They had worked their way into a house that appeared to be untouched. Daryl took care of the walker that stumbled out of the living room. It appeared to be an old lady.
"Someone's Grandma" Michonne remarked quietly.
"How do you know she was a Grandma?" Bob asked.
"Pictures." Michonne indicated the wall in front of them that was covered in pictures of kids at various ages.
Daryl looked a bit uncomfortable as the others paused to look at the collection of grandchildren.
"Let's get Grandma out of here and see about reinforcing the doors. We might be stuck here a bit. With Tyreese's help, he dragged the Grandma turned walker out to the garage.
When they came back in Michonne and Bob were in the living room.
Michonne was at the window. "Looks quiet for now, but we might as well hang out a bit. We can't go the way we came. We're going to have to find another way.
Daryl grunted in affirmation, sitting on the sofa and putting his feet on the coffee table. Michonne tsked-tsked him with a smile. "Grandma would have had your ass for that. No way would she have let you sit on her couch, much less put your feet on the table."
Daryl snorted, "Bit late for worryin' about that."
"True." Michonne nodded. She reached in her pack for a bottle of water and took a drink.
Daryl noticed Bob had opened what looked to be a liquor cabinet and was staring longingly at the bottles inside.
"Don't even think about it dumbass" Daryl growled menacingly.
He raised his hands in the air, turning around. "I know. I know. Not going there now." He shut the door decisively and sat down in the nearest chair.
Tyreese settled himself in a large recliner, pulling the handle to make it recline. "Now all I need is a cold beer and a football game on TV".
Michonne looked around the room picking up a small statue on the fireplace mantel.
"Let's have a look around. We should be able to get some supplies from here. Bedding, maybe clothes, maybe some food. Let's have a look around."
"I just got comfortable" Tyreese grumbled.
Daryl swung his feet off the coffee table and stood, shouldering his crossbow. "You keeping that?" He indicated the small figurine that Michonne was holding.
She looked at it and then put it back. "No, it's cute enough but I don't think so. Let's go upstairs and check the bedrooms."
"Daryl, did Carol give you a list?" she asked when the got upstairs.
"Yeah, right here." He pulled it out of his pocket."Mostly medicines and bath need towels."
"Okay, Bob and Tyreese can do the bathrooms while we do the closets and dressers. I have a list of clothes we're looking for. If this lady still had her husband's clothes, we might be in luck. Let's go shopping" she grinned.
"Every man's worst nightmare" Tyreese said under his breath.
"I heard that." Michonne said as she headed to the largest bedroom while Daryl followed..She headed for the large closet which turned out to be full of women's clothing all neatly arranged by color. Apparently the lady of the house was fond of red. She pulls out a jacket and holds it up.
"Hmmm, nice, but not really practical. This might work; I think this is about Carol's size. What do you think?" She looks over at Daryl who is backing away from a drawer full of lingerie.
He looks up. "I guess so." He shrugs.
"I thought you'd be a good judge. You certainly spend enough time looking at Carol. You should have a pretty good idea of her size and shape."
"What? I don't know anything about clothes. She's just a bit of a thing, but I don't know her size. You would know more about that." He looks around for something else to search.
"But you do look at Carol." Michonne's eyes are twinkling.
"Pfft." I'll go help the guys We need to get a move on.
"Hold on." Michonne's eye catches something in the open drawer. She walks over and pulls out a red silk nightgown.
Daryl pauses in the doorway and looks away embarrassed.
".I bet this would look lovely on Carol."
"Why would she want something like that? Carol doesn't wear that stuff to sleep. She wears…."
He stops.
"So you've noticed." Michonne suppresses a laugh.
"How can we not. We lived on top of each other long enough. He indicates the gown Michonne is holding. "When would she wear something like that anyway?"
"Daryl, if you have to ask…"
"Fuck's sake Michonne." Daryl can't meet her eyes.
Michonne just grins. "All right. I think we're done here." She holds the jacket. We should do the kitchen next and check the basement too. I'll see what those guys found." She walks past Daryl leaving the red gown on the bed. "Can you get the comforter?" We can use that.
Daryl nods and as he picks it up he touches the nightgown. Michonne is out in the hallway already. He takes the gown and slips it into his bag. He bunches the comforter up in his arms and carries it out of the room.
Michonne looks at the bundle in his arms.
Here help me fold that, it will fit better if we do it together."
