"Thanks for coming with me Glenn, I appreciate it."
"What made you want to do this?"
"Carl asked me what I think happened to them after they left, so I thought about it. There's a couple of small buildings they could be holed up in. I know it's a long shot, and I don't want to be out driving after dark."
"Would you rather be running through the woods?"
"Yea. About that … what do you know?"
"Maggie said she found a book open on Hershel's desk with a notepad where he was taking notes. It had your name and manifestations of a wolf in man article open. She thought it was weird, and thought that maybe the wolf had bit you. It made sense to think about that maybe you were the wolf. I didn't tell her though."
"I appreciate that." He stares out the window. "So, what were you and Hershel talking about?"
"I got the speech."
"What speech?"
"The good foot and shotgun speech."
Rick busts out in a large grin and looks over at him. "Isn't that a little bit late?"
"Yea, just a little bit."
Both men look at each other and bust out laughing.
"Are you two being careful?"
"We are. That reminds me, I need to get some more."
"Well, there's a pharmacy or two up this way."
"Hey, is there a health food store around here? I was thinking we could go in there and look around."
"For what?"
"Not what … who … you do know Beth is a vegetarian, right?"
"Yea, she's told me a few times."
"Do you enjoy talking to her?"
"I do."
"Hershel told me that he respected my opinions and that I have been through more than he and Maggie. He said he considered me more of a man for asking his permission to see Maggie properly, even though he had a feeling we were sneaking around. He reminded me that if he caught us doing those sorts of things in his house that his good foot would be up my butt, and he would chase me out of the house … with or without clothes on."
"Why did you tell me that?"
"Well, I see the way Beth looks at you."
"And she's 17."
"And she's pretty and she brings out something in you I haven't seen in a long time."
"Like what?"
"You smile easier, you laugh easier. You're no longer tense."
"Does it show?"
"Even Maggie has noticed … and she said Beth is acting different too."
"She came to check on me the other day, wearing a sundress."
"Dude, you are so busted!"
"Hey, nothing happened! I swear!" He pauses and licks his lips. "I take that back … I kissed her."
"DUDE, you are so busted!"
"That's all I did though! I almost regretted doing it."
"Almost!"
"She's a really good kisser."
"Then maybe I should do the pharmacy thing and you should do the health food thing. We tell Carl we didn't see them and we would have had to go past our limit for the day. If we see another car, then we tell him they switched cars."
"That's having me to lie to my son."
"And making brownie points with Beth."
"I don't need to do that."
"I know, but it would go a long ways with Hershel to show that you thought about Beth while out on a run."
"True."
"So, deal or not?"
He pauses and licks his lips. "Deal. So, what do I look for?"
"Think about Beth when you're looking around. She's probably told you certain things that she likes or needs without coming out to say it."
"Okay, I'll do that then."
Coming to the next intersection, Rick pulls off the road and parks in front of the pharmacy. He looks around and notices the health food store next door. Glenn smiles and heads to the pharmacy and Rick walks over. He looks in the window and gently pushes the door open. Drawing his gun, he steps in slowly and looks around. Holstering the gun, he looks around and notices a sign hanging over the 'vegetarian' section. Grinning, he walks over and begins looking through the bottles and packages.
Glenn steps inside and notices him kneeling in front of a shelving group. "Can't make up your mind?"
"One says vegetarian and one says vegan, but the vegan is the better date."
"Take it, it might work for her. You never know, some bottles for vegans can be for vegetarians too." Glenn looks over and notices three large bags piled on the counter, their contents about to dump out. "Want me to take these to the car?"
Rick stands and drops the bottle in one. "These two are for everyone, they're vitamins and things we can all use. This third one is for Beth specifically."
"So, I guess we can supplement these with what I got too," Glenn says, "except for the small private bag."
"Good call."
"Hey Rick, do you hear that buzzing?"
"It's the sound of power but I can't trace it down. The lights don't work."
Following his ears, Glenn steps into the back of the store and looks around. Reaching his hand out, he touches a cold cabinet. "This cabinet is cold!"
Rick walks back as he opens it. "What's in there?"
"Dude, you done hit the jackpot! It's fresh, and I mean FRESH, vegetarian food … tofu, tofurkey, all these things Beth likes."
Looking around, Rick bends down and picks up a cold bag and holds it open for Glenn to start loading everything into it.
They pull up to the house as grey clouds roll overhead. Maggie comes out and helps Glenn unload several bags. As she reaches for the others, Rick smiles and takes them. "Where's Beth?"
"She's in the kitchen," Maggie says as he heads inside. "What was that about?"
"Come on, you need to see this," Glenn grins.
Walking up the steps, Patricia opens the door for Rick. He leans over and kisses her cheek as he heads into the house. She looks at Maggie, shrugging as Glenn laughs at their expressions. They go into the kitchen where Beth and Andrea are talking to Hershel.
Rick sets the bags down and walks over, sliding his arms around her from behind. "I brought you a special present while I was out."
"Like what?" Beth asks, turning to look at him.
"It's all fresh by the way," he grins and lets her go. He fishes through the one bag and pulls it out. "I hope you like tofurkey." He turns and holds it out to her. "That is the right stuff, right?"
Tears roll down her cheeks as she throws her arms around his neck. "How did you remember this?"
"I remembered a lot more," he says, fishing a box out and handing it to her.
Beth squeals and starts going through the cold bag. "Where did you find all this?"
"We got lucky," Glenn smiles. "We brought vitamins, pain killers, sinus, whatever we could think we might would need."
Hershel reaches out and clasps both their shoulders. "Gentlemen, thank you."
Opening the fridge, Beth starts loading food into it. She takes the roll from his hand and breaks out in a wide grin. "You found quinoa polenta! This stuff is like so hard to find, and it's cold too. Where in the world?"
"Some place we found," he smiles.
She holds the roll out and reads it. "This sounds good to go with supper. It has cranberries, raisins and quinoa, along with other healthy things." She places a kiss on his cheek and smiles. "I don't know what you went through for this but thank you." She places it in the fridge as everyone begins going through the bags.
Taking her hand, Rick gently pulls her out of the crowded kitchen. They head upstairs to her room and sit on the bed. "I brought you something else too." He lifts the second bag up and sets it on the bed with them. "I hope it's the right thing."
Crossing her legs, Beth begins digging through the bag. She pulls out the vitamins, minerals, herbs, then she finds it. Reaching her hand down into the bag, she pulls the small box of perfume out. She opens the box and pulls it out; uncorking it, she sniffs it lightly. Reaching out, he takes it from her and gently sprays her pulse points.
"I got this because it reminded me of that perfume you were wearing the other day," he smiles as she lifts her wrist to sniff. "I also found some body lotion and bath salts in the same scent so you won't have to use all the perfume up."
She holds her wrist out to him and he inhales softly. "Thank you. No one has ever done any-thing so nice for me before. They have, but never on this scale."
"You are most welcome."
She reaches out and wraps her arms around his neck. "I am so glad you are here."
"Me too," he replies, sliding his arm around her.