AUTHOR'S NOTES: Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year - This will only be a few chapters long, it's Brick of course with a bit of Daryl and Merle at the end of this chapter. I worked in a busy department store when I was in college so I know it's a tough job.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Walking Dead or its characters
Apologies in advance for any spelling and grammatical errors. Thoughts in Italics
Two Broken Hearts to Beat As One
Chapter 1
"Nobody's there!" Herschel says hearing the phone ringing off the hook.
"Try her cell!" Annette replies from the kitchen.
"Hi, I can't take your call right now so please leave me a message after the beep and I'll call ya back just as soon as I can and until then, have a great dayyyyy!"
"Answer machine again!" Herschel grumbles disappointed slumping into his armchair, the chirpiness of his daughter's voice couldn't cheer him up like it always does.
"Well leave her a message and she'll call back just as soon as she can honey!" Annette tells her husband, her voice getting closer as she walks into the lounge putting on a pair of dangly earrings.
"Bethy, it's daddy, remember me?" He asks looking up at his youngest's photo on the wall "It's coming up to seventy-two hours and we haven't exchanged a single word! I'm feeling like I've almost been forgotten!" He says taking a heavy sigh.
Annette bites her tongue shaking her head whilst switching off the TV.
"Me and Mamma are going to dinner to The Mamet's, some environmental campaign Andrea's looking to take action against this new water company. Milton's been doing some snooping at one of the reservoirs when The Dixon Boys found a few dead animals and notified them that it didn't look like natural causes of death…Daryl needed to rescue that nincompoop! Milton nearly fell in and was hanging off the edge, apparently the toxic levels aren't good, the reading he managed to get was higher than it should be…he could've been laying there dead as a duck had Daryl not spotted him and followed him through the woods!" He scoffs "and they want to get us on board to get everyone else on board and I wanted your input…I want you on board…but call me when you listen to this message! Okay?" He says into the phone like he was waiting for her to answer him there and then throwing some information of the next community issue and that against a major company in the hopes it will entice her to get involved and come back home "So I'll speak to you soon my lovely, this message is from your miserable old teddy-bear-dad you promised to call every other-"
The message beeps and cuts before he could finish.
"day!" He adds sadly looking at the hand piece and then placing it back into its station "Stupid machine!" He leans on his elbow, his palm presses deeply into the side of his cheek, guaranteed would leave a red mark from the pressure once removed.
"Herschel stop slouching and stop that moping this instant!"
Annette scolds her sulking husband handing him his tie as she walks past turning off all the lamps he decided he needed to be turned on to make a phone call, one was not enough! She tutts when they're all at full beam.
Thank god they invested in solar panels on advice from their son-in-law, she sighs. It did cost a bit to install the panels on the farm but Glenn advised in the long-term, they'll save heaps on their energy bills and they'll earn money on the excess energy they generate. They had to move with the times, technology and it would be good for the farm and they'd slowly see the profits which meant they could make more improvements on the farm and give their workers a bonus for their loyalty and dedicated commitment.
Annette was so proud of Beth, she had been a big influence to persuade Herschel, it was all gobbledygook to him. He was old fashioned and preferred to run the farm like his father did and that was donkey's years ago, probably when they used donkeys to plough the fields Beth had told him. That made her laugh, her daughter was shy but spoke up when she saw the need was necessary. Little Bethy Greene could see a bigger better picture and a more comfortable life for her aging parents, she was going to educate him she said when she stormed off vowing to return and the next time they spoke on the subject, he'd be eating humble pie with the big silver spoon that was hanging on the wall for saying it was a ludicrous idea.
Annette smiles remembering that conversation when Beth held her hips with the same expression as her father trying to explain but he was a stubborn old mule, uneducated in modern technology and didn't want nothing to do with it, he would not be swayed, he held his hips and leaned his head to head with his little bumble bee. Determined look and an angelic smile on her face, she cocked her head and marched off. Hard work, research he'd understand and a small presentation, Beth and Glenn had sold the idea to him. Glenn was so impressed with his sister-in-law, he put in a good word for her at the company and they offered her a part-time sales position because old men like Herschel Greene were hard nuts to crack and the neighbouring farms would be following pursuit. Herschel Greene sat at the dinner table that night and ate that humble pie.
Herschel pushes himself up from the armchair and lets out a little moan. His age was finally catching up with him, he can feel the aches and creeks of his aging bones. His work at the clinic, the running of the farm and his children kept him on his toes, feeling young and motivated to do anything. Since semi-retiring with Shawn taking over at the clinic, Otis taking the bigger responsibility of the running of the farm and with all his children grown up and left home, he felt miserable and like he had lost a couple of his limbs.
He loved spending more time with his wife but she was busy with house chores, he tries to help as much as he can but she shoos him away, she had a system he didn't understand. She has charity work and he can't stand the bullshit politics with the board members whereas she can, she was more tolerating than he is even with him being a mediator of some sort to the people around. She helps out at the church and he's always done his bit but felt he could do no more. He was just meant to take it easy and enjoy retirement and all this free time to do anything he wanted, he had taken care of everyone for years, now it was time for them to take care of him. He groans, he didn't need to be taken care of, he was the caretaker.
And he hated it! He was putting up with taking a backseat of the clinic and the farm but he didn't know how to take the backseat of not seeing and being involved with his children's everyday lives. Annette doesn't miss the groan reaching her ears, she looks over at her darling husband.
The last six months have been the hardest; their baby out of all their babies left home to see what the wider world off the farm had to offer her. Herschel had finally become ready for her to move out but what he wasn't ready for was, her moving two hours' drive away to King County which was on the outskirts of Atlanta and was within commuting distance to where she had applied for a job in a department store. He was so baffled; she was clever, had a bright future with many opportunities knocking at her door, she could do anything if she put her mind to it.
