Chapter 26: Say the Word

Connie wrapped her arms around Daryl's waist as he led the two of them farther into the lush Virginia backwoods. They were riding on the back of a chestnut Belgian draft horse instead of his motorcycle. Fuel had become a rare commodity saved only for emergencies. Horses on the other hand were plentiful and Daryl and Connie were gifted a horse by Michonne when they left Alexandria.

Delilah's trot was relatively smooth as she moved effortlessly through the forest. She was a strong horse too. Not only was she carrying two passengers, she was also pulling a cart of supplies. It had been a quiet and uneventful journey but also relatively slow. They had left Alexandria at dawn but were still at least three or four miles from their cabin.

Daryl released the reins from his right hand and held it up in front of Connie. D-A-R-K S-O-O-N. M-A-K-E C-A-MP H-E-R-E, he spelled out. Connie held her hand in front of Dary'ls face making the sign for okay.

They rode a few more yards when Daryl pulled back on the reins. Delilah stopped and Connie quickly jumped down. Daryl refrained from letting ego get in the way and let her help ease him off of the horse's back.

The two of them worked perfectly in sync together as they set up camp, made a perimeter and gathered fire wood. In less than an hour, they were sitting around a small campfire roasting deer meat over the flames.

They brought plenty of dried goods with them but earlier that day Daryl spotted a white-tailed buck and wouldn't pass up on the prospect of fresh meat. Connie didn't see the deer at first but she could feel Daryl pull back on Delilah's reins and bring the animal to a sudden but gentle stop. Her eyes followed his every move as he unhitched his crossbow from the side of the saddle with his bronzed, muscular arms. She watched in awe as he shot the deer with flawless precision from atop the horse's back. A thrill of excitement tingled up and down Connie's arms and neck as she watched her man hunt so masterfully.

Now they sat inches apart, reclining around the warmth of the fire, as they ate the tender and savory meat. After they ate their fill, they rested in the quiet darkness. Connie studied Daryl in the glow of the fire. His eyes were heavy and he looked drained. He'd had a long day of packing up, riding, hunting, butchering part of the deer and making camp. And if she was drained from the arduous day, she assumed he had to be too. It didn't seem like his injuries bothered him but Connie honestly didn't know how that was possible. She wrote in her notepad and showed it to him.

You look tired
Get some sleep
I'll take first watch

"Nah, I'll be okay," Daryl replied casually.

U r still recovering
Its been a long day
Please rest

"I told you, I'm okay. You should get some sleep though."

R we gonna go
thru this every time?
Don't be so stubborn!

Daryl chuckled as he read her last note. He was stubborn. On top of that, he really was exhausted. "Would it really make you feel better if I slept?" he asked. Connie nodded her head immediately. Daryl bit his bottom lip as he gazed over at her submissively. "Alright then, I'll sleep."

Thank you, Connie signed as she smiled at him.

You're welcome, Daryl signed back. He peered into her eyes as he moved his hand up to cup her face. He anxiously brought her lips to his, kissing her tenderly. He would have been happy to keep his lips there for much longer but she wanted him to sleep. He lied down on the bedroll and closed his eyes.

As Daryl laid next to Connie, he could feel her soft touch on the side of his face. Her delicate fingers were moving locks of his long hair behind his ear. He exhaled slowly as he felt her intoxicating touch linger. As he fell asleep he couldn't help but be thankful for the peaceful and much-needed rest he was beginning to feel throughout his body. He was also grateful he'd fallen in love with a woman that happened to be more stubborn than he was.

…..

Connie kicked dirt onto last night's campfire while Daryl loaded the last of their supplies back onto the cart. Connie went to his side to help him hitch the cart back onto Delilah.

It was still early when the couple left for the cabin. It was an uneventful morning and they made it the rest of the way in less than two hours. It took another few hours for them to unload the cart and settle into their new home.

Daryl sat on the couch and chugged water from his canteen. Connie sat next to him and mindlessly took the canteen from his hands, taking a big gulp herself. He watched as she put her lips on his canteen. The seemingly insignificant gesture made Daryl feel butterflies in his stomach. Of course he had shared drinks with other people before, but he couldn't remember someone ever feeling comfortable enough to just take a drink from his hand without asking. The small act felt so intimate. The gesture reminded him of how much he needed her boldness. Half the time he felt so unsure of himself around her and he was becoming more and more grateful to have someone else make the calls...even the little ones.

Connie leaned her head on his arm as she wrote him a note.

How are you feeling?

Daryl faced her as he spoke, "Actually pretty good. Gettin' a good night's sleep helped so thanks for that." Connie smiled at him then wrote again.

