"He trade his guns for love but he's caught in the crossfire, and he keeps waking up but it's not to the sound of birds..." Stephen sang out out from the small radio atop the counter as I mixed cake batter into a bowl.
I nodded my head along to the beat of the music, nostalgia and memories coming back to me in flashes. It made me remember the first time I'd met my husband, Carl. Wow, twenty years ago today.
~ Flashback ~
As I made my way into the seemingly-abandoned house, I heard strange noises coming from upstairs. Almost like...slurping. No, that couldn't be right! Holding my gun steady at my side, I climbed up the stairs. There had been no walkers downstairs. My stomach sunk to my knees then.
What if it was a walker? And it was eating someone right his minute? Once I reached the top, the reverberating sound of music filled my ears. Frowning, slowly, I walked over to the ajar door and pushed it open. The room inside was empty except for a CD player that was playing a song but the small window across from it was open. And sitting there on the rooftop was a boy with his back facing me wearing a Sheriff's hat.
In his hands, he held a large can of pudding. Holding a spoon to his lips, he unceremoniously slurped it up.
"He trade his guns for love but he's caught in the crossfire, and he keeps waking up but it's not to the sound of birds..." Stephen sang out from the CD player as I crept closer to the window, "The tyranny, the violent streets, deprived of all that we're blessed with, and we can't get enough, no..."
Sticking my head out, I snickered.
"Heaven if you sent us down so we could build a playground, for the sinners to play as saints, you'd be so proud of what we made," I suddenly began to sing along to the song, "I hope you got some beds around 'cause you're the only refuge now, for every mother, every child, every brother that's caught in the crossfire..."
The beat took it away then, dub-step playing out loudly from the speakers. The boy outside wobbled on the shingles as he quickly twisted around to face me. The pudding can went tumbling down the roof as he grabbed his gun from its holster and aimed it at me. I just shrugged at his display of bravery, instead choosing to lean on the window sill.
"You know, I never heard any more songs by that dude. Just that one," I said, nodding towards the radio.
The boy's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and I saw him lower the gun slightly.
"But...I am fond of pudding." I said, glancing briefly down at the can lying on the ground.
He grinned mischievously then, lowering the gun completely and I grinned back at him.
~ End of Flashback ~
"I'd trade my luck to know why he's caught in the crossfire," I sang along, sliding the cake pan into the oven to bake.
Arms wrapped around my middle then and a voice sang softly in my ear, "And I'm here waking up to the sun and the sounds of the birds..."
I giggled as soft lips pressed to my cheek and I twisted around in the person's embrace to come face to face with a pure ocean-blue orb. I pushed a strand of brown hair from his forehead then, my fingers lingering on his skin.
"I see you found our song," Carl teased me, leaning closer.
His old, worn Sheriff's hat brushed against my forehead and his blue eye bored into mine. My fingers ran the length of his face, tracing every scar, every wrinkle that had formed there. It had been so long since that day we'd met. But I still got butterflies just by being around him. That had never faded all these years. I rested my forehead against his and sighed.
"You ready to meet him?" I asked softly.
The side of his mouth lifted up in a smirk and he shook his head.
"Sure. I'll just go get my gun first-" he started, beginning to pull away from me.
I grabbed his hand and spun him back around, putting a hand to his chest.
"You are not going to scare this boy off, Carl! Lori really likes this guy and it would break her heart if you just scared him off like that," I reprimanded my husband.
He rolled his blue eye, adjusting his bandage with one hand. Flipping strands of dark hair streaked with gray over his shoulder, he lifted his eye up to meet mine.
"And if he's not good enough for her?" he countered and a laugh escaped my mouth.
"Oh, Carl," I said, wrapping my arms around his towering frame, "We have to let her go sometime, babe,"
His hands ran up and down my back, making goosebumps form on my skin.
"Besides, you were like this when Judith started to date, remember? Before she married Glenn and Maggie's son?" I reminded him.
He sighed into my hair and I could tell how much he hated this already. The timer on the oven beeped then, signalling the cake was ready. Entangling myself from Carl, I grabbed a dishtowel to get the cake out with and set it down on the counter.