He secretly preferred it if it was something closer to home so being a teacher was a magnificent idea when they had their talks and she got the interview but she chose to be a sales assistant in a clothing store. He remembers when she made the announcement after a difficult time she was going through. He excused himself after dinner, went to his study and cried, something he would never do in front of the family wondering what went wrong, everything was going so good. They had brought up their children saying they could be and do anything they wanted and she wanted to this. He asked God, what happened for her to turn away from the many doors waiting for her to walk through.
Herschel throws his tie around his neck and begins to loop it up in knots absent-mindedly.
He was convinced the decisions were more to do with Seb, Beth's former fiancé ending their two year relationship which made her leave home and everything she had worked so hard for. Why she loved such a tool he didn't understand.
"Lord I hate him but I'm trying my hardest to forgive him!" He says quietly.
He had been so happy, Beth had planned to take up the teaching position at the local school and help her mother with her charity work possibly take over one day in the distant future when she retired. He had envisioned his daughter would either become the Principle of the school or become the President of their charity and reaching all those people who needed someone like her. She just needed to work on her shyness but every year she flourished especially with everything she was so passionate about. Everyone knew she wanted to teach, get involved with the community, one day get married and start a family of her own. He wanted all of this for her but he wished Seb hadn't proposed so soon once Beth was out of college building up her hopes and dreams and possibly shattering a few. He wished Seb hadn't have asked her, not until they both had settled into their careers, their lifestyles and more importantly were a few years older.
Seb was two years older but wasn't mature enough for his daughter, she needed someone who could challenge her, someone who can teach her more than she already knew. Twenty-one and Twenty-Three was too young in his books to get married. You're just finding yourself at that age and it turned out Seb found out, he no longer wanted a future with his little humming bird. He was convinced Sebastian Blake must be gay. There were many boys he had caught throwing admiring glances at his daughter but never acted on their feelings because they all knew who he was and maybe he should have let some of the nicer boys who had their heads on their shoulders, focused with life to call on his daughter.
He was so angry at Seb but relieved at the same time for ending things before the wedding invitations were sent out. At least he spared Beth being jilted at the alter in front of all their family and friends because nobody nor he saw it coming! The young man had been welcomed into their family because Beth loved him, he was sweet and caring but at times showed he could be immature and selfish and in the end broke his little girl's heart and was most definitely the reason why she fled home to a place where she had no connections to.
Deep down, he had a nagging feeling Seb wasn't compatible enough for Beth, she was always five steps ahead and he was always lagging behind, they had different likes and dislikes and sometimes opposites attract everyone had said and it was true, many people they knew where mismatches but they worked. Looking back, in this instance, maybe they weren't. He should have known he curses, the signs were there but Beth's temporary happiness blinded him. He prayed one day Beth will see it as a blessing in disguise that Seb ended it because he was sure there is a much better future out there waiting for her, she just needed to find him or him to find her, either way this broken heart was destined to happen.
He just hated that she was out there all on her own and had nobody to turn to for comfort and support. He'd lay awake almost every night worrying how sad and lonely she was. Many nights when his wife was asleep, he'd crawl out of bed, get down on his knees, bow his head closing his eyes with his hands joined together, spoke to god to send something or someone to fix his baby's broken heart and bring her home. Four visits in six months was not enough, he was surviving on photos and memories.
"Oh, come here you silly old fool!" Annette says snapping him out him out of his thinking, watching her husband making a mess of his tie looking wounded.
Herschel gives up and lets the tie drop onto his chest, he rubs his forehead and looks into his wife's eyes when she's standing in front of him sorting out his knots.
They look so much alike and were so similar in character and qualities yet so different he thought about his wife and daughter. They had their individualities and quirks that differentiated them. He was so happy to have gone to visit Ireland when he did, otherwise he'd never have met his free spirit Annette, wiser than her years, a goddess in his eyes. She had visited the old country at the same time he had and when he left Ireland to return to the US, he left with Annette as his bride.
"She's young and should be enjoying her life, experiencing it, finding herself, find where she belongs in this universe, it's what girls her age are supposed to do!" Annette tells her husband reminding him of her past.
She had as a young woman gone travelling when she needed respite after her beloved mother's death. Travelling to Ireland to visit her last remaining family, they scattered her mother's ashes where her father's lay so they could be together once again. There was something in the tranquil land keeping her there much longer than she intended to. She remained and took a barmaids job at her uncle's pub and that is where she met her charismatic, fascinating, older husband. He too was going through his own pain and had turned to drinking. She had caught him before he drowned, had become his salvation, he hers, they brought each other back to life, they fell in love and have remained so til this day.
"She doesn't need us old fuddy-duddy's always trying to keep tabs on her whereabouts, she's a grown woman, she'll call us when she needs to and besides most parents go without speaking to their children for weeks, months even! We're lucky our child calls us the number of times she does, she's just busy right now!"
"I want her to enjoy her life, I never said I didn't, I'd never obstruct her in anything! We are the luckiest parents in the world, parents would give an arm and a leg to have a daughter like our angel, I just want to be involved more in her life like I once used to!" Herschel informs his wife feeling hurt.
Annette sighs, he was such a silly teddy-bear at times, Beth's exact words when he got like this.
"When it comes to Beth, you become too over sensitive, protective and I'm going to say it…a big fat baby!" Annette pats his ties down once she fixes it and gives him an adoring smile. She loves her husband, his reactions are endearing but he gets a tad too emotional and she doesn't like to say it but he knows it, irritating but she loves him for it.
"She's my baby!" Herschel protests with a frown.
"She's mine too!" Annette cocks her head at him with a small smile on her lips.
"I know, it's just-" Herschel trails off.
He didn't mean to offend Annette, that wasn't his plan and he didn't want to seem the overbearing, needy father but he couldn't help it. Beth was an unexpected but welcomed surprise, she came along years after Shawn and Maggie. She was born two months premature and was kept in the hospital in an incubator for her first week until she was strong enough. He had never seen a baby so tiny. So tiny when she was born, she was just so delicate and precious, the doctors at the beginning feared she wouldn't survive but she did and he vowed to protect her always and he felt like he was failing.
