A/N As always, thank you everyone here, on AO3, tumblr and FB so much.
Money, the root of all evil, our couple had a little problem with it. Most of you put the blame squarely on Daryl, many were less than happy with the way he behaved when he found out about the damages to his bank account. So now he has come home to find Beth crying on the bed and there appears to have been a conversation with Mama.
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At first she panicked wondering if he would ever even come back. Had he left her? Was he gone for good? Then she realized that was ridiculous, of course he'd come back. All of his things were there, his motorcycle, his truck, clothes and this was his house. When he did come back he'd probably tell her she had to leave, that she should go back to her Mama and Daddy.
It wasn't that she didn't understand why he was so angry. Now that he'd spoken to her the way he had she understood completely. What she didn't understand was why he hadn't told her before she went shopping, or why when he got so upset he'd just walked out and left her there.
Most of all she couldn't understand why he was so mean to her. Just before she told him how much she'd spent hadn't he said how much he loved her? Did that change so quickly? He was her husband and she was his wife. Shouldn't they have talked about it? Shouldn't they have tried to work it out?
In some ways talking to Mama had only made her feel worse but she was glad she called. Her Mother was angry at her and she'd let her know in no uncertain terms just how angry. She was still disappointed about the way Beth behaved when she and Daryl were sneaking around, and she was real upset that her daughter had run off the way she did.
It got worse when Beth told her what had happened with the shopping trip and the way Daryl had reacted, but Mama wasn't just mad at Daryl. Mama was very upset with her daughter for spending all the money she did, and she was disappointed in Daryl for how he'd handled things.
The truth of it was Mama just wasn't happy with her at all. But still her Mother hadn't turned her back on her. Before they hung up Mama said she loved her, and that no matter what happened Beth would always be her sweet girl.
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His first step toward her was tentative but then in three long, quick strides he'd fallen to his knees next to the bed. He wanted so much to touch her but he hesitated, he was sure she'd slap his hand away and there was no way he could blame her if she did. So at first he just searched her eyes for some kind of sign. Both were silent and after a minute or two he couldn't take any more. He moved slowly, cautiously as his hand went to her hair and he began stroking the blond curls. Although he was relieved she hadn't pushed him away, it didn't seem that she was at all receptive to his touch. It was more like there was just no response at all.
Her face was red and puffy but her pretty blue eyes were worse. He knew he was the one who had caused this and the guilt consumed him. He felt every bit the rotten bastard, "I fucked up bad Baby and I'm so sorry. I's a real dick an I don't blame ya if ya hate me. Shit I's worse than just a dick, I's a fuckin' asshole. But please Baby, don't give up on me. Gimme a chance ta make it right, a chance to prove I can do better and treat ya right. Please don't leave me."
Her brow furrowed and her head rose just a little off the pillow as her small hand settled on his cheek. Her voice was full of emotion, both anger and sadness, but unlike him she didn't yell or even raise her voice, "Leave you? Just quit? Just give up on us so easily? Well I guess that's how you acted tonight, like it didn't mean enough for you to stay and figure it out. You hurt me Daryl. After I fought so hard to spend time with you, after I sneaked around and broke practically every rule my folks ever made because all I wanted was you. Then it was like you were so willing to just forget all that. You didn't have to be so mean to me and you didn't need to yell at me, but the worst was you ran away. That wasn't fair Daryl. I know I made a mistake but that's what it was, a mistake. I wasn't trying to do something wrong, I was trying to do something good and nice for us. Do you really think I would marry you for money? I married you because I love you. I don't like that you could even think that about me. I'll do whatever I have to do to earn the money and pay you back every dime of what I spent."
She'd cut him off at the knees, hitting him hard with every point she made. Her folks were right to have wanted to keep her away from him; he was nothing but a no account redneck asshole just like her Daddy said. But he couldn't lose her, he had to try.
"I ain't disagreein' with you. I know I's wrong just like I know you're right. We shoulda talked about money before ya ever went shoppin', that's on me. When it happened I shoulda blamed myself, I know that now. Ya made a mistake but I made the bigger one and then I made it worse. You're right I shoulda talked to ya instead of lettin' my temper win out . And I yelled, then I did like ya said, I ran off. It was a chickenshit move and I know that. I'm so sorry Baby, I love ya and I don't wanna make ya sad. Please lemme make it up, lemme try and make it right."
"It cuts me deep that I made ya think I want ya to pay me back but that's my own fuckin' fault too. The money I have is your money too, what we gotta do is what we shoulda done before, sit down and talk about things, work out budgets and whatnot. "
He still didn't have his answer, he still wasn't sure what was going on. He stuck a toe in the water with something more like a statement than a question, "Ya said you talked to your Mama."
