I'm sorry about the delay in posting. I've had both health issues and computer issues.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
– – –
"Here you go." Carol handed Daryl his leather angel wing vest. "I meant to bring it to school with me, but I was in a rush this morning."
"Thanks." He folded it over his arm, his eyes on the sonogram in his hand.
Carol moved onto her bed, Daryl was anxious about sitting beside her, and she laughed. He knew he was being ridiculous. He had already gotten her pregnant, and there were three adults upstairs. He also had no interest in her like that. He couldn't. It'd be too complicated. She had a date with his coworker, so yeah. Complicated.
"You can come to the next appointment. Mom will probably be there, but she likes you. It'll be okay."
"Yeah, I'll try and make it. I might have to work."
"Couldn't you schedule off?"
"I'm gonna need that money to buy diapers and wipes and cloths for our son," he reminded her. "Not to mention medicine and stuff when he gets sick."
"I wasn't thinking about that."
"You don't have a job, do you?"
"No."
"Well, you'll need to get one. You know that, right?"
"I was filling out job applications." She pointed to her laptop. "I had filled out four, so I played the recording Harlan gave me."
"That's good."
"I can't let my mom and dad support me and my baby. I have to step up. Dad or Merle or whoever was right about us making this bed. I have to lie in it. It's my job to take of this baby."
"Our job."
She smiled. "Our job."
"I'll be there for him. Before he's born and after. I won't let him down. Or you."
"I appreciate that."
"It's what a dad does."
"It was a compliment, not an attack. I don't assume you'll be a lazy father. I just assume we'll struggle through this."
"I don't know how to do much, but I can learn."
"You can start learning tomorrow." Karen was on the steps. "It's one-thirty, it's a school night, and Merle's about to pass out in our armchair."
"It's that late?" He checked his phone. "Sorry. We'll get outta your hair."
"If it were a weekend, I'd let you crash here, but it's not. Sorry."
"Really? I could stay over on the weekend?" He watched her stammer and attempt to backtrack out of statement. "When the baby's born, I mean."
"Oh. You're keeping the baby?"
Carol nodded. "Yes."
"We'll talk about it in the morning, okay? I'm exhausted, and you look exhausted."
"I'm fine, Mom."
"No, you're not. You're tired. Get some rest. You need plenty of rest." She smiled at Daryl. "It was nice to have you over. Have a safe trip home, okay?"
"Yeah. Thanks for invitin' us over and for tellin' me."
"You deserved to know."
He smiled a little and padded up the stairs to get his brother and go home, Karen stumbled over to Carol's bed and plopped down, and Carol poked her.
"You okay?"
"I'm so tired. Could I sleep with you?" She peered over at her. "I don't drool or snore, and I can't carry myself back up those steps."
"Sure." She removed her cardigan and tossed it at her desk chair, slipping under the covers. "Good night, Mom."
"Good night, sweetie."
"Good night," Carol whispered to the baby. Her son. She smiled and flicked the light off.
– – –
"Carol." Andrea embraced her when she saw her, Lori and Karen entering the school. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Because you dropped like a sack in gym yesterday." She held her at arm's length. "You didn't answer your phone when I called."
"Well, we had a hectic day yesterday." Carol glanced at her mom.
"My classroom is open if you want to talk there. I have to stop by the teacher's lounge anyway." She waved goodbye to the girls and sauntered down the hall.
"Your mom's awfully dressy." Michonne commented on Karen wearing a fitting dress. "She looks good."
"Doesn't she always?" Lori shifted her weight and spotted Rick. "Uh, I have to go. I'll catch up with you guys later."
Carol frowned a little.
"So, what happened?" Andrea studied her. "Are you okay?"
"Let's go to my mom's classroom. I'm gonna grab some french toast on the way, because it smells really good."
"Sure."
Michonne and Carol went through the line and got French toast and syrup, slipping out to Karen's empty classroom, and they sat down in the back cluster of desks. Carol dug into her French toast sticks, Michonne and Andrea were eager to learn why she had fainted and if she was okay, and they weren't sure they could wait for her to finish eating. She did seem to be enjoying it, so they would wait. They would just worry themselves into a near-death experience.
"So?" Michonne dunked a stick in syrup.
"Well, I think I should start with the end of school bash Tobin threw." She folded her arms on the desk. "A lot happened that night."
"Yeah, trust me, I know." Andrea mentally kicked herself. "I was so hungover. My dad grounded me for most of the summer."
"That's why I stuck to water." Michonne smirked. "Plus my mom lets me drink at home. Well, she lets me take sips out of her cups and stuff."
"We get it. You have a cool mom." Andrea playfully rolled her eyes at her.
"Guys." Carol looked from Andrea to Michonne. "Could I finish talking, please? It's kind of important, not that yours isn't. I just...really need you guys. Now more than ever. I can't lose you two."