Still early
U ready to look for Dog?

Daryl shook his head, "Nah, not today."

Connie looked at him as she wrinkled her brow. Why not? She mouthed as she signed.

Daryl sat up straight as he looked keenly at her. "Today I want to do something else."

What? she signed as she turned her palms upward.

"I want you to teach me to sign," Daryl stated. Connie wrote a note and showed it to him.

We have plenty of time for that.
We have to find Dog. Isn't that
why u wanted to come out here?

"Yeah it is but Dog, he's either alive or he's not. One more day probably ain't gonna make no difference. But me bein' able to understand you, especially if we get in a tight spot, that could make a big difference."

R U sure?

Daryl nodded his head. He was sure. He knew waiting another day to look for his loyal pet was risky but he was firm in his decision. Connie's confidence in her decisions gave him confidence in his. "We'll stay here today. We can finish butcherin' that deer...set up a perimeter...settle in. And while we're doin' all that, you're gonna teach me to sign," Daryl told her. "I need you to. Okay?"

Connie nodded slowly then smiled. I'll teach you, she signed.

Connie stood from the sofa then turned around to face Daryl. She pulled him up from his seat with both her hands then spun him around to face the sofa again.

Sofa, Connie signed as she patted the cushion.

Daryl mimicked her sign as he spoke. "Sofa." Connie nodded before she grabbed his hand again and took him to the window. Window, she signed then touched the pain of glass. "Window," Daryl said as he signed the word she had just taught him. She excitedly brought him towards the front door and pointed to it. Door, she signed, followed by Daryl repeating the action.

Connie held his hand as she opened the door and pulled him outside into the warm afternoon sunshine. She was smiling in exhilaration as she took him from object to object teaching him the sign for everything she touched or pointed to. Tree, bushes, ground, grass, deer, sky, cabin, home, Delilah, cart, knife. Daryl was doing well. He felt a rush of excitement too as he was learning more and more how to speak her language.

The way Connie excitedly taught him endeared her to Daryl. Watching her speak her own language with such ease and fluidity amplified his attraction towards her. Daryl momentarily forgot what they were doing and out of nowhere, he quickly leaned forward kissing her on the lips. He let his lips trail over her soft cheek before finally pulling back.

Connie lifted her right hand up placing her middle and ring fingers down towards the palm of her hand. She lifted Daryl's hand up, instructing him to make the same sign that she was making. Daryl did. She wrote on her notepad and showed it to him.

This means I love you

Daryl held the sign up in front of her for a long time. She signed it back to him again with a joyful smile illuminating her face. "I love you," Daryl said as he signed. "I'm gonna say this to you every day."

…..

The couple had spent the rest of the day settling into the cabin, getting water and butchering the rest of the deer. They were glad they thought to bring a small meat smoker on the trip and had already smoked and dried a good portion of the deer meat.

Nowadays nothing was easy and everything was a chore. Water, food, a safe shelter – all the things taken for granted before were now things that took hours, days and weeks to secure and maintain. It was hard work but everyone alive was used to it by now. Daryl and Connie were certainly no exception.

The two of them worked remarkably well together. They somehow instinctively knew what the other was doing or wanted, almost as if they both had a sixth sense towards each other. They were both quite comfortable with the quiet but today was different. A number of lessons were given to Daryl throughout the day as they did their chores together. No opportunity was wasted for Connie to teach him a new word or phrase to sign as he did the corresponding chore.

It had been another long day but a good one. Connie and Daryl moved around the dimly lit cabin getting ready to settle down for the night. Connie put clean linens on the mattress as she watched Daryl check the locks on all the doors and windows. When he finished, he continue to amble around the cabin searching out even more chores to do. As she studied him she saw him put his hand to his side more than once. She guessed that he didn't even notice that his injuries were bothering him.

Connie clapped her hands together to get Daryl's attention. He looked over at her expectantly. Time to sleep, Connie signed to him.

"You want me to got to sleep, right?" Daryl replied. Connie nodded.

Okay, Daryl signed back. Sleep.

Good job! Connie signed as she smiled.

"That means..." Daryl replied. He contorted his face trying to recall what the sign she had given him meant. A wide grin formed on Connie's face as she watched him trying so hard to remember. "Good job! It means good job. Is that right?" he asked as he looked over at her, searching for her approval. Connie continued to smile as she nodded again.

Good job, Daryl signed, feeling proud of himself.

You're a good student, Connie replied. Thank you for doing this.

Don't understand. Daryl signed as he shook his head. "I just know you thanked me for something but I ain't sure what for." Connie pulled her trusty notepad from her pocket and wrote. She smiled tenderly as she handed it to him.

