Love Quote #16 - "For some moments in life, there are no words."
Golden Silence
The sun was still hovering over the horizon when Shane pulled into the Maryland rest area.
It was the first rest area he saw after crossing the Maryland border. A large sign indicated it was a welcome center. His body felt like it weighed a ton and his eyes kept drooping. The physical and emotional exhaustion was finally catching up to him and he was certain Andrea felt the same way. Only hours ago, they had managed to get away from Gavin, one of Negan's loyal lieutenants, after a very tense stand-off that could've resulted in his and Andrea's capture—and their deaths if they had been dragged back to The Sanctuary. After barely escaping from the Saviors, he just wanted to find a place to crash for the night.
They would've stayed in the motel they had found earlier if it wasn't infested with walkers. Instead, they decided to ride it out, since Andrea's map indicated they were close to the Maryland border. Accomplishing their goal of reaching Maryland seemed so surreal that neither of them could speak about it now that they were finally there. Everything they had been through since leaving Hershel's farm had brought them together and now that they had reached their destination, it meant the first part was over. The second part—finding a permanent residence—might be difficult, but they were ready for whatever lay ahead. There was no rush and they knew what they wanted to find: a high-rise or an apartment complex—that was Shane's plan of action.
He disembarked from the motorcycle and reached for Andrea. She got off and they walked towards the building's entrance with the motorcycle between them. Glancing over his shoulder, Shane thought he heard growling. Without a word, Andrea sprinted to the walker that had snuck up behind a parked car and was now ambling towards them. She noticed the walker had on a black apron and she wondered if the man had worked for a fast food restaurant. Based on the signs leading to the rest stop, Andrea was under the impression this was a smaller rest stop—not like the larger ones with various fast food restaurants. Andrea struck the knife in the walker's head and the undead being collapsed at her feet.
Meanwhile, Shane pried the doors open. Andrea caught up with him and they went inside. It wasn't a large space, but it would do for the night. There was a restroom, a vending machine, and a large map on the wall indicating their precise location. Glancing at each other, they knew what they had to do: clear out the entire area of any stray walkers. Shane pointed ahead and Andrea nodded, understanding what he indicated. It wouldn't take them long. Maybe twenty minutes at most.
oOo
A half hour later, Andrea returned to the center of the welcome building. She looked at the map that read MARYLAND in a large bold letters and saw the various towns and cities pinpointed. She sighed in relief. They were finally here. A sudden wave of exhaustion swept over her and Andrea sat down against a wall. She hoped Shane would come out soon. There was a loud bang from the left and she saw Shane approaching her, the same dazed look in his eyes. There were flecks of blood on his cargo paints—which indicated he put down a walker. He was carrying wires and Andrea watched as he knotted the doors' handles to ensure they would be secure for the night. The way Shane tied his knots she knew nobody would get in the welcome center—living or dead.
He now approached her and Andrea scooted over, giving him room to sit next to her. When he finally sat down next to her (because he seemed mesmerized that they were actually in Maryland), he gestured her to sit close by. Andrea did one better and sat straddling his legs while she looped her arms around his neck. She blinked when Shane's hand brushed the hair out of her eyes. His arms then encircled her body, pulling her close to him. I love you, he mouthed. Andrea's smile was modest and she reciprocated the message: I love you too. There was no need to say the actual words aloud. Just being there together was all they wanted. They held each other in a silent embrace, remembering what brought them together. Soon after, they fell asleep in each other's arms.
It was the best night of sleep they had since leaving the farm.