On the way back from the hospital, Merle and Daryl met up with Amy leading a big rig parade on the road to the school. They fell in line behind the semi's and slipped inside the gates with the.

"Where in the hell did you get those?" Merle asked, meeting up with everyone else near the front of the lead semi.

"We hit a gold mine, man." T-Dog rubbed his hands together. "There was so much food there."

"Peanut butter!" Amy exclaimed, running towards the school. "We have tons and tons of peanut butter!"

"Again with tha peanut butter?" Conner rolled his eyes exaggeratedly and nudged his brother. "Ye think she likes tha peanut butter more than she likes T?"

"Aye, I think ye migh' be righ'." Murphy laughed.

"Fuck you guys." T rolled his eyes. He looked over at the Dixon's. "You guys have any luck?"

"Yeah, a bit." Merle nodded. "Got a truckload of shit from that hospital. And then we stopped at Academy and had to jack this other truck."

"Ye ge' any guns?" Conner asked, already moving to the trucks. He was stopped when Hershel came out of the school, his white button down stained red with blood. He was wiping his hands on a red tinged towel, weariness etched on his face.

"What the hell happened?" Daryl growled. "Who the fuck got hurt?"

"It's fine." Hershel sighed. "We had a stranger come to the gate today. She was hurt."

"A stranger?" Merle stepped forward, his hand on the butt of his gun. "And you let her in?"

"She had a gunshot wound in her leg. We took her weapons. She's not a threat." Hershel said. "She's out of it right now. I had to dig the bullet out and she passed out from the pain."

"Who shot her?" T asked.

"I don't really know anything. Her name's Michonne and she's traveling alone." Hershel said and then looked at Merle. "Did you get the meds?"

"Yeah. The meds and a whole lotta other shit. The box truck's full of shit from the hospital. We'll unload it in a little bit." Merle said and looked over at T-Dog. "Man, I need your help with something."

"Christ, are you fuckin' serious?" Daryl rolled his eyes and stalked over to the truck he had been driving. He raised the back gate and climbed onto the bumper.

"What's his fuckin' problem?" Conner asked Merle.

"He's got his panties in a bunch about something." Merle shrugged. "We stopped by a jewelry store today."

"What tha fuck for?" Murphy wanted to laugh, but he could see that it would piss Merle off so he stopped.

"I wanted to get Andrea a ring. But I couldn't decide so I just grabbed a bunch." Merle opened the door of the truck and showed them the looted jewelry.

"Christ, Merle." T-Dog's eyes were huge at the pile of glinting diamonds.

"I thought you might want one for Amy. Maybe Glenn wants one." Merle scrubbed his hand over his stubbly jaw. "We gotta hide them though for a while. Until we're ready."

"Where the fuck we gonna do that?" T asked.

"Somewhere the women don't go, obviously." Merle rolled his eyes at the larger man's question.

"Why don't you just put them in the cab of one of those semi's?" Hershel suggested, amused by the whole thing. "I don't think the ladies are gonna drive off in one of those."

"Yeah, good plan." Merle nodded and gathered everything up. "Thanks, old man." He shoved the bags in T-Dog's arms and watched nervously until T hid them in a semi.

"It's a god damn romance novel out here." Daryl growled at them all as he walked by them holding a pink camouflaged crossbow with a matching quiver of bolts.

"Pinks a real good color for you, Darylina. You trading up?" Merle called after him. Daryl flipped him the bird as he pushed into the school.

"Can we get this medicine unloaded now?" Hershel asked, eager to get back to his infirmary and his patient.

***TWD***BDS***

Merle and Conner stood just outside the door to the infirmary peeking in at the sleeping woman. Hershel was busy on the other side of her, putting fresh bandages on her leg.

"How ye think she got tha' gunshot wound?" Conner asked.

"She damn sure didn't get it from a walker." Merle frowned. "Must be another hostile group out there."

"Fuckin' hell." Conner groaned. "That's just what we need."

"We'll handle it. No worries there." Merle ran a hand through his hair that was entirely too long in his opinion. He had been after Andrea to cut it for the longest time, but she liked his stupid curls.

"Aye." Conner nodded. "How long ye think she'll be out, Hershel?"

"It's hard to say. Hours most likely." Hershel looked up at them. "I'll send for you when she wakes."

