What I Should Have Said

35

Elizabeth rushed up to her father's floor. A nurse stepped out of his room and saw Elizabeth approach. "What happened? Is he alright?" Elizabeth asked. "Betty..."the nurse sighed as she tried to find the words to tell her the news. Elizabeth pushed past her and rushed into the room. "Betty wait!" The nurse shouted. Elizabeth stopped and saw the monitors were off.

She approached his bedside and touched his lifeless hand. He felt cold. "Dad?" She quietly asked, hoping that by some miracle he would open his eyes and they would have that familiar twinkle of joy in them when he saw her.

"Betty...he passed away." The nurse replied. Elizabeth stayed silent and stared down at her father. The nurse approached Elizabeth, "He left you this." She said handing her an envelope. Elizabeth stared down at the envelope in her hand and took it. "What is this?" She asked. "Something important he wanted to leave you." The nurse faintly smiled and left the room.

Elizabeth opened the envelope and took out the paper inside. It was a letter.

My beautiful baby girl,

I know I haven't always been the best father and I can be man enough to admit it. I spent most of my time working rather than giving my own family the love and attention they needed and asked of me. Then when you needed me most I wasn't the man you needed me to be. I wasn't the dad you deserved. But I wholeheartedly mean it when I say I would reverse time and do it all over to make it up to you.
When I first laid eyes on you, all I ever wanted to do was protect you and give you everything in the world. But I didn't realize what you needed most was someone willing to give you their time and their love. You needed someone to fight for you and tell you it would all be okay at the end of the day. Instead you cried alone in your room and you took care of a dad who was too selfish at the time wallowing in his own sorrows. I never thought about how hard it must have all been for you.
I know there's a lot of things you're scared of and I'm sorry I couldn't always help you understand. I'm sorry I can't be there to help you now.
I know you have no reason to believe me when I tell you that I'm being sincere and honest when I say I love you. I meant it every time. I love you so much. Nothing could ever make me stop loving you.
If there's one thing I could've told you before I had to leave you, it's to not let fear keep you from pursuing your happiness.

I love you.

-Dad

Elizabeth's eyes welled up with tears. A teardrop slipped onto the paper in her hands. She looked over at her father's lifeless body. "Dad please." Elizabeth cried as she tried to shake her father awake. "Daddy please, I'm sorry!" She held his lifeless body in her arms and held him close. "Dad please." She sobbed.

A nurse came in an saw Elizabeth hysterically sobbing. "I'm sorry...I love you!" She cried out. The nurse came over and put a comforting hand on Elizabeth's shoulder. "I love you..." Elizabeth quietly whispered.

--
Elizabeth sat outside the hospital. Her tears were all dried out. She didn't know what to feel anymore. She just felt numb. A car pulled up and Alex quickly got out and ran over to her. "Betty what happened?" He asked with concern.

She gave no response. All she did was stare. Alex sat down next to her and held her hand. "Betty what happened?" He repeated. She looked down at his hand and over at him. "He died." She quietly replied. Alex looked away in disbelief, "He...passed?" Alex asked.

Elizabeth nodded. "How are you holding up? Why didn't you call me?" Alex asked. Elizabeth slightly laughed in disbelief, "I took care of everything for him. Now I'm going to have to take care of his funeral arrangements too."

"Betty?" Alex questioned with concern.

"I can't live like this anymore." Elizabeth sighed.

"Betty is everything alright?" Alex asked.

Elizabeth slid off her ring and handed it to Alex. Alex held the ring in his hand confused and worried. "Alex I love you...but I'm not in love with you. You mean the absolute world to me but you deserve better." Elizabeth sighed.

"Betty...I don't understand?" He replied.

"I never liked men... but all my life I grew up being told anything else was wrong. I thought if I found a good man maybe that would change. I found you...and it didn't." Elizabeth explained.

Alex silently stared down at the ring in his hand, "Do you remember what I told you when you showed me your dress?" He asked. Elizabeth looked at him confused, "What do you mean?"

He looked over at her and softly smiled, "I told you that no matter the choice...you would still be perfect to me. This doesn't change it. I was your friend first...and if I can't have you as anything more, I'm perfectly fine loving you as my friend."

Elizabeth slightly teared up and wrapped him in a tight hug. "I don't deserve you." She sighed. He softly laughed and pulled away, "I will say, I'm a bit jealous of the lucky bastard who does get to have you." He joked. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and lightly shoved him.

Her mind immediately went to Taylor. "There is someone..." she quietly replied.

"Who?" He asked.

"I can't exactly say anything yet...but I need a ride." She replied.

"I'm your chauffeur." He saluted and smiled.