'I'd like to be truly happy'
It was late afternoon, Beth jumped in her old blue Toyota Hilux her dad had given her for her 16th Birthday 3 years ago, it was a complete rust bucket but she'd loved it ever since she saw it wrapped in a red bow. She had affectionately named him 'Cedric'. She quickly glanced into her mirror and let out an audible breath. She had thrown on a pale blue sundress with red stitching and her trademark turned her key in the ignition, the old truck groaned in protest 'Ced today is not the day for you to completely fall apart'huffed Beth. She turned the key again while lightly pressing on the gas, the old machine sprung to life though the engine made an unhealthy sound. Today was a good day it was her last appointment with her therapist, well her last weekly appointment her daddy had insisted on, but they had help her greatly. Beth had fallen apart after her mother's death, she had cried more than she thought was possible. Beth had made decisions she'd regret for the rest of her life. She would always remember the day that Maggie found her with blood dripping from her wrist,In her head she could still see the pain in her sister's face and the crimson blood dripping down her own wrist.
….
Beth bounded out of her therapy session a smile splayed across her face, she sat on the bench just outside she pulled her legs up and put her knees under her chin wrapping her hands round to hug her self . Beth through her head up and looked into the Georgia sky colours of blue and orange. Things were going well she was getting her life back, her dad had stopped the constant 'how are you' and 'how you feeling' questions seven times a day and Maggie for the most part had stopped jumping up and interrogating her every time she tried to left the house on her own. She breathed in the humid air she felt happy to be alive, even to be in this small moment of happiness. Beth walked across the street to a quaint little café, she picked up a tea and decided to treat herself to a brownie and a bag of chips. She walked back to her truck throwing her bag and brownie in the back and setting her tea in the cup holder. She started the truck with ease him only giving the usual splutter and set off back to the came to the crossroads that separated the country land form the town she turned left to continue her journey to the pushed the button on the radio, she was met with George strait singing to giggled as she pressed the button to eject the CD,she had been to get ice cream with her brother Shawn and his friends the night before she wasn't the biggest fan of their music choices but she was outnumbered by the group of rowdy teenage boys so decided it was best not to change it.
She continued driving down the road, looking out of her window at the fields filled with crops soon to be harvested. Beth peered out of her side window to look at one of the hunting trails here daddy showed her in his younger days. She saw a man out the corner of her eye he was about 5'10 he had scraggy brown hair, his brow was furrowed he had a look of concern on his face, the male was holding a small boy with teary eyes. Beth's eyes were then averted to his knees both with sizable grazes on them. Beth pulled her car up and parked it tight to the trail. She hopped out the truck and strolled toward the man and small boy.
'Is everything okay' Beth asked voice full off concern, gazing up at the man and boy she noticed they wore the same piercing blue eyes.
'I fall down, it ouch' Peeped the small boy pointing to his cut up knees tears slipping from his eyes
'Oh sweetheart' voiced Beth full of concern
Beth looked at the man who had yet to speak.
'I have a first aid box in the car, I could patches his knees up' suggested Beth
The man just nodded.
'I'm Beth by the way' she then left a pause in hope he would give a reply
'Daryl' the male replied timidly
'And who is this 'Beth smiled running her finger across the back of his small hand.
'I'm Otto'
'That's a handsome name'
They turned and started to walk back towards the car.
Beth opened the passenger side door reached into her glove box and pulled out her first aid kit.
'Is probably best if he sits on your knee it might sting a little' Beth said. Only then did she notice the large crossbow slung along the males back.
Daryl shed the bow leaving it to crash to the ground he then sat on the car seat with his legs handing out the door and pick the boy up and at him on his lap.
Beth knelt on the grassy ground in front of them and started to wipe the blood away with a wipe.
'Ouch Ouch Ouch!' exclaimed Otto
'its okay' reassured Daryl
Beth smiled up at them both 'It's all done now Otto, just got to stick the plasters on but that won't hurt'
He smiled back at her. Beth finished patch the boys knees up she opened the back door of truck and picked up the brownie she had yet to eat.
