Ch.62
A half hour later, Michonne shows up back at the prison. I can't believe she made it back alive. "Hey. I thought Merle took you to the governor? How did you escape?" I ask her when we walks through the door.
"I didn't. He let me go. Merle, I mean." Michonne explains to me. "Really? Wow." I stare at her in shock. "I know, right? Surprised me, too. Ran into Daryl along the way." she tells me.
My ears perk up at the thought of Daryl. "Where?" I ask. "He was looking for his brother. I told him where we last were together, then left." Michonne answers me honestly. "Oh. Anyways, are you hurt?" I ask her looking concerned.
"No, I'm fine. But I did find something for you." Michonne says pulling out a pregnancy test from her back pocket and handing it to me discreetly. "Where did you find that?" I ask shocked that she was able to find one so easily.
"I stopped in some houses along the way. Raided the cupboards and found it. I only found one, but it's better than nothing." Michonne explains staring at me. "Thank you, Mich. Can I call you that?" I gasp hugging her for her thoughtfulness.
"Sure, whatever. Now go find out." Michonne smiles urging me along. "Thank you. But it's too early, yet. Im gonna wait another couple weeks to find out." I say giving her a soft smile. "I hope everything goes well." she nods at me before walking back towards the prison. "You can call me Maezy if you want." I call out to her retreating form.
Soon Daryl shows up after a while looking depressed as ever. It's written all over his face. "Daryl? Is something wrong? Did you find Merle?" I ask him as he walks past me. "Dar?" I grab his attention before he could walk away.
"What's all this?" Daryl asks looking around at all the bags stuffed in the cars. "We're packing up. If the governor comes, we want him to think we left." I explain as he looks at me confused and he nods in understanding.
"Daryl, where's Merle?" I ask afraid of the anwer to come. Daryl starts sobbing in front of me without answering. I knew right then that something bad had happened to Merle. I cover my mouth at the unexpected outcome.
"Dar, I'm so sorry." I say wrapping my arms around Daryl. He hugs me in concern as he cries on my shoulder over the loss of his brother. I hope I can console him even just a little bit. I sit there on the ground holding him to reassure him I'm there for him.
"Daryl, I love you and I'm here for you. Always." I say pulling him back from the hug. When he doesn't say anything, I pick his face up to look at me. "I mean it. I love you." I sternly look into his sad eyes before kissing him tenderly.
The moment of truth has finally come. It's been about two weeks since the whole incident in Woodbury. I can't stand the thought of my fears being true. I pull out the pregnancy test Michonne found for me.
I stare at the test for a good 15 minutes as that little pink plus taunts me. I can't believe it. I had been praying this whole time for it not to be true. And now here it is mocking me as I stare at it. I cover my mouth as I hold the test in my shaking hands.
What am I going to tell Daryl? I have to tell him now? I can't hide it forever. Maybe that test was defective. I'll need someone to go on a run to find me more. I have to make sure. I'm hoping this test was just defective.
We decide to pack everything up to make it look like we left. I'm in my cell packing the rest of my belongings when Maggie pops her head in to check on me. "Hey, is everything alright? You seem down." she asks me concerned.
"It's true." I softly say keeping my tears and anger at bay. "What is?" Maggie looks at me confused. "Maggs, I have to tell him." I say distraught. she instantly hugs me as she realizes what I mean.
"How did you find out?" Maggie asks me sadly. "Michonne. She found a test for me. I denied it for a while, but how often are tests defective? Rarely, right?" I ask grabbing my bag before looking around the empty cell.
"Maezy, I'm sorry it turned out this way." Maggie consoles gripping my shoulder. "Yeah, me too." I reply as she walks me out of the cell to join the others. I'm not sure when is the right moment to tell Daryl, but I don't think it's right now. I just can't tell him right now.
On my way down the stairs, I see Maggie give an apologetic nod to Daryl as she passes. 'Don't tell him.' I think to Maggie hoping she understands. Daryl just gives me a confused look as to why Maggie is looking at him like that.
"Do you know what that was about?" Daryl asks me standing in my line of vision. "What?" I ask rubbing my arms and looking away. "Maggie. She looked like she had something to say." he replies staring back at the farmer's daughter.
"I don't know." I sigh looking into Daryl's curious face. "What's up with you? Do you know something that I don't?" he asks concerned that I'm hiding something- which I am. "Nothing is up. I don't know anything." I say briskly walking passed him.
"What's wrong with you? You've been giving me the cold shoulder all day. Is there something you're not telling me?" Daryl asks me seriously ticked. "I don't know what you're talking about." I scurry away up the stairs leaving him standing alone.
"Maggie, can I talk to you?" I hear Daryl holler toward Maggie. "Sure. What is it?" she says striding over to Daryl. Why is he asking her? I hope she doesn't say anything to him about the baby- if it really is true.
"Is there something you and Mae ain't telling me?" Daryl questions Maggie bitterly. "You want the honest truth? Go ask her yourself. But fair warning...she's moody." she answers honestly before walking away again.
I hear Daryl grunt and sigh as he walks up the stairs to our cell. "Mae, I need to know what's going on with you. Talk to me. What is it?" he asks me seriously. I start to tear up just thinking about having to tell him.
"Hey, what's the matter? I need to know." Daryl says rubbing my arms lovingly. "I can't." I say covering my face. "Yes, you can. Tell me. Now. What's wrong?" he grunts removing my hands forcefully from my face. I just look away then.
"Do you have any idea..." I start to say before Daryl interupts me. "No, I don't! What the hell is up with you?!" his shouting echoes throughout the open halls. "Well, I can't say it if you're gonna act like that!" I yell back closing the distance between us.
"Like what?" Daryl asks snarky. "Like a total jerk. I'm trying to come clean, here." I return the glare. "About what?" he asks me with a huff. "Do you really wanna know?" I ask and he replies with a sharp 'yes'. I hope he's ready for this.
"Has it ever occurred to you that what happened in Woodbury could lead to something?" I say angrily at Daryl for being so rude to me. "Like what? What the hell you talking about, woman? Spit it out." he mouths at me with hatred.
"I'm pregnant! Or at least I think I am. Is that what you wanted to hear? That's what I've been worried about this whole time. Jeez." I shout so only Daryl could hear me. The look on his face is pure shock- with his mouth agape.
"You're what?" Daryl questions softly gaping at me. "I was afraid to tell you at first, but you drug it out of me." I say still stressing over telling him. His speechlessness frightens me a little bit. I'm not sure if he's happy or not.
Then, out of nowhere, Daryl's face turns to pure rage. "Daryl, please..." I softly say while putting my hand on his arm. "Get off me! I need to think about this! Fucking bullshit!" he shouts walking briskly out the cell to the guard tower.
My heart aches for Daryl. Finding out like this. I know this isn't easy for all of us, but he needs to think about how I feel. I can't stand when we fight, and this time is an even bigger deal.
I can't imagine what Daryl is going through right now, but he needs to think about being in my shoes. For him, his girlfriend got pregnant by another man who raped her. For me, I got raped and now look where it got me- fighting over who's at fault for getting pregnant.