"You won't." Michonne felt the worry that had settled in her gut swell, and she set a hand on Carol's arm. "No matter what you tell us, we're here for you."
"Don't even think that." Andrea locked eyes with her. "We're with you. You're stuck with us."
"Good." She gripped Michonne's hand and smiled. "Because I had sex that night."
"What?" they exclaimed.
She nodded. "Yeah."
"Oh, my God." Andrea stared, her jaw on the floor. "You had sex? Actual sex?"
"I was a little buzzed, so the little voice telling me to stop was a whisper. I wanted to go further, and it just happened." She bit her bottom lip.
"I think I'm having a stroke." Michonne hadn't blinked in about two minutes. "You...had sex? Before us? At Tobin's party?"
"Yeah." She nodded.
"Did you use a condom? Or did you contract something? Is that why you fainted?" Michonne's heart began to race. "Oh, God, Carol."
"What? No. No, I don't have an STD. I'm clean."
"Then why are you telling us?" Andrea tilted her head. "I mean, I'm glad you did. We tell each other everything, but...why did you wait so long? And what does this have to do...with...you...fainting?"
Carol lowered her eyes.
"Carol." Michonne tightened her grip on her. "It's not...that, right? I mean, you did use a condom, right?"
"I don't know if we used one or not, but it broke or...we didn't, and it is. I am." She inhaled. "Five months in October. Er, next week."
"But you had your period. Unless you lied to me." Michonne frowned.
"No, I didn't. It was...some type of discharge. Harlan said it wasn't anything to worry about it."
"But you're actually pregnant? Five months pregnant?" Andrea was whispering.
"I have a picture of the baby." She pulled it out of her purse and showed them. "It's a boy."
"A boy?" Michonne accepted the sonogram of her best friend's baby. "Wow, he's big."
"How are you not showing?" Andrea looked at Carol's belly.
"The doctor says I'm carrying him high, but he'll drop. I don't know when, though." She set her hand on her lower belly. "You should hear the heartbeat. It was amazing."
"I'll bet." Michonne handed the sonogram to Andrea. "Who's the father?"
"Umm...Daryl Dixon."
"Okay. I need air." Andrea shoot up and walked over to the window, prying it open and sucking it in. She gathered her hair up off her neck and closed her eyes.
Carol hugged herself. "Am I overwhelming you guys?"
"No," Michonne said at the same time Andrea choked out, "A little."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. I'm sixteen. I didn't plan on getting pregnant."
"No one plans on getting pregnant at sixteen." Michonne wrapped an arm around her. "I'm here for you, Carol. I know a few things about babies too, so I can help you with him."
Carol smiled. "Thank you."
"I'm going to be aunt. I don't even have any gum."
Carol laughed. "You have time."
"That's true."
Andrea looked over at Michonne and Carol, still trying to pull air down to the lowest reaches of her lungs to calm herself, and she felt confused. Confused and terrified. This was the type of thing that happened on TV or to really popular students. This wasn't the type of thing that happened to people like Carol, to them. She didn't understand how this was happening, but she knew didn't how she felt about this. Negatively, she could make that much out, but she wasn't sure why.
"I have to use the bathroom. I'll be right back." Carol tossed her breakfast on her way out.
"You all right there?" Michonne joined her girlfriend.
"Our best friend is pregnant." She glanced at her. "Five months pregnant. That's, like, halfway through her pregnancy."
"Yeah."
"How is she going to handle a baby? How are we going to handle being friends with her? I mean, she'll have the baby with her whenever we hang out. We'll be friends with a teenage mother. Like...how even did this happen?"
"She's pregnant, not dying. She'll be fine. She'll get a job. She'll take care of the baby and support it. Daryl will help out. There's no way Axel won't force him to help. The baby will be with Daryl some days too. We can hang out just us girls now and then, but we do need to accept that sometimes Carol will have her son with her."
"Jesus Christ."
"I think you're more panicked than Carol. And why is that? Are you ashamed to know a pregnant sixteen-year-old?"
"No. No, I'm not ashamed of Carol. I love Carol. I just...feel...very ehhh. I don't even have a word for it. It's not shame. Or disgust. I love her. I'm...shaken?"
"That's okay." She pulled Andrea's hand down from her hair and held it. "I'm shaken too, but Carol needs our support right now. I don't know how she'll get through it, but I'll be there to ensure she gets through it okay. I'm going to stand by her, because I love her, and I love the baby too. It's a part of her, so I have to love him."
Andrea smiled faintly. "You're amazing, you know that?"
"Not really. Tell me about it."
"I could just show you." She leaned over and kissed her.
"Not what I lent you my classroom for." Karen entered, holding the door open for Tyreese. "No PDA."
