Chapter 19: Reconciliation between Father and Daughter

Another month went by and Taylor's stomach grew some more. The nursery was finally done and Taylor was thrilled.

Taylor walked up to the nursery and looked around with a smile. Toy eagles and t-rexes were stacked along the room. Taylor walked over and picked up one toy that was different from all the others. A stuffed jet plane, Taylor's first toy when she was a baby. Her dad gave it to her, he told her he had a feeling that she wanted to be up in the sky like he was. Taylor missed her dad, she missed him terribly. "Tay, I'm home," Eric informed. Taylor came downstairs and walked over to Eric. "Hey, I'm guessing you like the nursery?" He asked.

"Yeah, it's great," she replied.

"Then what's wrong?" Eric asked.

Taylor sat down and tears fell down her face. "I miss my dad, Eric," she replied. Eric walked over and hugged her. "At least your dad talks to you. Even though he was on the other side of the world. My dad won't speak to me," she sobbed.

"Everything's okay," he murmured.

"No, it's not okay."

Eric kissed the side of her head as he tried to calm her down. "It's okay, Tay, everything's going to be okay," he whispered. Just then, the phone rang. Taylor walked over and picked the phone up.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Taylor, it's your dad," her mother answered.

Taylor sat down. "What's wrong?" She asked. Eric sat down and she held onto his hand.

"Taylor, your dad was in an accident," she informed.

"What happened?" Taylor asked.

"Your dad was driving home from work when a careless teenager ran into the side of the car. The kid's okay, but your dad's pretty banged up. He's calling for you, Taylor."

"I'll be right there."

Taylor hung up the phone and looked at Eric. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"Eric, my dad was in an accident," she informed.

Eric wrapped an arm around her shoulders and Taylor stood up. "I have to go talk to him," she informed. Eric nodded and kissed the side of her head.

"Good luck," he told her.

"Aren't you coming?" She asked.

"I can't, Tay. The last time I spoke to your dad, he wanted to kill me because I was going to marry you whether he liked it or not."

Taylor nodded and Eric helped her stand up. Eric kissed her and watched her leave to go talk to her father.

(Silver Hills Memorial Hospital)

Taylor entered Ben's room and saw that her dad was asleep. She walked over and sat beside her father's bed. Ben opened his eyes and looked over and saw his daughter by his bed again. "Daddy?" She asked. Ben smiled at his daughter.

"Taylor," he whispered.

She held onto his hand with tears glistening in her eyes. "Taylor, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he apologized. Taylor sighed.

"Dad its..." he cut her off.

"No, amore, listen to me," he murmured.

Ben looked up at his daughter and sighed. "I'm sorry for doing all this to you during the past year. I was thinking about all this before you came. I'm a fool, Taylor. I almost missed out seeing my grandbaby because I was too stubborn to accept you're married to Eric," he explained.

"Dad, how could you do all this to Eric and me?" She asked.

Ben was silent for a minute. "I was afraid to lose you, sweet heart," he replied. Tears fell down her face. "Do you remember that day in the house when Eric told us that he loved you?" He asked.

"Yeah, I do," she replied.

Tears were falling down his face. "I knew he meant it. That scared me half to death, because it made me see that you weren't my baby girl anymore," he explained. Tears fell down her face as she listened to him. "I'm sorry, sweet heart," he apologized. Taylor hugged her father with tears falling down her face. "I know you're happy with him," he whispered.

"I am, I'm really happy," she answered.

Ben smiled as he sat back. "Now, I'm going to be a grandfather?" He asked. Taylor smiled as she took his hand and placed a hand on her stomach. "We're hoping it'll be a girl," she told him. Ben nodded with a smile. "Well, I'm hoping it'll be a girl," she laughed. Ben chuckled as he sat back.

"At least we're making amends," he told her.

She nodded with a sigh. "However, now you have to talk to my husband," she pointed out. Ben nodded and then he felt exhausted. "Get some sleep, dad," she insisted. Ben nodded and Taylor kissed his cheek.

"I love you, Taylor," he murmured.

"I love you too, daddy," she answered.

Ben smiled and then he fell asleep.

(Two Weeks Later)

Ben was on crutches and he came into a café to find Eric. "Hello, Eric," he greeted. Eric looked up.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Earhardt," Eric greeted back.

He helped him sit down and looked at him. "Look, Eric, I want to apologize for what I've been doing to you and Taylor during the past year," he apologized. Eric looked at him, he had just gotten off work for his lunch break and he was looking into the coffee he bought.

"Look, Mr. Earhardt, Taylor told me everything. You don't need to waste your breath on me," Eric assured him.

"That's not the point, Eric. I need to apologize for this. You were doing everything just to make my daughter happy and I was destroying it."

Eric sighed as he pulled his cap off. "Mr. Earhardt, I love Taylor more than my life. Every night, I had to listen to her cry because of the way you were treating us. Do you think I'm just going to forgive you just like that?" He asked. Ben sighed.

"No, I don't expect you to forgive me right away," he answered.

"You've got that right."

Eric stood up. "You have to show us that you're truly sorry about this," he instructed. Ben watched as his son-in-law left and he understood why.