There was an awkward silence as Hershel signaled for Josie to leave with him. "Come on Josie, we can go get the eggs?" Hershel asked his grandchild who nodded excitedly and followed him out of the room leaving them to talk alone.
Maggie had many obvious questions that may help them make it through the harsh winter ahead. This man had come from other places and may remember locations that she hadn't looked for supplies and necessities yet. There was also the burning question of what he had planned for the future. Her daughter was the biggest priority and even though this man seemed harmless what was she to really know about him? Other than his obvious complexion and warming smile.
Breaking the silence between them, Glenn looked up to catch her glazing at him. "Was it you... umm, you who found me?" He asked, gulping hardly as his throat was dry again.
"Yes" She simply replied. Maggie hasn't consider herself a hero or brave, but courteous. In a world losing hope she had kept her faith. She had acted with only compassion for young Asian man whom she found. She wasn't anything extraordinary just a woman who still believed in humanity.
"I was out trying to find something and then I saw you..." He waited for her continue the story. Something in her eyes showed the pain of countless people she hadn't managed to save. "You looked bad..." she didn't quite know to explain the rest but the images that were haunting her mind again were enough to make her body shake.
Glenn could see her instant discomfort at remembering how she found him. He knew he must have looked bad because he still felt like he'd been in a battle with something indestructible.
"That's your girl right?" He asked changing the subject. Maggie nodded, for the first time a proud smile emerged. "Yes, Josephine" He waited for her to continue. "Best thing that's ever happened to me". The pride was beaming like a light from her. She sounded like any other proud mom would when they spoke about their child. He wanted to ask more questions like if her father was still around but sensed she wasn't comfortable around him yet. Even now when they were talking she was keeping her distance as she stood close to do like she was ready to run out if she had too.
"Do you have any children?" She asked. He didn't seem like the kind to have children. You could normally tell and his first concern when he woke up wasn't to find anyone.
"I don't..." His voice full of regret. He thought of the many times he could have settled down and didn't.
"Family?"
"Not here" He said shortly. He had come to this neck of the woods alone, with big dreams ahead of him, much to his family disapproval. He wanted to make something of himself and he was determined he'd get there, so he moved across the world to do it. There were so many times he wished he could turn back around and be where he knew his way but then the whole anticipation of what was unknown had become like a drug to him. He had given himself two years to make his dreams work, and that had already been extended to three.
"When I last heard the news, it didn't sound promising" He spoke up. He didn't want to seem rude or uninterested but the answers she wanted he didn't know nor would he likely ever be able to find out the outcome of his family
"I'm sorry" Her head sunk into her chest as she realised how lucky she truly was. "Most of my family is gone too…" She explained. "I'm lucky that I still have my father who you've met, and Beth, my sister and of course Josie"
"What about your mom?" He asked.
Maggie tried to smile to stop the tears. "She's gone… she went a long time before this happened" She looked around the room; anywhere except his eyes to see the pity she always received. "It's the only thing that makes me somewhat glad she never got to see this happen".
"I get you, you know?" He spoke up. "My dad passed away when I was young too. It was sudden and they didn't really know why" He described like it was only yesterday. Everything had happened so quickly and so his mom was left with him and his old sisters alone. They had spent their lives trying to make her life as easy as possible.
Just as Maggie went to respond the door opened and in flew the youngest Greene member. "Mommy" She chimed.
Maggie mouthed the word sorry to Glenn who just seemed smitten already by the young girl. "What sweetie?" Maggie kneeled down to her daughters level.
"I collected more eggs than Granddad" She let out an almighty giggle seeing the adults around her laugh along at how happy she was at that achievement. She waved goodbye to Glenn and run back downstairs and outdoors to join her granddad in more of the outdoor chores.
"Does he always let her win?" Glenn asked with a proud smirk across his face.
Maggie nodded and laughed. "Yes" She couldn't help but smile as she walked towards the window and looked out to see her daughter following her father around. She had been told the basics of what was going on but had never been shown what was actually happening. They didn't want her childhood to be ruined by the images of what the world had become. She would learn like any girl living on a farm how to use a small shotgun, only with supervision though and when she was older enough.
"What does it look like?" Glenn asked Maggie. She turned on the spot to look at him.
"You mean outside?"
He nodded. He hadn't seen it for a while. In his mind he saw it burnt down and looking like something that would resemble hell, where nothing could live or exist anymore.
"It looks normal" She shrugged. When she saw the disappoint on his face she carried on. "The fields around us are so green, everywhere is ready for autumn. The trees, are slowly getting bare as all the leaves are falling" She saw a smile on face. "There's a small windmill in the distance and it's kept turning no matter what, I think it's the high winds we always get here but still".
"Did you wanna look?" She asked.
Glenn frowned. "I don't know if I can walk…" He confessed. His body was still pretty beaten up and his strength was nowhere near recovered.
"I'll help you." She said with nothing but confidence. "Come on" She pulled back the cover and put one of his arms around her neck. Carefully helping him get off the bed and stand besides her. She was bearing all of his weight and despite him being too heavy for her she managed to help him slowly move towards the opened window.
He breathed in the fresh air for the first time in days and smelt the outdoors scent. "Thank you Maggie"
"You're welcome Glenn" Maggie said his arms still sturdily around her neck.