"Thanks, old man." Merle nodded at him and he and Conner drifted down the hallway. They went outside and helped everyone unload the trucks. As they were passing each other on alternating trips, Conner snatched Aerin and pulled her around the side of the truck.

"Where ye goin'?" He asked, his hands on either side of her against the trailer, framing her between his arms. Leaning down, he caught her mouth with his. She ran her hands under his t-shirt and opened her mouth to let him in. When he pulled away, she grinned at him.

"I missed you." She winked and ducked under his arms to get another load.

"Ye sure seem like it." He groaned and adjusted his crotch, angry at himself for letting her get to him again. He was gonna have to get that lass in line. Carol saw Conner and laughed. Aerin knew how to keep the Macmanus brothers on their toes. She picked up a load of clothes that Daryl and Merle had gotten from Academy and walked back into the school. She dropped her load off in the cafeteria and started looking for her daughter. She hadn't seen Sophia since everyone had gotten back. After peeking in the living area, she poked her head around the corner of the library and smiled when she saw Daryl talking to Sophia at a little table.

"Is it really mine?" Sophia asked, her hands touching a girls pink crossbow.

"Yeah. And you're really gonna learn how to use it. It ain't no damn toy." Daryl said gruffly.

"I know, Mr. Daryl." Sophia smiled and fingered the pink feathers on the end of her bolts.

"Hell kid, I reckon you can just call me Daryl. Ain't need the Mr." Daryl sent Sophia a shy smile.

"Ok." Sophia nodded. "When will you teach me?"

"This afternoon if your ma says it's ok." Daryl stood and slipped his own crossbow higher on his shoulder. Carol took that as her cue since she knew that Daryl had to have known she was standing there. The man didn't miss much.

"It's fine with me, but you need to help unload the trucks first." Carol stepped into the room.

"Ok, Mama." Sophia stood and gently picked up her crossbow.

"Put that on me and Daryl's bed until you're ready. You don't want it to get broke." Carol directed her daughter. She accepted the offered kiss and laughed when Daryl nervously accepted one of his own and they both watched Sophia run out of the room.

"You got her a bow." Carol leaned against the doorjamb, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Yeah." Daryl rubbed the scruff on his chin. "I hope that's okay."

"Why wouldn't it be?" Carol asked, looking up at Daryl.

"She's your kid. I shoulda asked." He scuffed his boot on the carpet.

"Daryl, anything you teach her that's gonna save her life in this dangerous world, I'm okay with." Carol smiled. "I was actually going to ask you to teach me how to use that thing."

"Really?" Daryl suddenly looked like a kid at a candy store. "I kind of got you one too."

"You got me a crossbow?" Carol grinned.

"Yeah. It's in the front of the truck. It ain't pink, though."

"Good." Carol leaned away from the door and took a few hesitant steps towards Daryl. She never knew quite where she stood with him. "I'm not really a pink kind of girl."

"I noticed." Daryl ducked his head and studied his boots. "I ain't never seen you wear it."

"And you never will if I can help it." She stopped in front of Daryl and put her hand on his chest. She could feel his heart racing under the vest and sleeveless flannel shirt he had on.

"Good. Pink's for little girls." He glanced up and was caught up in her bright blue eyes. He wanted to look away, but he was drowning in them.

"Thank you." Carol stepped closer to him.

"For what?" Daryl rasped. He always got nervous when she crowded him like this.

"For taking care of me and Sophia." Carol decided to take the plunge and she moved to hug Daryl. Her arms wrapped him and she grasped his vest, the emroidery of the angel wings rough under her fingers. Daryl put his arms around her and stood as still as he could. He didn't want to scare her away.

"You don't have to thank me for that." Daryl said in a low voice. Carol could feel his chest rumble under her cheek.

"Yeah, I do." She nodded, her crazy hair tickling his chin. "No one really has before. Other than Conn and Murph, but that's different." Daryl didn't know what to say so he pressed a kiss to her forehead. They stood there hugging for some time before Carol backed away, her eyes suspiciously wet. She made excuses about helping the others and ducked out of the library. Daryl was in way over his head with that woman and he wasn't sure how to gain his footing again. He kicked at a chair before going outside.

***TWD***BDS***

Later that evening after dinner had been eaten and cleaned up, and the kids were all settled into bed Aerin padded into her bedroom. She softly closed the door behind her and stopped when she saw Conner and Murphy both laying on the bed, clad only in black boxer briefs.