Daryl looks puzzled at the bunched comforter in his hands and clumsily tries to hold the edges like Michonne is doing.
She smiles, "Here spread your arms out. Now bring that side together with my side. Good enough. I got it from here. I guess you never folded laundry."
"Nah, never bothered."
"No problem. I think we're good here. You guys see anything else?"
Michonne felt like she was taking the lead here. For some reason she felt very attached to this house. Like she knew the owner. Maybe because she reminded her of her grandmother.
"I think we got everything,"Tyreese inclned his head toward the open linen closet that he and Bob had emptied.
"Okay let's put it all on the kitchen table while we check the pantry.
They went downstairs and made quick work of emptying the cupboards in the kitchen and small pantry.
"Not a bad haul" Bob said, regarding the pile of canned good and dried pasta (Grandma must have stocked up, or she made a lot of macaroni salads for church picnics). He gave a longing glance toward the cabinet in the living room, but Daryl growled at him and he quickly looked back. "I'll fill these bags and we can carry them out together.
Tyreese went to the door, and opened it carefully, checking for walkers outside. "All clear. Let's load up." Bob and Daryl already had a load ready to carry out to the van.
That's when the heard Michonne cry "Jackpot."
"What the hell'd you find?" Daryl asked.
"Tupperware! The motherlode. All organized by size even" She took a handful of the grocery bags they had found. "I'll just pack this real quick. We've got room."
"Why the hell we need that?" Daryl was at the door.
"Michonne looked over at him. "Carol will be thrilled. Tell her you got it for her as a gift. Trust me she'll thank you."
Daryl just shook his head as he walked to the car. Michonne was acting a little strange today.
Michonne was the last to leave the house. She hesitated for a moment, looking toward the garage. "Goodbye Grandma." she said softly as she opened the car door.
Carol hummed to herself as she put the last of the food in the Tupperware container. She was trying not to think about what had happened earlier. Daryl had made a point of presenting his treasure to her, and she had thanked him with a hug and kiss, making him blush furiously. She was afraid he would never speak to her again. Nevertheless, she was thrilled with his gift and appreciative of the thoughtfulness, unromantic as it may seem.
She looked up and saw Michonne holding a red cup.
"My grandmother had cups like this. She used to make us homemade lemonade."
Carol smiled. My grandmother stuck with Kool-Aid. She did add the sugar herself though. She wasn't the cookie-baking type of Grandma. By the way she looks at Michonne, "Have you seen Daryl. He missed dinner".
"He was working on the car the last I saw. Is that his dinner?" indicating the Tupperware container Carol had just set aside.
"Yes. Could you do me a favor and take it up to him. Carol didn't feel up to facing Daryl right now in case he was upset with her. He's on watch in the tower. He may want to wait to eat."
"I think you should take it to him."
Carol sighed. "I'll ask someone else."
Michonne gently put her hand on Carol's arm."Carol, I think you should take it to him. I don't think he's upset with you."
Carol took a breath. "All right."
She steeled herself for Daryl's reaction as she climbed the tower steps. He had seen her coming and nodded to her, so maybe he wasn't too upset.
She opened the door slowly, and stepped inside.
"I have your dinner Daryl."
"Thanks. You can leave it there. I'll eat in a bit." Daryl didn't quite meet her eyes.
Carol stood with her hand on the door.
"Daryl I'm sorry if I embarrassed you earlier. "I just", she smiles, "got excited about inner housewife I guess"
Daryl nodded to her. "S'Okay Wasn't mad at ya. I'm glad you liked something I thought you could use. Wasn't really a present. I mean, got you a present, but that wasn't it. Shit, was supposed to be a surprise."
"You got something for me Daryl." Carol beamed.
"Ya".
"Well I can't wait to see it, and thank you in advance." Carol stepped close to Daryl and kissed him on the cheek quickly before stepping step was light as she walked down the stairs and back into the her go, Daryl wondered what her reaction would be when he gave her her other gift. If she was this happy about Tupperware. His thoughts drifted and he didn't even notice when Michonne opened the door to relieve him. She was standing next to him before he realized she was there.
"So, think she'll like it?" she asked. Daryl looked at her. Had she seen him put in his pack. Michonne wasn't looking at him. He merely grunted. "Don't know what you're talking about."
Still his step was light as he walked toward the prison. He thought Carol might like it very much