Annette watches her husband knowing where his mind had gone, back to the hospital as they watched over baby Beth. Herschel was the most loving man she's ever met and could be a dangerous force to be reckoned with when it came to protecting his children and she remembers the night Beth came home a different girl, withdrawn from everything and everyone. Herschel had a look in his eyes, she and Shawn had stopped him when he reached for the rifles safe, fearing the outcome of Seb's fate and their's if he went through with it. She understood her husband well, she just sometimes needed to be the rational one out of the two when he saw red. She had to remind him that Beth wasn't that tiny baby any more, she would pick herself up again when the time was right. She was a young independent woman, a lot stronger than anyone gave her credit for, she was going to be okay, she just needed time and space for her heart to heal, to figure out what she wanted to do with her life. Just as they had done.
"She's working extremely hard, I know working in a clothing department store was not what you had envisioned for her, I didn't either but this is what she's chosen to do right now, she said it's temporary until she's on her feet. We need to let her do what she needs to do. Let her, let her hair down and have fun or just work like she is. She's come out of her shell, she's meeting and mingling with people from all walks of life away from the farm and she's happy at Peletier's, content with what she is doing so I'm content and so should you!" Annette nods decidedly, she worried for Beth but she knew her daughter would find her way.
Herschel opens his mouth to speak and then closes it in thought knowing his wife was right.
"One day soon, she'll come back to us, we just need to let her have her space, she'll come back to her big old teddy-bear happier than she's ever been and I believe something amazing will happen with her time away and I know you've been praying for the same getting down on those old rickety knees every night!" She says squeezing his shoulder kissing his cheek affectionately.
"How d'ya know?" Herschel asks holding her waist.
"Because Mr Herschel, I know everything!" She states resting her head on his chest.
"I hope so honey, I really do!" He smiles warily kissing her forehead.
"I know so, now let's getting moving otherwise we'll be late and I do not need Andrea reminding me about timekeeping etc, etc, etc!" She repeats rolling her eyes and then Herschel kisses her cheeks as a distraction and because he just wanted to.
"Maybe we should just stay in and have a moonlight dinner and cuddle by the fire, say my rickety old knees can't come out?" Herschel suggests.
"Herschel Greene!" She giggles "Those knobbly knees are fine! We promised to have dinner with our friends and we shall, now move!" She reminds him wriggling out of his arms with a blush, he could still do that to her after all these years.
"I didn't promise and they're not my friends, they're yours!" He shakes his head jokingly.
"I spoke for the both of us, we are one and they are our friends, so stop your wasting time and we need to leave now!" She says looking at her watch, rubbing her rouge off of Herschel's cheek and now pushing him out the door.
Herschel chuckles. His extra weight finally coming to use, he's moving as slowly as he can, listening to his wife huffing and puffing to get him out the door and calling him the biggest oldest child she's ever known to date not believing she had married one.
"I love you too Annette, I really do!" He laughs once they're finally out the door.
He helps Annette to the car and takes his place beside her. He would rather stay home and spend the evening with his wife but he would do whatever made his wonderful wife happy because at the end of the day, that is all that matters and what makes him happy. Happy wife to him means a happy life. She was confident their child would be fine and call and he believed her because majority of the time she was right.
Beth folds the last of the t-shirts and sweaters places them up on the shelves. She looks around the children's department of Peletier's where she's been working as a sales assistant for the past six months, it was neat, tidy, quirky and ready for the customer's tomorrow morning. It would be Saturday, the busiest day of the week after today and she'd heard a few parents talking about a last minute birthday party being held on Sunday so people were driving up to the city to do a quick dash shop for presents and party outfits. She overheard a lady shopping for her son that some workaholic dad forgot to send out the invitations for his son's eleventh birthday party and everyone had to go otherwise his boy would be crushed and the guy needed a break after everything he and his children had been through in the last couple of years. He had gone though some sort of breakdown and was finally on the mend and this was all he needed. She feels bad for the dad wondering it must be something tragic to forget his son's birthday and trying to organise it in just a few days.
She remembers Maggie's little girl's last birthday, it took a small army of Greenes and three months to organise a three year olds birthday party and it didn't help that the theme kept changing as did the games. The birthday girl in the end was content to just run around chasing the chickens into the meadows along with the family dog trying to put her tiara on it's head with her friends from her crèche running not far behind her and not interested in the Princess Party Maggie and Glenn had organised. The adults in the end took turns in pairs to bounce around on the Princess Bouncy Castles with their faces painted as Disney Princesses as that was all the last minute face-paint artist could do. Pin the Donkey was a blast for the adults as everyone laughed where they'd put the tail and then there was musical statues, people over thirty years of age shouldn't be allowed to dance, the kids came back and took over showing the adults how it was done, they weren't much better either.
Everybody had to stifle their laughs, Bae was Maggie's daughter for sure only content to do what she wanted, she made her own rules, her own Party in the Park as she called it and painted her cute face bright blue as a Smurf. Granddaddy sat in the tyre swing he put up many years ago laughing at Maggie whilst eating cake. Maggie got a mini replica of herself and was going to go through another eighteen years of this with Bae and he finally couldn't wait to hear Maggie and her complaining so he could remind her what she got up to, he was going to be Bae's advisor of how to wind up her mamma.
Beth looks at her watch and it read 8pm. She usually finished at 6pm on a Friday but Amy was transferred to the women's department now working with Rosita. Amy had 'the look' to work alongside the other beautiful girls according to Jessie, the assistant manager of the women's department so they were down a person on the children's shop floor and she had volunteered to help Tara catch up with the left over chores. It also helped that she'd get two extra hours wage so she was only too pleased to help. She was saving to buy a dress she had her eyes on for Glenn's surprise birthday party so all the overtime was welcomed plus she liked her job, the kids were all adorable as she helped them pick outfits, she wanted the shop to look nice for them and she liked the people she worked with, she honestly didn't mind.