"What's all this?" She asked, her eyes darting between both of them.

"Exactly what it looks like, lass." Conner said, his voice husky. Aerin chuckled and hung her hoodie up on the old coat hooks next to the door. She toed off her fuzzy slippers and stood at the end of the bed, loving the expectant looks on their faces.

"Love, take yer clothes off." Murphy commanded. He tossed one hand over his head and stared at her with that playful gaze she loved.

"What for?" She asked, a smile gracing her face. She faked a yawn and giggled when Conner narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm so tired tonight."

"Tha fuck ye are." He rose up from the bed and grabbed her by the upper arms. Slashing his lips across hers, he dragged her onto the bed and right into Murphy's waiting arms. She groaned at the feel of Murphy's lips against her neck and his hands were already pushing the pajama pants she was wearing off her hips.

"Ye dirty lass." Murphy chuckled when he figured out she wasn't wearing any underwear. Aerin laughed and kicked her pants the rest of the way off. She spread her legs and groaned when Conner fell between them, his mouth immediately delving into her folds. Aerin gasped when he slipped a finger inside her and flicked his tongue at her clit. Murphy yanked her tank top off and palmed her breasts, his calloused thumbs rubbing over her nipples, drawing them into hard peaks. He was still behind her, his mouth making laps from her ear all the way down to her shoulder. Aerin reached one hand back to tangle in his messy hair and moved her other hand down to Conner between her legs. She fisted her fingers in his dark blond spikes and pressed his face closer, shivering when his teeth nipped gently at her clit.

"Wake up, you fuckin' micks. Black beauty's awake." Merle bellowed as he busted into the room. He stopped short when he saw the sight on the bed.

"Fuckin' hell, Merle." Murphy groaned, pulling the blanket over Aerin. "Get tha fuck out!"

"Christ, I'm sorry." Merle's face was uncharacteristically red as he hovered near the door. "I need you two in the infirmary when you're able to come."

"Merle..." Conner shook his head. He had risen from between Aerin's legs, but his face was wet from her juices.

"Shit, I didn't mean that like it sounded." Merle was like a deer in the headlights. He wasn't sure if he should wait for them to finish or if they were joining him right away.

"Who tha fuck is black beauty?" Conner asked, wiping his face off on a towel. He fumbled around the floor for his jeans.

"The woman in the infirmary." Merle explained, doing everything he could not to stare at Aerin in the bed. "We need to question her, figure out who shot her and if they're coming for her."

"Aye." Murphy grumbled. He slid out from under Aerin and pulled his jeans on. "Perfect fuckin' timing, Dixon."

"I'm sorry." Merle stared at his boots. "I shoulda knocked."

"Ye better next time." Conner warned, sticking a gun in the back of his pants and stepping into his boots.

"Yeah, ok." Merle nodded. "Sorry, Aerin."

"Can you guys just go?" Aerin's voice came out from under the blanket, muffled.

"Aye, lass." Conner said.

"Don' ye be gettin' dressed, love." Murphy warned her as he slipped out the door. He followed Merle and Conner down the hall and were met by Daryl shuffling out of his own room.

"Did he walk in on you?" Conner asked, eying Daryl's pissed off expression.

"I don't want to talk about it." Daryl smacked his brother on the back of the head and stormed down the hallway in front of him.

"Fuckin' hell, Merle, ye mus' be battin' a fuckin' thousand tonigh'." Murphy couldn't stop the chuckle from coming out.

"It's not like I planned it." Merle grumbled. "Is that all you fucks do when you're not on watch at night?"

"Don' ye?" Conn asked, slanting a look over at Merle. "Don' lie. We all hear ye an' Andrea at nigh'."

"Can we just get on with this shit?" Merle pushed past all of them and stepped into the infirmary. The woman, Michonne, was propped up on a cot sipping from a mug. Hershel stood nearby, watching her. She looked at the four men with a wary expression on her face. Merle couldn't detect any fear coming from her and that made him respect her. Just a little.

"What's your story, girlie?" He stopped at the end of her cot and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I got shot." She replied proudly. She looked each of them directly in the eyes.

"Who shot you?" Daryl asked. "It wasn't no fuckin' walker."

"I don't really know." She shrugged. "I was in a town, scavenging for food. Walkers pinned me and I was trying to kill them all. Next thing I know a bullet rips through my leg."

