Beth wakes slowly, snuggling into Eugene's warmth. Smiling, she slips her hand under his shirt, hearing his breathing change as she skims across his chest. Something about the kiss pressed to her temple is more enticing than if he aimed for an actual kiss.
Raising up a little, she smiles at him. "Merry Christmas."
His smile is still a little sleepy, blue eyes half lidded. "Not sleeping in?"
"I think I'm hardwired to wake up before Benjy by now. You can sleep a little longer if you like."
"How long before he gets up?"
"Maybe half an hour, since he got to bed on time. It being Christmas won't throw him off this year. Next year? We'll probably be in for it."
Eugene gives her that sweet, almost goofy smile that he has anytime he's included in some random future date as part of her and Benjy's lives. She can't resist kissing him, marveling at how he still manages a vestige of shyness even a month or so after they'd taken things beyond platonic dating. It doesn't take much coaxing on her part to have them spending that last half hour of quiet in pleasant ways for them both.
It also means she's just finishing her shower when Benjy wakes up, his first yell at the baby gate for Mama turning to an excited "Yeen!" that tells her Eugene has it well in hand. By the time she makes it into the kitchen, he and Benjy are at the table, with Benjy happily eating bananas and Apple Jacks cereal. Connie's at the oven, pulling out something that smells like the world's best pastries.
Beth slings her arms around Eugene's shoulders and grins at Benjy. "Where's Kelly?" The sisters had stayed over last night to have Christmas morning with Benjy, taking advantage of Beth's rather comfy fold out couch. She knows Tara will sleep most of the day, promising to join them for Christmas festivities at Grandma Jean's that evening.
"She took Domino out for a run." Eugene solemnly accepts a slice of banana with an Apple Jack smushed into it and eats it. "Thank you, Chef Benjy."
It makes Beth giggle, because the irregularly wrapped present in the living room is exactly along that 'chef' theme. Benjy's wish to mimic anyone cooking food resulted in Eugene and Connie asking to give him a joint present of a toy kitchen. Despite the instructions saying assembly was simple, it still took three adults and a giggling teenager to put everything together last night. Many of Benjy's other presents he'll receive today from various people will add to the kitchen's accessories.
"When is Dennis arriving?" Connie asks, setting plates on the table, each with two warm pastries shaped a bit like an eclair. "Quesitos," she explains at Beth's curious look, fingerspelling the word even as Eugene translates for her. "Part of our Christmas morning tradition."
"He said he would eat breakfast with Otis, Patricia, and Jimmy, then head over."
Beth's delight in the breakfast pastry has Connie laughing. "Recipe is on the counter. It is not complicated."
Eugene nods, offering Benjy a bit of his. "Puff pastry, cream cheese, eggs, sugar, and syrup. I can make them, and Connie sometimes says I could burn water if I wasn't careful."
"More?" Benjy's hopeful look gets him the rest of the quesito Eugene already shared.
Connie drops another quesito on Eugene's plate, wiggling her little finger at Eugene with a smirk. He just rolls his eyes at her implying he's wrapped around Benjy's little finger.
Seeing Dennis pull up outside, parking his borrowed motorcycle next to Connie's car, Beth gets up to go start a cup of coffee for him. He barely gets the "knock knock" voiced before Benjy's yelling excitedly. It's a good thing Tara's room is fairly soundproofed, living in the house with a rambunctious toddler while working night shift.
The excitement is good to see. Benjy had been extremely shy around Dennis when he first arrived eight days ago. Talking to his father on video chat keeps him familiar with Dennis while he's deployed, but the juxtaposition of having the man here in person had sort of freaked the toddler out for the first three days. Just when Beth was beginning to despair for Dennis's sake, Henry had developed a fascination with his normally absent uncle that made Benjy curious enough to set aside his shyness.