"Beth! O.M.G! You're already done up here!" Tara says astonished coming back up the spiral staircase pulling up a large box clenching her teeth at her efforts.
Tara is her outgoing, vibrant, takes no shit from anyone colleague and now best friend. They started working at Peletier's at the same time and hit it off straight away and have stuck together. They got on so well, they became housemates sharing a small house with Noah and Zach who also work at Peletier's but in the men's department. They'd become a tightknit little group and it was like they'd known each other their whole lives, sometimes they'd forget they've only known one another only six months but she was happy to have her small King County Family.
"Hey, you should've called me to help!" Beth says rushing over grabbing one end of the box.
"Thanks!" Tara smiles gratefully pink in the face and looking to be sweating buckets.
They manage to drag the box over and push it into their stock room and both collapse on the floor against one another. They look at each other and then giggle out loudly. They were both pooped and glistening with sweat. Tara had a thin river running from her forehead all the way down to her chin. It was a comfortable warm evening outside but they were both stifling inside and their exuberant workout of getting everything done so they could take it easy when the doors opened first thing was evident on their bodies. Anyone who wanted gorgeous expensive looking clothes and shoes came to Peletier's and parents like to spoil their kids with the best, so this was the place to shop.
Tara's lifts her arm up, sniffs and gags.
"Wohoooo, I think I need a shower or two!" Tara says fanning herself with a nearby catalogue.
"Me too!" Beth laughs embarrassed when she looks at the little sweat patch under the armpit of her short sleeved blouse.
"You sweat like a lady, little!" Tara throws her a jealous look "And I sweat buckets like a man!" She moans "I take after my dad, he has always sweated, it's disgusting, I feel bad for teasing him when he used to get home looking like he'd been in a boxing match or gone swimming with the fishes when he was out making the money, I'm such a terrible, terrible daughter!" She smacks her own head puffing the strand of hair out of her face.
"Well trust me, there's sweat and then there's sweat! One full day working on the farm, you'll look like you've been for a swim, I'm just a little more used to the hard gruel!" Beth informs Tara laughing "This isn't soo bad, trust me!" Beth smiles looking sideways at her friend remembering the long gruelling days growing up on the farm.
Everyone worked as soon as they knew how their feet worked, it was in their blood to pitch in and help out. She and Maggie used to run and jump into the lake just to cool off most summer days after helping out. She smiles fondly of her memories with Shawn chasing them with the hose only for them to sneak up and chuck buckets of water over him. Their mamma would be threatening to spank them for making a mess and their daddy would hide and throw water-bombs and he once threw it at their mamma by mistake when she was chasing Shawn with the broom, daddy didn't get his bowl of desert that night. She laughs at her daddy's attempts to swoon their mamma, she didn't fall for his old tricks and they all snuck him a share of their deserts when their mamma's back was turned to them at the kitchen sink, he was just too cute watching them eat for them to refuse.
"This ain't so bad then?" Tara asks pulling a face looking at her damp clothes not believing people could sweat more than she just had.
Beth shakes her head.
They hear footsteps coming up the spiral staircase and they jump up and make their way out of the stock room to see their boss, Carol Peletier. She looks around and a pleased smile spreads across her face. She turns to see both Beth and Tara making their way out the stock room, she makes her way over.
"Girls, everything looks great!" Carol beams when she sees all the once shambolic clothing hung back up neatly on the rails that parents had just cycloned through without a care of the time and patience required to keep the store looking this presentable and inviting.
"You got all the sale tags up on the sale section?" Carol says in disbelief and turns to them.
"Beth suggested we do it today and I'm so glad we did! That's one less job for tomorrow so we can concentrate on the kids and their flustered parents." Tara turns to Beth giving her a huge smile for her idea, the boss was pleased.
"Thinking ahead! I like that!" Carol says to herself.
She was using her initiative and doing jobs without even being told to, it was like clockwork to her, it made sense to get the tedious jobs done and out the way when there was no customers waiting for assistance. She was good with customers, she liked to help them as much as she could so the less time dealing with those jobs, the more time she gave to them and making sales hitting those targets. She could help any clueless customer, taking a few personal details of the child and what they're into and she'd pick out a few outfits and the kids would love them. The parents would come back a couple of weeks later and they'd personally ask for her to help them and it was a rewarding feeling to see them bouncing out the shop with their purchases, she'd helped them even if it was just picking clothes.
The dads who never had a clue what to buy their kids would turn to Beth's welcoming smile. The men seemed to take a special shining to her, they'd buy whatever she'd suggest their kids would be into and they'd return the next time and Tara would always tease her that they had little crushes on her to which she'd wave off as just them being gratified for her help. Carol was getting good vibes and feedback. She still hadn't found an assistant manager for the children's department and maybe she didn't need to look any further taking a glance over at Beth, she was trustworthy and had a keen eye for detail and knew what to do as soon as she walked through the doors, she was an excellent candidate.
"I'll have to check the men and women's department, see if they've done theirs" She frowns hoping Jessie and Gareth remembered, they had the bigger departments and they always needed to be sent emails or text messages as reminders.
Beth and Tara give each other a look knowing neither department had. Beth had gone to look at some dresses in her lunch break hoping to find out what would be on sale. Amy had said she didn't know and that Jessie hasn't mentioned it to anyone. Tara had gone to see Noah and Zach to see if they could get some groceries after work but they had been invited out to a bar and had hoped she and Beth would join them as the invitation was an extended one to everyone - there were no sales items ready to be priced up either in the men's department.
"Did you iron these?" Carol asks on closer inspection of the dresses pulling out one of the skirts that caught her eye to take a better look.
"Yeah Beth's been at it for the past hour!" Tara informs Carol.
"And Tara helped, she's also been carrying those heavy deliveries up!" Beth adds quickly not wanting to take all the credit.
