Carol visited Jean's diner several times in the month she's been in King County, but today is nothing like the normal cheery atmosphere. In a countdown larger than the small one Jody keeps at home, Jean's been declaring to all of the county that one of her boys is coming home. Today is that Friday, and while officially, the diner is closed for a private party, Carol suspects any wandering tourists will just get fed for free as if they were family.
The big barbeque smoker is fired up, letting the kitchen run the sides. Although assured she didn't have to help, Carol turned Sophia over to the kiddie corner staffed by conscripted teenagers and joined in. As much as she enjoys working for Dale, she almost wishes she came here with the cheerful company of T-Dog in the bright kitchen.
"Is anyone going to be offended that Jean's treating Merle's homecoming like he's coming home from the military and not lockup?" she asks shyly as she finishes up a double batch of potato salad that might feed sixty.
T-Dog shrugs as he works on cole slaw. "Some, maybe. Little asshole he put in the hospital, for sure, but his daddy sent him off to rehab and hasn't let him come back since. Probably afraid some of the bartender's family will take their own pound of flesh. The ones that will object? Screw them."
The enthusiastic rejection makes her smile. "Is that in support of Jean or Merle or both?"
The big ex-football player shrugs. "Can't say that Merle and I were ever buddies. Played ball with Shane, and that's how I got tucked under Jean's wing when my knee got busted to hell. But Jean loves that man like he's been hers since birth. That's all I need to understand."
There's the unsaid issue that Jean wouldn't defend Merle if he weren't a good man at heart. Meeting someone new that's this important to the family that took her and Sophia in makes her nervous. She was the same way when hearing Aaron and his husband were coming down for a visit at Halloween.
Both men are lovely, although Eric's mournful cuddling of all the children reminds her of the one friend she had for a while that couldn't have children. Sophia didn't turn into her bold, flirty self with them, but she did seem content to check them out like all the other newcomers in her life.
Today she's going to meet both of Jean's remaining 'boys' because Paul called to say he was begging off class for the day to come for the weekend. Before she can think about that too much, Michonne breezes into the diner, heading right for the kitchen.
"Shoo, T-Dog. Go make sure Shane's not mucking up your smoker for about five minutes."
Before Carol can protest the man being evicted from his kitchen, he laughs and grabs a drink on his way out.
The other woman laughs at Carol's puzzled look. "He's just happy for the excuse to go flirt with his wife a bit. She's the pretty gal in the fire station t-shirt. Sasha's coming off 48 on duty."
Carol supposes that would be a long stretch with one's spouse away. She checks on the eggs set to boil. "Did you need me?"
Michonne produces a packet of papers from her briefcase. "His lawyer accepted our counter filing to acknowledge Sophia is not Ed's daughter and waived any right to a paternity test. The judge could still require it, but we got lucky and landed the one who will let it slide once he sees all the evidence of abuse."
"Could Ed change his mind later?" That's Carol's greatest fear about letting Ed's horrible accusation stand. One day, she might have to admit to Sophia what happened, but she thinks her daughter will understand the lie to keep her safe.
"He could, if we let it stand just as paternity acknowledgement, but he signed to terminate any rights as well that he had as her legal father. His way of knowing she's his and not wanting you to fight it later."
As much as keeping Sophia safe is the important part, it still makes Carol detest Ed more now than when she left. How dare he throw their daughter away?
"So if I ever remarried, I wouldn't need his input or permission to let someone adopt her?"
The wicked grin on the attorney is all the answer she needs. "Not one tiny peep. You've got insurance through work, and needing state aid would be the only time I could see the plan falling through. The state caseworkers are sticklers about chasing a man down for child support, even when it's not in the child's best interest."
Carol knows she can avoid that, even once she moves out of Jean's home. "I'll keep it in mind. How long until the hearing?"
"December 17th. You'll be a free woman by Christmas." Michonne pats her shoulder. "Gonna take the briefcase back to the car and see if my help is needed anywhere. I closed the office for the afternoon."
Once she's gone, T-Dog returns, introducing the pretty woman with him as his better half. They end up with extra helpers on putting out a spread that screams Independence Day. Somehow, she thinks that's Jean's point. This is her declaration to the community that her family is reunited, and an imprisonment many found unfair is over.
Next week will be the family gathering, with traditional turkey and dressing. Today's about barbeque pork and a long separation being done.
She's setting baked beans on the counter when she sees Daryl's truck pull into the parking lot. Everyone moves toward windowed tables, treating it like a big surprise party. But no one stands outside in the chill air except Jean Walsh.
The man that exits Daryl's passenger seat looks freshly showered and is dressed in nice civilian clothes. Carol wonders if they slipped home first. She imagines if she were locked up, she would want a real shower in her own home right away, too. He's as tall as his brother, but with a heavyset build that reminds her more of an old school heavyweight boxer like her daddy used to watch on television.
Merle lifts Jean right off her feet in a bear hug that seems as fierce on the elderly woman's part as her adopted grandson's. Carol isn't the only one to look away from the loving moment, and she isn't the only one wiping away tears. The only change when Carol looks back up is that Daryl's passed Jody into their arms as Jean's nominally on her feet. The trio makes their way to the door, and Jean finally lets Merle go as he and Jody are passed around the room for greetings or hugs, finally ending at a table with Aaron, Eric, and the college aged kid that must be Paul.
"Gonna shift my way by with some food," T-Dog murmurs. "Say my own hellos. Get some food and go cuddle that little jellybean of yours."