She gestured to Daryl as if to ask for approval.
Before Daryl could even open he mouth to answer the young boy noticed his bright blue eyes lit up.
'Chocolate cake' Otto observed smiling from ear to ear.
Daryl gave Beth anther slow nod but with eyes that said 'I don't exactly have a choice do I'.
Beth handed Otto the brownie and said 'This is for being so brave'
Otto looked up his blue eye staring directly into her own 'Thank you Ms Beth'
Beth was taken aback by the boy's manners and the fact he'd remembered her name as she had only mentioned it once.
'You are so welcome sweetheart'
'Your daddy taught you good manners huh?' Beth mused whilst looking up at Daryl
'Yes Ma'am giggled Otto
Beth giggled back at him pulling a loose strand of sandy blond hair out of his eyes.
Beth looked back up at Daryl she was still on her knees in the grass. She took in his features. His hair was short and an ashy brown his eyes a piercing blue. He had on a sleeveless flannel shirt with brown patterning on top of the shirt he had a black vest with angel wings embellished on the back. She noticed how thick and strong his arms looked, she almost wanted to reach out and run her hands over the tan skin of his biceps. She averted her eyes, a warm blush struck her face. He wasn't traditionally handsome but he was definitely attractive maybe 'ruggedly handsome' would be a accrete description. Beth could only imagine Maggie face if she saw her talking to a strange man with a weapon at the side of a darkening road. She'd bet this was what her daddy was picturing when lecturing her on the type of boy to stay away from but Daryl wasn't a boy, she could tell he was older than her he look Asif he was in his mid-thirty's. He was sort of staring of into the distance, back down the trail was his main focus.
'You forget something down there' Beth asked inquisitively
'Nah' Daryl replied
'Deer still in there, Dad got the deer but then I fall down' Otto added
Beth then understand 'Oh you were out hunting' Beth said
'I don't carry that round for the sake of it' Daryl scoffed gesturing to his crossbow
'Yep, den I started running to da deer' Otto put in
Just as Daryl was about to open his mouth the young boys face dropped and he shouted 'SEAMUS'
Beth glanced at Daryl face full of looked at her blankly then let out a sigh.
'It's a damn dog the showed up at are door last week it wouldn't let me near him at first, now it won't go away'. Snapped Daryl
Beth giggled and smiling up at Daryl he was a little unconformable with the way she was looking at him if she was honest.
'It got scared when I got the deer' said Daryl on an outward breath
'We gotta find Seamus Dad' Pleaded Otto
'We need to get going home 'Huffed Daryl
'We can leave the poor dog in the wood Daryl, What's he look like? 'Beth asked
'You're welcome to him sunshine' Daryl barks gesturing to the deep wood.
'Don't you want your deer?' Beth asked in playful tone.
He was planning on going back in to find the deer when she left but he wasn't going to admit that to her.
'It'll be gone by now sunshine' Daryl barked
Beth didn't know how to feel about the new nickname she had been given by Daryl.
'I'm no sunshine Daryl 'Beth said with a smile on her face.
Beth looked down at the young boy he had brownie all round his mouth and tears welling up in his eyes
'But my puppy'
'Its way to dark to be wondering,round the damn woods'
'How about I drop you home and then we come look for him in the morning'
'We can walk'
'Daryl it's really no trouble at all I got a car seat for Otto'
Daryl peered over Beth back into the truck and took notice to two cars seats. Beth noticed the man's observation.
'They're for the kids I nanny the sheriffs daughter and my nephew'
'You know Rick?' Beth questioned
'Why you think I'd know the sheriff'
'I didn't mean nothing by it Daryl'
He did know the sheriff, his brother older brother Merle had the cops at the door many a time. Most resonantly being a month ago when they came banging on the door at 3am scaring life out of Otto.
'You gonna let me take you then'
Daryl looked down at Otto his eyes red and tried
'Whatever' Huffed Daryl