I do not own any of the TWD characters.
The Fair's In Town
Or Bless Carol's Heart
Well, some of you thought that the rehearsal dinner might be the biggest red neck fest ever – you're kind of correct. What makes it redneck? Live animals, eating food out of baskets, a country western band? Or is it the near slug fest that breaks out toward the end of the night? Depends on who you ask I guess. I'm certain Lucille's never seen a rehearsal dinner quite like this one. Enjoy!
Daryl and Beth pulled into her driveway back in town around nine o'clock. They were both exhausted but too excited to even begin thinking about taking a nap. Negan and Lucille were on the back screened in porch enjoying some breakfast. Negan rose from his seat when he heard Beth's jeep. He met them out in the driveway and couldn't help but notice the goofy ass grin both of them had on their faces.
"Where have you two been?" he asked them. Neither one answered but just continued to grin like goobers.
"What have you two been up to?" Negan continued the questioning. Still, no response but a giggle and snort.
"What the hell's wrong with you two? Ya'll high or something?" Negan barked out.
"No" Beth finally managed to answer and look slightly offended – but not too much. "We've been up in a hot air balloon" she smiled.
By this time Negan had turned around to rejoin Lucille on the back porch. He stopped in his tracks when he heard Beth mention the balloon ride. "A hot air balloon?" he asked.
"Uh huh" Beth responded. "For the sunrise" she added.
"Good Lord" Negan huffed out. "You seen one sunrise you've seen them all." Now the three of them were standing around the breakfast table where Lucille was sipping the last of her juice.
"Not like this one" Beth argued with Negan. "This one was special." Another giggle slipped out. Lucille arched an eyebrow.
Negan wondered why he allowed this slip of a girl to get him so riled up. "Princess" Negan drawled "I believe you're drunk or high or something" he looked at his watch. "It's nine o'clock in the morning. How does a sweet thing like you get into trouble this early in the day?" Then he looked at Daryl for the first time and he looked as much a fool as she did. "Oh, never mind" Negan muttered.
"Have you two had any breakfast?" Lucille asked Daryl. Daryl nodded, but then he saw the bacon and eggs on the platter and shook his head no. Daryl plopped down at the table and began eating directly from the serving platter, much to Lucille's horror. "What have you all been doing?" she asked the both of them.
"We went up in a hot air balloon" Daryl told them with a mouth full of bacon.
"For the sunrise" Beth added.
"So you said" Negan responded.
"And I asked Beth to marry me" Daryl said, before choking on some eggs. Lucille tossed a napkin at him with a disgusted look on her face before realizing what he'd just said.
"What?" Lucille shrieked.
By this time Beth was hopping up and down and clapping her hands. "Look, look!" Beth chanted. "Negan, Lucille" she said "look at my ring. Isn't it gorgeous?" Beth was talking a mile a minute and at one point she didn't even realize what she was saying – she was just talking. "Daryl woke me up really early. I was really grouchy and my fu..oh, nevermind. I was really grouchy. And then we went downstairs for some coffee, and then we went out to the field, and there were all these balloons everywhere."
"Let me see that ring" Negan beamed at the girl. "Let me see" as if he'd never laid eyes on it. Beth held her hand out to him. Negan made a show of taking his glasses out of the neck of his shirt and putting them on. He looked at it up and down real good several times. "It's alright I guess" he said. "It'll do."
Beth grew silent. Her lip trembled a bit and then she sucked it in to try and keep from crying. "What?" she asked, her voice shaking. "Just alright?" she repeated Negan's words. The look on Lucille's face was priceless – she was going to kill Negan for hurting Beth's feelings.
"Baby Girl" Negan pulled her into a hug. "That ring is nothing compared to how beautiful you are, but yes, it is a beautiful ring. Who the hell do you think picked it out?"
Now Daryl was pissed. "What the fuck man?" and he punched Negan in the arm.
"John" Lucille said. "That's enough! Come here sweetheart. Let me get a good look at that bauble." Lucille was trying not to laugh at Negan and Daryl. They really were just overgrown boys that could never behave when the occasion called for it.
