Chapter 28

It was the third time Carol had glanced at the time, and she was thankful that Michonne hadn't pointed out her social faux pas. She truly hated it when people kept glancing at the time on social outings, but she knew that the home study was probably just wrapping up, and she was eager to talk to Daryl about it.

"You're stressing me out by stressing out," Michonne said with a sigh, taking a sip of wine. Carol envied her that. She couldn't even have a drink to calm her nerves.

"I'm sorry. I'm not very good company today."

"It's ok," Michonne assured her. "You could have cancelled. The home study's a little more important than this, you know?"

"To be honest, I didn't think it was a good idea for me to be there. I think it's important that the focus stays on Katie and Daryl. He's the one adopting her. If I'm there, it'll just complicate things."

"Why?" Michonne asked, furrowing her brows. "Because you're pregnant?"

"Ok, so the social worker asks who I am, and I tell them I'm Daryl's girlfriend. Then she starts asking about the baby? What do I say? Oh, yeah, it's our baby, but it's not our baby, because we're giving it to a friend?"

"You're over thinking," Michonne pointed out. "Just tell them you're a surrogate for a friend. It's not that scandalous."

"No, but what if she thinks it'll confuse Katie? I don't want to jeopardize this at all."

"Katie loves you!" Michonne insisted. "Anybody can see she just adores you."

"Which is precisely the reason her grandparents seem so eager to take her away from Daryl. I don't want to replace Katie's mother, and I feel like that's all Nora sees. She sees a woman who wants to be a mother to her grandchild when her grandchild already had a mother."

"Andrea's dead," Michonne pointed out flatly. "It's sad and tragic, but that doesn't mean Katie shouldn't have a mother figure in her life."

"I just think it's best to lay low." Carol took a bite of her pasta. "I don't want to ruin this for him."

"Carol," Michonne said softly, reaching across the table to put her hand atop her friend's. "If anything, I think you make it better for him." Carol felt her eyes sting with tears, and she blinked them away. "I've seen him with Katie, and he's great with her. But when you're there? You guys are a family. Any judge in their right mind is gonna see that."

Carol settled back into her seat, folding her hands into her lap and twisting her napkin between her fingers.

"I sure hope you're right." She chewed her lip anxiously, and Michonne cocked her head to the side.

"What is it you're really worried about? You're great with Katie, and she loves you and Daryl. Are you worried they're not going to grant him the adoption because of the surrogacy? Don't think twice about that."

"It's not that," Carol insisted. She swallowed the lump in her throat, and Michonne's face fell.

"Oh," she said softly. "You're worried they'll find out about what happened…after Sophia."

"It's always at the back of my mind, Michonne."

"But you talked to Daryl about it. He knows."

"He knows," Carol said softly."

"But Nora and Jack don't?"

"No. I haven't trusted many people with that revelation, Michonne. It's not something I'm proud of."

"Well, then don't worry about it. You can't drag a handful of pills and one desperate moment around on your neck. It's the past, and it's over. You've gotten through it, and that doesn't make you unfit to be a part of Katie's life."

"No," Carol said softly. "You're right. I know that."

"Then stop worrying. It's bad for the baby, and it's bad for you. Just try not to stress. This is going to work out. Believe that." Carol nodded then, praying that her friend was right and that she wasn't just trying to make her feel better. Things would find a way to work themselves out.

...

"How'd it go?" she asked, toeing off her shoes and kicking them aside as he pulled her in for a kiss.

"Went great. There were two of 'em, and they checked out the whole place. Hell, I thought they were gonna measure how tall the grass out back was. Ain't never seen nothin' like it before. But they seemed happy with the place. Katie showed 'em her room, and they talked to her." He placed a kiss to her temple and let go of her. "My lawyer called me about ten minutes ago and said things were lookin' good."

"Daryl, I'm so relieved," Carol murmured, sighing and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Where's Katie?"

"All the excitement wore her out. She's takin' a nap."

"Oh," Carol chuckled.

"How'd your thing with Michonne go?"

"Oh. It was fine," she said with a nod.

"Fine?" he asked, eyeing her.

"Ok, I was distracted and really bad company. I paid for the whole meal, I felt so bad."

"What happened?"

"I was worried about you and Katie."

"Hey, you don't gotta worry about us. Things are workin' out. We're another step closer to finishin' this for good. Stop worryin'."

"That's what Michonne said," Carol admitted with a sigh, as Daryl took her hand and led her over to the couch.

"She's right. C'mere." He sat down sideways on the couch, pulling her to sit between his legs. She leaned back against his chest, and he brought his hands to her shoulders, squeezing them.

"Oh God, that feels good," she murmured, bowing her head as he massaged her. "I didn't realize how tense I was." She smiled when she felt him place a kiss to the back of her neck. "Ok. Ok, the stress is just melting away." Daryl chuckled at that, and she could feel the rumble deep in her own chest. She bit her lip and cocked her head to the side, granting him better access to press kisses along the length of her neck.

"Just remember, anytime you need some help relaxin', I'm here."

"Oh, I'll remember," she chuckled. She bit her lip and glanced toward the dark hall. "How long's she been out?"

"'Bout a half hour."

"You think we have time?" she asked, moving her hand up his leg. He tensed, squeezing her shoulders. "I think we could help each other relax."

"Yeah, yeah, I think we got plenty of time," he replied, kissing her neck again, before helping her up and standing to follow her down to the hall to his room.