"Please be careful," Rosita's voice cautioned as Beth stood upon her very shaky legs after carefully stepping out of the bed. "Just take it slow. There's no need to rush."
Beth's eyes met the concerned gaze of the woman tightly clinging to her arm. She knew that Rosita still wasn't too keen on the ideal of the new mom getting out of bed but eventually she managed to convince the brunette that it would help her heal faster and prevent any clots from forming. Part of that was true, as Beth knew it was important to get her blood pumping, - but more importantly - the blonde was simply sick of feeling like an invalid and needed to get back onto her feet before she went insane.
"I will, promise," she reassured her newly acquired and sometimes annoyingly over protective nurse. Nevertheless, over the last couple of days she had bonded with her caregiver and already loved her to pieces. Beth did not know when their company would be leaving but figured it wouldn't be too much longer. She was already sad that they had to go.
However, before the young mother could dwell on it any longer, a small giggle interrupted her thoughts causing a broad smile to engulf her face. With only a slight wince from the ever present soreness, she carefully stepped across the room towards the pine table and the baby who laid peacefully in a basket upon it.
"Did you wake up?" Beth cooed at the infant looking up at her in wonder. Hershey studied his mother for a few moments, almost like he was amazed to see her vertical, before stuffing his tiny mouth with two fingers and beginning to fuss. She effortlessly scooped the baby up into her arms.
"Wait! Let me help you," Rosita tried to argue from behind but Beth already had the baby on her shoulder and was gently patting his back.
"Just help me get to the deck," the blonde replied nonchalantly as she headed for the door. "Hershey is hungry, aren't you baby?" The infant's quiet fussing started turning into wails.
It took a minute for Beth's eyes to adjust to the brightness of the mid-day Georgia sun after she opened the thick metal door leading to the wooden deck. Once they did, they took in the path of endless treetops leading to where their former home use to stand off in the distance. For a brief minute, she wondered where among the tall pines the rest of her family could be but the child in her arms prevented her from dwelling on it. Baby Hershey was now screaming. So instead, Beth quickly located the metal chair in the shade and sat down, thankful that Rosita was firmly gripping her arm as she did.
On the other side of the deck, Eugene was frozen next to the plants he had been tending to, staring at her in shock. The blonde could not help but chuckle. She knew he had been the one to figure out and administer the medicine to save her life but every time he laid his eyes upon her for some reason he looked as if he had seen a ghost.
Shrugging, she gently lifted the crying baby to her swollen breast and grinned when she felt him latch on. Daryl had been smart enough to place their hungry child at her bosom to feed as much as he could while she was unconscious, knowing that was what Beth would want. She was grateful he had too. While they had found quite a bit of formula, being able to breast feed meant that they did not have to go searching for more eventually. It gave them one less thing to worry about.
Beth continued to gaze down at her little Hershel. His dark blue eyes were fixated on hers, almost like he understood how lucky he was to have his mommy. Soon the combination of her warmth and fullness of his tummy caused his tiny eyelids to droop until they shut completely.
When the young mom gazed back up, she noticed Eugene was still staring at her.
"Uh-Um, Eugene," Rosita called out beside her quite annoyed at his invasion of privacy but seemingly used to it just the same. "Like, do you fucking mind?"
The peculiar man must have realized he was gawking because he quickly diverted his attention back to the plants he had been tending to.
"What is his deal?" she asked Rosita, who had pulled up another metal chair next to her and was now smiling lovingly back at the young mom nursing her child.
"Who? Eugene?" the brunette replied, squinting at the man in question. "Oh, he's just horny. I imagine that the real world wasn't too kind to him when it came to love and unfortunately the apocalypse hasn't been any better. I'd might actually feel sorry for him if he wasn't just so damn weird about it."
"Oh," Beth replied in bewilderment, not only unsure how to respond to such an honest answer but also uncertain if she agreed that the strange man was really destine to be alone. Surely, there was someone out there for everybody, right? The alternative was just too sad. Besides, it wasn't like anyone would have ever imagined her own husband with anybody either once upon a time. "Maybe he just has not met that person yet? I bet when you get to Washington there will be someone there who is perfect for him."
