I do not own any of the TWD characters.
Road Trip
Beth stood in the doorway of her daughter's bedroom, watching the preteen cry her eyes out. Beth was on the verge of tears as well, but she knew that this situation could not go one more second without being addressed.
"Knock, knock" Beth said softly. Katie Raye looked up from one of her pillow pets with red eyes as she tried to hide the fact that she'd been bawling her eyes out. "Can I come in Sweetheart?" Katie nodded her head, and got up to get a tissue from her bedside table.
"Katie" Beth began. "I'm sorry you're so upset about the baby - I just had no idea you'd react this way."
There was no response from her daughter except for the blowing of her nose and some hiccups brought on by all the crying. "You wanna talk 'bout it?" Beth asked, rubbing Katie Raye's leg.
"I"m not upset that there's gonna be a baby" Katie Raye spit out. "I already knew about the baby!"
Obviously shocked at this revelation it took Beth a minute to gather her next thought. "You already knew?"
"Yes" Katie blew out in a harsh breath. "I overheard Auntie Carol and Aunt Maggie talking last week." That's when the crying started back up. The crying was so bad, that Beth was concerned that Katie Raye may hyperventilate.
"Katie" Beth pulled her daughter into her for a hug. "Come on Katie, what's wrong? Are ya mad
cause we hadn't told you yet?"
"No!" Katie Raye all but shouted.
"Well, then, what is it?" Beth asked.
"Maggie said this baby might kill you" Katie Raye spilled before another crying jag took hold.
"Oh Dear God" Beth muttered under her breath. "Fuckin Maggie".
"Katie Raye" Beth tried to get the attention of her daughter. "Katie Raye, look at me."
The young girl looked up at her mother, the stress she'd been carrying for days obvious in her sweet, blue eyes. "This baby is not gonna kill me - your Aunt Maggie is just bein a drama queen is all." The crying eased up a bit.
"Yes, your Momma is a little older than most women are when they have babies, BUT, I've got an amazing doctor in Atlanta that's taking care of me every step of the way. He specializes in high risk pregnancies - I go for appointments really often and they are going to run lots and lots of tests along the way to keep a good eye on me. Please don't worry about me dying - it's not gonna happen."
"You can't be sure - there's no way you can guarantee that" Katie sniffled. "Aunt Maggie said so when Auntie Carol told her all that stuff you just said."
"Katie Raye" Beth became very serious. "You're right. I can't guarantee it. But you know what, I could get killed on the way to pick you up from school. Your Daddy could have a tractor turn over with him on it. Your Uncle Merle could have a heart attack the way he carries on all the time."
Katie Raye just stared back at her Momma and wiped her nose.
"The point is, Honey" Beth continued. "Ya just have to live every day to its fullest. Ya know where we're all goin when we done here on this earth, right?"
Katie Raye nodded in agreement.
"No one likes to think about losing somebody they love, but it happens" Beth stated matter of factly. "However, I just don't plan on goin anytime soon - I got too much shit to do 'round here." Katie Raye snorted and a small smile played on her lips.
Xxxxxxxxxxx
Meanwhile, back in the dining room, Daryl was trying to get a handle on the situation with the boys. Micah had eventually figured out that his Momma was going to have a he couldn't figure out, along with Daryl, was just why that pissed Jacob off so damn much.
"Ya wanna tell me why ya so torn up over this?" Daryl asked his oldest child.
"I" Jacob began to sputter, "I" he spit out. "Good grief, what are people gonna think?"
Daryl just looked at Jacob, then glanced over at Micah who was of no help whatsoever. "Uh" Daryl mumbled "I'm not sure what ya mean? Why do I give a fuck what people are gonna think?"
"That figures" Jacob huffed - which didn't sit very well with Daryl.
"I guess the men are gonna think damn, what a lucky sob that his wife will still have sex with him"
Jacob rolled his eyes. "Dad" the boy whined.
"and I guess the women are gonna wish they looked as fuckin good as your momma does even when she's sportin maternity clothes and packin my baby round" Daryl sneered.
"EXACTLY!" Jacob agreed.
"Boy, what's your problem?" Daryl questioned. "It don't matter what people think - what matters is your momma is scared to death right now. She's scared to lose another baby"
"What?" Jacob interjected, but Daryl didn't even stop talking.
"she's scared she can't take care of us proper with another child to tend to and I'm scared something will happen to the both of em!"
The dining room fell silent.
"That's what the fuck you oughta be worried 'bout" Daryl added quietly. "Cause that's what worries me. But ya see, I can't let on that I'm worried. Your momma needs me. She needs me to be strong right now. She needs you two to be strong right now. Can ya'll do that for us?"
"Yes sir" both boys answered.
"I'm sorry Dad" Jacob apologized. "I was just bein selfish - been doin a lot of that lately it seems."
"Well" Daryl responded. "Ya gettin ready to have plenty of opportunities to make up for it. It's gonna take all of us to raise this baby - ya momma will be 43 when the baby gets here, I'll be 52. Never thought we'd be in this situation, but here we are. We're happy, don't get me wrong, but it ain't gonna be easy. We gotta do what Dixons do - we pull together, not apart. Got it?"
Daryl put his hand in the middle of the table. MIcah put his hand on top of his dad's and then Jacob covered with both of his hands.
"Got it" said Jacob.