Tara was doing a lot of the more strenuous chores that nobody really saw and she was standing right there proof looking flustered and drenched otherwise she had really bad sweat glands.
Hmmmm Carol hums to herself.
Carol turns back to the girls and folds her arms over her chest looking satisfied and seeing how worked out and tired they both looked. She was impressed at their dedication and it was 8pm, past both their normal hours and it was Friday night, they should be out hitting the clubs and bars having fun like the others.
"I'm interviewing for Amy's replacement and I wanted one of you girls to sit in with me and decide if they'll be able to do the job. The other girls are good but you two are impeccable, the best sales assistants I've had in a long time working for me!" Carol praises them, she was impressed with the both of them "I also want one of you to design the next window display for the new lines, it's a big deal!" She watches them to see their expressions.
Beth and Tara and look at one another not knowing what to say or react. Beth hasn't learnt how to take compliments from her boss and looks at Tara pink in the face blushing.
"Are you talking to us?" Tara asks out loud seeing Beth's face getting Carol's attention.
Carol looks at Tara and then to Beth and she bursts into a laugh placing a hand on each of their shoulders and looking each of them in the eyes, they were sweet girls. She takes a bit longer to observe Beth seeing her shyness. Her eyes soften remembering she was once shy as Beth but she'd overcome her insecurities and is now the successful businesswoman she is today, the store was her success and identity now. Beth looks up and their eyes connect. Carol genuinely smiled little and when she did, it was when she meant it. Beth's small lips form into a smile returning Carol's widening one.
"Yes Tara, I'm talking to the both of you! I've observed you both close and from afar and I'm very satisfied. You guys do this job day in and day out and you'll be the ones showing the new assistant the ropes so we can flip a coin if you'd like?" Carol asks wanting to give Tara an opportunity too, she too had her qualities.
They both face each other and shrug their shoulders and turn back to Carol who's pulling a coin out from her suit pocket.
"Heads will be the interview and tails will be window display, so call out before I pick!" She tells them both "Go!"
"Heads!" Tara calls out "Tails!" Beth calls out at the same time as Tara.
Carol shakes her hand playfully and then opens it. They all lean forward and take a look at the result.
"Well it looks like Tara will be joining me with the interviews and Beth you'll be designing the window display!" Carol informs them happy they both got what they wanted.
"Sweet!" Tara says "I always wanted to see what it's like be on the other side of the table firing the dreaded questions!" She grins rubbing her hands together and stops "I'll be completely professional and unbiased!" She promises wiping her hands down the side of her uniform flashing her teeth.
"I know you will." Carol smiles and turns to Beth.
"I hope you're as excited as Tara?" Carol asks Beth.
"Oh yes I am! I've seen the new line and I do have a few ideas, more than a few, I'll get to work on them right away!" Beth says enthusiastically clasping her hands together biting down on her lower lip smiling. She's always wanted to dress the window everyone would see.
There, that there, that's what I wanted to see! Carol smirks.
"Good and the next time, I'd like you to partake in the interviews and Tara to do the display. We're getting busier, all the party seasons are coming up and our loyal customers will be back and I'm counting on them bringing friends and families and if things go well, we'll be hiring more staff and I won't need to pay for someone I don't know or particularly like arranging my windows. You both will be rewarded for your efforts."
"Did I tell you, I LOVEEEE THIS JOB!" Tara says clearly and slowly wondering what rewards they'd be getting, she hoped a slight wage increase.
"Good! Happy staff means happy customers means happy store which equals a very happy store owner!" Carol smiles putting her coin into the charity box.
"Mom!" Comes a voice running up the spiral staircase.
"Hey baby, is it that time already?" Carol asks looking up at the big clock on the wall.
"Yeah mom, it's real late!" She tutts back jokingly "AND I'M STARVING!" Sophia says waving back at her babysitter and Carol waves too in thanks.
"Well I guess it's time to grab some dinner at T-Dog's Burger Bar, I don't feel like cooking tonight!" Carol suggests knowing the squeal to follow which she loved to see and hear, Sophia was so happy nowadays and it lights her heart.
"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Sophia jumps up and down clapping her hands excitedly "Can Beth and Tara come too?" Sophia asks turning around hopping on one foot to the other now dancing to the music playing in the background looking at them both and mouthing "please!"
Beth and Tara can't help but laugh at Sophia, she was one hyperactive kid.
Carol looks over to the both of them "I'm buying?" She adds.
"That's kind of you Mrs Peletier but I have to get home and call my father, I haven't spoken to him in over seventy-two hours and I know I'll have a message on my phone reminding me that he still exists and it could last an hour trying to pacify him but thank you for the kind generous offer." Beth apologises to Carol and turns to Sophia "Maybe next time Sophia, we can split one of those Sundaes!" Beth suggests to the little girl.
"You promise?" Sophia asks lifting her brow questionably and holds out her pinkie finger for a swear.
Beth looks down at Sophia's finger and smiles.
"Promise!" Beth says pulling out her pinkie finger and they pinkie swear.
"I'll take a rain check as well." Tara informs them.
"No, you go, you can't let Sophia down as well!" Beth urges Tara to go.
"Are you sure?" Tara asks frowning not liking the idea of Beth going home alone and she going out having fun and eating the best burgers in the city.
"Definitely sure!" Beth says shaking Tara's shoulders adamantly that she had to go or else.
"Okay, I'll bring you back a Double Mad Max Burger with the works and those sweet potato fries you like so much!" Tara says over her shoulder "A late night snack!" She adds as Sophia pulls her towards the staff corridor to the lockers to grab her things.
"I need to quickly have a wipe down and change my top!" Tara informs Sophia.
"Well hurry up then!" The little girl laughs when Tara show her embarrassing sweat patches "Ewwww!" She giggles turning away looking the other way continuing to tap on her feet bopping her head.
