Jewels: I do not own The Walking Dead…
"Where's Hershel?" Andrea asked, as her, Lori, and I stood in the kitchen listening to Maggie and Beth arguing.
"He doesn't want to find out yet," Lori replied, finishing up that dishes she hadn't earlier, "It's a family affair. We'll let them work it out."
"That's working it out?" Andrea asked, as the yelling got louder.
"When Beth stops fighting, that's when it's time to worry," Lori said.
"When she stops fighting, that means she don't care about what people are tryin' to say to her 'cause she shut down," I said, agreeing with Lori, "Means she's decided that it's not even worth the discussion."
"This could've been handled better," Andrea said, shaking her head.
"How so?" Lori asked.
"You shouldn't have taken the knife away," she replied.
"Excuse me?" Lori asked.
"I told you she lost it," I said, looking at Lori.
"You were wrong," Andrea said, "Like Dale taking my gun. That wasn't his decision. She has to choose to live on her own. She has to find her own reasons."
"Want me to tie a noose for her?" Lori asked, setting the plates she was holding down with a loud thunk.
"If she's serious, she'll figure out a way," Andrea said.
"Doesn't mean I can't stop her or let her know that I care," Lori argued.
"That has nothing to do with it, Lori….she has so many choices in front of her, and she believes the best one is suicide," Andrea said.
"That is not an option," Lori said.
"It's an option…" I said, cutting in causing Lori to look at me in disbelief, "But…" I turned and looked Andrea dead in the eye. "This isn't someone who, unlike you, had a few days to stew on the fact that she lost someone she loved and had a complete mental breakdown over it and decided 'well, goodbye cruel world'…this is a young girl who just yesterday mornin' she was, for the most part, happy and had a glimmer of hope that maybe her mother would get better. She hadn't seen the world we had until Shane decided to go all caveman and really put us all at risk. She had two severe blows at once, for once would ya just think about someone other than yourself."
"She doesn't need to be yelled at or treated like a child!" she said.
"Maybe not…but she needs someone to snap her back to reality!" I snapped.
"No, Jewels…she needs a loaded gun," Lori interrupted, sarcasm dripping from every word.
"You're right, solve everything," I agreed.
She then looked at Andrea with disgust. "You understand if I don't send you in there."
Andrea's lip curled. "I came through it."
I clicked my tongue and was about to say something in regards to that completely ridiculous comment, when Lori took the words right out of my mouth. "And became such a productive member of the group…let Maggie handle this her way."
"I contribute," Andrea retorted, "I help keep this place safe."
"You have got to be kidding me," I sneered, not being able to hold it back.
"The men can handle this on their own…they don't need your help," Lori said, in a low almost warning tone.
"I'm sorry…and what would you have me do?" Andrea asked.
"Are you fuckin' serious right now?" I asked in disbelief, before looking at Lori, "Did she really just say that?"
"Oh, there's plenty of work to go around," Lori said, before looking at me with a small roll of her eyes.
'She finally sees why Andrea pisses me off,' I thought.
"Are you serious?" Andrea asked, "Everything falls apart, and you're in my face over skipping laundry?"
"Puts a burden on the rest of us, on me, Carol, Jewels, and Patricia and Maggie. Cooking, cleaning and caring for Beth," Lori stopped, her lips drawing into a thin straight line, "And you…you don't care about anyone but yourself."
'HALLELUJAH!' I inwardly cheered, 'Finally someone else has spoken the truth. Ain't just me anymore!'
"You sit up on that RV, working on your tan with a shotgun in your lap," Lori finished.
"No, I am on watch against walkers…that is what matters, not fresh mint leaves in the lemonade."
"Is this before or after you disobey orders and shoot at fellow group members almost killin' them?" I questioned.
"That was an accident," she said, her lip curling once again.
"Ya don't know what you're doin' and ya think ya can just go and do what ya want," I said, taking a step towards her.
Lori got in between us to make sure we didn't break into fight. But as she stood there she stared down at Andrea, a scowl on her face. "We are providing stability, we are trying to create a life worth living."
"Are you kidding me?" Andrea asked.
"Look, I went after Rick and I took down two walkers," Lori started.
"After crashing Maggie's car-," Andrea cut in.
"Don't act like you're the only one who can take care of herself," Lori said.
"Ever apologize for that?" Andrea asked.
Lori took a step back. "Crashing her…you're insane."
"HALLELUJAH!" I accidently said out loud. I turned away from the two sets of eyes now starin' at me. 'I can't believe that just happened.'
"No, I am not the insane one and that just proves that both you are," Andrea said, "And you're the one that's self-centered, the way you take it all for granted."
"My husband is out there for the hundredth time…my son was shot, don't you dare tell me I take this for granted," Lori said lowly.
"You don't get it, do you?" Andrea spat, "Your husband came back from the dead, your son too. And now you've got a baby on the way.The rest of us have piled up our losses…me, Carol, Beth…but you just keep on keeping on. We have all suffered. But you, playing how, acting like the queen bee, laying down rules for everybody else but yourself. You know what? Go ahead. Go in there and tell that little girl that everything's gonna be okay, just like it is for you. She'll get a husband, a son, baby…boyfriend. She just has to look on the bright side."
Lori just stared at Andrea before Andrea scoffed and walked off.
"Next time, you don't have to be so excited," Lori said quietly.
"That was an accident…it just slipped out…" I said, still embarrassed by my outburst. I had meant what I had said, but I didn't mean to actually say it.
After that Lori and I stayed in the kitchen and continued cleaning. I helped the best I could, sweeping, mopping, and dusting being the most my hand and after fever tired body could handle.
"Damn I hate this thing," I said unwrapping my hand.
"You should leave that on," Lori warned.
"It needs air," said before gently resting my unwrappy hand on the cool countertop, "That's better…uh oh." I looked out the window in front of me and saw Daryl heading towards the house.
"What?" she asked.
"I'm in trouble," I replied.
She looked out the window and saw Daryl and chuckled. "I'm having no part of this one." She turned and headed out of the kitchen to a different part of the house and I just watched in disbelief.
"Lori…Lori come back," I said seeing the look on Daryl's face, "Lori…Lori this ain't funny."
"Jewels!" Daryl said, stomping into the house.
"Stew was good," I quickly said before he could get anything else out.
"You should be restin'," he said.
"I felt much better, so I came and visited with Lori…helped with some minor chores," I replied.
"I don't need ya getting' sick again," he said, runnin' his hands over his face, "I'm gonna need your help tomorrow and ya won't be any good with a fever."
"Help?" I questioned, "Help with what?"
"Last night, apparently Rick, Glenn, and Hershel brought back some kid. Name's Randall…he's from a group that's nearby and they can't get any information outta him," he replied.
"So their sendin' in my wolf to do the dirty work?" I questioned, slidin' my hand up his chest and undoing the first couple of buttons of his threadbare shirt.
He smirked. "Ain't gonna work…"
"What ain't gonna work?" I questioned slyly.
"Tryin' to get on my good side like this," he replied, "You in a lot of trouble…not restin' like the note said."
"What are ya gonna do? Spank me?" I teased.
Next thing I knew a loud smacking sound was echoing through the quiet kitchen before, he turned and headed towards the door. "By the way…your job tomorrow is just to make sure I don't kill the kid."
He walked out of the house leaving me standing there, hand on my butt, and mouth gaping. 'I can never…ever say that again.'
TO BE CONTINUED…