A/N Thanks for the love you guys, you're all just so gosh darn cool! It seems everyone is a little miffed at Mama and Daddy, and there seems to be a lot of support for our couple to run. We're picking up right where we left off, so grab your vanilla coke and let's see what happens next!
As he was leaving her hospital room he stopped, looked at her Daddy and calmly said, "I'm real sorry we couldn't just talk 'bout things Mr. Greene. I want ya ta know I do love Beth, I always will an I ain't ever gonna hurt her." He nodded his head to her Mama, "Ma'am."
Merle put an arm around his brother's shoulders and they walked down the hospital corridor.
As soon as Daryl walked out of her room Maggie hurried in, Abraham was in tow.
Mama and Daddy took this opportunity to take Shawn and Peggy to the cafeteria for lunch. They were leaving shortly to make the drive to see Peggy's folks. Then they had to get back to school.
Secretly Peggy couldn't wait to get the heck out of there, and she'd already made it clear to Shawn they'd be spending the following Thanksgiving with her family.
While everyone else was otherwise occupied Maggie took her chance to talk to her sister. "I'm so sorry Bethie, this has been so gosh darn terrible for you. I can't believe Mama and Daddy acted like that, they were so mean to Daryl. Heck they were mean to you, to Abraham and to me too. It wasn't right and someday I think they'll be sorry. Just promise me Beth, please don't hurt me by hurting yourself, please. And my baby Beth, my baby is going to need Auntie Beth."
And Abraham jumped in on that, "Never cause harm ta yourself little lady, especially if ya can cause it to someone else." He smiled and then got serious, "Really kid, there ain't no reason ta do that, there's always another way."
"Thanks you guys, I know it was wrong but I just couldn't stand the thought of being without Daryl and I did something without thinking it through. But now I know I won't ever be without Daryl again."
Maggie was confused, "How? How do you know that, what happened?"
"He asked me to marry him. Please don't tell Mama and Daddy."
"Oh I'm not telling them anything ever again. But how Bethie? How're you going to manage that when you're in Savannah and he's here?"
"When they take me to Aunt Virginia's you're going to let Daryl know I'm there and give him the address. He's coming for me Maggie. I'm almost 19 there's no reason Daryl and I can't get married."
Maggie put her hands to her mouth and gasped and just as quickly she reached for her sister. "Oh gee whiz Beth I think it's going to be just swell. You and Biker Boy are perfect for each other. There's no doubt he loves you and I know you love him."
"Abraham has to get back to base but I don't want to go back to Macon and leave you. But I'm not going to be staying at the farm Beth, I can't, not after the way Mama and Daddy talked to Abraham and to me. I'm staying in town at Kay's house. I'll be by to see you every day I promise. And as soon as we know when they're taking you I'm going right to Daryl with all the news.
"Do you want me to go to Ripley's first thing Monday morning, tell them you had a little accident but you'll be back to work in two weeks?"
"Oh yes please Maggie, I hope they don't fire me."
xxxx
Daryl followed his brother home and when they got to Merle's he told his brother and Cassandra what he'd asked Beth. "Well Little Brother that girl really is a Peach an I know ya love her. If that's what ya want and she wants it too, then I think it's real good."
Cassandra was a bit more excited, she was kind of gushing, why she even gave Daryl an awkward hug, "Oh that's wonderful Daryl, Beth is such a sweet girl I can tell by the way you two look at each other you're in love."
Then Merle added, "I'm a little worried about ya marryin' into that bunch though. Ya shoulda seen 'em Cassandra, that Daddy a hers is a mean bastard. I'da decked him myself if it wasn't for Peach."
All Daryl could do was nod, after all, from what he'd seen Big Brother was right.
xxxx
Mama and Maggie were constantly at her bedside which created a lot of tension.
It was a relief when Mama would go get coffee or something and Beth and Maggie could just talk.
Beth wanted to know all about Abraham and how in the world Maggie had met a soldier. Fort Benning was more than an hour's drive from Macon.
"It was a blind date. My roommate was dating a friend of his and she asked me to go on double date. At first I thought he was just awful, too big, too old, too loud and that red hair was not so keen. But underneath all of that I found out he really is a big sweetie, and I know he'll take real good care of me and our baby. I truly do love him Beth."
"I was grateful for how he stuck up for me and for Daryl, that was really cool of him. I hope once we're married and you're married we can all spend time together, and I'm so excited for your baby Maggie! I hope it's a little redheaded girl."