"Got it" Micah agreed.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Come on guys" Beth hollered upstairs. "We need to get on the road pretty quick. Brad and Jeff are gonna be wonderin what's happened to us." The kids were still on Christmas break and the entire Dixon family was headed to Atlanta for an overnight stay with Brad and Jeff - they'd really come to cherish that connection, however odd it may have been to others. The couple had made it very clear that anytime Daryl and Beth were in Atlanta for a baby appointment they were to stay with them. Also, a newly fully licensed Jacob would be driving them. Daryl thought it would be good experience for him to learn how to drive to and in Atlanta - you just never knew when and if Jacob might have to take his mom in by himself for an appointment.
Katie Raye and Micah came barreling down the steps. Katie had her overnight bag thrown over her shoulder, Micah had a backpack with his overnight supplies.
"Your Dad and Jacob are already loaded up" Beth looked her kids over real good. "Everybody have everything? Chargers, toothbrushes, change of clothes? Including fresh underwear?" She eyed Micah specifically on that one.
"Yes Mom" Micah grumbled, but then he turned tail and ran back upstairs. Katie was grateful for the chance to speak with her mom privately.
"Uhm, Mom" Katie Raye whispered.
"Yes, Baby" Beth looked at her daughter.
"Uhm, my tummy hurts" Katie Raye told her mom.
"Your tummy always hurts when we go on a road trip" Beth reminded her. "I've got you a sprite and some crackers packed - for both of us."
"It doesn't really feel like that - it's worse" the girl tried to explain. "Kinda comes and goes - feels like I gotta use the bathroom, but I don't."
"Hmmmm" Beth mumbled as she checked her own huge bag to make sure she had everything. "I'm sure you're just extra nervous about going to the doctor with me. We're going to find out what we're having - I bet you're just excited."
"I am excited, but I don't feel good" Katie Raye repeated. "I think I'm gonna go to the bathroom one more time." Katie headed for the downstairs restroom and Beth added one more canned sprite to her bag.
Moooommmmmmmmm" Katie Raye yelled from the bathroom. Beth took off running. She couldn't remember the last time Katie Raye had screamed for help like that.
"What on earth Katie Raye?" Beth, clearly out of breath, asked.
"Look" Katie Raye showed Beth her panties. "Oh no! Not today!"
Oh gosh. Beth had talked with Katie Raye about this on several different occasions and they knew it wouldn't be long, but exactly,just like Katie said, oh no, not today. "Oh, my goodness Katie Raye" Beth sighed. "Well, we knew it would happen sooner or later. Stay right here - I'll run upstairs and get some supplies. Bless your heart - it's okay."
That's when the crying began. Beth could hear her daughter crying from downstairs as she was throwing together a supply kit to take with them. Bless that girl's heart - she just wasn't catching a break anytime soon it seemed.
Just as Beth came back down the steps with a pretty Vera Bradley cosmetic bag she'd purchased just for this very purpose, Daryl came through the back door demanding to know what the hell was taking them so long. Beth looked him in the eye and held up "the bag". Daryl knew what it meant - he and Beth had discussed it.
"Are you fricken kiddin me?" Daryl asked quietly. They both could hear Katie Raye still moaning and wailing from the bathroom.
"Nope" Beth smiled. "Just one more thing to push you over the edge. Am I right?"
Daryl grimmaced at the thought. "Can you go tend to her so we can get on the road?"
"That's where I'm headed" Beth shook the supplies at him "unless you think you can do it better and quicker than me."
Daryl flinched away from the brightly colored and patterned cloth bag full of extra panties,ziploc bags, pads, panty liners, and feminine wipes. "God, Beth" Daryl whined. "Please go take care of her - I'll go out and let the boys know they need to tread lightly."
"Good idea" Beth placed a smooch on her husband's lips. "We'll try and hurry."
Xxxxxxxxxxx
Finally, they were on their way to the big city. Jacob was behind the wheel with his Dad in the passenger seat next to him. Micah and Beth occupied the second row, while Katie Raye was happy to take the back row and be by herself. It was a very quiet ride into Atlanta. It was only when they made it to Brad and Jeff's neighborhood that anyone spoke.
"Man, what a house" Micah stated.
"Yeh" Daryl agreed. "Ya'll act like ya got some sense while we're here, kay?"
Beth giggled and thumped her husband in the back of the head, "Daryl - they know how to act in public - it's just at home they're idiots."
"Yeh, okay" Daryl laughed. "Let's hope so - or they'll never have us back."
Jacob pulled the Surburban up to the garage doors just like Brad had texted Daryl to do. Jeff was on the back patio waving them into the house.
"Oh" Jeff exclaimed, "We've been waiting on ya'll - we've got so much planned! Who's hungry?"
One by one, each member of the Dixon family exited the vehicle and stretched their legs out. Hannah, Brad and Jeff's daughter, ran to meet Katie Raye and help her with her bags. The girls had only seen each other a couple of times now, but they had become fast friends. Beth watched Katie whisper in Hannah's ear when they hugged. A look of horror on Hannah's face let Beth know that Katie Raye had shared her "secret" with Hannah and that the girls would surely bond on this overnight visit.
Jeff ran out, hugging each Dixon he came to that and talking a mile a minute. "Brad had to run in to the office for just a bit - there was an emergency shoulder surgery last night. Jacob! Did you drive down?"
Jacob accepted Jeff's hug. "Yeh, did pretty good I think. Dad didn't cuss too much."
Everyone laughed. "I guess that's right" Jeff agreed. "Well, ya'll get on here and get settled. Lunch is ready!"