Call for a Good Time
Chapter 11

"Stop fidgeting," Beth told Merle who kept pulling at the tie around his neck.

He rolled his eyes and huffed. "I don't see why we had to get dressed up sugar." He looked at her and she could tell he hated the tie around his neck and the suit jacket she'd made him wear. Daryl wasn't happy about it either, but he wasn't protesting nearly as much as Merle was, and Beth had to admit, she couldn't wait to get back home and rip Daryl's suit coat off of him. He made it look positively sinful.

"It's daddy's birthday, we always dress up," she informed him. "Just make it through tonight and you can use the jacket for target practice when we get home. Besides I let you wear jeans, didn't I?" She sighed as they turned into the long driveway that led to the family farm. She was nervous. She just hoped that her dad was on better behavior than he'd been last time.

Maggie was waiting for them on the porch when they pulled up, a cloud of dust settling. Beth didn't recognize the boy sitting next to her. Merle helped her out of the truck to try and keep her modest in the sundress she was wearing. "Hey Maggie," Beth greeted as she hugged her sister.

"Hey." Maggie pulled back and looked at the guy standing awkwardly at her side. "Beth, this is Glenn." She smiled and looked at him. "Glenn this is my baby sister Beth, her boyfriend Daryl, and his brother Merle."

Glenn shook their hands and Beth gave Maggie a smirk as they walked inside. "Hi daddy," Beth greeted as she walked over and hugged and kissed Hershel's cheek.

"Hi there baby girl." He kissed her head and looked at the boys. "Glad you could make it."

"I can't believe you got them in a tie," Maggie teased as he checked the dinner in the oven.

Daryl shook Hershel's hand. "Happy birthday."

"Thank you." Beth smiled as the men all sat around the table and started to talk while she helped Maggie with dinner.

"So how long have you been dating Glenn?" she asked as she frosted the cake she'd brought with her.

Maggie shrugged her shoulders. "About a month now?" She smiled and looked over where Glenn was talking with Daryl. "He's such a sweet guy."

"He seems like it." Beth smiled, happy that her sister had found a good guy and it seemed like Hershel really liked him.

Dinner past by without a hitch. Hershel even laughed and a few of Merle's stupid jokes and it looked like Daryl and Glenn were really hitting it off which caused Beth and Maggie to share a look. Beth giggled as Merle ripped his tie off in the truck and pulled off his jacket in the confined space. "That wasn't so bad was it?" she teased.

Daryl scoffed watching his brother throw them to the floorboards. "That guy your sister is dating seems nice."

Beth smiled. "He was trying to deliver a pizza to the neighbors, apparently he never left and they ate the pizza on the porch and talked until three in the morning." She shook her head. "I'm happy for her." She cuddled into Daryl's side as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, keeping one on the wheel as they headed home. When they pulled into the driveway Beth climbed out with Merle's help again and walked to mailbox, pulling the letters and bills out and headed back inside. "Merle, your Cabela's is here." She tossed the thick catalog to Merle as she walked to the kitchen, flipping through the mail.

She frowned when she saw a letter addressed to her. She was still getting mail at the post office, not having changed her address yet. She gently opened the letter as she grabbed three beers from the fridge and started to read it. Halfway to the living room she dropped the bottles, glass and beer falling all over the floor, her hand going to her mouth as she stared at the words. Daryl and Merle were there before she even realized what she'd done. "Beth?" Daryl asked as Merle physically picked her up and carried her to the couch so she didn't step on any glass having already removed her shoes.

She just handed the piece of paper to Daryl as she stared off into space. He read it aloud so Merle would know what was going on too. The words echoed inside of her head. "I've been watching you. Break up with the redneck or you're not going to like what happens." Daryl growled as he read. "I could easily kill them both. It's up to you. Break up and leave them, or you can watch them die."

Merle growled as he threw the broken glass away and Daryl sat on the couch beside Beth, pulling her into him. "Why can't we catch a break?" she murmured into his chest as he held her.

"Nothin's gonna happen."

"You can't know that." She sat up and ran her fingers through her hair, pulling lightly at the base of her neck. "First there was all that bullshit with Zach, then the cops showed up and we almost went to jail, and now I have a stalker?" She looked at Daryl. "This shit doesn't happen in real life. It's for Lifetime movies and bad television."

She let him pull her into him again but she was nervous. She honestly didn't understand what was so great about her that her ex would want to kidnap her, a cop would want to flirt with her, and someone would send her a letter like that. She wasn't anyone great. She sighed as she curled up between her boys on the couch and Merle turned something stupid on. None of them talked about the letter anymore, they didn't talk at all the rest of the night.