Hard Time (Part Twelve)

Elisabeth's breath was taken away. The ring was so gorgeous, Scott looked so good, and his voice so sincere. Tears of happiness came to her eyes as she said, "Yes! YES! I'll marry you!" She smiled as Scott picked her up and supn her around twice, kissing her the whole time. Contented sighs and cheers arose from the crowd in the room.1

"This has to be the best Christmas ever!" Elisabeth smiled up at Scott.2

"I'd have to second that statement," He smiled himself before kissing her again.3

For the remainder of that party, people congratulated Elisabeth and Scott while enjoying Christmas desserts and punch. Elisabeth was permitted to take Scott back to his cell when the party died down. They walked back to the block slowly.4

Elisabeth gazed at her ring, "It's so beautiful, Scott. How did you afford this? How did you know my ring size? How did you know what I would like?"5

Scott smiled. "Well I will admit it, it was a team effort for most everything. Some of the officers pitched in to buy me the ring without me even knowing. Keenyah got your ring size, and as for knowing what you would like, well Elisabeth, I ought to know that."6

"That's so sweet of all of them to do this for you." Elisabeth smiled. "I'll have to thank them for it later."7

Scott squeezed Elisabeth's hand. "I'm just so glad that you said yes. I was so nervous."8

"Nervous? What for? Did you honestly think I would say no?" She laughed.9

"Hey now! It's not as easy as it sounds to ask something like this. I wanted it to be perfect." Scott playfully pushed Elisabeth.10

Elisabeth pushed back, "Well it was perfect, Scott. It's been the most magical night of my life, and I can't wait to marry you."11

Scott stopped, pulled her into an embrace, and kissed her. "I can't wait either, my love."12

.............13

The following morning, Elisabeth called her brother Chris to tell him and Chantel of the news. Both of them sounded excited for her and wished her the best. Next on the list was Vance and his wife, who also congratulated her and Scott. Finally, she called Randy Jr.14

"Hello, this is Randy," her oldest brother answered the phone.15

"Hey Randy, it's Elisabeth. How are you?"16

"I'm doing well," he answered, "and how is my sister?"17

"I'm doing great actually," she replied, "I have some news for you."18

"Oh?"19

"Scott and I are engaged now. He just proposed to me last night." Elisabeth said.20

"Really? That's wonderful, Elisabeth. That really is! Hey, we're at Felicity's parents right now, but I will call you back later ok?"21

"Alright Randy. Have a great time!"22

"You too! And congratulations!" Randy said as he hung up. Elisabeth knew what she must do now. She had to go and face her father with the news. The drive seemed to go by incredibly fast, although the clock in her car confirmed that the normal ten minutes had passed. Body shaking, Elisabeth went up onto the porch of her father's farmhouse. She pressed the doorbell and heard the "ding-dong" from inside the house. Then there were footsteps and the sound of a knob being turned. All too soon, the door opened to reveal Randall Sr. inside. He smiled.23

"Hello, Elisabeth. Come inside." Elisabeth's father moved aside so that Elisabeth could come in. Elisabeth went and sat on the couch in the living room. Randall Sr. followed her and lowered himself into a chair adjacent to the couch. "What brings you here today, darlin?"24

"Well," Elisabeth began, not quite knowing how to say it, "I'm....engaged." Elisabeth took off the glove on her left hand to reveal the beautiful gem that graced her ring finger.25

Her father swallowed hard. "I guess this happened last night, huh?"26

"Yeah. Scott had been planning it for weeks. It was quite a surprise actually." Randall said nothing, just stared. "Dad, Scott and I want you to be there. We're planning on getting married in February."27

Randall looked at his daughter and sighed. "Elisabeth, sweetheart, I really am happy for you. But I just can't be at the wedding. I'm sorry."28

"You still don't approve do you? And you are willing to miss your only daughter's wedding because of her groom's past?" Her voice, as well as her body, rose as she spoke.29

"I'm sorry," was all he said.30

"Yeah, well I'm sorry too." Elisabeth said as she walked out of the livingroom, and out of the house. How could he be so stubborn?31

...........32

"And he still won't accept it?" Keenyah asked Elisabeth the next day at work. "Dang!"33

"Tell me about it," Elisabeth sighed. "He's not even going to show up to the wedding. My own father won't show up to his only daughter's wedding!"34

Keenyah faced Elisabeth and put a hand on her hip. "That ain't right. That just ain't right."35

Elisabeth sighed as she watched the inmates playing cards. "No it isn't right. I mean, it's bad enough that my mom can't be there because she is gone...I never even got to know her, but from what my brothers tell me, she kept dad even keeled and open. I guess ever since she died, he's closed himself off and become more...more...bitter I guess. I don't know if that's the right word for it."36

"Maybe it's some wierd way of coping for him." 37

"Coping? With my mom's death? How does that help him cope?"38

"Not necessarily with your mom's death, but with losing you. You're the only girl he's got left in his life. Maybe he's afraid you will spend all your time at the prison and never come by and see him, and that would be hard for him since all your siblings live out of state."39

Elisabeth bit her lower lip as Keenyah's theory set in. "You might be right," she said slowly. "But even so, it's not like I could legally spend all my time at the prison. He isn't going to lose me. And even if this is some way of coping with me getting married...why didn't he do this when I was engaged to Callum? Why with Scott?"40

"He didn't have a good excuse because Callum was a good man his whole life. The fact that Scott murdered someone and was an addict is a cop out for him." Keenyah explained.41

"That could be, but even so, acting that way hasn't helped his cause any. There's no way I am giving up Scott, not for anything."42

...........43

After dinner that day, Elisabeth was permitted to visit with Scott in a more private setting. Scott smiled when he entered the room and saw Elisabeth sitting there. He crossed the room to where she was sitting and kissed her left hand. "Hello my love!"44

Elisabeth smiled back. "Hello yourself!"45

"So have you told your family yet?" Scott asked as he took the only other seat availible, the one across the table from Elisabeth.46

"Yeah, I've told them all," Elisabeth said slowly, not wanting to divulge the whole truth about her father.47

"Well, how did they take it?" Scott asked.48

"Oh everyone's excited about it." Elisabeth smiled, hoping that it didn't look too forced, but Scott saw through it right away.49

"Even your dad?" he asked with one eyebrow raised50

Elisabeth hesitated and sighed, "No...no he is not excited at all. He says he is happy for us, but he refuses to show up for the wedding. I don't know what else to do. He just won't budge!"51

Scott took hold of her hand and squeezed it. "Lisabeth, I know this has to suck for you right now. Believe me, it sucks for me too, because I hate seeing you upset like this. But I don't think you can honestly say he won't budge."52

Elisabeth pulled her hand away, a little angry at Scott's words. "You don't know my dad, Scott. Once his mind is made up, it's made up."53

Scott retrieved her hand. "Elisabeth, he already has softened a little bit. I honestly think that if he completely disagreed with this he would not have said he was happy for you at all. He would have been infuriated just as he was when he found out about us. Why don't we just pray and see what happens come February, ok?"54

"You're right...you always are." Elisabeth smiled and gave in.55

"Well, not always. I have made my share of mistakes," he looked at his orange jumpsuit as he spoke.56

"We all have our share of those. What is important is that we learn from them." Elisabeth smiled and leaned across the table and kissed Scott. His hand moved to touch her cheek as the kiss progressed. February couldn't come soon enough.