Tuesday afternoon Beth went home to the farm.
xxxx
It was tough on him knowing she was in the hospital and he couldn't go to her. But he was determined to play it cool, not take chances on pissing off her folks any more than they already were, or worse, tipping his hand. He was going to make her his wife and then they could either accept the situation or fuck off. He was sick and tired of them being mean to her.
And they'd been out of line with him. Her Dad had a right to be mad when she was late but he should have at least been willing to talk, willing to discuss things. When he wasn't, and when Beth's Mama had said the things she did to him and to Beth, when he'd seen her shake Beth and yell at her, that's when The Biker knew, he didn't give a fuck about them or their feelings. He only cared about her.
He'd bought the ring to give her for Christmas and he'd had every intention of talking to her Daddy first. He wanted to do everything the right way. Well that sure as hell wasn't going to be the way it happened now. She was willing to marry him and that's all he cared about.
Wednesday Maggie came by Dirty's late morning and he took his break, somehow knowing she needed to talk. "Okay here's the word hummingbird, Beth got home from the hospital yesterday afternoon. She's still a little weak but she's fine, and she's pretty darn excited about what the two of you have cooking.
Anyway she's acting miserable and sad just like they expect her to. They're planning to leave early Friday morning and drive her to Savannah and Aunt Virginia's house. My Aunt Virginia is Mama's younger sister, 14 years younger, she just turned 32.
Anyway, Beth and I talked and I also talked to Abraham. He can get next Monday off and we were all thinking maybe, if you could get off work and get to Savannah, sneak Beth out of Auntie's house, we could all four of us get married on Monday. We could go right there to the courthouse in Savannah. Afterward we'll all go have a meal together, you know to celebrate. What do you think?"
"I dig it Maggie. Sounds like all y'all got it planned an all I gotta do is show up an get my girl. I got some days off comin', I'll talk ta Dirty. I'll can go on down Sunday and get a room an stuff, be ready ta get Beth anytime Monday. What time y'all thinkin'?"
"I'll tell her to have her bags packed and be ready for you at 10:30 Monday morning. She drew you this picture, it shows Aunt Virginia's house. Luckily it's a bungalow a lot like your pad, nobody has to do any climbing. This here is where the guest bedroom window is, we're sure that's where Beth will be staying. The screen unlocks from the inside.
Abraham and I will meet you two at the courthouse about 11:00. Just get there when you can, we'll keep waiting. Do you think it'll work?"
"Hell yeah I do, I think ya got it figured good. Ya care if I ask my brother an his woman Cassandra if they wanna come?"
"That would be so neat! Yes ask them! We'll be having a family wedding after all." She was smiling brightly.
xxxx
Mama had talked to her sister and her sister told her she was more than happy to have Beth come stay with her for however long she needed to.
To herself all Virginia could think was, "How bad could this guy be that they're willing to break their family up just to keep Beth away from him?" All her sister had told her was he was a dirty motorcycle guy.
Virginia had very nearly started laughing because unknown to her sister, Virginia had been having a rather heated relationship with her own Biker for the past two years. Maybe she and that sweet little niece of hers had more in common than she thought.
Friday morning right after breakfast Beth and her parents got in the car for the trip to Savannah. The trip would only take about two and half hours but Mama wanted to have time to visit a little with her sister.
Beth acted appropriately miserable and weepy but inside she was bursting with eagerness. She was marrying Daryl Dixon in just three days and she'd never been so excited and nervous about anything in her life.
She and Maggie had been whispering about it for days and the Bobby Soxer had been so thrilled when Maggie talked to him and he told her he was happy too. And the big surprise, Merle and Cassandra were coming. She wondered if they'd decide to get married too, instead of just shacking up. Well either way she liked them both and she didn't care how they decided to live. It was their business.
They got to her Aunt's and she helped Beth set her things in the guest room. Aunt Virginia gave her a big hug and whispered, "After your Mama and Daddy leave, you and I will have a nice talk."
Beth wondered what that was all about.
Aunt Virginia did the Southern hospitality just right with a big noon meal and plenty of sweet tea and pink lemonade. She wouldn't let Beth help with the dishes, she just smiled and said, "You relax today you've had enough excitement for the week. I'll get plenty of work out of you later."
No sooner had Mama and Daddy left than Aunt Virginia said, "Let's take our tea out to the porch Beth and we'll have a nice chat."
