, "Go have fun, I'll be fine." Taylor looked over at Elizabeth and waited for her response.

"Are you sure?" Elizabeth asked. Mason nodded, "I had Taylor keeping me company all day don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

Elizabeth looked over at Taylor and sighed, "Fine."