Preacher's Daughter

Chapter 54: Mistletoe

It wasn't easy having Merle in the house twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, but I was managing. Daryl tries to lend a hand, but with helping Jeff at the garage, helping Jack keep the farm vehicles going and a growing daughter, he doesn't have much time to aid me in Merle's care.

I can tell he feels guilty for more or less, dumping his brother off on me. We had decided to keep the pregnancy to close family only, keeping our little secret from Merle.

As long as my family was happy and healthy, everything else would fall in place. Even Merle was being a little nicer these days, maybe it was because Christmas was two days away.

Beryl crawls over to the fresh pine Christmas tree, her little hands taking one of the ornaments from the branch. "Mine!"

Merle laughs out, looking over at me as I walk in the room. "Looks like my little niece has one thang goin for her … she knows to take what she wants."

"Give that to Mommy." I take the ornament from her, her lips pouting.

Reaching to the toy chest by the window, I take out her blocks and set her on her favorite blanket. Her little fingers wiggle, wanting me to give her back the ornament. "Mine … mama … mine."

"These are yours … this is Mommy's." Placing the ornament back on the tree, I watch as she crawls towards me.

"She's a Dixon … she ain't gonna take no for an answer there, Red." Glaring back at the loud redneck in my recliner, I pick my daughter up.

"God help me if she's anything like you." I smirk slightly as he narrows his eyes. My little insult had slapped him in the face, bruised his ego. He picks up his crutches, hobbling into the kitchen.

I had stopped catering to his every need when Ally told him he could use the crutches to get around. He wasn't very happy that his personal servant had stopped serving him.

He takes a beer out of the fridge, glancing over to me. "Not a word."

I shrug my shoulders, shaking my head. "I ain't saying anythang, but if you start hurting later I ain't given you any painkillers."

Opening the fridge, he places the beer back. I can't quite make out the mumbling curse words, but I'm sure a few of them are directed towards me.

As I go about making dinner, Daryl comes in. "What smells so good?"'

The fresh baked bread is cooling on the counter as I take the pot roast out of the oven. Daryl pinches some of the bread off, popping it in his mouth. I let out a chuckle, shaking my head. "You have a hard day?"

Merle sits at the kitchen table, rubbing his belly. "Like what you do his hard. Did you get me a bike yet?"

After washing up, Daryl picks Beryl up and gives her a big kiss on the cheek. "I asked Jeff … he's still lookin."

With two steaming plates of food, I make my way to the kitchen table. Beryl reaches up to me, Daryl winking at me as I take her. Merle had been as antsy as a cat in a rocking chair factory; he really wanted to know that he'd have a bike to ride come spring. Daryl was deliberately putting him off, working on his bike at the garage.

We both hope to have at least part of it done by Christmas; since it was obvious he was going to be with us for the holiday.

Daryl and Merle share a little chit chat as they eat, Sam coming in for some dinner. I had missed him since he'd taken up residency at our old cabin at the edge of the farm.

I make him a plate as he gives me a kiss on the cheek. "How's he been today, hopefully not too big a pain in the ass?"

"No, just the usual. Are you going to see your kid for Christmas?" I hand him the plate, his gray eyes twinkling.

"Yeah, my ex is letting me stay with her. I'm leaving in the morning." Sam swipes a slice of bread before sitting at the table.

I place Beryl in her high chair, taking out a jar of baby food. She makes this smacking noise with her mouth, her little feet swinging. "Nom …nom."

Feeding my mess little monkey, I feel hands slide over my shoulder. I tilt my head back to see my husband smiling back at me. He kisses my forehead, taking the baby food and spoon from me. "You haven't eaten. I'll finish feedin her … you go eat."

This is my life now, babysitting my ailing brother in law, taking care of my ten month old daughter and being loved by my doting husband. Even though I'm three months pregnant, Daryl doesn't treat me like fine china. He, however, is enjoying every moment of this pregnancy since he missed so much of the last one.

Christmas Eve morning comes in with a chilly wind, the temperature dropping ten degrees overnight. I place another log on the fire, looking out my big bay window. Daryl joins me, his arms engulfing me. "Ain't never really had a family Christmas before."

"You wouldn't ever join us, you know you were welcome to." We sit in the window seat, my body nestled between Daryl's lets. I rest my head on his chest, his fingers lazily rubbing my belly.

We stay like this for a good while, the morning sun spreading its rays across the meadow. "Best get going if I'm gonna finish Merle's bike."

Turning to face him, I gaze into the endless blue that is his eyes. I give him one long, deep kiss, letting my body melt into his.

"Don't forget, we're having Christmas Eve with Dad and Ann tonight." He furrows his brow, the look of concern on his face.

We sit up, his hands resting on his thighs. "What about Merle? Can't exactly leave him alone."

"I think we can trust him to be alone for a few hours, besides … I can take his medication with me." He nods his head, his bangs falling in his eyes. Looking back at him, I can feel my heart skip a beat. Daryl had never been more beautiful to me than when he was being awkward.