"Sorry." Andrea blushed. "Hey, Ty."
He smiled. "How are you?"
"I'm okay for now. Your sister is brutal, so I don't know how much longer I'll be okay."
He nodded. "She oughta ease off. She won't want to overexert herself or Carol."
"Good, because I don't know if I can handle all those laps when it gets cold. My blood doesn't warm me up fast enough."
"Why wouldn't she want to overexert herself?" Michonne inquired, studying the French teacher. "Is she pregnant too?"
He nodded. "Yeah, about three months, I believe."
"Great. Who isn't pregnant?" Andrea mumbled.
"No one in this room," Karen replied. "Do you have a problem with Carol being pregnant?"
"Well, don't you?" She met Karen's eyes. "I love Carol. I don't think less of her. She's my best friend, but her mom... What if it happens to her too? What if...what if this baby takes away...someone who is like a second sister to me? What then?"
"She's much stronger than her mother. Her body, her mind, her...immune system. She's a strong young woman. I've no doubt she'll be just fine when this is all over. She'll give birth to a healthy baby boy, and it'll be okay. You have no reason to worry."
"But I am worried!" Andrea snapped, tears forming in her gray eyes. "You knew her mom. She was so sick in all the home videos Axel took of her. She was pale and—and small. She was fragile. She could hardly hold Carol."
"Andrea." Michonne tried to comfort her, but Andrea stepped forward.
"I can't bear to watch that happen to her. I can't lose my best friend."
"And you won't." Carol stood in the doorway to the classroom. "Of all the things you have to worry about, Andrea, that isn't one of them. I'm not going anywhere."
"How do you know that?"
"I take after my dad. Have you seen me? Pale and ginger?" She smiled, and Andrea almost returned it. "I'll be fine. I'm not my mom. Just like you're not your mom, Michonne's not her mom, and Lori definitely isn't hers."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Of course I am."
Andrea crossed over to her and hugged her. "I'm holding you to that."
She laughed. "I'll come through."
"You'd better."
– – –
First period was different than usual. They were in the classroom when it was a gym day, Sasha put on an educational movie about why it's super important to be fit and eat right for them to watch while she snacked on fruit and cheese cubes. They moved their desks around to get comfortable, Andrea and Michonne pushed them right beside each other, Michonne moved Carol's so she was trapping Michonne but right up in their grill too, and Carol smiled at the effort.
"I could go for some popcorn." Andrea stared at the screen, about as thrilled as one can be while learning it was best to wait half an hour after eating before exercising. "Extra butter with a large blue slushie."
"Milk duds." Michonne stretched her legs out onto the desk in front of her. "And M & M's."
"Rolos." Carol propped her chin on her knuckles. "Ooh, and some Cheetos."
"Surprisingly normal for someone who's..." Andrea dropped off.
Carol smiled thoughtfully. "It's okay to say it. People will find out anyway."
"You should tell the ones who matter." Michonne nodded to Caesar who was with Shane at the front of the class. "He deserves to know."
"I know he does, and I intend to tell him. Soon."
"It's gonna be today, right? Because the game's tonight." Andrea peeked over her girlfriend at Carol. "I think should know he's taking two out to eat."
"I'll tell him, okay? Just let me figure out how." She slumped in her chair. He was her big crush last year, but she knew it would never happen. She was a speck on the radar, and he was the tower right smack in the middle of it, tossing out waves. She kind of broke her own heart over him, but it turned out he did like her. Or he liked how she looked in a bikini... She shook her head. No, he did like her. He seemed to really like her. He was a nice guy. He wouldn't look at her for just that. Right? That wasn't why he'd asked her out...was it?
She peered over at him. He was a guy. Teenage boys only seemed to want that one thing, which Daryl made clear. He didn't even like her anymore. He just...slept with her and turned into this massive asshole. He did improve last night, but was that for her sake or his son's? She couldn't honestly say. He'd been so cold to her after they'd had sex. Yes, she left, but how could she stay? It wasn't her home. It wasn't her bed. He wasn't her boyfriend or friend. She had no reason to stay, and he had no reason to expect her to stay and wake up next to him. Honestly, the only time they'd ever even spoken was that night. They had that one class together, but that was it. There was nothing special about their conversation. No...sparks, just nerves. She was a human nerve...and wait, what the hell was her point? She was rambling off.
Oh, right, Caesar and sex. She had no proof he wanted to just have sex with her and bounce. She had no proof he was that type of guy, an asshole. He was super sweet to everyone, and he stood up for her when that video came out. Okay, it wasn't exactly her. It was all the people in the video. He told people not to believe everything they saw, and he refused to even watch it according to Shane. He also got into a verbal fight with someone over it. There were a lot of girls in it, so maybe a close friend or girlfriend at the time had been caught on there. Or perhaps a guy friend. He had a lot of friends so it could be any of those reasons.
