Walk With An Angel
Chapter 38: Mr. & Mrs. Dixon
The wedding was over, they were married and he finally felt his heart beat return to normal. As they posed for the last of their pictures, he felt his worry and stress fade.
"You look happy." She turned to him as they walked to Maggie's SUV to go to the reception.
He placed an arm around her, holding her close to his side. The world had disappeared around him as he looked into those pools of tranquil heaven and thanked God for making her, his.
"I am happy, angel. I have you… forever." She cupped his cheek with her soft hand and kissed him softly. They let their lips glide in a slow, steady motion that gained a retort from Glenn.
"Get a room." Glenn looked back at them from the passenger's seat, still grinning.
When they pulled up to the park, the picnic shelter was covered in white tulle and yellow satin. The flowers from the wedding were on every table and a special table had been set up for just them.
A picnic spread was made up, hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, potato salad and all the fixings. Patricia and Otis had the grills flaming and Daryl was starving. Beth took his hand as soon as they exited the car and headed straight towards the cake.
It was a simple three layer cake with a bride and groom on top and the groom had a crossbow. Musical notes cascaded down the cake with a camouflaged motif on top.
"What do you think?" Her smile beamed back at him and he couldn't take his eyes off her.
"I didn't think ya could redneck up a weddin' cake, but ya did." She slapped his chest playfully and kissed him again.
When the food was done they sat down at their sweethearts table and dove into the towering plates before them. He couldn't get over how such a tiny girl could eat so much.
With a full belly, he pulled out his smokes and walked towards the carousel. Beth followed behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her chin on his broad shoulder. "Let's go… I want to ride."
"Okay." He took a quick puff off the cigarette and pinched the end. She looked back at him as they walked towards the circling horses as her eyes sparkled.
"You've never ridden one… have you?" Daryl shook his hand and she stroked his face. "Check one more off that list, husband."
They climbed on and Maggie and Glenn joined them. Beth sat side saddle on the horse as Daryl held on to her. The carrousel took off and Beth began to giggle. This moment was one of many he was tucking away, to hang on to when the storms came again and things looked dark.
There were a lot of things he'd never done before Beth. Never had cotton candy, never been on a Ferris wheel, never fallen in love and never been loved. Those never have done were quickly turning into have done and he knew his new bride wouldn't be satisfied until there were no more never have.
The carousel came to a stop and he took her by her waist, helping her off the horse. They stood face to face with their eyes locked on each other. "Where we stayin' tonight."
"Is that all you can think about, getting me naked and under you?" The look in her eyes told him that's all she was thinking of too.
"Well… yeah." She shook her head and he captured her chin with his index finger and thumb. He dipped down for a slow, heated kiss and she went limp in the arm around her.
"Uh… husband." The sound of her voice calling him that melted his heart and made his inside quiver. He was her husband and that meant something to him. He never gave much thought to what being married really meant until he heard her call him, husband, claiming him as hers.
"Yes… wife." He kissed her again and she moaned into his mouth.
"Maggie took care of the honeymoon arrangements. Said something about a secret for tonight." He released her lips and looked over his shoulder at his grinning sister in law.
The guests were enjoying the reception. A live country band was playing from the gazebo as everyone danced. Maggie and Glenn sat by themselves at a picnic table while Glenn's fingers tapped mindlessly on the wood.
"Guys... we got a surprise for you." Maggie tossed a set of keys at them. The keychain was a squirrel's tale and Daryl laughed.
"What are these fer?" He looked at the keys, both of them looking like car keys.
"For your honeymoon. Glenn and I bought you a used truck. You can't be riding Beth around on that bike all the time." She winked at him and Beth hugged them both.
"Where is it?" Beth looked around, but didn't see the truck in question.
"Later… we'll take you to it." Glenn reached out to shake Daryl's hand and he took it when is brother in law slid a condom in his hand.
Daryl quickly put it in his pant pocket, wondering if Beth would even want to use one.
They took each other's hand, going through the motions of the day. There was a cake to cut, dancing to do and a honeymoon to get too. Hershel walked over to his little girl for their dance. Her arms wrapped lovingly around her dad as they did the box step he'd taught her. Memories of dancing with her father with her tiny little feet on his flashed in her mind and she tried not to cry. When they called for the Mother of the groom, Daryl just sat there. Carol walked over to him, taking his hand and walking him to the dance floor.
"What are ya doin'?" He asked her as she smiled at him, putting his hand on her waist.
"Shut up and dance… that's an order." He felt his eyes tear up again but he wasn't going to cry.
When the dance ended, she kissed his cheek and gave his hand to Beth. "You deserve each other. Now go dance with your wife."
As he held his wife in his arms, they looked up at the gazebo and saw Annette standing there. She took the microphone and cleared her throat. "I know you said you don't dance, but today you do, son. I love you both and you need to take this all in, all of it. Daryl, I know you love my Beth and she loves you and as sure as the sun will set tonight, your mother is looking down on you today with the biggest smile."
With tears in her eyes, Beth looked over at Daryl when a song played for them to dance to. She stared at the man she loved and saw nothing but love in his blue eyes. She kissed his cheek and whispered I love you to him. They swayed back and forth, holding one another as the song spoke the words straight from Daryl's heart.