"Cake's ready." I smiled up at Carl.
He smiled back slightly but it didn't quite reach his eye. The doorbell rang then and my smile grew wider.
"Just in time." I said, more to myself than Carl since he clearly wasn't listening.
Pulling him along with me to the living room to sit on the couch, our daughter, Lori bounded down the stairs. She looked so much like Carl it was uncanny. Her eyes were the same sky-blue as his, light freckles splashed across her nose, and there were purple highlights in her wavy dark-auburn hair. Opening the door, her bracelets jangled against her wrist and she grinned up at her date.
"Hey, babe!" she greeted him, pecking him on the lips briefly before pulling him into the house.
His hair was long and dark brown, eyes nearly a pure ocean-blue with flecks of green in them. He wore dark faded jeans with brown boots and a black t-shirt paired with a black vest. He smiled over at us nervously as he sat opposite us, Lori beside him. Poor guy. Carl was just glaring at him, arms crossed over his muscular chest as he sat stiffly beside me. I smiled warmly over at the boy and nudged Carl hard in the ribs. Carl's eyes softened slightly but he kept his arms crossed.
Typical Carl, I thought to myself, rolling my eyes.
"So, David, it's nice to finally meet you! Isn't it, Carl?" I said, turning to my husband.
Carl said nothing, just gave a slight nod of his head.
"We've heard so much about you from Lori. She says you're head of the supply runs in the Kingdom?" I asked, trying to make small-talk.
But you could cut the tension in the air with a knife.
He nodded, smiling slightly, "Yes, ma'am, I am actually. My dad was for a while but he decided to take some time off to spend with mom."
I smiled warmly and nodded in understanding.
"How are your parents?" I asked him.
"They're doing really well. They ask about you guys a lot, actually," he supplied, smiling back.
"We'll have to visit the Kingdom one day then to see them," I said.
"They'd enjoy that," he told me.
"So what did you do before you became the head of supply runs? Were you just a bum before that? Hm? No job to support yourself?" Carl asked suddenly, interrogating him.
"Carl!" I hissed in a whisper, nudging him to stop.
"I mean, you expect to go out with my daughter but what do I know about you? Do you know how to shoot a gun? Or wield an ax? Have you ever eaten pudding?!" he pressed him, his blue eyes hardening as he lifted up slightly in his seat.
"CARL!" I reprimanded, reaching a hand out to push him back onto the couch.
A slight growl crept up from his throat and I silenced him with a look.
"You know, David and I better be going. Don't want to be late for our date." Lori piped up suddenly, grabbing the boy's hand.
Pulling him up with her, she whisked him over to the door before calling over her shoulder, "Bye dad! Bye mom!"
Just before the door clanged shut, my eyes fell on the boy's back and I smiled. Familiar angel wings met my eyes. It had been a long time since I'd last seen those. Once they were gone though, I spun around to face Carl who sunk lower into his seat, avoiding my eyes.
"Carl, what was all that about?!" I screeched, slapping him hard on the arm.
He winced at the sting it left on his skin and grumbled, "I was just trying to make sure he was okay for her to go out with-"
"It wasn't your call, Carl!" I cut him off, hands on my hips now.
He glared at me, "She's my daughter-"
"Our daughter!" I cut him off again, "And she has to grow up sometime, baby,"
He sighed then and nodded. I leaned into him and he wrapped an arm around me, gathering me to his chest.
"Did you see the angel wings?" I asked, softly and I felt Carl nod.
"I really do miss Daryl and Carol..." he admitted.
I hummed in agreement and my eyes got heavier and heavier as tiredness overtook me. Just then, Carl reached over and flicked on the radio.
"So heaven if you sent us down so we could build a playground, for the sinners to play as saints, you'd be so proud of what we made. I hope you got some beds around 'cause you're the only refuge now, for every mother, every child, every brother that's caught in the crossfire..." Stephen sang out and I smiled.
The memory of those first days with Carl came back to me, lulling me to sleep. So much time had passed. But no matter what I'd always love him. I'd always love Carl Grimes.