I do not own any of the TWD characters.
All Hands on Deck - Part 2
Daryl sat next to Beth on the bed and took her hand, placing a sweet kiss on it. "Beth" he began "I am so sorry - I've been a horse's ass."
Beth's eyes were glassy with moisture already - she didn't really know that she had any more tears available as much as she had cried all day. "Daryl, I've been such a bitch. I've been actin crazy. I've been mean and hateful - I'm so sorry."
"We both acted like morons" Daryl started again "and we ain't set no kind of good examples for the youngins. I'm embarrassed as shit as to how I've acted."
Beth nodded in agreement. "You're exactly right Daryl - we have to fix this. We're better than what we been showin our kids. Our family. Our employees. We've acted like fools is what we've done."
"Can I just hold ya Beth? I've missed ya so damn much" Daryl all but begged. "I ain't got the energy to do much talkin tonight - don't remember the last night I got any sleep."
Beth nodded and smiled, the tears were starting to fall as she pulled his face to hers. Slowly, they kissed. Daryl pulled away from her lips but only because he wanted his wife in his arms. "I'm so tired Daryl" Beth whispered. "I'm so tired."
Daryl reached over and turned the bedside lamp off before he and Beth settled under the covers, still holding each other, not talking, just breathing each other in. Not even one full minute passed before both were sound asleep.
Xxxxxxxxxx
The sun was up and Beth could hear lots of conversation going on downstairs - happy conversation. Lots of conversation. Beth had almost forgotten that they had company in the house. Beth pulled on some clean leggings and a sweatshirt, put her hair a quick braid, and headed downstairs. She had more pep in her step than she had in, well, at least two or three weeks now, maybe even longer than that. It was amazing what a good night's sleep would do.
All three kids were at the kitchen table putting away the home cooked breakfast that Josepha had whipped up for them. Maggie and Glen sitting in Daryl and her usual spots. The kids were laughing and smiling, scraping every bit of huevos rancheros off their plates, Jacob asking for seconds or possibly thirds.
"Good Morning Ms. Beth" Josepha greeted warmly, as if Beth hadn't been so damn bitchy about Josepha getting out of her housekeeping business. "Would you like some eggs? Mildly spicy - just the way you like"
"Oh yes please" Beth smiled back and sat at a chair that Glen had drug from across the room for her. "That sounds amazin Josepha. Thank you so much."
To Beth's surprise, Daryl walked in the back kitchen door. He immediately made his way to Beth and kissed her. "Mornin Baby" he greeted. "Sleep good?"
"Yes" Beth kissed him back. "What are ya doin here?" Beth didn't mean to be rude, but she figured her husband should be knee deep in beans, or mud, or cow shit about right now.
"Just took the trash out for Josepha" he replied. "Was waitin to eat breakfast with ya." Everyone in the room was kinda quiet and watching the interaction taking place between the couple. Daryl took Beth's plate from Josepha, placed it on the table in front of his wife and then cleared his throat. "Uh, I got something to say to ya'll." The kids looked around the room as if they were trying to locate just who he was talking to. Maggie and Glen glanced down at their napkins. "Uh, your mom and I owe everyone in this room an apology for our behavior over the past several weeks" Daryl began. Daryl glanced at Beth silently asking her if she had anything she wanted to say.
"Your dad is right - our behavior has been atrocious" Beth continued. "We talked a little last night, and we still have quite a bit to work through. But, we just wanted everyone to know that everything is okay - no one is leaving, we're not separating or divorcing. Life will get back to normal - well, what we consider normal - soon."
Nervous laughter filled the silence. "Your mom and I are leavin in a little bit - goin outta town for a couple days" Daryl started but was cut off by Beth.
"A trip?" Beth asked. "Honey, I've got a doctor's appointment today."
"Doctor's appointment?" confused, Daryl looked at his wife. Josepha set Daryl's plate in front of him. "Ya okay?"