"I know!" Tara laughs along hiding behind the locker door, wiping herself down with cleansing wipes, changing her top and spraying herself "All done! I'll take a shower when I get home."
Beth's stomach was grumbling whilst helping Carol lock up at the thought of getting her teeth stuck into her favourite burger. She'll get to speak to her parents, tell them her news and end the night with a yummy burger, today had shaped up to be a good day and tomorrow was going to be an even better day. She just had this feeling within herself something amazing was going to happen, was beginning. She laughs at her self's positivity, she was starting to smile and laugh and looking forward to the new days again.
"Well thanks for today Beth and I'll see you bright and early tomorrow, say hello to your father and tell him how well you're doing, I'm sure he will be delighted to hear your news!" Carol leads Beth to grab her stuff.
Beth hugs Sophia and Tara and says good night to Carol and they all depart. The threesome go to Carol's car to go to the burger bar and Beth makes her way to grab the train to go home. A ten minute train ride and a two minute walk, she'll be home. The guys had gone straight to the bar after their shift so she'd have the apartment all to herself most of the night, it was rare and she looked forward to relaxing and maybe play her guitar after her phone call, she's neglected her faithful friend for too long.
She takes out her cell from her bag and sees she's had a missed call and there was a voice message waiting to be listened to. She smiles knowing who it would be, he left long messages, she wonders what he was going to use to entice her to go back home.
She looks up hearing the station's announcement, the last call before departure. She sees her train from a short distance and begins to sprint like a mad girl throwing her bag over her shoulder before the doors closed, there wasn't another for another hour. She makes it just as the doors begin to close. Seeing a free seat, she jumps into it and slips down slouching, head thrown back catching her breathe. That was her cardio for today, she knew she needed to start running again, she missed her early morning runs and riding her horse. She puffs out a breath and a man opposite lets out a small laugh, she looks up to see a good looking guy, looks to be in his mid-twenties smiling at her having been watching her since she made her mad dash to catch the train. She smiles back embarrassed and groaning internally sitting up straight and then to avoid any conversation or being asked for her number, she lifts her cell to her ear and pretends to be busy and listens to her message from her father.
"Oh daddy, you silly old fool as if I'd forget you!" Beth smiles to herself when she hears him ramble on and sends a text message to her mother informing her that she's on the train and will call in twenty minutes once she gets in to have a quick catchup as they're out at dinner. She knew sending her father a text message on his cell would be useless, he'd not know he had one waiting to be picked up and would just mope that she hadn't contacted him. He wasn't so good with technological gadgets preferring to use a phone that connects to a landline socket.
She sticks in her earphones listening to her itunes and sad music comes on. She doesn't change it, continues to listen and just watches the buildings zoom by and then she's into greenery of trees and shrubbery knowing she's left the city and making her way to the picturesque suburb of King County, her adopted home until she was ready to go back home. She frowns leaning her head against the window when the train slows down and she sees a couple kissing passionately on the platform, she closes her eyes at the painful memory.
Flashback
She stood at the train station pacing up and down waiting for his train to roll in. She missed him and couldn't wait to see him and tell him about how her interview with the school had gone, she was going to take it, they loved her but she wanted to discuss it with him before she accepted.
She sees the train approaching and decides she'll surprise him as he walks up towards the exit, catch him off guard, be spontaneous, he'd like that. She looks down at her dress she wore for her interview, a cute little smart dress he liked, he'd be pleased to see her legs out and not hidden in her jeans and boots that she normally runs around in, living on the farm it was that or chance all your best clothes getting muddy. She'll stay round his tonight she decides and they could catch up and she'll show him how much she missed him, he'll like that as well, she blushes.
She peers from behind the pillar and sees Seb getting off. He looked so handsome 6ft tall, brandy coloured eyes, dirty blonde hair, tanned and very manly looking in his smart jeans and button down. Many girls fancied Seb but he had chosen her. She remembers the time he purposely bumped into her in college to get her attention. He was such a tease pretending to be hurt and she fell for it feeling bad and then he said he'll be fine if she went on a date with him and then her smile freezes when she sees her fiancé turning around helping a girl off the train and he pulls her into a sloppy kiss, his hands roaming over her body as she drapes hers over him. She gets a better look and she recognised the beautiful brunette girl as Ashley, his work colleague.
This couldn't be happening she told herself as her heart races. She came here to surprise him, he was coming back from a weekend conference, the conference he's been going on about for weeks.
She hides behind the pillar when she sees them break away from their kiss. He was now whispering into Ashley's ear and she saw her slide her hand down from his neck, down his chest all the way down to his crouch. She saw Seb tremble and grin pulling her up towards him, they were laughing!
They both had travelling suitcases and she moves away pressing her back against the pillar trying to comprehend what she had just seen. She heard them giggling as they make their way towards her, she moves around so they don't see her and hears them arranging to meet later that night round his, she nearly loses her footing grabbing the pillar for support.
She can't think properly, this wasn't happening. Before she knows what she's doing, she grabs her phone watching them make their way towards the exit letting go of one another. She calls Seb's number watching him. She watches him grab his phone and stare at the display screen, his face dropped. After a second, he looks at Ashley and she looked like she knew who was calling and she looked fed up. She looked fed up!
Seb reluctantly answers, her heart plummeted more, she thought she knew him, she loves him but like they say, love is blind and she'd been blinded by his charm. The ringing stops and she knows he's answered. She musters all the courage she had.
"Hey baby, when do you arrive back home?" She asks in her chirpy voice a little forcefully holding back the lump suck in her throat.
"Hey babe, I'm not coming back until tomorrow, I'll see you tomorrow and we can catch up, I better go, I had to come out of the conference to take your call, better go, love you!" He says into the phone.
Love you! Beth repeats to herself, he didn't know what the word meant.
"Okay." Is all she says at his deceit.
She watches as the two leave and get into a waiting taxi.