"Hey, baby boy." Dennis doesn't mind the fact that he's now getting smeared with cream cheese filling and banana after he releases Benjy from his toddler seat at the table. Dennis smiles at the rest of the folks in the kitchen, passing on a cheerful Christmas greeting.
"Coffee's at the pot whenever you're ready," Beth tells him, passing him a damp cloth to rescue himself and Benjy from the boy's breakfast remains. "I see Kelly now. As soon as she showers, we'll go see what Santa brought for a certain grubby little fellow."
Getting lost in the morning's flurry of gift wrap makes Beth glad she'd insisted on doing something here at the house. Last year, she'd stayed the night at her parents' house, and the invitation this year had included Eugene and his sisters, but she just really felt like it was time to have her first Christmas morning independent of her parents. Whether that's an indication of a different type of relationship she's developing with Eugene or simply the fact that she's older now, she's not sure. It's worth the hilarious pictures she's managed to get to have to do her own cleanup.
Taking the first bag of wrapping paper and packaging to the kitchen, Beth isn't surprised to see Dennis coaxing another cup of coffee from the single cup brewer of Tara's. "You're going to have to change your blood type to caffeine one of these days," she quips, fishing another trash bag out from the box under the sink.
"Wouldn't that make transfusions much easier?" he asks, arching a brow at her. Glancing toward the living room, where Kelly and Eugene are sprawled on the floor helping Benjy finish wrestling toy kitchen accessories out of the packaging, Dennis smiles. "Seems like he's a keeper, Bethie."
Following his line of sight, Beth nods, smiling at the scene before her. Connie's taken over as photographer, thankfully, because the packaging seems to be defeating Eugene at the moment, to Kelly and Benjy's amusement. "He is. He really is."
"I'm glad." When she looks back to Dennis, he looks a little wistful, but content as well. "You and Benjy deserve to have someone who is around all the time. And the way you smile when he's involved? It looks good on you. Haven't seen that in a long time."
What she likes about that phrase is that there's none of the lingering guilt in his voice finally. Dennis has always blamed himself far more than anyone else for their marriage failing, Beth included. Accepting his return to the Navy might not seem like the best choice, since it makes her a single mother in a way just being divorced doesn't, but deep down, she knows that sticking around King County probably would have eventually landed Dennis in the same place Merle just got free of. The structure and rules of the military give Dennis guidelines the civilian world simply doesn't provide.
"Benjy loves him to pieces."
"I've noticed. I've also noticed that it's mutual." Beth's noticed that, too. Last night's bedtime story, before Dennis left, had been delegated to Eugene by Benjy's insistence. Dada is fun to play with, but Yeen is the storyteller Benjy prefers.
She must look a little concerned, because Dennis snakes an arm out and gives her a half hug. "I've made the choices I've made where he's concerned, and the fact that Eugene is here when I'm not for Benjy? It's a really good thing to see, I promise. But if he hurts you..."
"There will be a line around the block, starting with his own sisters," she finishes for Dennis. "He loves me, you know."
"And you love him." Dennis says it with such confidence that Beth startles. He smiles at her. "I have eyes, Beth. You look at him like he's an oasis in the desert. Have you told him yet?"
Shaking her head, Beth sighs. "I always rushed things, Dennis. Headlong, both feet, not thinking at all."
"Not saying it doesn't make it not be true, you know, just like saying it to me because you felt guilty we moved too fast didn't make it actually true." It's something they both agreed on, that they'd moved too fast, mistaking the thrill of new romance and sex for something deeper than it was. She can't regret it, because it gave them Benjy. "I'm right, aren't I? That you're so far gone on him you know exactly what we were missing?"
Her face heats a little in embarrassment. "Yeah."
"Tell the poor man."
"Anyone ever tell you that ex-husbands aren't supposed to be so sweet?"
"I had heard a rumor to that effect. Now shoo. Go help them conquer those twist ties."
Beth smiles at Dennis before kissing his cheek and passing him the empty trash bag. "Your turn."