"We're going to get married. And we're going to have babies. And we're going to get old and crazy together" Beth returned to her rambling. "Aren't we Daryl?" she turned to Daryl and pulled herself into his side. Daryl kissed the top of her head. "Yep – all of that" he agreed.
Negan and Lucille exchanged looks, both with growing smiles. "Oh, I am so happy to hear this news" Lucille said. "I don't guess there's a sweeter couple around – that I know of anyway."
Negan pulled Daryl into a hug. "Congratulations Son – I wish you two only the best!" He picked Beth up off her feet next. "My sweet, sweet girl" Negan said as he hugged Beth tight. After putting her back on her feet, Negan looked to Lucille. "Can you imagine what beautiful grandchildren we're going to have?"
"Good Lord John" Lucille sighed. "They're not married yet. We have an engagement party to plan, then there will be the wedding. Oh my, Beth are we coming back here for the wedding or are we going to be wed in Chicago?"
Both Daryl and Beth had suddenly been struck mute. They both just stood there with their mouths gaping open.
"Beth?" Lucille said. "Daryl?"
Daryl spoke first. "We haven't gotten that far yet" Daryl told them.
"Oh, well of course you haven't" Lucille tried to reassure the both of them. "We've plenty of time to plan for these things. We can have two engagement parties if necessary – whatever you all want. One down here – one in Chicago. No expense will be spared. Isn't that right John?" Lucille looked at her husband.
"Baby, whatever these two want they shall have" Negan told Lucille but he also noticed that the young couple looked a little bewildered. "Of course, we have plenty of time. Right? No hurry?"
"Right" Beth agreed.
"No hurry at all" Daryl chimed in.
For some reason, Negan and Lucille didn't believe these two as far as they could throw them. Yep, these two were up to something.
XOXOXOXO
Daryl and Beth had gotten a much needed nap. Negan had promised that he would get them up by 2:00 and he did. By three o'clock all four of them were headed out to the farm. Noah and Sam had already gone out there with Shane. As far as Beth knew, everyone had been picked up from the airport earlier in the day and everything was right on track. She hadn't heard from Maggie or her mother so she assumed everything was set on go.
The actual rehearsal was to begin at their family church at 4:00. The wedding and reception really wasn't going to be anything outlandish. The rehearsal dinner though – was going to be something else. Daryl could only imagine how over the top it was going to be if there were hot air balloons involved as part of the entertainment.
When everyone had arrived at the little country church, the pastor was quick to usher everyone into their assigned spots so that they could quickly run through the service. The pastor's wife served as the wedding coordinator and helped answer any questions that they had. Beth and Daryl were somewhat zoned out and were having a hard time paying attention. All they were able to do it seemed was to stare at each other, and giggle, and touch whenever they could get the chance.
Maggie insisted that they run through everything a second time and no one was going to argue with her. Everyone did their best not to make any mistakes so that they could get back to the farm and have something to eat. Daryl wasn't sure what they were going to have, but he was starving and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich would suit him.
Carl and some of his friends were in charge of getting everyone parked, loaded onto a golf cart, and then transported to the house. Yes, they were a bunch of hormonal goof offs but they were having fun and getting the job done. Beth was unsure if she should wear her engagement ring this weekend or not. She sure didn't want to invoke Maggie's wrath in any way by trying to steal the spotlight. Daryl told Beth that he didn't ever want her to take the ring off, so she had no choice.
"Just try not to flaunt it" Daryl said with a smirk. There was no way that ring would go unnoticed.
"Yes Dear" Lucille smiled at Beth. "No one will even notice it I'm sure." Beth was certain she heard Negan mutter under his breath, "have to be fucking blind not to notice that trinket."
So, here was Beth, with an antique ring totaling two carats of diamonds and amethyst on her sweet finger, trying her best not to flaunt it. Daryl spotted a familiar face boarding the golf cart in front of them.
"Fuck" he whispered. Everyone turned to look at him.
"What is it?" Beth asked. John and Lucille wanted to know as well.