"I did. I wasn't ever going to tell you exactly what she said but I decided I should. I'm not keeping secrets from you." He just nodded his head, folks had talked bad about him his whole life and he figured he'd heard it all. "She asked all about what you and me had done, you know about us running off like we did and getting married. I told her the whole story about how you had turned around and come back for me and she said, 'Well young lady you've made your bed now. He's your husband and there's nothing to be done about it except try and build some kind of life with him. You've got to pray he gives up those redneck ways and becomes the man you seem to think he is.'"
"I stuck up for you Daryl, I told her how good you'd been treating me and how sweet you were and that you didn't even push for any um, you know, relations with me until after we got married."
He hadn't missed it, she was using the past tense when it came to singing his praises.
"Then I started crying hard and she thought you'd done something terrible to me, but I told her the truth about what I did and all your money that I spent. She got after me and it was real bad. She told me you're the man of the family and what you say goes. She said I should never have taken it upon myself to spend your money that way. I should have talked to you and asked your permission before I bought one single thing. She told me I should be real grateful that you didn't act like your Daddy or I'd be in worse trouble. Then she said I'd be lucky if you didn't send me back home right away."
His head was spinning, he thought he was a little old fashioned but what the fuck century were these people from? "Nah Baby, not here, not in this house it ain't gonna be like that. It ain't just my money it's our money and I shouldn't have acted like I did. Like I said, this was my fault. I made the mistake of not talkin' to you about it when you first said you was going shoppin' I just blew the thing off. Besides bein' capable of bein' a dick I can also be a real dumbass."
"If we'da talked we coulda set some limits together. But we're gonna work this out, you an me together our own way. For now I want ya to know not to worry, I got money put back and we'll be just fine. Besides, now that ya got all them new things there won't be no need ta buy nuthin' else for a long time. Your Mama's right about sumthin' though, I ain't my Daddy and I would never raise my hand to you, never. I swear to God, Beth."
"I have blame too Daryl. I knew I was spending a lot of money, but using that card it didn't even seem quite real, you know? Still though Mama was right, I wasn't raised to shop in stores like Dillard's and never did we spend money that way."
"Whatever, I'm takin' the blame for it all. Now c'mon Baby, your pretty little dress is all wrinkled, come lemme help ya. Let's wash them tears away and hit the sack. I got another early mornin'. We can sit down together when I get home tomorrow and figure things out."
She still didn't look all that pleased with him but he was just happy she hadn't told him to get the fuck out. "But Daryl you didn't even have your dinner."
"Ain't the first time I went without dinner, I'll eat it for breakfast."
She let him walk her into their bathroom and he turned the faucet on and got her a washcloth. She put the cool water on her face, and then she held the cloth over it so he couldn't see her, but he saw her little shoulders shaking. He wanted to kick himself in the ass.
He placed an open palm on her waist, "C'mon now Baby, please don't cry no more." He unzipped her dress but he took it no further. He grabbed his toothbrush and left the bathroom, saying before he shut the door, "I'll give ya your time."
He went in the other bathroom and got himself ready for bed; when he came back in their room she was laying curled up under the covers.
He didn't say anything he just shut off the light and slipped in close to her. Her back was to him and he knew he was taking a chance but it was a chance worth taking. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulled her close to him and kissed her shoulder.
"I don't think I'm ready for you to touch me tonight, you know, in that way."
He immediately drew his hand away and rolled on his back, his forearm covering his face. "Yeah, a'ight, I get it."
"I didn't say I didn't want you to hold me, because Daryl I do want you to. I just think I'm not ready to make love with you."
That was better than he expected, at least she hadn't said she never would again. He was grateful for what he got and he wrapped his arm around her waist and whispered, "I love ya Baby, sleep tight."
He'd never felt any more happiness or relief than he did when she whispered back, "I love you too."
He woke in the morning surprised he'd slept at all and then he got rattled, she wasn't laying there with him and where she should have been the sheets were cold.
He hurriedly pulled on his shorts while calling for her, "Beth? Baby?" He found her in the kitchen standing at the stove. He walked behind her resting his hands on her hips, "Mornin' Baby, you sleep okay?"
"Good morning, yes I just wanted to get up early and make sure you had a good breakfast before you left."
He nuzzled his face into the curve of her neck. What she'd said was one of those double-edged swords. She was so sweet and caring but he didn't feel worthy. "Thanks Beth, ya treat me too good. Ya do know you're the best thing to ever happen to me, don't ya?"
"I hope I am."
It wasn't perfect, everything still seemed to have a sharp little edge to it, but they'd had a pleasant breakfast and when she handed him his lunch she didn't flinch when he kissed her goodbye.
She'd no sooner seen him out the door than her phone rang, "Hi Mama, um okay. Are you sure? You don't have to you know. Oh, alright then, yes, yes that will be so nice. I love you too and tell Daddy I love him."
He hadn't gotten two blocks from the house when his phone rang. He quickly glanced at the screen, Merle, "Yeah brother, I thought you big time business owners got to sleep-in."
"Fuck you Daryl."
"Fuck you too."
"So hey, ya got any money left?"
