A/N I can't say Thank You enough to all of you. I appreciate you reading this story and leaving reviews and comments. I'm smiling :) This chapter we'll get a good glimpse into Daryl's backstory. We pick up right where we left off, just after the hug.
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Typically as soon as he lay down on the bed he was out like a light, but it wasn't working that way this night. Of course this wasn't just any night. His usual nights didn't include a hug from a woman.
Timmy was snugged into his side and he held an arm around the little boy. His other arm lay across his forehead while he stared up at the ceiling. Doing a lot more thinking than he wanted to do.
He was trying hard to digest it all and be honest with himself. He'd enjoyed the little bit of touching they'd done, there was no denying it. It had all been just innocent, meaningless stuff. Hadn't it? Like when she touched his back, that was just because he was standing in front of the stove and she wanted to get a cup of coffee. And the only reason he'd taken her hand when they walked to the shop, and her arm when they walked back, was just so she wouldn't slip. Just so she didn't get hurt. He was just being careful, that was all there was to all of that. Right?
But then she'd hugged him, and there was no way he could ignore how nice that felt, how good it was to have her arms around him. Everything about her was soft, warm and appealing.
He thought back to when he'd seen the car off the side of the road, remembering how he'd silently cussed it. All he'd wanted to do was get Timmy home safe. But he couldn't just drive by, possibly leave someone injured and stranded on the side of the road. In freezing temperatures. The man he was now couldn't live with himself if he did something like that.
He hadn't even thought about what might happen, he'd just gotten her in the truck and made up his mind that they were all going to get home safely. He hadn't thought about what was going to happen next. Or that she'd be there with him and Timmy. They'd all be stuck together until the weather cleared. But he didn't feel stuck now, not at all.
The brutal honesty came in when he thought about the man he used to be, he was damn sure she never would have hugged that man. Shit, a woman like Beth would have been afraid to get in a truck with that man.
The he remembered back further, to when he was a little guy in elementary school. He'd been typical of a kid that came from the type of home he was living in. He was quiet and he kept to himself. Merle did any of the fighting Merle decided needed to be done, and Merle protected him. But when his brother joined the army he was left alone to fight his own battles.
He'd quickly developed both a nasty and defensive attitude, and a very short fuse. He'd start fights with anyone who looked at him the wrong way. He remembered hearing one of his teachers tell the principal that he was "volatile." He supposed he was. And he knew plenty about how to fight and inflict pain; he'd learned that right at home. He'd been out of line a lot, a real little asshole.
He'd kept it up, the fighting, the petty theft, already smoking and drinking way too much for any man, and he was still just a kid. Somehow he managed to graduate from high school just about the time Merle came home from the Army. That's when they'd started tearing it up together, they were a team. A couple of redneck assholes was what they were. One just as bad as the other.
They participated in far more than their share of illegal activities. They'd even managed to "find" enough cash that they'd bought those damn bikes. Those damn bikes. Not that they hadn't had plenty of fun with them, they'd had all kinds of hell raising good times. That was a fact. For some of those good times he'd been so drunk he couldn't even remember if he'd had fun, and he knew how lucky he was to still be alive. It could have all ended for him so easily.
The first big change came when he was 22. Looking back it was hard to believe he'd been that young and already lived the life he had, done the things he'd done. He might still be doing all that shit, but it was about that time Merle got on the hard drugs. The crystal had been the worst. His brother was flat out addicted to that shit. Daryl just couldn't deal with him when he was on that meth high.
Unsure what to do he took himself up in the mountains for a few days. He thought hard about the life he was living, the slippery road he was heading down. He loved his brother but he didn't want to be doing the shit Merle was doing. He wanted something different. He didn't have a lot of desire for material things, that wasn't his motivation. What he was after was a life with maybe just a little meaning to it, that's all he wanted.
He took a job, an entry level job with a construction crew. He had a natural talent for building things and for making things work, and for figuring the best way to achieve the desired end result. But that wasn't really where he wanted to be either.
He wanted to learn a trade so he could strike out on his own, start a little business. So at night he went to trade school, and he learned all about two of the things people in the Deep South use and depend on all the time, heating and air conditioning. He got certified in HVAC.
One Saturday he was out just trying to blow off a little steam. He'd planned to ride his bike out into the woods, maybe do a little hiking, and maybe even shoot his bow. He had no particular plan, he was just screwing around. That's when he'd seen it, the old house.