"Oh my God" Daryl said. "Don't know why it didn't occur to me she'd be here."
"Who?" Beth insisted. "Who?"
"Carol" Daryl finally answered. "Carol – she damn near ripped the clothes off me at the engagement party. I couldn't get away from her."
"What on earth are you talking about?" Beth probed. "My Carol? The lady from the land leasing office?"
"I don't know where the fuck she works" Daryl huffed. "Ain't never had to fight a woman off me before, but she wouldn't take no for an answer."
At this point Negan was howling in laughter. "You mean to tell me" he barked "that she was throwing herself at you and you turned it down?"
Both Beth and Lucille gave Negan the stink eye. "I didn't want none of that" Daryl argued. "I'd just spotted what I wanted earlier that night." Daryl looked to Beth. A small smile playing at his lips and Beth's.
"Awwww" Beth said. "That's so sweet. I wish I'd known" Beth was now laughing. "I could've saved you from Big Bad Carol."
"Awww" Lucille echoed.
"Good Lord" Negan whispered. "Can't ya'll cut that shit out for a few minutes?"
"Go ahead" Daryl said. "Go ahead and poke fun. She's stronger than she looks – and stubborn as hell. And crazy – bitch is crazy."
XOXOXOXO
The hot air balloons were still in the field behind the house – all of them inflated and waiting for passengers. Most of them would remain tethered, but there were several available for flights. There was a huge tent where a dance floor had been set up. Tables circled the dance floor and were covered in checkered table clothes – some were pink and white while others were turquoise and white. Mason jars were filled to overflowing with fresh cut flowers while candles and torches were glowing on every available surface.
There was a serving table lined with the strangest assortment of food items. Lucille couldn't quite figure it out until she spotted the stacks and stacks of picnic baskets. It was a serving line - that much was certain. Quickly, Lucille figured it out. Guests were to grab a picnic basket and go through the serving line to fill it with the items they wanted to take on their "picnic supper". Containers of fried chicken, sandwiches of all sorts wrapped individually in wax paper, chips, cheese and crackers, packages of fruit and veggies, to go cups of dressing and dips, cookies, cupcakes, bottles of wine, wine coolers, cold beer, juice boxes for the kids, and bottled water.
It was impressive and unique and all Lucille could think was how in the hell am I going to top this for Daryl and Beth. At one point, she even said to no one in particular, "I've got my work cut out for me."
"What?" Beth asked her.
"Oh, nothing Dear" Lucille told her.
Square hay bales covered with quilts were available for groups to have their picnics. It was hard for parents to get their kids to focus on supper though when there were so many other things to marvel at. Pony rides, caricature artists, and carnival games were on hand to entertain the younger crowd. Balloon rides were available for anyone interested. Corn hole and horse shoes played to the older guests' interest and once the sun went down, the band began warming up.
"Ever done any line dancing Negan?" Beth asked him.
"Princess" he laughed "I can honestly say that I've never done any line dancing. I think I'll take a pass."
"Like hell you will" Beth told him as she grabbed his hand and drug him to the dance floor. Daryl had never seen Negan look so unsure of anything before, but this must have had the guy a little rattled. Negan watched Beth as she demonstrated the steps required of this particular dance. When she put her hands on her hips while she waited for him to fulfill the order "now you do it".
Lucille and Daryl laughed and laughed till their sides hurt. Eventually Negan got the hang of it and Beth was having a little trouble keeping up with him. Lucille didn't miss Carol eyeing Beth out there on the dance floor.
"I don't think I much care for this Carol lady" she told Daryl. "I don't like the way she's looking at our Beth.
"Makes me a little nervous" Daryl admitted.
"Oh my, she's headed our way" Lucille said quietly to Daryl. Carol was making a direct beeline to where they were sitting on a small grouping of hay bales.
Carol had stomped up to Daryl with the last of a wine bottle she'd been working on. "Well, I wouldn't have believed it" she began.
Daryl rolled his eyes and looked to Lucille who just continued to stare at the gray haired lady in front of her. "What's that?" he asked.