Scampering off to the living room, she can't help but be grateful that her life contains none of the drama a divorced person's life is supposed to have, if you believe all the books and television shows.
Hours later, she's a little more grateful for the sometimes weird friendship she and Dennis carved out of the marriage-that-shouldn't have been. The looks between Rick and Lori at Jean's Christmas supper are nearly painful to catch sight of, and she can practically smell the guilt rolling off the young deputy. But as much as her instinct is to meddle, there's a moment where Jean catches her eye and shakes her head. Trusting in the older woman's judgment like she has her entire life, Beth leaves it be.
Besides, it's far more intriguing to watch Daryl's clumsy attempt at sign language. It's Kelly teaching him, with Denise also paying close attention. Henry's mother made it into Atlanta late last night, and she looks so exhausted that Beth's grateful she's got a full two weeks off. The part that sucks is that it only overlaps Dennis's time off by two days, effectively. Dennis has been appropriated by Merle for a bit, the two men exchanging casual chit chat about military life, while all three of the deputies at Jean's supper listen in.
Eugene comes to stand next to her at the kitchen island, offering his tea mug and nudging her where she stopped midway in selecting her own tea mixture from Jean's collection. "I'm a little concerned about that calculating look on your face."
Beth grins and steals a kiss before finishing her tea and snagging another infuser for Eugene's. "I was just thinking... Daryl's single. Connie's single." She lets it drift off, glancing sideways to see Eugene's reaction to her maybe meddling with his sister and Benjy's uncle. Her meddling with Shane and Carol worked out so well that she can't resist. Daryl's refused to date since Henry was born, unwilling to chance a woman wouldn't understand his rather unique relationship with Denise now that Henry is a permanent tie between them. But Connie? Beth can't see her being judgmental there, not at all, and she's just bold enough to keep Daryl on his toes.
He doesn't argue against it, just watching Daryl for a moment. Henry's in his mother's lap, but he's watching his parents' hands with all the intentness that a sixteen-month-old can manage. "She's teaching them signs for babies. See? Milk." Eugene repeats the sign himself, which works for an extra purpose as Beth retrieves the small container of cream for him.
"Maybe we should start teaching Benjy. I mean, if we start now, he'll be fluent enough to talk to Connie faster than if we wait, right?" Beth's been learning, but she hasn't really thought about teaching Benjy before, even with how advanced his speaking skills are. Even now, Eugene or Kelly stil translate for Beth and Connie, although she's been practicing as much as she can with her break from college classes. Connie can read lips to an extent, but that only helps with Beth, not Benjy, who doesn't understand to look at Connie when he speaks.
"They teach baby sign as young as six months. Some of the signs are simplified, when they are too complex for a baby's dexterity, but learning the correct sign later wouldn't be any different than learning proper grammar later." Eugene looks delighted at the thought, leaning in to brush a chaste kiss across her lips. "I think Connie would be very touched if you wanted him to start learning."
"Mama! See my ammalamma!" Benjy bounces as he rounds the kitchen island, Jody trailing behind him. He bobbles a stuffed armadillo at Beth before clutching it to his chest in what would be a suffocating hug if the poor thing was a living animal.
"I got it out of the toy box in the bedroom," the five-year-old explains. "He's really excited, because it's like a book, I think?"
"Walks and walks and walks, Yeen!"
Beth giggles and nods. "He has a book about an armadillo at home. It's his favorite book right now."
Jody nods, and it's not the first time she wonders what Merle looked like as a small boy, because his son is an absolutely beautiful child, and that's even admitting her own son and Henry are handsome fellows, too. But there aren't any pictures of Merle outside of school pictures before he came to live with Jean.
"He can keep the armadillo, if he wants. I don't mind."
"That's very sweet of you, Jody. Tell Jody thank you, Benjy. He says the armadillo wants to go home with you."
The toddler holds the stuffed animal out with a look of amazement before looking back at Jody. "He talks?"