Right away Beth was filled with dread and she was thinking to herself, 'Oh golly this is just really great, she's going to tell me all about what a mistake I've made and how I should just obey Mama and Daddy and forget all about Daryl. Well that is not what I'm going to do!'
But her Aunt caught her completely off balance when she told her own story. "Well Beth, I hear you've fallen for a Biker and that's what all of this is about, them trying to make you come to your senses and you having your own ideas. Let me tell you a little story of my own. Then maybe you'll tell me yours."
And Aunt Virginia went on to tell Beth the story about how she and her girlfriend had stopped in a Roadhouse for a quick beer one summer afternoon, on their way home from a matinee - Beth was pretty startled just to know her Auntie had gone to a bar – as it turned out there were a couple of Biker's in there having a cool one themselves.
Well they bought Auntie and her friend their beers and they'd all got to talking, one thing lead to another and Auntie and her Biker man, Smitty, had been enjoying each others company now for two years. And she threw in there that the fire was still burning hot.
"I've never mentioned Smitty to your Mother and Dad. I'm sure if I would have they wouldn't have left you here." And Auntie laughed, and Beth couldn't help it she started laughing too.
"Now how about you share with me a little something about your Biker? I'd love to hear about this man who has your Mama all in a tizzy."
And Beth told her Auntie all about Daryl Dixon and how they'd met, and how wonderful he was to her and how dreamy he looked and how much they loved each other. And she told how they had to sneak around because she knew Mama and Daddy would have a conniption fit and never let her see him. She told Auntie pretty much all of it, except the part about him coming for her Monday.
Later Friday evening Beth met Smitty, a big handsome fellow with scruffy hair, a handlebar mustache, lots of tattoos and he had boots kind of like Daryl's. He said a lot of bad words just like Daryl and Merle but he was real nice like them too.
He and Auntie seemed to have a lot of fun drinking beers, making each other laugh, listening to music and dancing right there in the front room. Beth tried to pretend she didn't notice that Smitty didn't go home to his own bed Friday night.
She'd told her Aunt she needed a nap every morning, it must be the blood loss that made her so tired. And Saturday and Sunday morning she'd retreated to the bedroom about 10am, faking a big yawn and saying she just couldn't hold her eyes open another minute. She figured her Aunt would have no reason to question why she went to her room for a nap Monday morning.
Monday morning her bags were packed and ready to hand out the window to Daryl. She just had to get through breakfast and dishes without her Aunt catching on.
When Smitty was still there Monday morning and at the breakfast table, she just pretended she believed their story that he'd stopped by on his way to work. She was pretty darn sure Auntie and Smitty were doing that shacking up just like Merle and Cassandra.
The thing was when she was excusing herself to go lay down for her nap, Smitty was still there. Now he and Auntie were out on the front porch and he was having a cigarette.
She just prayed to God Daryl could sneak by them and sneak her out of there.
By 10:15 she was standing at the window, keeping an eye out for him. And here he came right over the back fence, they smiled at each other through the window.
She'd opened the window as wide as it would go, she unlocked the screen and he pulled it out as quietly as he could. They couldn't resist, they leaned over the sill and kissed.
She handed him out the two suitcases then quietly moved the little chair over under the window. She threw a leg over the sill and his strong hands went to her waist lifting her up and out. They paused, held each other tight and then shared a kiss that said how much they'd missed each other.
It was then they heard her Auntie say, "Well as I live and breathe, this must be the one and only Dreamy Daryl Dixon." And they froze.
Then Smitty started laughing, "Well, well, well this is some real sweet stuff right here."
Daryl was worried his goose was cooked when Auntie asked him, "So what exactly do we have planned here Daryl Dixon?"
And Daryl stood strong because he'd gotten this close and he wasn't just going away now, "I come here ta get Beth an marry her. Ain't inclined ta give up the idea now."
And Auntie laughed softly, "Well you're just as sweet and dreamy as Miss Bethie says you are. Where's the big ceremony taking place?"
And Beth practically threw herself on her Aunt and tears were in her eyes, "Please, please Aunt Virginia, please don't stop us I'm 18, almost 19, I'm entitled to decide. I love Daryl and I know he loves me. I'm not giving up on him either."
And Auntie turned to look at Smitty and she asked him, "What do you think Smitty? You feel like attending a wedding this morning?"
"Sure thing Doll, this looks like it could be some fun."