Beth glanced at everyone in the room who in return were staring blankly back at her. "Uh, yes. It's just a check up, but I really need to go."
"Okay, we'll leave after your appointment" Daryl decided.
"Okay" Beth answered, knowing that she really needed to fill Daryl in on the nature of the doctor's visit.
"Kids, your Aunt Maggie and Uncle Glen have graciously" Daryl smiled at Maggie "offered their services to stay here at the house with ya'll, get everybody to school and picked up from practices and what not. Josepha's gonna make sure nobody starves and bathes on a daily basis, and Uncle Merle and Aunt Carol are handlin all farm business. Any questions?"
All three kids shook their heads no, but then started firing questions off at them.
"Where ya'll goin?" Katie Raye asked.
"It's a secret" answered Daryl. Beth wondered the same thing because she had no idea where she was going.
"When will ya'll be back?" asked Micah.
"When we get back." Daryl replied. Beth, again, was kind of wondering the same thing.
"Can we have a party?" asked Jacob, with a shit eating grin.
"No" answered every adult in the room.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"I'll pack for us while you're gone to the doctor" Daryl told Beth as he stood in front of his dresser pulling out underwear and socks.
"Daryl" Beth spoke.
"What? Ya think I can't pack for ya?" Daryl teased. "I ain't completely helpless."
"No, it's not that" Beth told him. "Daryl, we need to talk."
"I know we do Babe. That's why we're headed to the mountains. Gonna check out the leaves - they oughta be real pretty right 'bout now, grill a bunch of meat over an open fire, sit and get cozy in a hot tub, snuggle up with my woman, and talk" Daryl shuddered at the last word - talk.
"We need to talk" Beth repeated. "About this one thing before we go - just this one thing."
Daryl looked at Beth and she was about three shades paler than usual and was shaking like a leaf. "Babe, what's wrong?" Daryl asked. "You're scaring the shit outta me."
"Close the door and come sit with me" Beth instructed. Daryl did as he was told and then kneeled down beside where Beth was sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Baby, what's wrong?" Daryl wiped a tear from his wife's cheek.
"There's a very specific reason I'm going to the doctor today" Beth began.
"Yeh, ya said you's havin a check up" Daryl offered. "Probably a good idea, ya been draggin lately like ya aint got no energy at all - been worried 'bout ya."
"Yeh, I've been real tired" Beth confirmed. "And I haven't been eating very well - just not much of an appetite."
"Yeh" Daryl agreed, and wiped another tear away.
"And, my boobs are real sore" Beth added.
"Like what kind of sore" Dary asked - still not a clue. "Why would your boobs be sore? I ain't touched em in four damn weeks." Beth rolled her eyes.
"And, I haven't had my monthly in over eight weeks" Beth concluded with that fact.
A still clueless Daryl remained right there with Beth, holding her hands, staring into her eyes. Beth stared back into his, just waiting for it all. to. add. up. Waiting…...waiting….waiting….There it is - his eyebrows rose up into his hairline. Daryl's eyes became the size of saucers and you could hear the next swallow he made.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Daryl, Daryl" Beth fanned her husband with a magazine she'd found lying by the bed. Daryl was stretched out on the floor where he'd fallen. Guess he figured it out Beth told herself. "Daryl, are you okay?" she asked as he began to blink open his eyes.
"Oh shit" he moaned. "What the hell am I doin on the fuckin floor?"
"You kinda fainted I guess" Beth said. "Are ya okay?"
"Beth, please tell me that you've just let your imagination run wild with ya" Daryl pleaded. "It just can't be - I mean. Shit. It just can't. Damn" Daryl was babbling.
"I'm afraid not" Beth told him. She pulled Daryl to sitting, then propped him up at the end of the bed. Beth ran to the bathroom to get a glass of water - and the four pregnancy tests she took over at Merle and Carol's the night before. "Here, sip slowly" she instructed.
"How the shit did this happen?" Daryl asked.