She walks over and slumps down onto a nearby bench and before she knows what she's doing she's crying silently to herself, her vision gets blurred, she closes her eyes trying to erase and wash away the last five minutes. Five minutes that told her, what she had was nothing but a horrible lie and she was the biggest idiot there could be. She lets out a pained sob and curses herself for being so blind and stupid. Passer-by's walk by not knowing what to do. She wanted to leave but her feet wouldn't move, she was stuck on the bench in the middle of a busy train station.
"Beth?" She hears and when she lifts her eyes slightly, she sees none other than Daryl Dixon crouched down in front of her looking at her concerned.
He just waits for her to speak in her own time, he doesn't badger her with questions and before she knows what she's doing, she leans over on this shoulder and cries. Daryl doesn't know how to react to this, a crying woman on his shoulder, he wasn't comfortable with this much contact with anyone especially Herschel Greene's daughter. He feels the wetness of her tears running down his bare arm.
Shit, what the fuck do I do? He says to himself.
He looks around hoping someone would come and take over but hearing her sniffles and body tensing, he feels his arms move, his eyes look down not knowing what his arm was doing, he didn't do comfort and before he knows it, his hand is resting on her back and the other is now on her head and it's gently stroking her ponytail. He remains quiet and lets her cry. They were getting more stares and he just throws daggers at everyone walking past to mind their own damn business and they run for their lives.
After another couple of minutes, Beth realises she had just thrown herself at Daryl Dixon and cried all over him. she could see her mascaraed tears all over his arms.
"I'm sorry, so sorry!" She wipes her nose moving away.
"S'alright, ya didn't melt me." He replies sneaking a look at Beth beneath his bangs.
Beth catches him staring and he averts his eyes watching the train move away. If Beth wanted to talk, she'll talk in her own time, he'll wait and then he'll just listen.
She just looks at him wounded and miserable with those big blue eyes hoping he would take away her pain.
"I ain't no agony aunt nor a psychic!" He says out loud and curses himself, that was an internal thought, wasn't meant to come out realising he had just invited her to unburden herself on him, wondering what was wrong with him.
"Daryl, he lied to me, he lied about everything, he lied and I've been such a fool, such a fool!" She cries again.
Daryl didn't need to be told what she meant, he Daryl knew was the snot nosed kid Sebastian Blake, the pretty boy she was to be married to. Daryl wonders what girls see in the guy, he wonders what Beth sees in him.
"Ya not a fool, he's the fool!" Daryl corrects her.
"I am a fool, how long has he had been cheatin' on me whilst I've been goin' around like a freakin' clown!" She sits there looking at her engagement ring.
Daryl looks at the diamond ring, it didn't look like a ring that went on her slender finger, it was too chunky and ugly looking - diamond or not, it was one nasty looking ring.
"What's a classy gal like ya doin' with a guy like that?" Daryl has to ask.
Beth looks up at Daryl and she looked like a completely different Beth he knew. He'd always known her to be happy, smiling and beaming rays of sunshine wherever she went and Seb had messed with the wrong girl. Beth is Herschel Greene's baby girl, Shawn Greene's baby sister, Maggie Greene's sister, he didn't want to be around when the Greene's got a hold of Sebastian Blake.
"I gave him my heart, he took it, broke it and he threw it back! I can feel it and it feels like its shattered into pieces and it hurts! I set myself up for this and daddy warned me to slow down, not to make any hasty decisions and what did I do, I didn't listen to daddy, I just blindly agreed and I deserve this!" She looks away realising how utterly and completely stupid she's been.
"If ya stupid…then me an' Merle are the stupidest stupid's out there and we done plenty stupid, ya just trusted someone who ain't worthy of ya trust, ya too good for that dumb piece of stupid, me an' Merle can go do somethin' stupid to stupid Sebastian if ya want?" Daryl asks gruffly.
"No!" Beth shakes her head standing up and Daryl stand beside her.
She played with her hands looking at the train pulling up just wanting to jump on and get out of there. Daryl sees this hoping she wasn't going to because he'll have to get on in after her and throw her over his shoulder and take her home kicking and screaming and he'd do it, Herschel was good to him and Merle, Miss Annette treated them like men not rednecks and he didn't want the elders to be hurting nor did he like Beth hurting, she needed her family.
"Ya wanna ride home?" He asks when he sees Beth's foot move forward ready to grab her.
Beth just shakes her head and turns around and makes her way slowly out the station. Daryl watches a broken Beth following her and sees her walking to her car, she gets in and make a dash towards home. He watches the dust she leaves behind and he feels like being stupid tonight.
Later that evening, Daryl and Merle kick down Seb's door and find him eating dinner with the leggy brunette. Merle walks over and sits opposite the brunette whose sitting there with a bed sheet loosely wrapped around her.
"Well howdy there sugar tits!" Merle says taking a peak and giving a low whistle.
She scoots over towards Seb grabbing the sheet up to cover her breasts.
"Seb who are these men?" Ashley asks Seb.
"Sebby's an friend of ole Merle!" Merle smirk winking at her.
She buries her face into Seb's back as he sits there frozen scared stiff at who were gate-crashing at his house. Merles takes a look at Seb's face and hears a noise coming from under the table. He leans down and takes a look.
"Little Sebby just took a leak at the dining table!" Merle scoffs "Didn't ya ma teach ya to use the potty!" He asks turning his attentions back on Ashley.
"Ya know Jabroni Squirty here's engaged to that sweet thang Miss Bethy Greene?" Merle asks leaning over grabbing her plate and begins to eat her dinner licking his fingers and grabs the wine bottle and drinks straight from the bottle.
"This the good stuff?" Merle asking taking another swig and getting to his feet looking at the photos.
"Here she is, Miss Beth, pretty gal!" Merle smiles pointing at Beth and Seb smiling up into the camera "And here and here!" He adds and then turns towards the girl and leans down beside her ear.
"Ya do know she exists!" Merle questions and then turns her chair around to face him and she squeals.