I'll never settle down, that's what I always thought
Yeah, I was that kind of man, just ask anyone
I don't dance, but here I am
Spinning you around and around in circles
It ain't my style, but I don't care
I'd do anything with you anywhere
Yes, you got me in the palm of your hand
Cause, I don't dance
Love's never come my way,
I've never been this far
Cause you took these two left feet
And waltzed away with my heart
When the dance was over, they continued to hold on to each other as the crowd joined them on the dance floor.
The cake was next and Glenn was chanting for Beth to shove the slice in Daryl's face. They both fed each other then took the remainder of their pieces and shoved it all in Glenn's face.
Glenn wiped off the frosting and asked Daryl to join him for a beer. They walked over to the three huge washtubs filled with ice, beer and wine coolers. Daryl grabbed two long necks and joined Glenn at the park bench. He gave him one and they clinked bottles. Daryl took a long draw out of the bottle, feeling the day start to wash away.
Glenn began to chuckle and Daryl furrowed his eyebrows. "What's so funny, jackass?"
"After tonight… I can't call you Captain Blue Balls." He started to laugh harder, nearly spilling his beer.
Daryl punched him hard on the arm, giving him that Dixon death stare. "Not funny, Asian Boy."
Just then Hershel walked over and sat down between them. "What are my two sons up to, what's so funny?"
Glenn couldn't stop laughing as Hershel looked at both of them. "Ask your new son in law."
Merle walked up behind them with a beer in his hands. He took one look at Daryl's face, then Hershel's and busted out laughing. "Awkward."
They leave Daryl alone with Hershel to twist in the wind. "Uh… just a joke between me and Glenn."
"Was it about my Bethy?" Daryl's face went blood red and he wanted to be anywhere but there.
"It's okay Daryl… your married now. I know what happens." Those words didn't help with the fire burning his face off, hearing that Hershel knew he was going to have his way with Beth tonight.
Daryl hid his face with his hands, knowing he couldn't have this conversation with his new father in law.
Hershel left him there to reclaim his composure before he returned to Beth. With the beer finished, he took a deep breath and found his bride dancing with Sasha and Maggie.
He took her by the elbow and pulled her from the dancing crowd. "Can we go now? I need to get out of this suit."
"No… I need to get you out of that suit. Give me a minute… got some flowers to toss at some desperate girls." She left her husband standing with a sly smile on his face, wondering if he'd bitten off more than he could handle with this little Georgia wildcat.
Beth grabbed Maggie and told her to round up all the single ladies. She tossed the flowers and grinned when Tara caught them. "Good luck with that, Alisha."
Daryl walked over to Maggie's SUV and waited for them to show up. He lit up a cigarette as Glenn walked towards him.
"I guess you waited long enough. I'm surprised you haven't exploded. Seriously, there ain't no way I would have lasted that long. There ain't no amount of choking the chicken that can cure the case of blue balls you got." Daryl flicked his cigarette on the pavement, mashing it out with his shoe.
"Are you sure you ain't gay? You seem awfully worried about my balls and the color of 'em." Glenn stopped smiling and unlocked the car doors.
When Maggie and Beth climbed in, he handed Beth the necklace from Merle and watched her open it. She fought back her tears as she read the note inside. "I guess your brother ain't so bad after all."
"Nope. His bark is worse than his bite." They pull out and head towards the quarry road. They look at each other, not sure why Maggie had driven out to the quarry.
When she pulled down to the water they saw the truck sitting up against the cliff with a tarp sheltering the truck bed. A full size tent was on the other side with Chinese lanterns floating on the water.
Maggie parked the SUV and waited for them to get out. Beth reached up to take Maggie's hand, the sisters having a bonding moment. "Maggie, this is too much. You didn't have to do this."
"Bethy, after the year you've had, it's the least I could do. Now, get the hell up out of my car and get in that tent." Maggie gave them a wink as Beth kissed her sister's hand and Daryl leaned up and kissed her cheek.
"Thanks, I mean it." Daryl nodded to her and Maggie smiled back at him as they exited.
Daryl picked Beth up in his arms, carrying her bridal style to the tent that was illuminated with clear Christmas lights.
There was an inflatable bed in the middle of the tent with a cooler full of drinks, a bowl of strawberries with whipped cream sitting in the middle. Daryl spotted a bag on the floor next to the bed and written on it in Maggie's handwriting was the words, For Beth.
He handed it to her thinking it was female stuff and walked out to look at the truck. The truck was in good condition for an old Silverado. In the bed of the truck was a mattress with four big fluffy pillows, a few Chinese lanterns hanging down and a big thick quilt. On the back glass of the truck was written, Honeymoon Suite.
Daryl smiled to himself, thinking it was a redneck honeymoon for a redneck groom. He knew Beth was all about new experiences so maybe they could both check this one off. Tonight was all about him and his Beth and the next step in their relationship.
A/N: Marriage, check. Reception, check. Honeymoon... soon. Thanks for the reviews and follows. Bethyl on!