"People have been talkin all over town" she said. "Talkin 'bout how sweet little Beth Greene has been swept off her feet by an older guy. Finally found somebody to take care of her" Carol droned on. "You know how people talk."
"I can't help what people in this town say or think Carol" Daryl was already tired of this conversation. "Matter a fact, I don't give two shits what they say or think. What Beth and I have goin on ain't nobody's business but our own. And Beth don't need anybody to take care of her – she can handle herself."
Negan had begun to tucker out and was on his way back to sit the next few dances out. He'd handed Beth off to Shane and they were now dancing the electric slide. Negan was returning to Daryl and Lucille just in time to catch the tail end of Carol's tirade.
"Course Beth's always gone for the older guys ya know. She's so fragile and whatnot. I bet she's got one hell of a Daddy fetish. You like that Daryl? Is that why I've never been able to snag you?" she asked.
"Are you insane?" Daryl now stood up. "Carol, I want you to get the fuck away from me and stay the fuck away from Beth. You are bat shit crazy."
Carol glanced behind her to see Negan standing there. "Am I Daryl?" Carol questioned him. "And who's out there with your sweet thing right now? I can tell you without even lookin who she's out there with – a not so eligible sheriff's deputy. Someone who always seems to be there when Beth needs rescuing. Let me guess. Is it Officer Walsh?"
Carol turned to look at the dance floor to verify. "Well, looky there" Carol cackled. "It is Officer Walsh. And Beth. On the dance floor. Together."
"I don't think I like what you're implying" Lucille threw her hat into the ring and stood up quickly. Her face was on fire she was becoming so angry.
"Oh, you don't?" Carol snorted at Lucille. "Well, all I know is he was there when she had her little spell the other night".
Negan decided to speak at this point. "I don't really think this is any of"
Carol cut him off. "He was there when poor little Beth tried to off herself by slitting her wrist like the spoiled little brat she's always been."
"That's enough Carol" Daryl snapped. "Shut your fuckin mouth or"
"Or what Daryl?" Carol asked. "Gonna rough me up like your old man used to do to your momma?"
"That's enough Carol" Shane said. Shane, Beth, and Rick had noticed the stand-off and figured they better try and diffuse the situation.
"Come on" Rick said. "Let me get you home." Rick tried to take Carol by the arm but she snatched it out of his grasp.
Negan and Lucille exchanged glances.
"Carol" Beth said in a strong clear voice. Carol stood stock still. "Rick's gonna take you home now" Beth continued talking. "My advice to you is to stay there this weekend. Don't come to the weddin tomorrow, don't come to church Sunday. Don't come out of your house till I leave town."
"Who the hell do you think you are? Tellin me what I'm gonna do" Carol sneered at Beth and threw the wine bottle to the ground. "I should just knock the wind right outta your sails, right here in front of everybody." Carol made to step toward Beth thinking that if she towered over her that the girl would be intimidated. Her plan backfired because that only pissed Beth off even more than she already was.
"Back up off me" the younger woman growled. Daryl stepped to get Beth away from Carol but she pulled away. Shane pulled Daryl away from Beth and shook his head at Daryl slightly as if to say let her handle it. Beth stepped toward Carol and shoved her – hard, hard enough that Carol fell backward into a hay bale. Lucille gasped while Negan began grinning like an opussum. Cat fight he thought to himself.
"I'm Beth Fucking Greene – soon to be Dixon" Beth whispered to Carol as she leaned over her. "If I catch you talkin shit 'bout me, or my people, or makin a move on my man again, I will put a hurtin on ya you hadn't experienced in quite a while."
Carol didn't have a response. She just stared at the hell cat hovering over her. Rick finally stepped in to encourage Beth to back off. "Come on Carol" Rick told the lady while he helped her to standing. "I'll get you home."
As they watched Rick put Carol onto a golf cart that Carl was driving, Lucille said, "Bless her heart."
Beth couldn't contain her smile and the giggle that erupted. She and Lucille turned to look at each other nearly at the same time. "Yes" Beth laughed. "Bless her heart."