"Ye dinna see anyone?" Conner asked from where he was propped against the wall just inside the door.

"No." She shook her head. "I didn't hear anyone either."

"Good Samaritan maybe, helping out a woman in need?" Hershel asked, taking the mug when she indicated she was finished with it.

"If they were such a good Samaritan then they probably should have checked out the bullet wound they caused." Merle snorted.

"Ye think they were scared?" Murphy had plopped himself down in the chair behind Hershel's desk, his feet kicked up on the corner of it. He was ignoring Hershel's glares.

"Scared of what? She's one woman." Daryl scoffed. "Ain't exactly life threatening."

"Fuck you, Davy Crockett." Michonne glared at him.

"Calm down, girlie." Merle laughed. He liked this woman.

"Why were ye travelin' alone?" Conner was curious. It was hard enough to make it with a group these days. He couldn't imagine being out there alone.

"I was with a group." She sighed and looked away from them all. "Some got bit by the dead, some got killed by men. A lot starved. I survived."

"How long ye been alone?" Murphy wondered.

"I don't know." She shrugged. "A week. A month. It's hard to say."

"Aye, we know that's righ'." Conn nodded. "Time's different now."

"Aye." Michonne looked at him and mocked his accent. Conner just chuckled.

"What's her deal, Hershel?" Daryl asked the old man. "How long she gonna be laid up?"

"A few days, minimum." Hershel replied. "It's really up to her."

"When you're up, what are your plans?" Merle asked, staring down at her.

"No plans." She met his eyes. "I'm just surviving, day to day."

"Can ye take us ta where ye were shot?" Murphy asked. "We shoul' figure out if another group is around."

"Aye, he's righ'." Conner agreed. "Can ye track them, Davy Crockett?"

"Fuck you." Daryl flipped him off before leaving the room in a huff.

"What tha fuck's his problem?" Murphy asked Merle.

"His panties has been in a bunch all damn day. That little woman of his must be fuckin' with his head." Merle shrugged. He reached down and touched Michonne's foot. "Get healed up and we'll figure out your plans then." She nodded and watched as he and the Irishmen left the room. Hershel asked her if she needed anything else and she shook her head. He bid her goodnight and she was left alone. Just the way she liked it. Michonne leaned her head back against the pillow and grit her teeth around the pain in her leg.

She couldn't believe she had let herself get shot. After everything she had been through on the road, getting shot was like a slap in the face. She had been watching the road to the school for weeks, trying to get a feel for the kind of people who were holed up there. It had been a steady stream of cars and trucks leaving in the mornings and even more trucks coming back in the evening. She had figured that there was a large community from the amount of supplies she had assumed they were bringing in.

Meeting the two rednecks and the two Irishmen tonight had been interesting, to say the least. They seemed to be on the up and up even though they were rough around the edges. The burly one who had stood near her bed appeared very dangerous, but she could tell that everyone else respected him so appearances must have been deceiving. The Irish guys were obviously brothers. She could see the resemblance between the two. Michonne thought that they all seemed to work as a unit and that was something that she could respect. She wasn't sure what was in her future, but maybe staying here, with these people, was something she should look into. Being alone all the time was wearing on her.

***TWD***BDS***

Hershel walked into his infirmary two days later to find his patient sitting on the edge of the bed. Her eyes were darting all over the room looking for something. Hershel figured it was her weapons or clothes and he chuckled.

"Can I help you with something, young lady?" He asked, setting his mug of coffee on his desk. He handed the other mug he was holding out to Michonne and smiled at her when she accepted it.

"My clothes. Where are they?" She asked, nodding thanks at him for the coffee.

"The pants had to be thrown away. My daughter Beth brought you the pajama pants you're wearing." Hershel explained as he moved around the desk to sit down.

"I need real clothes. My boots." Michonne stared at him.

"The women in our group have rooms of clothes." Hershel sighed. "They'll set you up when you're ready."

"I'm ready now." She stated.

"Can you walk?" Hershel slanted an eyebrow at her and wondered what she was gonna do. She might have been the toughest woman he had ever met. Michonne pushed the blanket over her lap to the side and frowned down at the pink flannel pajama pants she had on. Red hearts danced across them and Michonne hated hearts. She hated these pants and the pink henley she was wearing. She rose to her feet and weaved for a minute before getting her balance. Gathering her strength, Michonne slowly walked across the infirmary to the door and then back to her cot. She held up her hands to Hershel in a ta da move and sent him a questioning look.