I said you're a good student and
I thanked you for learning my language.
You have no idea what it means to me.

"I want to learn everything about you," Daryl said almost dreamily as he gazed into her eyes.

You will, she signed.

Connie left Daryl's side and went to gather peroxide and bandages. She came back and pointed to Daryl's wound. Daryl nodded as he grabbed the lantern and let Connie lead him into the bedroom. He sat on the bed while Connie knelt on the floor. She unbuttoned his shirt and gently pushed him back farther onto the bed so that he laid flat. She pulled the old bandages off before pouring peroxide on the wound. Daryl folded his arm behind his head as he watched Connie redress his wound with such care.

More than once Daryl had been in precarious situations where he had to take care of his own wounds or stitch himself up. There were more times than he could count when he had to figure everything out on his own...something he'd been doing it long before the world went to hell. He inhaled and exhaled serenely as he laid back. If this was what she meant when she said that he had to let her take care of him, maybe it wouldn't be so bad. After all, if she was even half as anxious to love and take care of him as he was to do that for her, how could he deny her that?

When Connie had finished, she closed the bedroom door and locked it. She pulled off Daryl's boots then her own and placed both pairs strategically at the foot of the bed for quick access in an emergency. She stood up and leaned towards the lantern. She lifted the glass and moved her lips closer to the flame to blow it out. Daryl placed his hand on her arm and shook his head.

"Not yet," Daryl said. "There was somethin'...somethin' I wanted to tell you."

What? she signed and mouthed as she gazed over at him expectantly.

Daryl pulled on her hand, drawing her closer. He lifted the blanket up and Connie grinned like a schoolgirl as she moved her body next to his. Daryl moved his hand to her face pushing her dark curls away from her eyes. He wanted her complete attention. He wanted her to know exactly what he was thinking.

"I know what I said to you a coupla' days ago. I know I told you I didn't know what I was doin' and that I didn't know how to love you. I been alone so long that I think I was more afraid to love you than of anything else...the world like it is, the dead...everything." Daryl felt completely naked and vulnerable as every emotion he was feeling spilled from his soul. But as he stared into her alluring brown eyes and felt the warmth of her body against his, that same peace and solace he always felt around her moved over him. The peace and solace had already become so familiar and Daryl basked in those sublime feelings as he continued. "I know all we've been doin' the last two days is travellin' and chores butcherin' meat and trying to settle in here but...these last two days, bein' out here, just with you, they've been the best days of my entire life. Nothin' in my life ever felt this right and this good and it's because of you...because of us."

"And I was wrong," Daryl continued. "I was wrong about not bein' able to love you because lovin' you...lovin you has been the easiest thing I've ever done." Daryl let out a breath as he pressed his lips against Connie's forehead. When he pulled back again he saw tears in her eyes. Her whole face smiled back at him as the tears ran down her cheeks.

Connie caressed the side of Daryl's face as she took in all he had said to her. She was overwhelmed. She had already fallen in love with Daryl but she was taken aback by what she was feeling as he poured his heart out to her.

Connie wanted to say everything back to him. She wanted to tell him all the ways he made her feel too. Tell him how safe she felt when he was near...how deep she sensed the connection between the two of them...so deep that she could feel him coursing through her veins. She wanted to tell him that there was no one else she wanted to wake up next to each day...tell him there was no one she loved more.

There were too many things she wanted to say but she couldn't in this moment. The words were too meaningful to be written on a simple scrap of paper...and too complicated for him to understand in her language. But as Connie held Daryl's body close and moved her soft lips to his she was okay that she couldn't say all that she wanted. She knew she'd have the rest of her life to do it.

A/N: Wow! What a heavy week this has been for all of us. My heart is breaking for what is happening in our country right now. I was horrified by the death of George Floyd, an innocent man, murdered on the streets by someone who should have been protecting him and I'm deeply saddened by the subsequent, widespread riots and violence occurring now. It's scary, it's sad and it makes God feel farther away than He really is. As always, I'm here to listen to whatever you have to say about this or anything else. God knows you all have been here to listen to me and I appreciate it so much. Writing my stories and my own personal thoughts about things has been healing and therapeutic for me in so many ways. That's because of you and I thank you.

I hope maybe Connie and Daryl's love story can help you escape from the troubles of the real world, even if for just a few minutes. I know it helps me. Drop me a line and tell me what you think. I pray each of you will stay safe and healthy in these crazy times. I pray each of you will know the love and presence of Jesus in your life, today and always. Love and peace to all of you!