Rosita peered back at her with a peculiar expression. "Perhaps," she replied, though Beth was sure the other woman was not as convinced. "Maybe the place will be crawling with other socially awkward people just like him."
The mom could not help but chuckle at Rosita's sarcasm.
"Still, he has a way of growing on you after a while," the brunette continued with a sigh. "Once you get past all the strange behavior, he's a really good guy deep down inside."
"Yeah," the blonde agreed. Beth had no doubt that he probably was - even if she thought the whole Washington mission was a little shady. Eugene did not even hesitate to help save her own life after all and she believed he would others if ever given the chance. "I just wish he didn't act like he was terrified of me all the time," she continued. "Makes me all self-conscious and stuff."
To Beth's surprise the woman beside her began to burst with laughter.
"What?" the mom asked in bewilderment but Rosita continued cracking up until she finally caught her breath long enough to speak.
"It's not you he is afraid of," the brunette finally answered. "It's you husband."
Beth wrinkled her nose in confusion. She knew that Daryl had come close to killing the small group after they unwittingly wondered into the area but everyone seemed to be past that now. In fact, he was away with Abraham at the moment gathering fresh supplies for the trio's trip. Why would Eugene still be so leery now, given everything that they all had been through the last couple of weeks?
"You see, the problem is that Eugene is always trying to find that special someone," Rosita began to explain once she finally was able to compose herself. "And sometimes he is not all that bright about it. As soon as we seen you collapse at the top of the steps with a brand new baby, Abe and I quickly put two and two together. As for Eugene…he's just not able to read social cues as well. He did not get that you and Daryl were together/together, if you get what I mean."
Beth stared back still not understanding. She did not get where the woman was going with all of this.
"He thought you might be his someone special, Beth!" Rosita exclaimed. "He was hoping that once you got better he might actually have a chance of getting with you!"
'Oh. Wait? He thought what? OH NO!' Beth thought to herself as it finally dawned on her what must have happened. Pink quickly filled her cheeks in embarrassment. 'That definitely would have not have gone over well!'
"Daryl threatened him, didn't he?" the blonde replied with a sheepish expression causing her new caregiver to once again laugh.
"To say the least," Rosita replied with a chuckle.
The blonde could not help but feel anger slowly creeping up from within her. Eugene might be a little strange and all, but anyone with half a brain could easily pick up that he wasn't that smart when it came to such things. Besides, the man was about as harmless as they come. It was bad enough her husband had almost killed them. Now he had the poor guy afraid to even look at her.
"Oh my God!" she couldn't help but shout. "What did he say?"
"Well," Rosita started, seemingly surprised and unsure by her new friend's change in demeanor. "Just made it clear he was not to even think about it is all."
"Or what?" the man in question's wife demanded.
"He may have suggested that he would cut off his hands and feed them to the walkers…" the brunette continued hesitantly, "It wasn't that bad, really."
"WHAT!" the blonde exclaimed but lowered her voice after the now sleeping baby in her arms began to fuss. She gently placed Hershey back on her shoulder and began rubbing his back. After a small burp, the infant quickly settled back asleep.
"Seriously, it wasn't that big of a deal," Rosita reassured quietly. "Eugene made a stupid comment and your man just put him in his place is all. Even Abe wasn't all that upset. Can't expect to say stuff like that about another man's wife and him not get upset. Especially, a man like Daryl."
"You wait until he gets home because we are most certainly having a conversation about this!" Beth hissed.
She glanced over at the scientist who was busy harvesting the peas and green beans that she had planted a couple of months ago. He seemed to examine each one before placing it into the bucket.
"Eugene, you should take a break," she suggested.
The man looked up at her like she was insane for merely making the suggestion. After a couple of minutes, he simply shook his head no.
"Don't make me get up and drag you over here," she warned. "I'm not sure that would be wise to do in my current condition but don't put it pass me!"
"Yes ma'am," he replied solemnly with a sigh and started heading back inside the lookout.
"Why don't you come over here and sit with us?" Beth asked but with an insistent tone.
Confusion, comprehension, and then out and out horror came across the man's face as it dawned on him what she was suggesting. He quickly looked around like he was making sure Daryl was still gone.
