Chapter 31: Answers
"What's going on with you today?" Andrea asked, nudging Carol's arm as they walked past radiology, each with a cup of coffee in their hands.
"What are you talking about?" Carol asked, blowing over the top of her cup lid before taking a small sip.
"You've been smiley today."
"What's wrong with that?"
"It's not you."
"What? I smile."
"Well, yeah, you do, but I swear every time I've walked up to you today, it feels like I'm interrupting a pretty good day dream." Carol's face turned pink, and Andrea pointed her finger at her. "See! I knew it."
"Stop," Carol laughed. "You're reading too much into a smile."
"Maybe, but I've worked with you long enough to know when you're getting some. And you're definitely getting some. And it's definitely not with your ex husband, because you don't look confused or conflicted at all. You look happy, and I am so glad." When Carol didn't deny it, Andrea's eyes went wide. "Oh God! When I'm right, I'm right, huh?" Carol's face reddened, and she ducked her head a little.
"So, it's Daryl, right? The guy you were just hanging out with?"
"Yeah, it's Daryl," Carol admitted with a smile. "And it's good. It's really good."
"I bet. He looks like he'd be good. Damn, I'm a little jealous."
"I wasn't talking about the sex, but that's good too," Carol laughed. "I'm really happy, Andrea."
"Good," Andrea sighed. "I'm so happy for you. I was worried about you for a while. I honestly was starting to think you were going to end up going back to Rick."
"No. I never would have gone back." Carol shrugged a little. "I was a little scared about moving on, but it was the best thing I could have done."
"So it's getting serious, huh?" Andrea asked. Carol smiled, and Andrea shook her head. "Well, good for you. I'm glad. Does Sophia know?"
"Um, no. You remember me telling you about his ex?"
"Yeah," Andrea said slowly. "The crazy, abusive one who's pregnant?"
"Yeah," Carol said quietly. "She's not handling Daryl moving on so well. And I'm her neighbor, so…"
"So, that makes everything complicated."
"When the paternity test comes back, we'll decide what to tell her. She's already had a scare when she was here in the ER over a month ago. I don't know what she'll do or how she'll react when he tells her he's seeing me."
"God, what are you gonna do?"
"I really don't know. I've thought about it a lot. I've talked to Rosita about making sure she doesn't let Sophia out of her sight, but I still worry, you know?"
"You don't think she'd hurt Sophia, do you?"
"I don't know. I don't know her. Not really. I mean, I spent a few hours in the ER with her, and I've seen her a handful of times outside at home. I know what Daryl tells me about her, so I know to be cautious."
"Well, I'd be happy to help out with Sophia on my days off."
"I couldn't ask you to do that, Andrea," Carol said with a shake of her head.
"Are you kidding? I want to have a kid one of these days, and your kid's a pretty good one. She's potty trained, right?"
"She's five, Andrea," Carol deadpanned. Andrea raised her eyebrows, and Carol laughed. "Yes, she's potty trained. For a nurse, you don't know much about kids."
"I know enough. My kid sister Amy has twins. They're two, and they get into everything. They're awful. I love them, but they're terrible little monsters. They'll grow out of it, right?"
"Most do," Carol laughed. They turned a corner toward the ER waiting room, and Carol was surprised to see Daryl standing there. Carol nudged Andrea's arm, and before Daryl looked up to see them, they shared a look. Carol couldn't help but blush as she tried to bite back a smile, and Andrea wiggled her eyebrows at her. Daryl glanced up just in time to see Carol and Andrea walking over.
"Hey," he called, giving a little wave in Carol's direction. Carol's smile widened, and she hurried over to greet him with a hug.
"Hey, yourself," she sighed, hugging him close and breathing in the intoxicating scent of his cologne. She could smell the cigarette smoke on him and pulled back a little bit. Something was on his mind. She knew it, because he smoked more when he was anxious about something. "What's going on? Is it Lucy? Is it the baby?" She looked around, but Daryl shook his head, taking her hand in his to give it a squeeze.
"Nothin' like that. I just wanted to let you know Dr. Cloyd called. Lucy's got an appointment today, and the doctor's go the test results."
"Oh," Carol said with a nod. "You didn't have to come all the way over here. You could have texted me." Daryl's face flushed, and he ducked his head a little.
"Just wanted to see you." Carol's lower lip poked out for a minute, and she watched him shift anxiously.
"I'm glad you did."
"Appointment's in an hour." Carol nodded and took a deep breath.
"Okay. Um, you'll let me know?"
"'Course I will. Just wanted to tell you I was on my way."
"Okay," Carol said with an encouraging smile. Andrea cleared her throat, and Carol's eyes went wide. "Um, Daryl, you remember Andrea."
"Yeah. Hey."