I take his hand, holding it to my growing belly. He looks over to me, through his hanging bangs and smiles. "I ain't exactly good with the family holiday stuff, maybe tonight I get me some good memories."

Stroking his scruffy cheek, I kiss him again. We collapse back on the window seat, our bodies intertwined. His hands move under the back of my shirt, his fingertips sliding up my spine. I let out a moan as his lips claim mine.

My fingers twist into his hair, the scent of him making the fire in my belly burn hotter. Our bodies move in unison, his lips making the skin of my neck tingle with an insatiable need.

"Daryl …" I moan out, his hips bucking up against me. His hardening manhood presses into my belly, his fingers lifting my shirt up my body.

"Looks like I'm in for a show … damn you got some sweet moves little brother." Merle chuckles from the living room doorway, his sarcastic nature ruining the moment.

"Fuck off Merle." Daryl lifts me up off of him; a flash of fury crosses his face.

"If ya ask me it was you that was about to fuck off, Darlene." Merle laughs as he walks into the kitchen.

Pulling my shirt back down, I kiss his cheek before storming over to the smartass in my kitchen.

I brush past Merle, nearly knocking one of his crutches out from under him. Opening the fridge door, I take out a beer and hand it to him. "Merry Christmas Merle … I'll go get your daily dose of meds."

Daryl cocks his head sideways, wondering why I'm giving his brother alcohol so early in the morning.

We walk into the bedroom, Daryl watching as I take out the pill bottle. "Why are you giving him beer and painkillers, you know that will just fuck him up."

"Good … I want him so blitzed out of his head, he won't be able to bother us today." I try not to smile, but the idea of Merle passed out was just too sweet.

Walking back into the kitchen, I give Merle his pill and a great big smile. "Merry Christmas."

He swallows it down with a swig of beer, giving me a big smile back. "First good thang you've done since I've been here."

Merle would be in a blissful coma before too long and I would be free of his smartass mouth for the day. Part of me feels beyond guilty, knowing this little slip will only make him worse later, but right now I really didn't give two shits.

Daryl leaves for the garage as I feed, bathe and change Beryl and smile gleefully as Merle snores from the couch.

I grab her baby bag and close the front door. Beryl waves at Merle sleeping on the couch, her chubby little fingers wiggling. "Bye … bye."

The usual rituals of Christmas Eve await me and my baby girl at my father's house. We make cookies, tell stories and get ready for Santa Clause. Little Joy and Daniel are more than eager for the jolly old elf, they had been asking about him all day.

I help Ann and Diane make dinner, Melinda and Eddie greeting us Merry Christmas as they walk in. The ugly past between me and Mel was just that, the past. I had a sister in her now, a sister that gave as much love as she got.

As I'm buttering the rolls, I tell them that Daryl and I are expecting, Melinda hugging me tight. "Our little family is gonna be full of little ones soon. So … how about you Diane?"

The look on Diane's face causes the entire room to go silent. "I can't have any more babies."

Melinda makes a quick apology, her arms now hugging Diane. Joy runs in the room, her little green eyes taking in her mother's tears. "Don't cry Mommy … me and brother loves you, this much." He opens her little arms as wide as they'll go.

Right before dusk, Jack and Daryl join us. To my surprise, Daryl had put on his best button up shirt and jeans. I drink him in, my thoughts going back to the interrupted moment from earlier.

His hands slide to my hips, his eyes sparkling in the twinkling light of the tree. "Merle is still out. I saw about ten beer bottles on the floor next to the couch. He'll be hell in the morning."

Joy tugs on the hem of my shirt, trying to wedge between me and Daryl. "Dar … look." She points up to the mistletoe hanging form the door frame.

Daryl's cheeks blush slightly as he looks over to Jack and Diane grinning back at us. "Go on … you know you have too."

I lace my fingers together behind his neck, his head dipping down towards me. "If I have to."

My husband takes my breath as his hands squeezes my hips, pulling my body flush against his. Abandoning his usual awkwardness around my family, he kisses me with a need, a want that makes my body ache and my core spasms.

The feel of his hands holding my face makes the moment even more heated, his lips sliding along mine effortlessly. He pulls back, an amours glow replacing the sparkle that was there just moments ago. "I know what I want for Christmas."

My face heats up, my cheeks blushes a crimson red. "Daryl." I playfully slap his chest as Jack chuckles loudly.

"Go get her Dixon." Jack takes Joy's little hand, seeing how she's still trying to wedge between us.

After dinner, we gather in the living room as my father reads the story of Christ's birth from the Bible. Joy sits in his lap and Daniel at his feet, while Beryl sleeps peacefully in Daryl's arms.

Daryl looks over to me, a guarded happiness glimmering back. "You do this every Christmas?"

Resting my head on his shoulder, I nod my head. "Yeah and my mom would read Twas the Night Before Christmas."

The living room had never been so full of love and laughter, of hope and life. This was indeed a memory for both me and Daryl and I'd know there will be many more to come.