"He's not going to hurt you, I promise," Beth reassured the man as Rosita chuckled beside her. "They won't be back for a while still and besides, there is no way that I would ever let him."
A genuine smile began to creep upon Eugene's face. He looked around one last time and started heading towards them.
"You must forgive me ma'am but I do not wish to anger the man of this place," he explained as he took a seat on the wooden deck in front of them. "I have made the mistake of doing that not once, but twice now and believe me when I say that is not a situation that I look forward to again."
Beth could not help but smile at him. She knew firsthand how scary Daryl could be though she knew the hunter too well to ever be intimidated, herself. However, he was hardly family to Eugene.
"Well his bark is worse than his bite," she replied gently, though the scientist's expression made it clear that he was still pretty skeptical.
"How is my little makeshift garden coming along?" she asked, trying to change the subject and make him more at ease.
"I was just studying the leaves and observing that the plants seem to be in prime condition. The harvest seems bountiful for a crop simply grown in containers. Do you guys have access to fertilizers or something?"
"No," the blonde said, puzzled. "Just kitchen scraps is all."
"Yes, organic by-products are often good food for plants, so to speak," Eugene replied. "But begging all pardon ma'am…"
"Eugene," the blonde interrupted, rolling her eyes. "Please stop calling me ma'am. I am barely 19 years old! My name is Beth. You are making me feel like the queen or something."
"Okay then, Beth," he responded, looking up at her the first time with an unsure expression on his face. "How did you know what to put on them?"
A large smile spread across the young mom's face as a fuzzy memory came back to her.
She was just a little girl – no more than eight or so. Her father had taken her out to the fields and she was digging in the red soil with her shiny new garden spade as he sprinkled coffee grounds around the plants.
"Bethy, all these other farmers think they need those fancy fertilizers to produce any yields," he had explained to her warmly. "But that is all rubbish! For over a hundred years, Greene's have been growing fine crops with just natural organic matter. What others call garbage? You have to promise me that you will never put any of that poison on our land, you hear?"
Beth had peered up at her daddy and stared at him intently. Even though she was so young, the little girl knew that what he was saying was serious.
"I promise Daddy," she swore.
"Because my daddy taught me," she explained with confidence. "I grew up on a farm and he didn't believe in using all that unnatural stuff. You know, back when that was unheard of."
"Well that makes sense then," he replied returning her smile. "I've been trying to solve that mystery all morning. Sounds like your father was a pioneer of the natural movement"
"Nah," she replied with a shrug. "My family had been using kitchen scraps for years."
Almost on cue, the infant in her arms began to wake up. Beth quickly soothed him as she started to rise from the chair. Rosita quickly grabbed her arm, stopping her.
"What do you need?" the brunette asked. "I can get it."
"I was only getting the stuff to change him is all," Beth responded. She did not understand what the big deal was.
"I will go grab the basket and you can change him out here," Rosita insisted. "You are still weak and it will be over my dead body that anything else happens to you."
"Just let her help," Eugene said after the pretty young woman closed the metal door leading inside the cabin. "I know that she can get annoying and I understand that you have probably been through some unimaginable horrors but so has she. For some reason, tending to your wellbeing is helping to heal some of those wounds and I suspect it will inspire her to continue our journey."
Beth glanced at the scientist with new understanding. She already knew that Rosita had lost every member of her family, not to mention others that probably started out with their group. What they had seen on their journey must have been heartbreaking. It dawned on the mom that her very survival – and the survival of a newborn baby - must have renewed hope in the young woman. Beth could not help but think once again of the words of her father. "God works in mysterious ways, Bethy."
"Is there really people in Washington, Eugene?" she blurted out of nowhere, surprising herself.
"O-Of C-Course!" he replied both stuttering and defensive. The blonde could not help but notice how nervous he seemed by the question. "The United States government is still fully functional and they are working on a cure right this minute. They just need my help but trust me when I say that all of it would be above your head. However, mark my words, Beth, one day the world will be restored to how it once was."
She could not help but to remain skeptical but for Rosita's sake, Beth prayed he was telling the truth.