"Well, uh" Beth tried to make light of the situation. "Ya know, we got three others so I kinda feel like ya know how it happened."
"It's not what I mean and ya know it" Daryl snapped, rubbing his head with both hands. "What the fuck are we gonna do? Are ya sure?"
Beth chose to ignore Daryl's theatrics for the time being. "My appointment is at 10:15 - I think you should go with me."
Daryl stared into the great beyond for a few more seconds. "Yeh, okay. Let's go ahead and pack our stuff - we'll get on the road when we finish at the doctor's."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"If I'm being honest here" Dr. Wells began "this is not quite what I expected when I saw Beth Dixon's name on the appointment list today." The graying gentleman sat behind his desk with a sly smile on his face. He could tell the couple sitting in front of him were beyond freaked out. Dr. Wells was trying his best to put them at ease.
"I know that a baby at this point in your lives was probably not what you had envisioned" Dr. Wells continued "but, Beth 42, although it is a maternal age that is considered a high risk pregnancy factor, is not the oldest female to ever birth a child I can assure you. You are in excellent health, always have been, and you've already passed the point of pregnancy of both of your miscarries. You're nearly finished with the first trimester already!"
Daryl blew out a breath he didn't even know he'd been holding and he squeezed Beth's hand. He glanced down at the snapshots of the ultrasound that had just been completed moments before. There the baby was - a tiny, perfect being - growing snugly in his wife's womb. Daryl just could not believe this was happening. Numb - he was numb for lack of a better word.
"Beth" the doctor continued, "of course, we're going to want you to take it easier than you ever have with any of your other pregnancies. We'll really monitor what you eat and will most likely subject you to many more screenings and bloodwork, more frequent office visits - I would really like to refer you to a perinatologist. Ya know just to be on the safe side."
Beth nodded in agreement - she'd been exceptionally quiet the whole visit. Daryl asked, "What exactly is a perinatologist?"
"Specializes in high risk pregnancies" came the reply. A flash of panic from Beth alerted the doctor to expand on his answer. "Beth, again, you are one of the healthiest mommas I've ever treated - this is just precaution. We want to be proactive, not reactive."
"Doc" Daryl began "Do ya know any of these high risk doctors personally? If it were your wife or daughter, who would you send em to?"
"I do" Dr. Wells answered. "I know several." Dr. Wells picked up his phone and buzzed one of the ladies up front. "Hey Linda - lunch here yet?" Daryl and Beth looked at each other, somewhat amused. Gee, they hoped they weren't keeping the good doctor away from anything important. "Good - bring it on back. Oh, and Linda, bring me a copy of that list of perinatologist referrals. Thank you dear."
Minutes later, Linda gently taps on the office door. "Lunch is served" she announces. Linda, apparently, had ordered out for all three of them - box lunches from the newest, hippest sandwich and coffee shop in town. "I took a guess at what everyone wanted" she smiled as she set a box down in front of Beth and then Daryl. "Well, except for this ole coot - he has a standin order. I'll be right back with everyone's drinks."
Daryl and Beth looked at Dr. Wells and the older guy must have read the confusion on their faces. "Look, I gotta eat and I heard Beth's belly grumbling during the exam" he explained. Then he added with a chuckle, " and I can tell by looking at you Mr. Dixon, you like a good BLT. Am I right?" The doctor laughed out loud at his own joke and so did Daryl.
"Yeh, BLTs are one of my favorites" Daryl opened his box and plucked out one of the crinkle cut fries that had been sprinkled with a cajun seasoning. "Damn, this is good."
"Yep" the doctor agreed. My wife has threatened me with bodily harm if I don't stop eating a BLT and fries every day for lunch - don't tell her. Daryl and Beth both chuckled at that.
Beth's box contained a homemade chicken salad served on a croissant, veggies with a yogurt dressing dip, and two glorious dill pickle spears. Upon opening her box lunch, Beth nearly squealed out loud. "Oh my goodness" she said as she crunched into her pickle.