And that didn't mean he wanted her for just sex. He could actually like her. She had no reason to believe he didn't. Sure, they had never spoken to each other before. Sure, he was on the football team and popular and was older while she was practically a nobody with the same best friends since elementary school. Sure, he had asked her out while she was flaunting off her body in Mom's cute but revealing swim suit, but that didn't mean he wanted sex. That didn't mean he couldn't want to get to know her and be...more with her, be serious. That didn't mean she wasn't the type of girl guys actually liked and didn't want to just fuck and be done with...
She lowered her eyes to the floor, misery seeping into her heart like water that sank a boat, and she set a hand on her stomach. Or maybe she was the girl guys just fucked and moved on from. Maybe she wasn't worth getting to know. She was just some...fun thing to do while the real thing had yet to come. She was the magazine in a waiting room and people like Paula and Lori were the whole reason they were even there. They were the main event, the ones guys stuck around for, the ones they would be vulnerable with and love and marry. They were the ones, and she was the...play thing. A poor outlook to have a sixteen, but hey, what the hell else was there for her to think? After all the first guy to show interest was no prince. He only wanted his vest back after all.
"Hey, you okay?" Michonne touched her arm.
"Yeah, it's an eyelash." She stood up and asked Sasha if she could use the bathroom.
"Sure, take the pass." Sasha couldn't see the tears in Carol's eyes in the poor lighting.
Carol slipped out and headed to the bathroom, but she didn't quite make it before the sound of quick feet hitting the floor caught up to her. She stopped walking and heard panting then boots walking towards her. She rubbed her eye and turned to find Daryl standing there. She lowered her hand and blinked.
"Hey, you okay?" He studied her. "Are you hungry? Thirsty? I have some money. I can get you somethin' from the snack machines. Or I know the lunch ladies, so I can get you somethin' from back there too."
She blinked again.
"I...uh, read that women—er, the mom gets emotional over little things—not that I know what it's about—but if I can help, I'm here. Uh, I even brought some snacks for you. Well, I'm gonna bring you some. I didn't wake up early enough to stop by the store, but I will stop by on my way home tonight. Do you like fruit? What kind do you like best? I just wanna know."
"What?"
"I don't wanna buy you strawberries then find out you're allergic or hate 'em. I ain't too big on fruit to begin with, so it'd go to waste. Though my brother eats anything. He ate a sponge once when he was high."
She laughed. "A sponge?"
"And a tube of toothpaste."
"Gross." She giggled and covered her mouth, he ducked his head at her reaction and peeked at her. "Ah, that's so gross."
"He's gross."
She giggled again and shook her head. "Wait, wait, backtrack some. You read? What did you read?"
"Some articles online."
"When?"
"After we got home."
"Daryl, it was late when you left. How late were you up?" She studied him. "You need to sleep. Or I'll worry about you."
"I'm fine. I don't work tonight. I'll sleep when I get home, catch up." He shrugged. "It's fine."
"It's not, but...I can't make you do anything." She crossed her arms, the hall pass hitting her side at the motion, and she noticed he didn't have the other. "Did you just step out? Without asking?"
"I do it all the time."
"Daryl, you could get in trouble."
"You have the pass. Probably think we both had to go." He turned her around and pushed so she'd know to walk. "C'mon, we can't just stand here. We'll definitely get in trouble if we do."
She fell into step beside him. "You ditched just for me?"
"I wanted to know you were all right—and that movie was shit. I couldn't stomach another minute of it."
"It's both bad and really old." She nodded. "I could practically smell the poodle skirts that fell out of fashion probably weeks before the movie was made."
He snorted and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Yeah."
She inhaled deeply and wiped at the drying moisture under her eyes. "How'd you know I was upset?"
He didn't want to say he'd been watching her, so he went with another truth. "I sit in the back. I noticed you kinda slumped in your seat, and you weren't sleeping."
She nodded. "I see."
"Don't worry. Most people were on their phones or messin' around."
"That makes me feel a little better, I guess." She rubbed her arm. "Did Caesar see me slump?"
He averted his eyes. "Yeah, he was watchin' you."
She blushed. She said that out loud? "Oh."
"He's a good guy," Daryl continued. "Kind of a prick to work with, but he's all right."
"We have a date tonight."
"So, you're still goin'?"
"I guess."
"You guess? You hadn't thought about talking to him about our kid?"
"Of course not!" She stopped in her tracks. "Daryl, I can't tell him I'm pregnant yet."
"Why not? The whole school's gonna know you are." He reached out and tugged on her new shirt. "You're not exactly slimin' down."
She rolled her eyes. "I'm not a puff yet either."
"But soon, right? He'll see. The whole school will. You gotta tell him. He kinda has a right to know, and I want him to know. For fuck's sake, if he's gonna drive, I want him to be careful. That's my kid."