"Good enough?" She asked.

"I suppose so. You need to take it easy, though. You're still weak." Hershel said and stood up. "Wait here and I'll be back with someone to help you with clothes."

"Thank you." Michonne nodded at him and waited until he had left the room before she gratefully sank down on the cot. The walk had really worn her out, but she wasn't going to tell anyone that. She sipped her coffee as she waited and was surprised when just a few moments later two women stepped inside. She vaguely remembered them from the day she had shown up here, but she couldn't recollect their names or anything. One of the women was a sweet looking blonde who was clad in skinny jeans and a soft pink hoodie. Her almost white hair was pulled up in a high ponytail and she looked way too cheery for Michonne. The other was a sassy redhead who was still wearing black and white plaid pajama pants and a black hoodie. Her curly red hair was in a messy bun and Michonne could barely see the start of tattoos on her neck.

"Hey there." The blond spoke. "It's good to see you up. I'm Andrea, by the way."

"And I'm Aerin." The redhead moved forward and shook Michonne's hand. "It's nice to finally meet you."

"Michonne." She nodded at them both. "The doctor said you could find me some real clothes."

"Of course." Andrea smiled. "We looted a mall before we left Atlanta so we have a ton of stuff."

"You looted a mall?" Michonne tilted her head quizzically at the women. "A mall was high on your list of priorities?"

"Yep." Aerin frowned. "We needed clothes and there was a CVS there so we cleaned it out too. That's where a lot of the medicine that was used on you came from."

"I'm not judging." Michonne said, even though she knew she had been. "Clothes have been the last thing on my mind since all this happened."

"Have you been alone for awhile?" Andrea asked.

"Yeah. And it was rough before that. We were hungry and on foot most of the time, just trying to get away from Atlanta and the herds." Michonne said, finally smiling at the two women. "Can you please get me out of these heart pants?"

"Yeah, sure. Beth was the one who dressed you, by the way." Aerin spoke up. "She's only seventeen."

"That explains it." Michonne sighed and slowly rose to her feet again. Andrea and Aerin moved on either side of her and they slowly began walking down the hall.

"Merle said that you were fighting off walkers when someone shot you." Andrea said.

"Which one's Merle?" Michonne asked, concentrating on not falling over. "One of the rednecks, right? The motorcycle looking guy or Davy Crockett?"

"Not Davy Crockett." Andrea laughed. "That's gotta be Daryl. Merle's my... well, I hate to say boyfriend but that's what he is, I guess."

"It's such a stupid thing to say. It's not like you're even close to being in high school." Aerin rolled her eyes.

"So, is Davy Crockett yours?" Michonne asked Aerin. She thought that Andrea and the tough looking Merle were an odd match, to say the least.

"Oh no." Aerin laughed. "He belongs to Carol. She's with the kids, right now, trying to teach them something. You'll meet her later. Conner and Murphy are mine."

"The Irish guys?" Michonne wrinkled her brow, wondering how far away this room of clothes was.

"Yep." Aerin nodded. "And before you ask, yes I'm with both of them."

"Wow." Michonne nodded, all sorts of unwanted images and questions popping into her head. "You must be busy."

"Not as busy as I'd like." Aerin frowned.

"I heard that you were trying to get busy the other night." Andrea laughed.

"Fuck you, Andrea." Aerin growled at her friend. "You need to teach your man how to knock."

"We're working on it." Andrea chuckled. Michonne decided she didn't want to know. She was thanking the lord when Aerin opened a door to a classroom and they stepped into what could only be described as a clothes tornado.

"Are you serious?" Michonne looked around the room and couldn't believe her eyes. Piles and piles of clothes were everywhere, grouped into different stacks. Shoes, belts, socks, and underwear each had their own spots.

"It's hard not to take it when it's free." Aerin shrugged. "It's a problem."

"I hope you guys don't ever have to run. There's no way you could take all of this with you." Michonne sank down into a rocking chair and watched as Aerin and Andrea started going through clothes.

"We're pretty secure here. We've been slowly reinforcing the fences and we all take turns killing the walkers that build up." Andrea explained. "You wouldn't believe how good I'm getting at stabbing those stinky bastards."

