Beth slowly opened the drivers door of the truck and climbed in. She took a deep breatah and inhaled the remnants of the distinct Merle scent. She let it wash over her and bring her a little bit of comfort. She took note of what he had left in there. Almost a dollar in change left in the duty box, a neatly folded Go Army t-shirt on the back seat; an unopened bottle of Cola in the cup holder.

She slipped the keys into the ignition and flipped on the radio. She left the station where he left it; a country station and cranked it up. She let a tear trickle down, thinking to herself that Merle would be pissed she's crying over him.

The ringing of her cell phone brought the blonde from her memories of her late husband. She took a moment before answering.

"Hi, mama."

"Hi, baby. How are ya holdin' up?"

"As good as can be expected."

"Have ya been to his grave? I know it hurts to think about it, but goin' an' talakin' to him might help. Your daddy still visit's Maggie's mama's grave."

"I can't, Mama. Not yet. It hurts too much."

"I'm sorry, baby." Annette whispered.

"Me too,"

"None o' this is what ya want to be thinkin' about, Beth, but I have to ask ya before the companies take your options away from ya."

"'S okay." She whipsered, feeling broken.

"Have you made arrangements about his bike? Get it considered totalled or arranged to be brought home?"

"I took care o' it, got it sent to Daryl's cause he wanted it. Signed the title over to him."

"Good. Have ya talked to Daryl since?" Her mama's unspoken 'since Merle died,' hung in the air.

"Everyday. He's practically moved in. I'm all he's got now. We're leanin' on each other heavily. If we weren't close before we are now."

She sat in the truck with the radio up loud before she rolled down the windows and pulled the dog tags from around her neck off. Beth hung them from the rear view mirror and pulled out of the driveway. She drove all over the back roads until she found an empty field. She tore the field up by doing cookies anad driving until there was just enough gas to get her home.

Driving Merle's truck felt like he was there with her, surrounded by his scent, his belongings, his favorite music. For the first time since his wreck she felt him there with her, reassuring and heart breaaking all at once. Being in his truck had her feeling closer to Merle than she would feel by just going to his grave to 'visit' him.

Beth drove home slowly, relishing in the feeling of being close to Merle for the first time in months, the first time since she had lost him. She stopped long enough to fill the truck up with gas. Merle's voice in her head told her 'it's damn expansive ta fill the tank in this thang, Suga. Don't be waistin' the gas on me." She knew she would not be listening to his words of wisdom. She would spend every dime she had just to feel close to him again.