A guy was pounding the wooden "For Sale" sign next to a broken down front gate. He didn't think about it a lot. He pulled up, turned the bike off and asked the fellow, "How much?" The price sounded too good to be true.
"Why so cheap?"
The guy shrugged a shoulder, "We had ta move my grand folks ta my Mama's place. We need ta sell this one ta help Mama get by an pay the medical bills. Ya wanna have a look? It needs a lotta work."
"Yeah, I do wanna look." It was like once the old place was built no one ever changed a thing about it, it was a step back in time. Maybe that was the part he liked the best. It did need work but he didn't mind that part, it was a kind of work he liked doing. He liked that it was out away from town, he liked the peace and quiet. He'd come to feel he needed those things in his life. It seemed like his whole life he'd been living too fast and too loud.
The trading had started with the folks he bought the cabin from. He was able to pay off a lot of what he owed them by working on the Mama's place. Everything from handicap ramps and widened doorways, to a new furnace, a new roof and repairing an old Chevy. They'd spread the word that he could fix damn near anything, that his pricing was fair and if you didn't have the money he'd trade you.
He was good with all of that, he didn't need a lot of cash. He'd had plenty of cash when he and Merle were doing what they did, back when he was the man he used to be. Now he had a new way of being and he felt happy in his new life. He had his home and his business, he had a reputation not as a redneck asshole who liked nothing more than a good fight. Now he had the reputation of being a good man. A man who could be trusted and depended on. He liked the man he was now so much better than he'd ever liked the man he used to be.
Two of his best trades were his work truck and his Jeep. He'd gotten the truck when he redid the whole HVAC system at a car dealership just outside Atlanta. The guy had traded him the lightly used truck for his labor. They'd both walked away happy with what they got.
The Jeep had belonged to Mrs. Heywood, actually it had belonged to her husband. When Mr. Heywood passed she had no idea what to do with it. But she'd heard about Daryl and she traded him the labor to repair her roof, porch and gate for the car.
It turned out that car was going to be something he needed in the next phase of his new life.
Just three months after he turned 27 years old; on a Friday night in the early spring of the year, Timmy had come to be with him. He'd suddenly become a Daddy to a two week old baby boy.
He had no idea what to do or how to do it. All he knew for sure was this sweet little baby would not know the same life he had known. This child would know love and he would know right from wrong. He'd teach this boy everything he could about how to be a good man. And he'd protect this little person from anything or anybody who ever thought to hurt him. Timmy was his little boy, his son. That little boy quickly became his life.
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She lay there in Timmy's bed tired and ready for sleep, but unable to sleep. She couldn't seem to think about anything but Daryl. She couldn't believe she'd hugged him. She'd only been thinking how much she'd like to, but she hadn't really planned to act on those thoughts. Suddenly it was as though she'd been compelled. It had been a little awkward because they were both a little unsure, a little hesitant. But she could tell, she could feel it, he'd liked that brief embrace every bit as much as she had.
His body was warm and strong and solid. Even just the small touch of his hand on her elbow and the feel of his chin resting on her head, it had sent a tingle right through her. She wished he would have kissed her, any kind of little kiss.
She thought he was interested but he seemed so reluctant to touch. It wasn't that she thought he hated to be touched, but more like he was shy or uncertain what to do next. She thought it kind of odd because obviously he'd had a woman, whether she was a wife, a girlfriend or a one night stand he'd had a child with someone.
She found herself hoping the weather report was wrong, that maybe the roads wouldn't clear. Maybe she'd have to stay a while longer. She'd like to stay a lot longer.
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She woke to the sounds of Daryl and Timmy in the hall. "I know ya don't wanna son, I don't wanna either at five in the mornin' but we gotta do this. We're both gonna be stinkin' n rashy if we don't." She could hear the little boy crying softly and Daryl telling him, "Daddy ain't mad at ya Shadow, not at all. Stuff like this happens, but we gotta get us an the bed cleaned up, k? Ya know Daddy loves ya, right?"
And she heard Timmy say, "Bef."
"Son, Beth can't come in the bathroom when Daddy's in there with ya, I'm sorry."
