What I Should Have Said

3

Elizabeth heard a light snoring near her ear. She looked down to see an arm wrapped around her waist. She slightly turned her head to see Taylor sleeping soundly and cuddled up to her. She softly smiled and watched her friend sleep admiring her curly mess spread about the pillows. She looked over at the clock on Taylor's nightstand and saw it was 9 a.m. She needed to be home before her parents got upset. Her dad said it was fine if she spent the night but knowing her mom, she wouldn't be happy that she didn't ask her. She slowly slipped out of bed and Taylor immediately woke up from the emptiness next to her.

"What's wrong?" Taylor tiredly asked.

"I have to go home before my mom gets mad." Elizabeth replied and began to pack her things.

"I thought you asked if you could spend the night?" Taylor questioned.

"I did. My dad said yes but my mom wasn't home so I never got to ask her, and I know she's going to be upset." Elizabeth sighed.

Taylor nodded. "Okay." She helped Elizabeth organize her things and walked her out. They tip-toed careful to not wake Taylor's parents as they made their way to the front door. Taylor carefully opened the door. "I had fun." Elizabeth smiled. "Me too. Maybe we can do it again?" Taylor asked. "Definitely." Elizabeth agreed.

They stared at one another in silence. Elizabeth stepped forward and wrapped Taylor in a hug. Taylor felt the same flutter she felt the night before when they kissed in the attic. Her cheeks grew warm and were flushed red. "Thanks." Elizabeth whispered. Taylor wrapped her arms around her friend and returned the embrace. "Why?" Taylor questioned. Elizabeth pulled away from her embrace and softly smiled, "I know you let me come over when things at home aren't great. You're a really good friend."

Taylor's smile slightly faded as she tried to hide her disappointment. She didn't know hearing the word 'friend' would hurt that much. Of course, she knew that was what they were. But her feelings were conflicted and she didn't understand why she was feeling this way. "I'm just over here if you ever need me." Taylor nodded. "Thanks. See you at school?" Elizabeth asked. Taylor nodded and watched her friend leave and make her way across the. street to her home.

"What are you doing?" Austin asked, startling Taylor with his presence. "Austin." Taylor glared over at him. Austin laughed, "Why is your face red?" he asked. "Leave me alone." Taylor mumbled and walked away, ignoring her younger brother's questions.

----

Elizabeth got home and tried to enter quietly. "Betty." She heard a woman's voice say in a stern tone. She turned around and saw her mother waiting, arms crossed. "Hi, mom." She politely smiled. "What do you think you're doing spending the night anywhere without permission?" She asked.

"But Dad said I could."

"But did you ask me?" Her mother questioned.

"No, ma'am." Elizabeth sighed, "Taylor invited me over and I just didn't want to be home yesterday."

Her mother wanted to scold her for leaving without her permission but she couldn't help but feel remorse. She knew Elizabeth didn't like being around when she and her husband fought and she knew that was the likely reason she left to spend the night. She sighed in defeat and lowered her arms. "How about you come and spend the day out in the garden with me?" Her mother asked.

Elizabeth smiled and nodded in agreement. "Go get in something comfortable and meet me in the garden." She smiled. Elizabeth ran off to get ready and help her mother in the garden. She loved spending time with her in the garden. It was their happy place. Her mother taught her about life through plants, and Elizabeth loved it.

She made her way outside and saw her mother already tending to the vegetable garden. "What are we doing?" Elizabeth asked. Her mother was clearing out some vegetables that fell victim to disease and rotting. "Clearing this mess out so it doesn't spread" Her mother explained and tossed the rotted plants into a small bin. "Why did they go bad?" Elizabeth frowned. "Well Betty, sometimes that's just how life is. Some things don't survive and unfortunately, they go bad." She explained. "But why do some survive and others don't even if we did everything right?" Elizabeth asked.

Her mother thought for a moment. "Maybe because some things we think are right, actually aren't?" She replied. Elizabeth curiously observed the plants her mother cleaned and helped her clear them. "But then why do we keep doing the same thing expecting something different if the result will be the same?" Elizabeth asked. Her mother paused for a moment and thought about her daughter's words. "Maybe you're right..." She quietly replied as Elizabeth continued to clear the plants. Her mother looked over at her and lightly pinched her cheek, "Look at you getting smart."

"It just makes sense, why do we keep doing the same thing if it isn't working for us anymore?" Elizabeth shrugged. Her mother stayed silent and gave her daughter a faint smile, "Right."

----

Taylor sat at the table working on arts and crafts her mother set out for her and Austin. "Good job Austin what is that?" Andrea asked. "It's a sword." Austin smiled. "Well, it's a nice sword." Andrea nodded. "But mom, it's not just any sword...it's a cool sword." He added. Taylor laughed and continued to work on her project. "And what about you honey?" Andrea asked shifting her attention to Taylor. Austin ran off to show their dad what he had created.

"It's supposed to be a flower." Taylor smiled. "Interesting, why a flower?" Andrea asked. "Because flowers are pretty...and this one won't die." She replied. "Fair point." Andrea nodded. Taylor stared down at the flower she made and hesitated to ask her mother a question. Andrea noticed her daughter's conflicted expression and place a comforting hand over Taylor's. "Is something wrong?" She asked.

Taylor looked at her mother's hand and faintly smiled. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course honey." Andrea nodded.

"How did you know you liked someone?" She asked.

"What do you mean?" Andrea asked.

"Like when you realized you liked Dad. Did you feel sparks like in the movies?" She asked.

Andrea faintly smiled," Well you feel happy to be around them. But there's an even bigger way of knowing if you like someone."

"What?" Taylor asked.

"Your first kiss."

Taylor turned red at the mention of a kiss and remembered the brief kiss she had with Elizabeth. "A kiss?" She questioned.

"When you kiss the right person, the sparks fly." Andrea smiled.

"Like a firework?" Taylor asked.

Andrea softly laughed, "More like butterflies. They make you feel all fluttery inside like a million little butterflies all inside." She said lightly tickling Taylor and making her laugh.

"So that's how you knew?" Taylor asked.

Andrea nodded, "And one day you'll meet a boy who makes you feel that way too."

Taylor's smile slightly faded, "Yeah... a boy."