Life with Henry has taught Jody this one. The boy grins, that smile pure Dixon. "Yeah. C'mon. We can go show Andre."
Benjy follows Jody as easily as if Beth and Eugene had turned invisible, now fascinated with the older boy and his ability to speak armadillo. Beth grins at Eugene. "You're going to be reading that book for the next month, you know. What's the sign?"
The sign, covering a fisted right hand with the left hand while wiggling the index finger, makes Beth giggle, but her mind circles back to how their sign language discussion got started. She recognizes the sign Kelly's teaching now, so she looks to see where Connie's disappeared to. Somehow, she's not surprised one bit to find the older woman sitting cozily with Jean and the rest of the women here tonight on the back porch with a notebook between them for whatever conversation the women are having. Nudging, Eugene, she hands him his tea. "See how well she fits in?"
"Far be it from me to get in your way when you're looking that determined," he tells her, amused. "You might recruit Kelly as your helper, though. I think she's a bit smitten with Daryl herself."
With the idea taking root, Beth steals a little kiss from Eugene and goes to settle in with the impromptu lesson. She's not surprised at all when Eugene eyes the group on the porch and ventures out once he's caught Connie's eye. That's why she thinks Connie would understand Daryl and Denise in a way many wouldn't. She and Eugene are practically the same, just without the New Year's Eve oops that gifted the family with Henry, thank goodness.
Later that night, it's almost too quiet at home. Benjy's sleeping the sort of sleep any toddler has after an exciting Christmas day split between three households. Tara's off at work, drawing the short end of the stick like any rookie for the holidays. Eugene's looking for something in his duffel bag, and Beth mulls over her conversation with Dennis again. Since school's been out for the winter holiday, Eugene's stayed here as much as he's stayed at home.
They've only been dating for two months. Her entire relationship with Rick didn't last that long, and by this far along with Dennis, she was pregnant with Benjy and didn't know it. Neither of those had been love, she knows now, at least not the type of love needed to sustain two people. As much as she knows her age was a factor in both cases, she also knows so much of what she feels now is the man in front of her, quietly mumbling as he finally locates his errant socks.
"We could just set you up some space in the dresser for when you're here," she says.
Eugene goes stock still, turning to her with wide eyes, still holding those socks. "I would not want to presume," he says, voice dropping low. She can't mistake the look of longing her suggestion brings to his face.
"It's not presuming if I offer, now it is?"
He shakes his head, emotions flickering across his face, as easy for Beth to read as sign language is for Eugene. She goes to slip her arms around his waist, snuggling close to him. He relaxes against her, and she reminds herself of just how badly he's been hurt before. Even divorced, Beth doesn't have that kind of hurt in her past.
"I love you," she says softly, and she can feel his reaction in how he stiffens. Shock. Then his arms tighten around her. Happiness. Being kissed? Well, that's happiness, but it's also guiding her back toward the bed in a way he's never initiated before. He repeats her words softly between kisses and later reverently against her skin.
Before she'd been intrigued by Eugene, she'd felt almost petulant that life at twenty-one wasn't supposed to be boring and lonely. In just two short months, neither of those emotions apply anymore. Why worry about something as silly as time when this man chased all that away and loves her son? Blessing whatever luck led her to cross paths with Eugene, she curls against him, content and sated, pressing a kiss first against the soft skin at the base of his throat and again to his lips. Looking down at him, she smiles. "I love you. It bears repeating, you know."
When he smiles, bright and joyous, she can't help but feel the same joy herself. Love, in their little corner of the universe, feels just like this.
A/N: While it needed to wait until the other story caught up, this chapter got so tricky because the last chapter was hard to top. Beth was a trickier minx than Eugene to get to the happily ever after.
Hopefully, it was worth the wait. For those of you who took the plunge on one of the rarest pairings in TWD, thank you. I'll probably write them again one day, and try a ZA version next time.