By the time he'd finished the sentence she was in her robe and slippers and in the hall with them. She saw the problem right away, Timmy's pajamas were wet and so was the side of his Daddy's sleep pants. She managed to think fast, "Timmy how about if I fold the magic washcloth for you and your Daddy can help you with it in the bathroom. Would that be okay?"
The small boy was rubbing his eye with his little fist, "K Bef."
"Alright let me do that really fast before you and Daddy freeze out here." He couldn't believe this woman and he was so grateful she was there. It had been a rough way to wake up after a rough night of very little sleep. She was definitely taking the edge off things for him.
"Okay here it is Timmy, you're ready now and everything is going to be fine. Daddy knows just what to do, okay?"
The little boy was sniffling when he said, "Yes Bef." And she didn't even think twice, she took his little face in her hands and smiled, "I'll make you breakfast while you get bathed and dressed. You'll see Timmy, it's going to be a good day."
Timmy's Daddy just watched her and he knew she was someone so special.
The first thing she did was hurry in his room and pull the bedding off the bed. She was happy to see he had a protective cover on the mattress. That saved the day. She'd walked by that closed door in the hallway a few times, this time she opened it. She was happy to discover it was a small mud and laundry room.
As she carried the soiled bedding down the hall she heard him tell Timmy, "Okay now ya do like Beth told ya Shadow, ya hold that magic washcloth over your eyes." It never failed to bring a smile to her face, the way the big rough man was so tender with the little boy.
She put the sheets in washer, washed her hands in the big utility sink, and went to the kitchen to start their breakfast.
She wasn't sure she knew exactly how to make coffee in that old percolator, she just hoped for the best. She looked around in the pantry cabinet and the fridge and decided on the leftover ham with some grits, eggs and biscuits. In the short time she'd been with them she'd learned they liked a hardy meal, especially at breakfast. Well at least Daryl did.
Just as everything was about ready they came walking in kitchen, all cleaned up and looking much happier than they had. "Everythin' looks an smells real good, but Beth ya didn't let us help. "
"Well you were busy, and hold that thought about it being good until you taste the coffee. I've never made coffee in a percolator, in fact the only one I've ever seen was in a thrift store."
He smiled at her and a quiet laugh escaped him, "Yeah I know, I ain't one ta throw out sumthin' that still works just fine." Then he got a little serious, "I seen ya took the beddin' off, ya ain't gotta do that stuff Beth."
"It was nothing, I'm happy to help. I did find the washer and I put the sheets in, and yes I see you're still getting use out of that old relic of a machine too."
He laughed again, "Yeah I know it's an old one, but it come with the place an it still washes just fine."
He got a more serious look as he lightly touched her upper arm with an open hand, "Thanks Beth, I appreciate it. He ain't done that in long time, caught us both by surprise. Now what can I do ta help ya?"
She softly smiled at him, "You can eat and then you two can do the dishes while I get a bath."
"Ya got ya a deal. Ain't that right Shadow?" The little boy answered, "Yes Daddy." And now Daryl looked at her and shrugged, "Timmy's my 'yes' man."
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After her bath she walked in the living room and the sight of them almost made her laugh out loud. They had the blocks stacked and they were both lying on the floor on their tummies, about four feet away from the stack. They were taking turns with the little crossbow trying to shoot the blocks over. It was hard to know which of them was having the most fun.
She walked to the window and looked out at all the snow, it was so peaceful. She turned to them, "The wind isn't blowing anymore, we should build a snowman."
Daryl jumped right up, "C'mon Timmy, let's get this cleaned up so can get outside n play. We got a snowman ta build."
They got the carrot from the fridge, a well-worn cap from the mud room, and from his rag basket an old towel for the scarf, "Ain't got any coal but I can find some rocks that oughta work."
They all bundled up and they were out the door. She couldn't remember ever having more fun trying to build a snowman. Daryl and Timmy were taking it so seriously, determined they would have the best snowman anyone had ever built. They found rocks for the eyes, mouth and the buttons, and their snowman really did look pretty darn perfect.
It was Beth who started it. She wasn't sure what had come over her. But while he was busy helping Timmy put those rock "buttons" on the snowman, she'd made herself a little arsenal of snowballs. The minute Daryl stood up straight she took aim, and her aim was true. She'd caught him right in the chest and completely by surprise. He laughed then tried to sound tough, "Ya want war do ya? Well ya got it!"
They were throwing snowballs at each other, and tiny soft ones at Timmy, and Timmy was just picking up handfuls of snow and trying to hit them with it.
She got Daryl square in the face with a good one, and he yelled, "That's it, you're done girl!" He'd run to her and grabbed her, so that his arms were around hers and she couldn't move. They lost their balance and tumbled into the soft snow. They were rolling around having their own little wrestling match and laughing real hard. Suddenly she was on her back and he was above her, and they stopped laughing as he looked deeply into her eyes. His gloved hand slowly went to her face, lightly brushing away the snow. "Ya okay? I didn't hurt ya did I?" He was taking in every bit of her pretty face.
She didn't speak, she didn't know if she could. She just shook her head "no" as she looked just as deeply into his eyes.
He wanted to kiss her so badly and she wanted to be kissed just as much. But they were both still so unsure of each other and what they were supposed to do next. And Timmy was there and so what they settled for was that long hard stare.
They were having those thoughts when Timmy threw himself into the pile. They all rolled in the snow together laughing, and getting out all the energy they seemed to have stored up while being stuck inside for two days. And for Daryl and Beth it helped to relieve just a little of that special kind of tension that was building between them.
They went in the back door and took their wet clothes off in the mudroom, still laughing about the fun they'd had. "Here I's thinkin' ya was a real nice gal Beth, I had no idea ya had a violent streak in ya."
She looked at him with a decidedly serious expression, "There's quite a bit you don't know about me Mister Dixon." Again they looked hard in each-other's eyes.
While he was getting Timmy's coat, hat, boots and gloves off she put the sheets in the dryer and the blanket in the wash. Casually mentioning, "When I was looking in the pantry for the grits I came across a real pretty jar, all decorated. The tag said 'Merry Christmas Daryl, Love from Karen.' It's hot cocoa mix, do you think it would be fun if we all had some, you know, to warm up?"
Even as lame as he thought he was about women he knew what she was really asking, and he wanted her to know the answer. "Yeah that sounds real good, Timmy would love that. Karen's a real nice lady. She lives in town with her man, Tyrese. I just built a shed for 'em."
"Oh. Okay good then. I'll go make the cocoa."
As they sat at the kitchen table sipping their nice warm drinks she mentioned, "Another thing I saw in your pantry was molasses. If you like we could make molasses cookies."
"You're just full a good ideas Beth, them are one my favorites. Ya think we got time before Timmy's nap?"
"I think we should wait until after Timmy naps, we don't want to rush or mess up his schedule. Besides I have to try and remember the recipe, it's been a while since I've made them."
"We could google it." She looked at him, curious and he shrugged, "Told ya we ain't completely backwards out here, I got a laptop."
"I didn't think for a minute you were backwards Daryl."
He smiled that crooked little half smile of his, it was something she was sure she would never tire of seeing. "C'mon, I'll show ya." She liked the way he very lightly put his hand on her low back, as though he was gently guiding her toward the desk. The gesture felt both protective and affectionate.
He rolled open the top of the old desk and it made her smile, it was his mini technology center. There was a laptop, a small printer and a cell phone charger.
He started the laptop, and his hand rested lightly on her shoulder as he told her, "I got WiFi with the satellite an it's usually pretty good." He flipped the printer on, "Ya can print out the recipe if ya wanna. I still got paper, we didn't use it all makin' snowflakes." He smiled at his small joke.
"While you're doin' that I'ma get the sheets outta the dryer and the blanket in, then I'ma go get Timmy his lunch, what can I get ya?"
"I still feel full from breakfast, maybe I'll hold off until dinner. And if we bake cookies I'm going to have to try one. I think its cookie baking rule number 101."
"Sounds right ta me. I'll go see ta Timmy."
She found a recipe she thought was nearly the same as her grandma's and had just printed it out when they came in from the kitchen. "Alright Timmy ya get a little treat, ya get ta watch a cartoon while Daddy puts the sheets back on the bed."
When he had the show on for Timmy she volunteered, "Let me help you, it goes so much faster with two."
"Ya don't gotta Beth."
"I know I don't but I want to help."
And it did go faster and he really did appreciate the help, and as they worked from somewhere he got the words to tell her what he felt, "You're a real nice lady Beth. I appreciate everythin' ya done here. Ya been so good ta us."