"Hey," Andrea said with a smile. She nodded at him, and then she put her hand on Carol's shoulder. "I'm gonna get back to work, ok?"
"Yeah. I'll be there soon," Carol promised. Andrea turned to go, and Carol turned her attention back to Daryl. "You ok?"
"Yeah. Just nervous," he said with a little nod.
"Whatever happens, I'm here. You know that, right?" Carol asked softly. Daryl nodded.
"Thank you for bein' here." He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Carol's lips. "I'll call you when it's over."
"Okay," she whispered. She smiled when he kissed her again, and when he pulled back, she sighed. "I love you."
"Love you too," he murmured, squeezing her hand again. "I'll see you soon?"
"Yeah. Be careful." She smiled then, waving him off, and then she turned to head back to work. Her stomach twisted into knots with each step. She knew he was torn. He wanted to be a dad, but he also had such a strained past with Lucy that there was a good chance she wasn't going to make this easy on anybody.
She hoped things turned out for the best. She knew that there was a good chance Daryl was the father and Lucy was going to be a part of her life for the foreseeable future. She also knew that having Lucy as a neighbor was going to make things awkward, especially when Daryl started coming around and spending time with Carol and Sophia together. That time was coming soon, and all Carol wanted was to make sure her family was safe and to work out some kind of way they could co-exist with Lucy. The idea gave her anxiety, but the future she wanted was with him.
She knew it could work. A blended family was nothing new for her. She had taken care of and loved Rick's son as her own, and when Sophia came along, it made things even more wonderful. Having Carl still in her life and having a friendly relationship with Rick felt like a blessing, but she knew Daryl was never going to have that same rapport with Lucy. But things would work out the way they were supposed to. That was something her grandmother had told her from the time she was a little girl. Even after her parents died, her grandmother always said it. And sometimes those words made her so angry. Other times, they were as comforting as a warm blanket. All she could do was have hope.
...
Daryl sat on his motorcycle, staring at the hospital as he waited on Carol to get off work. He took a last, long drag on his cigarette before letting out a slow breath and watching the smoke curl up into the air and fade away.
His hands shook, and he leaned forward a little, feeling his chest tighten and his head swim. He tossed his cigarette to the ground and took a few deep breaths, trying to steady his nerves.
"Daryl?" He looked up to see Carol crossing the parking lot with her purse draped over her arms.
"Hey." She stepped up to him and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him and burying her face against his neck.
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah. Just glad things are cleared up." He ran his fingers through his hair when she took a step back. "I'm gonna be a dad."
"You're gonna be a dad." She offered him a smile, and he closed his eyes.
"I don't even know if I know what that's supposed to mean," he admitted.
"I think that's normal," Carol offered with a little laugh. "Having a kid is scary and stressful, but it's also beautiful and rewarding. You're going to be amazing at this. I know you will."
"I'm gonna need some help," he admitted.
"I can't help you be a dad, Daryl," Carol murmured. Daryl nodded and looked down, but Carol caught his chin with her hand and tilted his face up to look at her from where he sat on the bike. "But, I will be there to help you with whatever I can. When you need somebody to talk—and you will—to reassure you that you're not doing a terrible job, I'll be there. Trust me, you're going to feel like a failure a lot, but when your kid looks up at you and smiles and calls you daddy for the first time, none of that's going to matter at all, because you love that kid more than anything." Daryl nodded then, and Carol gently rested her hand on his chest. He put his hand over hers.
"Can't wait to start makin' plans. Makin' plans for the baby. Makin' plans with you." Carol smiled, and then she gasped.
"I almost forgot."
"What?"
"I got something." She pulled a small paper bag out of her purse. "For the baby." She handed it to him, and he reached inside to pull out a tiny yellow onesie. It looked impossibly small, and the idea that he was going to have an actual human being small enough to fit in that in a few months was mind boggling. Daryl let out a slow breath, and he looked up at her with a little smile on his lips.
"You didn't have to do that."
"I wanted to. It's your baby, Daryl. It's important." She leaned in and kissed him, and he reached up to gently brush his hand against her cheek. When she pulled back, she smiled, and he chewed the side of his thumb for a moment before standing up.
"C'mon."
"Where are we going?"
"I'm gonna take you home."
"Daryl, I can't tonight. Sophia's at home, remember?"
"I'm gonna take you home. To your place." Carol's mouth fell open in a silent question before she found her words.
"You want…you want to do this tonight?"
"I'm tired of hidin'. We love each other. We gotta stop hidin'. I want you in my life. In my kid's life. There ain't never gonna be a right time to tell her about us. But I don't wanna wait anymore." Carol took a shaky breath before taking Daryl's hand in hers.
"I don't want to wait either," she said softly. "Okay. Let's do this."
Author's Note: Thanks for reading, guys! Hope you're all well. Please keep the feedback coming! It's so very appreciated!