Carol does that, fetching her own plate and finding a spot at a table near the kiddie corner. Content as always, Sophia perches in the baby high chair with just enough balance to not need extra support. She's growing up too damned fast.
It's Daryl that finds her first, giving her his lopsided smile as he frees Henry from the playpen confines. "You know you're welcome at the family table, Carol. You and the little gal? Merle's been hearing all about you two for weeks from Jody."
When she hesitates, he seems to understand. "Maybe by dessert then," he suggests. Shy by nature himself, Daryl seems to understand her worry more than Jean or Shane would.
With Henry squawking out greetings loudly toward the table of uncles, Daryl joins his brothers and plops his son into Merle's arms. The reunion with Henry is less boisterous than with Jean, but he's sweet in cuddling the man he likely struggles to remember clearly. Merle just somehow manages to eat around a lapful of son and nephew.
Henry is finally back to his father when Beth arrives, unloading Benjy and a woman as passengers almost right on the heels of Shane slipping in the door and settling with the rest of his family. The deputy's hug to Merle shows no hesitation, too, along with a quiet exchange that leaves both men smiling.
Beth makes straight for Merle, and unlike his brothers, he stands for the petite blonde. She's lifted off her feet and twirled as easily as Jean was. They end the embrace with an enthusiastic kiss Beth plants on Merle's cheek. She leaves Benjy to happily crawl in the midst of uncles and goes to fetch food.
Carol is considering braving that dessert invitation when the woman who came with Beth makes it to the family table. The brunette gets a standing hug a little more reserved than Beth's, but it's the follow-up of her draping her arms over Shane's broad shoulders that makes things finally click about the deputy's lack of dating that's intrigued her more and more as she leaves her life with Ed behind.
The kiss they exchange is polite enough for being in public, but definitely not platonic. Carol studies the curvy brunette and sighs. Beth bumps the table, gaze going between Carol's embarrassed looking away and the couple.
"Oh." The blonde plops down across from Carol, leaning in over the noise of two dozen people. "I had a crush on him for ages, you know."
That gets Carol to look up. "But you probably knew?"
"That he and my sister hook up every time she's in between boyfriends? Yeah."
Beth's sister means the pretty brunette is Maggie, who has dated two of Jean's boys if Carol remembers correctly. "That must be an uncomfortable crush to have."
"It was. It's not that Maggie's a bad person. She doesn't expect him to be single and waiting. But she sure as hell doesn't deny herself of falling into bed with him when she is single."
Carol fiddles with her lemonade. "Why doesn't she just date him? Because she's off at school?"
Beth sighs, nibbling at her food. Benjy is being fed by Aaron, just like at Halloween, so Carol guesses there's no rush for her to return. "Because Maggie doesn't really want to live in King County and staying with Shane seems like a guaranteed way for her to end up committed."
It's sad to hear something like that is that Shane is obviously entrenched in life here. Carol can't actually picture him anywhere else, especially as long as Jean's alive. That custom apartment in her backyard is proof enough he's committed to his grandmother.
"I thought she was going to work with your father."
"She eventually will, but she's got another year and a half of veterinary school and plans on doing a residency elsewhere. I think the plan is her coming back when Daddy actually retires."
Maybe it's the luxury of growing up with a good family that leads someone to need to spread their wings like that. Carol doesn't entirely understand it, even if she envies it a little. "It's not really my business."
Beth covers a laugh before waving her fork at Carol. "Oh, honey, I mentioned my crush because I know the look I see on your face when he's around. And let me tell you, he's about damned oblivious, but everyone else isn't. Maggie coming home for a visit? That's gonna stir up the matchmakers, and you're already in their sights."
"Why me? I'm not even divorced."
"Like that bastard deserves a second of you hesitating on moving on." Beth waves her hand dismissively. "Thing is, it's not the lingering whatever with Maggie that you need to worry about. It's the fact that all the boys have blinders about Jean's tenants."
"Such as?"
"Sort of an off limits sign. Well, the three that like girls, anyway. Probably because they all lost mamas to men that should have protected them. Maybe neither mama died at their daddy's hands, but driving them to suicide is the same damn thing. If you're really interested in Shane, don't beat around the bush like I did. Make sure he knows and rip those blinders right off."
Carol tries to imagine being the pursuer in a relationship and can't decide if it terrifies her or excites her. Maybe both. "You don't have a crush anymore?"
That gets her a shy smile instead of Beth's normal confident one. "My heart these days is leaning toward geeky grad student, not romantically clueless deputy."
Deciding she likes the hint of girl talk, Carol cajoles more about this Eugene out of Beth. It's easier than thinking about taking a risk herself. The party begins to wind up before Carol decides any longer and she might offend folks she's come to care for, so she gathers up Sophia and thanks Beth.
The blonde tidies their disposable plates and plastic silverware for the trash bin and winks. "Let the weekend with Maggie blow through. Then I'll help you remind him that you aren't a damsel in distress anymore."
The idea of having a solid friend in her corner sustains Carol through shy introductions to Merle and Paul. Although Maggie's practically attached at Shane's hip, she takes heart at the fact that when Sophia dangles herself toward Shane, he takes the baby without a second thought. Even his off-again, on-again lady friend doesn't trump Sophia being his favorite girl like he's begun telling the baby.
Even if Beth's wrong about the chances Shane might return her interest, it still feels like another solid piece added back to being herself again at considering the idea so boldly. She'll be free of Ed by Christmas. If that new life beyond him includes a love interest as well as new friends, so be it.