Chapter 11: Eric's Advice

Two weeks passed and Eric and Taylor were still planning on getting married whether Ben liked it or not, Taylor was going to marry Eric Myers.

One day, it was supposed to be Eric and Taylor's day off. Eric went to headquarters to check on some stuff while Taylor was sitting at home. She looked at her engagement ring with a sigh. She was bored, really bored. She then thought about going into the park to read for a bit.

As Taylor entered the park, she sat down with her book in hand and started to read. Even though her mind started to drift back as she thought about her future with Eric. A future she thought would never happen and she was going to love spending the rest of her life with Eric. As she kept reading, she felt a familiar presence come by. She looked up and saw Eric standing there. "Is that any good?" He asked. Taylor smiled as he was reenacting that day on the Animarium.

"It's fine," she replied.

"Fine?"

"Yeah."

"What is it?"

"It's nothing."

He walked around behind her. "Looks like something to me," he told her.

"It's just a book," she told him.
"Just a book?"

"Yeah, just a book."

"You better watch out for it."

Taylor laughed as he tickled her sides but instead of grabbing her book this time, he wrapped his arms around her. "I thought you were at headquarters?" She asked.

"I was at headquarters, but then I remembered that I have a day to spend with my beautiful fiancé," he replied.

Taylor smiled as she placed her hand on the back of his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. He kissed her back before holding her to him as they both looked out at the lake they were by. "You picked a nice view," he commented.

"Yeah," she agreed.

She placed her book next to her as she placed her hands on his. Taylor leaned back against Eric and placed her head on his shoulder. "Are you willing to give up single life to spend the rest of your life with a stubborn fool?" He asked. Taylor laughed as she looked up at him.

"I love my stubborn fool," she replied.

"Oh you do, do you?" He asked.

"Yeah, I do."

Eric placed a kiss on her lips and then he pulled her closer to him. Taylor closed her eyes as she hugged him. She was so happy and he knew it. Taylor never felt so happy in her whole life. All her life she was missing something and that was love. She loved Eric with all her heart and soul and nothing could take that feeling away. Not even her father. Taylor giggled when she felt his lips on her neck. "What are you doing?" She asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" He asked.

"Not here," she scolded.

She pulled back and swatted his shoulder. "Why not?" He asked. Taylor looked at him in disbelief.

"Eric Myers!" She gasped.

"What?"

Taylor shook her head and grabbed her book. She started to walk away and knew that he was following right behind her. She started walking a bit faster and they were both gaining speed. Taylor laughed as she ran from him.

They were running for a few minutes before he finally caught up to her. Taylor laughed as he grabbed her around her waist and spun her around. "Put me down," she insisted.

"Fine," he sighed.

He placed her on the ground. Taylor looked out across the lake and saw a father with his daughter. The little girl was giggling as he was tickling her nose with a flower. Taylor sighed and Eric saw what she was looking at. "You miss him," he commented. She looked at him confused. "You know who I am talking about, Taylor. You're missing your father," he told her.

"I do miss him, Eric, but I can never make amends with him while he's always putting you down about you, about your family, about our job, and about how you practically raised yourself," she explained.

She went on and on until Eric grabbed her arms and kissed her to get her to stop. "Sorry," she apologized once they pulled back.

"It's fine, but Tay, you can't go on with life without your dad," he told her.

"What about your father and you? You guys never met up again after he left you."

Eric sat on the grass and looked out at the families, something he missed. Taylor sat next to him and looked at him. Taylor realized that Eric never really did tell her the whole story about what happened between him and his dad. "What happened that day?" She asked.

"What day?" He asked.

"The day your dad left," she replied.

Eric sighed as he just stared out at the park. "I was thirteen. Dad was a businessman, it was always business with him. He hired nannies to take care of me after mom passed away. He was always gone, but he always managed to come home when I had something special going on and that's mostly my tournaments. My dad was all about competition as well as work. He knew how to take care of clients, not children, let alone take care of a spirited child like myself. One day, dad was packing his bags he said "I'll be back in a few days, son, I'll make it to your karate tournament." I nodded and he left. The day of the tournament, I had won, but no Patrick Myers. I knew that if he didn't make it to my tournament that was a sign that he would never be coming back. I waited for a few days to see if he had just forgot, he never came home, and I was alone. The day dad never came back, was the day I became the way I am. A cold, stubborn, and competitive fool," he explained.

Taylor's heart broke after hearing Eric's story. She then held his hand. "You're not a cold person, Eric," she told him.

"So you admit that I'm stubborn and competitive?" He asked.

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do."

"I feel like my dad has abandoned me, Eric. The day he didn't accept you into his life it felt like he abandoned me, because you're part of my life."

Eric lifted her hand up and kissed the top of it. He then looked at her with a serious look. "Tay, your dad never left you behind in the hands of your nannies. He never came home just to see you win or lose a tournament. Your dad supported you throughout everything you did. You have no idea how lucky you are," he explained. Taylor looked at him with a sigh.

"But he won't accept us," she told him.

"If he never accepts the fact that we are right for each other, at least we still have each other."

He then looked at her. "Taylor, do this for me, go talk to your dad, make amends. You don't know how much your dad means to you until he's gone. I learned that much," he explained. She sighed as she touched his face. "Try to make amends with him, Tay, please for me," he insisted. Taylor nodded before pulling him into a kiss. When she pulled back she gave him a smile.

"Since when did you become so sensitive?" She asked.

"The day I met you," he replied.

Taylor laughed as she placed her head on his shoulder. "I'll talk to him tomorrow, I promise," she assured him. Eric kissed the top of her head as they both just watched the families bonding in front of them. They were both thinking about their families and the family they wanted one day.