Merle tutts shushing her running his palm down her face that still had the remains of food on it, she swats it away.
"She's a young lady, I'm guessin' ya not!" Merle eyes roam over the bed sheet squatting down trying to take a look up and Ashley closes her legs tightly together.
"Seb!" She yells.
"What's ya hourly rates, I've got a twinkie bar here somewhere," He digs deep into his pocket and throw a squished bar on to the table "and this bottle here of wine, that enough for ya services?" He asks unbuttoning his jeans ready to whip himself out for her.
"Merle!" Daryl yells knowing Merle would actually do it and he didn't need to see his wrinkly.
"Why d'ya always have ta take away my fun Darlyna!" Merle moans.
Daryl glares at Merle and he holds out his hands laughing. Daryl focuses his attention back on Seb.
"Hey!" Daryl gruffs.
Seb looks up at the younger Dixon.
"Stupid Jabroni, what the hells the matter with ya?" Daryl finally slaps Seb's face in irritation remembering Beth's crushed face.
"I'm sorry! SORRYYYYYY!" Seb cries out.
"Na! Na! Na!" Merles wags his finger "Ya say that ta sweet gal and to her daddy!"
"NO!" Seb cries not wanting Beth to find out about his affair "I love Beth, this was just to get it out of my system before I tied myself down for life with one person and I'm ready for that, to spend it with Beth! I'm ready to be an honest man to her" Seb insists begging looking from one Dixon to the other but they both looked menacing, he closes his eyes.
"What!" Ashley yells.
""Ya sure talkin' the talk, you ready ta walk the walk?" Daryl asks lifting out his pocket knife and scratching the table with it.
"I, I don't understand what d'ya mean?" Seb stutters looking over at Daryl the quieter of the two.
"Ya just said ya ready ta be an honest man to her, so go and tell her to her face - ya mistake, repent, ask for forgiveness and Beth'll decide what she wants ta do!" Daryl tells him slamming his knife blade down into the expensive wooden table.
"I can't, she'll be crushed!" Seb answers looking side to side to see if he had a way to escape.
He and everyone have heard all the stories of the Dixons and there have always been talk from when he was younger, that Merle Dixon has made men disappear without a trace. He ended a man or two's lives and gotten away with murder, he wasn't sure if the rumours were true but Merle Dixon looked unhinged sitting there laughing to himself whilst drinking and then smacking his face howling like a wolf.
Seb lets out a muffled cry shaking his head wondering what they were going to do to him.
Daryl and Merle both had enough. Daryl throws a blindfold over Seb's eyes and kicks him off the chair and he lands with a thud on the floor. Daryl restrains his arms.
Ashley tries to smack Merle and he just laughs and takes off his belt, she screams and runs towards the bedroom and locks the door pushing the bed up against it and Merle just laughs.
"Could always make the ladies scream out loud!" He says tying Seb's feet up with his belt.
They drag Seb out the house and throw him into the back of the truck. Seb was trying to scream through the cloth around his mouth, his attempts fail when the engine just roars and they're speeding away.
An hour later the truck stops and Seb waits huddled in the corner and when he feels a hand on him, he begins to thrash out apologising.
"Beth's a friend a mine, her daddy and mamma are nice people and my friends deserve to be treated with respect and ya disrespected her and I don't like that one bit…she knows what cheatin' ass ya are, she saw ya at the station with ya cheap skank and she knows about ya secret rendezvous!" Daryl spits with disgust.
Seb is shocked speechless, Beth knew.
"She called ya at the station, she was standin' there watchin' and ya lied and she saw everythang!" Daryl informs the now pale faced Seb.
"So why all this then?" Seb screeches hysterically.
"Because nobody messes with our gal and we gonna teach ya what happens to dickslingers!" Daryl tells him.
"This is us goin' easy!" Merles looks around "I actually wanted to drop ya off at Gator's Swamp!" Merle informs Seb "Darlyna thought it better if they hunted ya out, although I can see the fun it that now! Ever wrestled a Gator?" Merle asks.
Seb stare swallowing hard.
"I did and it took ma hand but I made belts outta it!" He laughs putting his belt back in his jean loops and whistles into the air "Come boys, dinner time!" Merle bashes the trees as he walks back to the truck.
"What!" Seb screams jumping around looking out for Alligators, he didn't recognise the woods they had taken him to, it looked murkier than the ones he's trekked through.
Daryl throws Seb one last icy cold blue stare, he cowers standing there naked, Merle had snatched his boxer sometime from the kidnapping from the house to the woods. Daryl follows Merle and jumps into the driver's seat. They leave him in the middle of nowhere in the nude with dickslinger marked all over his body and forehead in permanent marker. Merle's handiwork.
"Sees ya not later!" Merle cackles leaning out the window watching Seb running and then coming face to face with an oncoming car and there's beeping and whistling going on and the car leaves him knowing it was the work of Merle.
"Well baby brother, this was fun!" Merle tells Daryl looking back in the rear-view mirror.
End of Flashback
"Excuse me Miss!"
Beth opens her eyes, looks up to see the good looking guy.
"This your stop?" He nods at the sign King County.
Beth looks around and takes out her earphones.
"Yeah, thank you!" She smiles and gets up and steps out of the train.
The guy follows stepping out beside her.
"I've seen you a few times and I've been thinking how to ask you out for a drink?" He asks with a gorgeous smile.
Beth looks up at him and her smile fades away.
"I'm sorry, I'm a lesbian and my girlfriends waiting for me at home, sorry." Beth replies, turns around and walks home.
Once she unlocks her door, she walks over to the couch and falls down into it lying on her back staring out the window.
"Hey daddy, stop your moping this instant you silly old fool!" She says once her dad picks up and she smiles when she hears her daddy erupt into laughter and her mamma in the background apologising to Milton and Andrea for Herschel's rudeness, explaining that he was waiting for an important call.
A/N: This story will be a couple of chapters long and then the update on The Journey will be posted in the New Year.