"You weren't too interested in your kid when I told you about him. I believe you even called bullshit on him even being yours!"
"I was in shock! What other reaction was I supposed to have?"
"I don't know! Okay? I don't. I just know you don't get to decide what I do or who I see. I may be pregnant, but that doesn't mean I'm yours or that I'm incapable of making my own decisions. We'll have a baby together, but we are not together."
"Ooh, and the plot thickens."
Carol turned to see Paula standing a few feet away from them with a smirk on her lips and the other hall pass in her fingers. She scoffed at her luck and wanted to storm away from both of them. God, what the hell was next? A mass Carol and Daryl are pregnant text? It probably would be. Now that she'd had that thought, it so would be.
"Not such a good girl now, are we?" She chuckled. "Not good or safe or smart as she tries to seem."
"Fuck off, Paula." Daryl spat. "This is an A and B conversation."
"Oh, sweetie, this isn't a conversation. It's a fight between Mommy and Daddy." She sucked in a deep, satisfying breath. "See, this is how you separate the girls from the women, Daryl. I'm smart enough to use protection. She was only smart enough to open her legs."
Carol didn't expect that to hurt as much as it did, and she felt cold from shame. She wanted to crawl under a bench and die.
"Watch your mouth," Daryl hissed.
"Aww, I see your crush is flaring up. How adorable. I guess after months of no sex after months of constant sex made you lose your mind and fuck the first pair of tits you saw. Poor you. Now you're stuck to...it for life. Too late to abort?"
"Go to hell," Carol ground out, tears in her eyes.
"I already have a seat reserved there, but thanks for the reminder." She rolled her eyes. "God, you're such a baby. You cry at everything. I bet you cried after he fucked you. Because that's all it was. It was just release, not sweet, lovemaking that you've wanted since you were—what? Fourteen? Fifteen?"
She opened her mouth to retort, but nothing came out.
"What was that? I didn't quite catch that." She held her hand to her ear. "Speak up."
"You can back the hell off right now." Daryl grasped Carol's hand. "You're just pissed that I rejected you, and that is school actually has an attractive and intelligent redhead now. Fuck off." He pulled Carol away, leaving Paula fuming behind them. He guided her to the library, tossing a nod to Zeke to let him know they'd be in the back—which was a small room behind the book room. It was filled with nothing but junk. A small desk, an old chair, musty blankets and no light. It was Daryl's study hole. He came here during his free period last year, and he came here after school until it closed when he didn't have to work. He couldn't study at home. Too many drinks, too many drugs and too much noise. He didn't need the temptation or the distractions.
He sat her down on the chair and flicked the small lamp he'd bought last year on. "Don't listen to her. She's a jealous bitch."
"She's right, though." She snuffled. "Paula's absolutely right about me."
"Those words should never come out of anyone's mouth."
"I didn't even think about condoms. I just...followed my hormones."
"I didn't think about it either. If you were stupid to just open you legs then so was I. I knew better, but I didn't stop."
"But you've had sex before. Is it always like that? Or did you...really just...want me?" she whispered.
He sat on the desk and sighed. "I really wanted you." There was no point in lying. "You... Shit, you were...yeah."
She swallowed. "What does that even mean?"
"It means I couldn't stop myself. You wanted me, and it just...drove me on. I wanted to feel you...all of you, and I didn't want to stop. I had to will myself to get you upstairs."
"You did?"
"Yeah." He blushed somewhat. "I wanted to...be inside you, to feel you around me like that, and shit, it was intense."
"Yeah." She ducked her head.
"You were so small," he commented. "I was scared I'd hurt you. Proved me wrong."
She blushed. "I'm sorry."
He smirked. "I'm not."
She pressed her legs together and knotted her fingers, remembering that night plain as day. "It was nice," she admitted. "More than nice."
"Yeah."
"I had no idea what the hell I was doing. I was so nervous." She sighed. "You made me feel so...much, and then I wasn't nervous. I was...I dunno. Pleasured?"
He snorted. "Pleasured?"
"What?" She lifted her head. "I dunno what word to use."
"I've never done it without a condom," he confessed, "and...feelin' you raw like that... That made it intense for me. It actually was great for me. I mean, it'd been a long while, but I've never...connected like that before."
"What do you mean?"
He swallowed and cleared his throat. "You know."
"No, I don't. That's why I asked."
"We just...synced up real quick is all."
"I just followed your lead." She smiled softly to herself. She liked how he said her name when she matched his pace. It was...sexy. He was sexy. Er, that night. She dared a glance at him and felt embarrassed. "Um...we should get back to class."
"Yeah."
