What I Should Have Said

25

"Is this the right place?" Taylor's security asked.

Taylor looked around and double-checked the address on her phone, "Yeah this should be it...I shouldn't be too long."

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Elizabeth could barely focus on her work projects. She anxiously clicked the pen in her hand as she read through financial reports. "How's it going?" Alex asked. Elizabeth looked up from her desk and saw him approach her desk with a coffee in one hand and a bagged pastry in the other. "What's that?" She asked.

"Breakfast, because I know you haven't eaten anything." He set down the coffee and pastry in front of her. "Thanks." She sighed and laid back against her chair as she sipped her coffee. She had barely been able to get any sleep in the past week. Millions of thoughts flooded her mind and she couldn't sort them well enough to make sense of them all.

Alex smiled and admired her as she ate her pastry. It was the first time he had seen her somewhat calm after the news about her father's condition. "What?" She asked mid-bite as she noticed him staring. He shook his head and softly smiled, "Nothing."

She dusted her hands off of crumbs and glanced down at her documents. "So is that all you came in here for?" She asked. "Not exactly." He replied. "What do you need?" She asked.

"Nothing, just a little good news to brighten your day?" He slid an envelope to her. "What is this?" She asked examining it and pulling out a card. It was an invitation to an engagement party, theirs.

"You're planning a party?" She asked.

"No, some of my college buddies are. Simon actually has an all-exclusive membership to this fancy private club, they have spots all around the country and he made reservations and sent me an invitation. I called and asked him about it and he said he wanted it to be a surprise." Alex explained.

Elizabeth stared down at the invitation in her hands, "He planned a party without telling us?"

"He wanted to surprise us after I told him the news. It's already planned and set for next weekend." Alex shrugged.

"Oh...wow." She tried to be happy about it but she couldn't. There were bigger things going on and she couldn't be happy about anything when her father's condition was getting worse and her mother decided to finally show up after 20 years.

"I think it's nice." Alex smiled.

"Yeah, can't wait." Elizabeth faintly smiled.

"I'll leave you to get back to work I have a meeting to get to but I'll see you at home?" He asked. She nodded in response. He smiled and left the room.

She sighed and went back to looking over her documents and clicking away at her pen. There was a knock at her door. She sighed annoyed to be interrupted again, "What no-..." She looked up and saw Taylor standing by the door. "Can I come in?" She asked.

Elizabeth set her pen down and slowly nodded. "Why are you here?" she asked.

Taylor slowly approached the desk, "I needed to talk to you."

"Taylor I told you...I can't do this anymore."

"I know what you said. But I'm telling you we need to talk." Taylor replied.

"I can't do this right now. I have work to do, my dad's illness is getting worse, and I don't have time for this."

"What's wrong with your dad?' Taylor asked concerned.

"He's getting worse. I feel like I'm losing control of everything and..." Elizabeth trailed off as she thought about her mother. The only one who knew about her coming back was her father. She didn't even know how to explain her mother's return to anyone else without feeling somewhat disgusted and ashamed. "Taylor you need to go." Elizabeth sighed

Taylor glanced down at the invitation for the engagement party that was on the desk. Elizabeth's colleague entered the room, "Elizabeth I have the new reports-" He froze as soon as he noticed Taylor, "Oh my god is that..." Elizabeth stood up and rushed over to usher him out of the room. "Thanks for the documents bye!" She replied.

Taylor swiped the invitation off the desk and hid it away while Elizabeth was distracted. Elizabeth sighed and looked over at Taylor, "You need to go. Alex works here too and I don't need this getting back to him or having him question me about why you were here."

"Do you really love him?" Taylor asked.

"Yes."

Taylor noticed the way Elizabeth looked away when she answered and faintly smiled. "I'll leave you to work then." Taylor approached the door and stopped to look back at Elizabeth one last time, "You're not getting rid of me that easy Betty." Elizabeth stared at her in silence. "But I know when you need your space." Taylor added and left the room.