"I probably would." Michonne said, gently rocking with her foot. They all turned to the door when another woman stepped inside. Michonne watched as the thin short haired lady stepped over to her.

"Hi, I'm Carol." She held her hand out. "I helped Hershel get that bullet out of your leg. I'm so glad that you're up and about."

"Thanks." Michonne nodded. "I appreciate it."

"It's no problem." Carol turned to her friends and laughed. "I can't believe you two weren't even going to get me."

"I thought you were teaching math to the kids." Aerin wrinkled her nose. "I hate math."

"I was, but Glenn wanted them to help him outside in the garden. I figured it could be a science lesson so I cut them loose." Carol shrugged.

"They need to get outside." Andrea said. "Carl spends too much time in front of that TV."

"You have TV here?" Michonne asked.

"Yeah, Glenn got it. He picks up movies whenever he goes out and the kids really like to watch it." Aerin said. "I'm trying to talk him into getting a Wii or something next so we can go bowling."

"That would be fun." Carol murmured, digging out a pair of olive green cargo pants and handing them to Michonne. "I think these might fit you."

"Thanks." Michonne took them. "They're already better than these heart pants."

"Beth picked them out. She's pretty sweet." Carol laughed.

"I can tell." Michonne stood up and shimmied out of the heart pants. Carol helped her get the cargo pants over her bad leg and Michonne sighed in relief when she buttoned the pants. "That's so much better."

"Here, try this." Aerin handed her a black tank top with a matching black zip up jacket. "It gets chilly in here some days so the jacket is probably necessary."

"Thanks." Michonne pulled them on and slowly crossed over to the shoe selection. She picked out some black boots and Carol helped her put them on. "Now, I need my katana and I'll be good to go."

"You're leaving?" Aerin frowned. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"I wasn't planning on leaving. But I can help with the walkers on the fence or take a watch or something. I pull my own weight and I've already been here for a few days." Michonne said.

"You're not ready for all that. Just take it easy today." Carol touched Michonne's arm. "Daryl wants you to show him where you got shot tomorrow, so you need to rest up for that."

"Daryl is Davy Crockett?" Michonne asked, frowning. Carol sent both of her friends a puzzled look.

"Davy Crockett?" She asked.

"That's what she calls him." Andrea laughed. "Kind of suits. I'm surprised he doesn't wear a coon skin cap."

"I'm telling him you said that." Carol threatened. "He's gonna be your brother-in-law one day."

"One day when the courts open back up and marriage becomes trendy again?" Andrea scoffed. "I figure me and Merle are about as married as it gets."

"You and Daryl gonna get married, too?" Aerin teased Carol. "Then you guys could be sisters for life."

"Don't you ever say anything to him about marriage. My god, he's just started being okay with sharing a room with me. Can you imagine the panic that would ensue if he thought he had to marry me?" Carol sighed deeply, shaking her head.

"I would think that Daryl would be more the marryin' type than Merle." Aerin observed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Andrea asked, frowning at Aerin. "Are you saying that Merle's some kind of whore?"

"No" Aerin laughed. "I'm just saying that I bet Merle's seen a hell of a lot more action than Daryl has. He just seems like the kind of guy who falls for one woman and then loves her for life."

"She's right." Carol nodded. "He's very much a creature of habit. Back in the old days, I would have said that he's got a touch of OCD. He sits in the same place every time we eat dinner or watch movies. He always sleeps on the left side of the bed. Wears the same three outfits most of the time. He finds something he likes and sticks with it."

"That's not a bad thing." Michonne spoke up.

"He's dependable." Aerin added.

"And Merle's not?" Andrea's feathers were still ruffled.

"He's a great guy, Andrea. Now." Aerin finally said. "But when we first met him, before you got your hooks into him, he was a womanizing asshole. Everybody hated him."

"I didn't." Andrea grumbled.

"And thank god for that." Carol nudged her friend. "Can you imagine Merle without you? We probably would have left him on some rooftop in Atlanta or something."

"You guys are so horrible." Andrea said, but she laughed a little.

"Speaking of the Dixon's ladies, they brought in a deer this morning. I was thinking maybe we can make something different for supper tonight." Aerin changed the subject. "I'm getting tired of soups and stews."

"I wonder if we could grind it up." Carol was already thinking of different ways to cook the meat as they followed her to the cafeteria.