She wasn't sure who flew out of that room first, but she did know there was a ten foot space between them on the walk back to class. She wasn't sure what the hell their relationship was but damn. That night was definitely intense and very fresh in both of their minds. That made possibly dating Caesar...complex. Very complex.
– – –
Carol scanned the halls while Lori dug out her books from her locker, Michonne had gone to dance practice, and Andrea was sitting on the floor, texting her sister. Lori was going home to change for the game, but she didn't know what Carol was doing. They were supposed to meet Mom outside, but Carol's attention seemed to be elsewhere. It was really odd. She was trying to figure out how to ask her what was going on, especially considering the baby was fresh on the rumor mill. (Paula wasted no time.)
"You okay?" Lori closed her locker.
"Yeah. I'm just looking for Caesar." She turned to her sister. "I need to talk to him."
"Well, I don't know where he is, but I'm gonna head outside."
"I'll be there in a few minutes."
"Good luck." Lori offered a smile. "Whatever you decide, good luck."
"Thanks."
Lori headed down the hall, Andrea rose off the floor and said goodbye to Carol before trailing after Lori, and Carol blew out a sigh. She didn't know where to find him. She could try the locker room, but she didn't want to go down there if she was wrong. It smelled like sweat and air freshener. She wasn't sure if she could handle it, especially with her ultra sensitive nose. God, she could still smell the funky ass "ribs" they served at lunch. She hoped the baby didn't want any of that, because she refused to put that in her body. Refused.
"Carol." Caesar parted with his friends and jogged over to her. "Hey, I was just looking for you."
"Me too." She glanced around. "Could we go somewhere a little more private?"
"Yeah. I can give you a ride home, if you want."
"A...ride home?"
He nodded. "I'm a good driver. Don't worry. My...dad's kinda overprotective, so I learned to drive the Granny way first. You can trust me."
"Okay. Let me just text my mom."
"Sure."
She sent her mom a quick text, she sent back that it was okay, and Carol left with him, feeling a bit anxious. Paula had really gotten her pregnancy rumor burning hot, and pretty much everyone was talking about it. People were staring at her all day, and she was tempted to hide in the bathroom at lunch. It was embarrassing and uncomfortable. It was true, but what gave them the right to gawk at her like she had something wrong with her. Sure, she was young to be pregnant, but it was a normal thing to be pregnant. Most people waited until marriage and job security, but still...normal.
"Here." He opened the door for her and tossed his backpack into the backseat.
"Oh, thanks." She sank into the passenger seat and set her purse on her lap.
He climbed inside and started the car, kicking on the heat. "So, what time should I pick you up tonight?"
"Umm...about that." She fiddled with the strap to her purse and avoided eye contact. "I don't think I can make it."
"Why not? Is everything okay?"
"Well, yes. Technically, everything is okay." She bit her bottom lip. "Look, Caesar—"
"It's because you're pregnant, right?"
She paled and nodded. "Yes."
"First time Paula wasn't lying," he muttered. "Huh. Think hell is frozen?"
She chuckled once. "Probably."
He leaned back. "So, who's the dad?"
"Daryl is."
"I didn't know you two were even together."
"We're not. It...happened after a one night stand. I don't usually do that. I mean, it was my first time. I'm not... I don't sleep around." She felt her cheeks burning. "It just sorta happened."
"You don't have to explain. It's okay." He rubbed his jaw. "First time I'll be the third wheel on a date."
"What?" Her brows furrowed.
"And to an unborn dude." He moistened his lips. "Well, I guess it's a first time for everything."
"What are you talking about? You'd still take me out? After I just told you I'm pregnant? By a different guy?"
"If you still want to go, I still want to take you." He smiled. "We can just be friends, and I've always wanted to be an uncle, which is hard when you're an only child."
"You're serious?"
"I'm dead ass serious." He straightened in his seat. "I asked you to the game and out for food, and I'll follow through. I'm just that type of guy. Besides I like you. I'd like to get to know you."
She returned his smile. "I like you too."
"So...is that a yes?"
She nodded. "Yeah, it's a yes."
He grinned. "Okay then." He buckled himself in.
She did the same and paused. "Wait. Wait a sec. How did you know it's a boy?"
He paused in backing up and smiled with guilt lacing every curve. "Okay, so I knew last night that you were pregnant."
"Last night?" she gaped. "How?"
He ran a hand through his hair. "Daryl came by the house last night to talk to my dad. He wanted to work more hours, said he had an...upcoming family matter and needed more money. He explained it when my dad pushed, and he said he would have a son he needed to support. He didn't give any names, but I kind of figured it was you. I was at that party. He...watched you, worked up the nerve to talk to you, so I pieced it together."
Her eyes burned. "Damn it."
He reached over and clasped her hand. "Don't cry. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Plenty of girls have gotten pregnant in high school. It's not the end of the world. You can still do all you wanted. Prom and graduation and school parties. You can have fun. You'll just be a mom who's at prom, who's graduating, who's at a party. You're not losing out, Carol. You're gaining."