Daryl knew then, Karen must have told him about the money Beth had spent. "Hey brother, I don't want ya to think I don't mean this cuz I'm saying it real sincere-like, fuck you man ya ain't funny."
"Now don't get mad, just want ya ta know I'm here if ya need some dough. I'm tryin' ta be a decent guy ya asshole."
"Thanks brother, but nah I'm okay. I got money put back."
"Well if it brings ya any happiness at all ta know, I'm in the fuckin' doghouse over all this buyin' bullshit your little wife done."
"Oh yeah? How's that?"
"When Karen told me about what all kind of money Beth spent I got after her. I told her she shouldn't a let it happen, that she knew better'n that. Gotdamn if she didn't have a fuckin' fit at me. I had ta sleep in the spare room last night."
"Shit man, sorry."
"Yeah well except for missin' the lovin' it worked out pretty good. I got the best night's sleep I had in five years. That woman a mine is a kicker and a cover hog."
Daryl got a good laugh out of that and then Merle gave him a bit of advice, "Ya know brother she's young, she probably don't know no better. Go easy."
"I wish you'd a been around ta tell me that about 5:30 last night. I's an asshole."
"Well maybe ya best do what I'ma do on my way home tonight, stop at the flower shop."
"Fuck you Merle."
"Fuck you too little brother, talk ta ya later."
"Thanks man."
There was a new industrial site going in and he had a long, hard and hot day of work. He was glad for it, it helped the time pass more quickly. He was thinking he needed to do whatever he could to let her know how much he appreciated her, so after he had his lunch he sent her a text, "Thanks for lunch Baby, it was real good. Love ya." He was feeling well fed and lots better when he she texted back, "Welcome. Love you too."
She wanted to be tough but she'd been as tough as she could, she missed him. She loved him and she didn't want to stay mad at him, she didn't want to fight with her husband. He promised it wouldn't happen again and she wanted to believe him.
When she heard the truck pull in the driveway she went out to the porch to meet him. She saw the bouquet of flowers in his hand and she couldn't help smiling. She remembered one time Mama made a chocolate cake that fell right in the center. Daddy teased her a little too much and she'd gotten tears in her eyes. He said he was going to the barn and when he came back a half hour later he had a bouquet of wildflowers and telling her how sorry he was. Now her husband was bringing her flowers.
"Hey Baby."
"Hey yourself Daryl. What you got there?"
"Flowers for my pretty wife," Her smiling face gave him the courage he needed and as he handed them to her he bent down and kissed her, and he was so grateful when she kissed him back. "Like I said Baby, I'ma do better."
"I believe you Daryl and I'm going to do better too. Just please don't ever yell at me again and never walk out our door in anger."
"Promise."
"I promise too."
He took his shower and they sat and had their dinner together. Between bites he'd take her hand and squeeze it just a little. He couldn't get over how damn happy he was that she seemed willing to forgive him.
He helped with the dishes and they sat back down at the kitchen table. He had his bank book, copies of the regular household bills and a spiral notebook. Together they worked out their budget, how much they'd spend, how much they'd put back and they agreed if either of them wanted to make an additional purchase over fifty dollars they'd talk about it first.
By the time they had it all worked out his eyes red and he was drained. The day and night before had been so emotionally packed and this day had also had its share of emotional impact. "I'm tired Baby and facin' another early day tomorrow. I best get ta bed."
She wasn't all that tired but she also wasn't letting him go to bed without her. They slipped in the covers, her back to him and his arm around her waist. Things had been going real well, real smoothly and he wasn't going to push it, "'Night Baby, love ya."
All she had to do was whisper back, "I love you too and I'm ready to, you know, I mean, if you want to."
That was all the invitation he needed and he was nuzzling the back of her neck, kissing his way to her ear where he whispered, "I never wanted nuthin' like I want you in my life, Baby." His hand slipped under her gown and up to her breast. He was cautious and just like on their wedding night his touches were gentle at first. But as she began to respond and those soft whimpers came from her, his touches became more intense and soon he'd slipped the nightie off her.
He eased her to her back and as he leaned above her he smiled, then he kissed her lips and said, "I ain't ever gonna treat ya any way but good from now on Baby. There won't be no yellin' and no leavin', count on it."
They made love and any residual anger either of them may have felt was lost in the love they made.
His arm was wrapped tightly around her shoulders and her head lay on his chest. He couldn't help the smiling, he felt so happy they were back to being them. His eyes had just begun to drift closed when she said, "Oh my gosh Daryl I forgot to tell you, Mama and Daddy are coming to visit us this weekend."
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A/N Bethyl is back. Daryl couldn't apologize enough, but then Daryl needed to apologize. As long as they make up I'm happy. Right there at the end though Beth dropped a little bomb on him. Yikes! Please leave a comment / review and let me know what you think. The chapter photo, and dang they're a hot pair, is on my tumblr blogs gneebee and bethylmethbrick, please check it out. Thank you so much for reading along and I hope to see you back next Saturday for more Long Gone. Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee