Stained Glass
4.
Beth isn't sure why she likes Daryl so much. He's rude- sometimes, he teases her, he has an attitude, and not to mention she met him because he was squatting in her house. In fact Beth has every reason not to like Daryl Dixon. But for some reason, as she is walking into her house by herself, she realizes it's weird not having him standing next to her.
They had torn down the wall between the kitchen and the dining room and then the wall between the front room and the dining room. The house seems more open. Huge and airy and Beth thinks that as soon as they get the real windows in it will be even nicer.
She doesn't know why she came to the house today. She was going to stay home at her Dad's and just relax- maybe go out and apply for a real job. But she didn't. She had woken up, gotten dressed, and drove straight to her house without thinking about it.
It's not exactly ready to be in. She can't simply come to her house and sit on the couch and watch tv. But it felt like she needed to be there. To breathe in the stale air, to run her fingers over the stained glass windows on the second floor.
She has probably lost her mind. Honestly. What 22 year old would go out and buy a house on a whim? Especially one that doesn't have a job and is living off of the monthly checks from her Mother's savings account. Which just so happened to be in Beth's name and only Beth's name.
She wonders what her mom would think of her. Her sweet baby girl living off of someone else's money and only half trying to make a way for herself. Saying beth was even half trying was generous. The only big step she has taken since her mother's passing was buying this house.
Beth sighs deeply and looks around her. She knows every part of this house by heart. Every crack, every mark, every piece of plaster that is hanging off of the walls. Yet every time she looks at it she feels as if she is seeing it for the first time.
She drops her bag onto the dirty ground and sits, her legs crossed, next to it.
Sometimes she really wishes her mother was still around. To pull her into her arms and softly whisper words. That is what Beth wants. Just to see her mother again. To smell her perfume, to have her run her fingers through Beth's hair.
Beth closes her eyes. In her mind she can see it- the finished house. Light green paint on the walls, all of the windows thrown open- the warm Georgia air coming in.
The sound of the back door flying open and Maggie comes running in. Her smile wide and in her arms is a dark haired baby. The child cooes and reaches out to beth. From upstairs Beth's mom will appear. Carrying a basket of laundry. She will stop and place a kiss on the baby's check before smiling at her daughter.
Beth feels like she might cry. She opens her eyes and let's the illusion fall away.
A low rumble fills Beth's ears and she sits up in surprise. She sees the motorcycle come into view through the hole where her door should be.
Beth watches as Daryl gets off the bike and cuts the engine. He looks at her car before turning towards the house and heading inside.
Before he gets to the door he sees her. His face turning into a bit of s smile.
"Hey Beth," he says walking up the porch steps and through the door frame, "What are you doing here?"
Beth tilts her head, "What are you doing here?" She asks back.
Daryl smirks. He pulls a measuring tape out of his leather jacket and holds it up for her to see.
"Was gonna measure the door frame. My brother's girl has a door she's replacin' says its fallin' apart but it should be good to just have so the crits don't get in." He watches her closely as he returns the measuring tape to his pocket.
"What's going on with you?" He asks eyeing her cautiously.
Beth realizes that she must looks crazy- although she's sure that there isn't much more someone would need to think she's crazy- as she sits in the center of a half destroyed room with tears in her eyes. She rubs her face gently then stands. Her legs wobbly beneath her.
"I just..." She pauses, "I wanted to look at it and see it as it could be. You know? What it would be like."
Daryl nods knowingly. He steps up beside her and looks around the house.
"It's gonna be whatever you want it to be," he says softly, "I'm sure that it'll be a bright color paint on the walls, all of the windows open at all times." He looks down to Beth and gives her a small smirk.
"At least that's what I think of it looking like, with you livin' here at least."
Beth smiles softly up to him. "Would be amazing," she begins, "Warm wooden furniture, bright paint, yellow curtains. Maybe I'll get a piano, put it in the corner." She pauses and sadly stares into the space she had in mind.
"My mom played piano," she says, "she taught me. After she died..." Beth stops speaking and continues to stare ahead in silence.
Daryl's warm hand falls on to her shoulder and he clears his throat awkwardly.
"We'll get you a new piano," he says with certainty.
Beth turns to look up to him with wide blue eyes.
"We?"
Daryl shuffles uneasily at that. His hand leaves her shoulder and he shoves them into his pockets.
"Well you know... I'll keep my eye out for one," he says, his voice low.
Beth smiles wide, all of her sad thoughts forgotten. There was something about a man like Daryl Dixon being nervous that made her feel better.
"I'd like that," she says continuing to smile up at him like an idiot.
"Sorry," he says softly almost in a whisper, "'bout your mom."
Beth's smile falls and she nods up to him.
"It's okay," she whispers, "thank you... For everything."
He nods his head. One of his hands leaves his pocket to scratch at his lower lip.
"You wanna get out of here?" He asks nodding towards the door, "I gotta take measurements. But then.. I don't know we can get lunch or something. If you want."
Beth's smile returns full force.
"Id like that," she says. She bends over and picks up her bag.
She helps Daryl measure the door frame and then writes the numbers down on a notepad in her purse.
When they are finished and they are walking back to their cars daryl stops and turns to her.
"My mom died when I was little," he says gently, "I know it's tough. Just want you to know that I'm here if you need anything."
Beth smiles up to him. She steps forward and wraps her arms around his waist. She holds him tightly to her and waits as his arms slowly lift to wrap around her.
"Thank you," she says against his chest for the second time that day, "for everything."
It seems like the house isn't the only thing that Daryl Dixon is slowly fixing.
short chapter because finals are murdering my brain cells. sorry!