"How can you see it that way?"
"I'm a glass is half full kind of guy." He squeezed her hand. "It'll be okay." He had to support his dad through a lot after his mom left, so he was used to playing this part. He wanted to. High school was hell, and it'd only get worse, because Paula wanted it to. He'd stand by Carol through this. Daryl might not consider him a friend, but Caesar definitely thought of Daryl as a friend. He'd treat Carol and his friend's son right. He always loved having new friends and new experiences, and if he could support Carol and make her smile when the world felt against her then...that was awesome. Having a friend meant more in the end than having a girlfriend. He was still...somewhat hung over his ex still, so it worked out. He didn't want to put Carol in a relationship while he was still getting over someone else.
Caesar made sure she was all right before he made to pull out, his eyes finding Daryl in the parking lot, studying the pair. He knew he would have some explaining to do, but for now he had to get Carol home and get ready for the game tonight. He would talk to Daryl at work tomorrow. He hoped Daryl knew him well enough to know he wasn't making a move on Carol now. They would be just friends. But judging by the glare Daryl had given him, he didn't know Caesar all that well, and he might kick his ass tomorrow at work. Joy.
––
"Wear something warm," Axel told the girls. "Like sweats, sweaters."
"I'm already dressed." Lori wore jeans with a turtle neck and tennis shoes. "Rick's bringing a blanket with the school symbol on it for us."
"What time are you coming home again?"
"About ten." Lori folded her arms. "The game is first then dinner. There'll be no sex, Dad. Scouts honor."
"That's not funny. And you weren't a scout."
She rolled her eyes. "Your constant questions aren't funny either. Rick has condoms, and that doesn't mean we're going to use them. We care about each other, but...that's a big step. We're willing to wait."
He nodded. "At least you're thinking ahead."
"Wow, that's not a kick in the teeth at all." Carol scoffed. "Thanks, Dad."
He didn't look at her. "Have a good time tonight, Lori. Be careful. It might rain."
"We have ponchos." Lori glanced at her sister, who looked deeply hurt by her father ignoring her. "And umbrellas."
There was a knock on the door, Rick was coming to pick up both Carol and Lori, because Caesar was playing. He was already dressing out and warming up or whatever the coach had them do, so Rick offered to be the driver. At least to the game. Once it was over, they would be head their separate ways. Lori wanted to just drive around with him and talk. She loved spending time with him, and she didn't want to be tempted. A few kisses here and there were okay, but she didn't want to go any further. She knew he would understand saying no, but she wasn't ready to be in that situation yet. He understood that too, especially given Carol's erm, situation.
Lori and Carol headed out, Axel wasn't in the mood to interrogate Rick, but he did a brief questioning. He liked the kid. It was good to know at least one of his daughters had decent taste in guys. He watched them pile into the car, Rick pulled out slowly, and he waited until the headlights faded around the first corner. He sighed and closed the door, hearing the second to last step creak.
Karen came off the steps in a tight-fitting sweater and jeans, and he found it funny she opted for her gray faux leather boots over her rain boots. She normally wore rain gear out the ass, so this was interesting. She looked good. Beautiful. He wondered how things were between them, but he pretty much knew there was still thin ice. It'd take more than his apology to heal the wounds he'd inflicted by saying Carol wasn't hers.
Karen slipped into her winter coat and checked for her knitted cap and gloves. She glanced at the clock and decided to head out. She wasn't fond of running concession, but it kept her out of the cold and out of having to watch the students watch the game. She hated babysitting all those students—and even their parents sometimes—so she would be glad to cozy up to the heater and slather hot dogs in ketchup and chips with nacho sauce. Tyreese would be good company. Or Sasha? She wasn't sure which one was in with her, but either way, she would be happy to have company for the slow times. Especially a pregnant woman. She could learn from Sasha to help with Carol. Maybe.
"You look nice," Axel commented.
"Thank you." She didn't look at him. "Did the girls dress appropriately? And by appropriate, I mean according to the weather."
"Yeah, sweaters and jeans."
"Have you spoken to Carol yet?" She cut a look at him.
"No."
"I figured." She sighed and walked over to the door, twisting the knob and pausing to say. "She's still your little girl, Axel. She's just not so little anymore. Nothing has to change."
"Our entire world is gonna change."
"But nothing has to change between the two of you." With that, she was gone.
He heaved a sigh himself and glanced at the pictures lining the bookshelf he had built years ago with his own father. Carol and Lori were inseparable from the time they met. Carol didn't like to sleep without Lori, and Lori always fussed if she was in the play pin without Carol. They were as thick as thieves, and he loved them both so much. He didn't know he could love so much after such heartache, but it happened. With each little giggle and pulling on his beard and his face. Lori was especially found of sitting on his face to wake him up when she was hungry, and he nearly suffocated about five times before he locked them out of his room after long work nights.
