Chapter 10: Proposing and the Disapproval

Two months after the incident with Riley, Eric and Taylor became inseparable and that angered Ben. He hated Eric and he wanted Eric to leave Taylor alone, but apparently, Taylor was enjoying her time with Eric.

One day, Taylor was working on some paper work when the phone rang. "Hello," she answered.

"Taylor, we need you down at headquarters, it's urgent," Eric informed.

"On my way," she answered.

She hung up and quickly got out of the house.

As she came into the building, she was surprised to see everyone standing there. "Eric, what's going on?" She asked. Eric just smiled as he walked over to her. Wes was standing there grinning like an idiot.

"I thought this was the only way to get you down here without suspicion," he informed.

Taylor saw that her mother was standing there as well. Eric dropped to one knee, held her hand in his, and held the box up. "Taylor LeAnn Earhardt, you mean more to me than anything else in this world. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" He asked. He let her hand go for a second so he could open the box. Taylor felt tears press against her eyes and she was speechless.

"Yes," she replied.

Eric slipped the ring onto her finger then he stood up and she threw her arms around his neck. The Silver Guardians clapped for the newly engaged couple while Eric and Tina walked over to congratulate them. "Way to go, Eric," Wes laughed. Eric grinned as he wrapped his arm around Taylor's waist.

"Now all we have to do is tell dad," Taylor informed nervously.

Eric kissed the side of her head. "Everything's going to be just fine," he assured her. Taylor nodded hoping that Eric was right.

Later that day, Taylor sat in her truck with Eric sitting next to her. He held her hand and gave her reassuring smile. "The longer we sit here, the harder it'll be to tell him," he told her. Taylor nodded and they got out of the truck.

As they walked into the house, Tina walked over to her with a smile. "He's in a very good mood today," she informed. Taylor felt some weight being lifted off her shoulders and Eric wrapped his arm around Taylor's waist. "Ben, Taylor's back," she informed. Ben came out of the kitchen and he just stared at Taylor and they knew he was avoiding Eric.

"What was the big emergency at Headquarters that you ran out of here so fast?" He asked.

"It was nothing, dad, a false alarm," Taylor replied.

They sat down and Taylor gripped Eric's hand rather tightly. "Dad, I've got something to tell you," she informed. Ben looked up from the book he was reading and looked at his daughter.

"What is it, sweetie?" He asked.

Taylor's heart was thumping, she suddenly felt like she was going into a panic, she held onto Eric's hand as tight as she could, and she felt like she was going to pass out. "Dad, Eric proposed," she informed. Ben gave Eric a quick glance that was a flash of anger before looking at his daughter.

"And what did you say?" He asked.

"I told him yes, dad, we're getting married," she replied.

Ben just stood up and turned his back to them and Taylor knew what was going to happen next. "I told you I don't want him part of this family, Taylor LeAnn," he told her.

"I know what you said dad, but you haven't heard me once when I kept telling you that I love him," she answered.

As if it came to a big shock, he turned and looked at Taylor and Eric. "What did you say?" He snapped. Taylor decided to be the bold girl that Eric knew and loved.

"I'll say it again, I love him," she hissed.

"No, you're not. No, you're not marrying this boy."

"You can't stop me."

"Oh yes, I can."

Eric stood in front of Taylor when Ben went to grab her away from him. "Ben, you may not see me the person you want for Taylor, but does it always have to be with my job and my family? Doesn't my love for your daughter prove anything?" Eric asked. Ben was shaking with anger and his face was getting as red as Eric's Quantum Ranger uniform. Tina knew that one more word about Taylor and Eric getting married would just blow her husband's fuse.

"I'm going to marry Eric, dad, and you can't stop us," she snapped.

"YES THERE IS! YOU'RE NOT MARRYING THIS FREAK! TAYLOR, YOU'RE ONLY 23!" He roared.

"WHY DOES MY AGE HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING!" She shouted.

"YOU'RE YOUNG, TOO YOUNG TO GET MARRIED!"

"YOU WOULDN'T SAY THAT IF IT WAS ONE OF THOSE GUYS FROM MY HIGH SCHOOL! AT LEAST WE WERE BRAVE ENOUGH TO TELL YOU THAT WE'RE ENGAGED!"

The shouting stopped and both father and daughter were glaring at each other. "You are not going to marry him and that's final," he snapped.

"I will marry Eric, you have no right to tell me who I can and can't marry," she hissed.

"TAYLOR! You're my child and when I say I don't want you to marry Eric, you better follow by those rules."

Taylor felt her heart break, her father was truly trying to get her not to marry Eric. Ben then pointed at Eric. "YOU! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" He shouted.

"Don't you dare yell at him like that. Newsflash dad, this isn't your house, this is my house. You can have it though," she hissed.

Taylor grabbed Eric's hand and stormed out of the house.

Once they were out of the house, Taylor kicked the front tire of the truck and Eric could tell she was trying not to cry, she was being the soldier girl he met. He walked over and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Hey, you did very well in there," he told her.

"Why can't he just accept it, Eric? Why can't he accept that I'm in love with you?" She asked.

She turned and looked at him with tearful eyes. "Isn't your love for me enough?" She asked. Eric pulled her into his arms with a sigh.

"Apparently not, apparently I have to be one of those guys from your high school," he replied.

She hugged him tight with tears falling down her face. "I'm going to marry you, whether dad likes it or not," she told him. Eric just held her, assuring her that everything was going to be okay.

Ben watched his daughter hug the man he disapproved with glaring eyes. He was going to stop Taylor from marrying Eric at all costs.