"I was thinking it was you who'd been real good to me. I've enjoyed this time with you and Timmy very much." Neither of them seemed to know what to say after that, they just went back to their work.
Back in the living room he told the little boy, "Alright c'mon now Shadow, after ya have ya a little rest we get ta make cookies, ain't that right Beth?"
"It sure is and I can't wait." And she couldn't believe when the little boy walked over and put his arms around her leg in a kind of hug, "Bef." She bent down picking him up and she held him to her for a minute, "You have a good rest now Timmy I'll see you very soon, and we'll have more fun." She gave him a kiss on the cheek, and all the while his Daddy looked on amazed by the love and kindness she showed his child. Maybe even more than that he was surprised by how attached his son had become to this woman.
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After his nap, when Timmy's Daddy had loved him fully awake, they all went in the kitchen to bake their cookies.
Again they watched so closely and she followed Daryl's style, explaining step by step everything she did. She was happy to have Daryl's help stirring that stiff cookie dough. She let Timmy hold the fork and she held her hand around his tiny one, guiding him as he made little crosshatch patterns on the dropped dough. She looked at the little guy, "You did that just perfectly, I know for sure now these cookies are going to be delicious. I can hardly wait to taste one." He looked so proud of himself.
Daryl put the cookie sheet in the oven and spoke to her in a low voice, "Thanks again for treatin' my boy so nice, an me too."
"Well Daryl it's what people do when they care about someone, I care about both of you very much." They each turned a little pink and it wasn't from the heat of the oven. But she didn't regret saying it at all, she wanted to let him know how she felt.
He was having trouble believing what he'd heard her say was real. He'd never had a woman say she cared for him and mean it. Not just saying it because she was drunk in some bar with him and planning to give herself up for the night. Beth, wasn't that kind of woman at all.
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That evening after dinner they all sat to watch a little TV before Timmy went to bed. Daryl sat next to Timmy on the couch just like he always did. Beth didn't sit in the chair like she'd been doing. She sat on the couch too, on the other side of Timmy. His Daddy told him, "Ya get ta watch a little extra tonight Shadow, ya had a bath this mornin' an I ain't gonna make ya take another. But I'ma pick the show, k?"
"Yes Daddy."
He put on a program called Nature: The Animals of Winter. There were penguins, polar beers and bison and she was surprised how much she and Timmy both enjoyed it. But what she enjoyed even more was the three of them sitting together on the couch, Daryl with his arm around Timmy and every once in the while looking over at her and smiling.
She followed them to the bathroom and waited in the hall while Timmy brushed his teeth and went potty, and then she followed them in the bedroom. She didn't wait in the doorway, she went right in and stood by the bed next to Daryl. He tucked the little boy in, bent down and kissed him telling him like he did every night, to have good dreams and remember that his Daddy loves him.
And just like the night before the child held his arms out to Beth, she bent down and hugged him close, "Goodnight sweet Timmy, you're the best little boy ever. You sleep tight now."
She and Daryl sat on the sofa and he asked, "Anything special ya wanna watch?" He was exhausted from his nearly sleepless night. When he'd finally fallen into a deep sleep Timmy had his accident and the day started early and a little dramatically.
"I'm sure whatever you pick will be just fine with me." She was so tired she really didn't care anyway.
He put on another nature show, a BBC program about the world's oceans. It wasn't long before Daryl and Beth were both asleep on the couch.
He woke up disoriented. Then he felt it, that weight on his arm and shoulder. He knew right away what it was. Without moving he looked down and saw the blond hair spread across his chest. He felt the warmth of her and smelled her delicate natural fragrance. He wasn't typically an impulsive man, but this night was different. His arm tightened around her, gently pulling her closer into his side. His other hand went to her hair and he softly ran his fingers through the blond curls. He bent down and kissed her forehead and she let out a soft sigh. He knew he should wake her, they should go to bed. But first he was going to enjoy having her in his arms for just a few more minutes.
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A/N I hope you've enjoyed reading this weeks' chapter. Please leave a comment or review. Thank you so much! x gneebee
The chapter photo is posted on my tumblr blog bethylmethbrick, they make such a good looking pair. Again I thank you all so much and I hope to see you next Wednesday for another chapter of One Cold Night. If you have a chance please check my other current Bethyl, Trouble in Mind. And as always, remember I love ya Large! xo gneebee