He found the picture of the girls in fifth grade. It was their first school Halloween party. They had all gone as witches—it was Michonne's idea—and they came by the house before leaving for the dance. They were each others date, and they were gone till about eight then Karen took them out for ice cream and to pick up some candy since they didn't go trick or treating, and they all came back here and crashed in the living room. They had to avoid limbs to carry the girls up to Carol and Lori's shared bedroom, and they stayed up to watch scary movies and eat the candy they'd bought for the girls. Karen passed out, so he carried her up to their room and let her sleep. He spent the night recording the events in a journal then went to bed himself.
He picked up the photo of Karen and the girls from their first pumpkin patch trip as a family. It'd been only three years since Angela had passed, and Karen had finally convinced him to come along, and he didn't regret it. It was a chilly day, but the sun was out. They had a blast. The girls found the perfect little pumpkins for themselves, Karen picked out three for them to carve—one for both girls, and one for the parents—and they had warm cider and hot chocolate. They went on a hay ride, and they filled up their camera with photos. And this was his favorite.
It was windy in the afternoon, Karen's hair was blown in her face too many times to count, and she really wanted a picture of her and the girls. Normally she just had the girls, because she didn't have someone to take the photos. She didn't want to interrupt the other families' fun, so she only got pictures of the girls, so she begged him for this photo. He caved, and just as he took the photo, this massive gust of wind and came without an equally massive pile of leaves that had been raked up and covered the girls. The pictures that followed were of laughter, and it made him smile and laugh. For the first time in three years, he experienced actual laughter. It was an important day for him, and Karen was so thrilled she cried, which lead to the girls dog piling her to make her feel better. And that was the photo he now held in his head. They were laughing and attacking Karen in hugs five-year-old hugs, and Karen laughed through her tears and hugged them both.
Angela never got to take photos like that. Carol was too young, and then Angela was too weak. That was part of Axel's worry. Carol was too young, and his heart was too weak to tolerate any more loss. He didn't want anything to happen to her or the baby. He loved his daughter more than anything in the entire world, so naturally he wanted to protect her. He just didn't know how. He only went off on the marriage tangent, because it's what he thought they should do. He didn't want his grandson to be a bastard. He didn't want Daryl to be able to run off. He didn't want that little jerk to miss out at the same time.
Carol was by every definition an accident. They weren't trying to get pregnant. They weren't trying to be adults. They were twenty-four, Angela was working and trying to figure out her major, and he was seeking opportunities for employment in his field. They were living life, building stability and careers, and then all of sudden Angela was sick all the time. Her health hadn't always been sparkling, but they knew something was wrong, and that something was Carol. This little round three month mass of pulsing life. This unexpected gift. Angela wasn't thrilled at first, knowing she'd miss work and classes, but Axel was shouting it from the rooftops. He was going to be a dad, and he was walking on sunshine. He was happy about for the both of them, and then suddenly, totally out of the blue, Angela was...pumped. She was elated to be having a baby, and she dropped out of school. She found a job with insurance, and she looked for a house. Axel didn't know then she was preparing them for what might happen after...
Well, back to the point. Axel had found such purpose and joy in being a father, and he wanted Daryl to experience that. He didn't like the kid. It wasn't a stretch to say he even hated him, but that feeling of holding your child...of seeing those big eyes on you...is indescribable, and he wanted Daryl to feel it. He wanted Daryl to look at his son and feel obligated to make every second of his life happy. To ensure he was safe and prepared and educated and was able to make and achieve his goals. He wanted Daryl to become a man when he saw his child, because there was no more fooling around. He had life in this world, and he couldn't squander his anymore. This child's life was far more important than anything else Daryl would have. Daryl just didn't know that yet.
Isolating his daughter was no way to help her, but he didn't know what to say. He never did. Angela did. Karen did. He just wasn't a word smith, and he had accepted that long ago, but right now his daughter was hurting, and this silence was only making it worse, so it was time he read over that journal. He'd written down so much over the years, and he had many copies, and every year on both her birthday and New Years, he read the contents of the journal to Angela's grave. He didn't want her to miss a single detail. It was how he kept her memory alive, and now perhaps it was how he mended the bond between him and his daughter.
He ran a hand through his hair. The future was undecided and mysterious, filled with surprises—obviously—so maybe the past could help. It was done and certain, so it couldn't hurt. And if it did, he'd just have to lay it all on the table and hoped Carol understood. He wasn't sure which would fail first, but third time was the charm. He had one more shot. He hoped. He'd been an ass for so long. He might want to buy or give her something to break the ice, and he had an idea on just what to get her.