Auntie insisted she come back in the house and get properly fixed up for her big day. She put her in a pretty little dress with a cherry pattern on it, did her hair and put fancy make-up on her. "We won't bother to tell your Mama I had a hand in this, you understand?"
"I promise Aunt Virginia, you're the best Auntie in the whole wide world!"
"Let me get my Kodak Brownie so I can get some pictures of you kids."
It was right then that Smitty walked in on them, "Hey Doll, put your own fancy pants on and you an me will make it legal too, whaddya think?"
Auntie laughed and said, "Daddy-O you are one heck of a sweet talker, a real silver tongued devil, and you know what? I'm going to take you up on that, give me 10."
Smitty rubbed his hands together and said, "Well Hot Diggity."
When he saw her coming from her Auntie's house he swore he felt the air catch in his chest. She had on a pretty white dress with a cherry print and her hair was in a ponytail just the way he liked it. It seemed she let off a glow, and even though he'd never thought he could love her more, he felt like his love for her grew right in that moment.
She was a little scared, a little nervous, but when she saw Daryl standing there waiting for her she knew this was right. She was going to be Mrs. Daryl Dixon and she hurried to him. He hugged her close and she knew his arms would always be her favorite place to be.
They kissed, they said they loved each other and Daryl asked her, "Ya sure Cream Puff? Ya sure ya wanna marry Biker Trash?"
"I'm not marrying Biker Trash I'm marrying Daryl Dixon, the best man I know and I can't wait. I'm honored you asked me Daryl."
"Damn Cream Puff, let's get married."
He was so strong, so handsome and so sweet to her. She knew he was the only guy she would ever want. She couldn't wait to say "I do."
Daryl had the little pickup and he and Beth rode in that, Smitty rode Auntie on his Bike.
When they got to the courthouse Merle and Cassandra were standing out front, Cassandra had a little bouquet of flowers she handed Beth, "For the beautiful bride." And they'd shared a hug.
Maggie and Abraham were inside and Maggie nearly fainted when she saw her Aunt Virginia. "Oh my golly, I thought we were pulling a fast one on you!"
Smitty laughed and said, "Good luck trying to get anything passed this woman." And he pulled Virginia to his side.
Introductions were made all around and they all went to the clerk's office first to get licenses.
Daryl nearly passed out when Merle asked Cassandra if she'd marry him, she said yes and they got their license too. Merle just smiled at little brother, "I ain't ever gonna find no better woman than this one right here. She ain't tried ta kill me even once an I find that I'm real happy ta be goin' home ta her after work. I think I got bit right in the ass by that fucking love bug." And he laughed that big ol' Merle laugh and then he kissed her.
The Justice performed the four ceremonies one at a time, Beth wanted to save theirs for last.
Everyone had done a pretty darn good job of holding their emotions in check until the Biker pulled out the little ring and the Bobby Soxer got teary eyed. It was a dainty gold band with tiny diamonds all around.
And the way they looked into one another's eyes no one in the room doubted the love between them.
The judge pronounced them man and wife and said, "I'd like to present Mr. and Mrs. Daryl Dixon."
All three of the other women were teary eyed and sniffling into their handkerchiefs.
Aunt Virginia's Brownie camera was mighty busy preserving all the memories being made in that courthouse.
They had a big, fun and festive Southern meal at The Wilke's House Restaurant, but as much fun as it was, and as delicious as the food was, really all that each of the four couples could think about was how much they wanted to make some real special wedding memories in private.
Merle and Cassandra got on his Bike and headed back home.
Maggie and Abraham got in his Buick and got on their way to Macon.
Before Auntie and Smitty got on his Bike she told her niece, "I'm going to call your Mama tomorrow and tell her that you must have slipped out in the night. I'll tell her I checked at the courthouse just in case, and sure enough yours and Daryl Dixon's names were on the register, you're legally married. When she gets used to that idea, we'll tell her the whole story."
Beth hugged her and told her, "Thank you so much for everything Aunt Virginia."
She even gave Smitty a hug.
Daryl shook Smitty's hand and gave Virginia a tentative hug.
Then he and his new bride got in the little pickup and headed toward that beach bungalow he'd rented for the night.
A/N Now don't be hating on me! The Biker and the Bobby Soxer will be making memories next Saturday. Thanks for reading and please comment / review xo
For pictures of our bride and groom check my tumblr at bethylmethbrick :)
