Big Yellow Taxi
Epilogue
Three years later
Daryl woke up to the sensation of a tiny elbow poking into his back. He shifted his body slowly, not wanting to wake Rowan or their small son. The boy was finally doing better about falling asleep in his own bed, but at some point during the night he usually migrated into their room, snuggling down into his favorite spot. Right between them with Rowan's slim body curled around his and his bony little knees and elbows jabbing into Daryl's back.
Daryl was expecting to find Rowan still asleep. But she flicked her eyes away from the old worn paperback book in her hands, her face lighting up with a brilliant smile. Like he knew the boy would be, their son was snuggled between them. His twin sister was on Rowan's other side, her head resting on Rowan's shoulder. Rowan was twining a long strand of the girl's golden hair around her fingers as she read.
"How long have you been up?," Daryl whispered with a sleepy yawn. Rowan smiled, dog earring her book before she tossed it gently towards the bedside table.
"Since Melody came in," she whispered back. "I feel bad for being so excited but I really am so excited that my mom's taking them for us tonight." Daryl bit his lip to keep from laughing. But his expression quickly turned serious as he glanced down at the small boy between them.
"Ya think he'll be alright?," Daryl asked. While their daughter came out of the womb with a free independent spirit, her only slightly younger brother was another story. Wolfy was shy and quiet. He always clung closely to his mother and didn't like to be separated from her for any length of time. While Daryl was looking forward to sleeping alone with the boy's mother, he was worried the little guy might be unhappy and miss them while they were away. And Daryl always felt most comfortable when the twins were with himself or Rowan. Being underprotected as a child turned him into an overprotective father. He knew Rowan's mother was kind and gentle with his babies. They would be perfectly safe with her. But he still felt a little hesitant to leave them. Especially overnight.
"My mom's taking them over to Ayla's," Rowan reminded him, "They're gonna dip caramel apples and carve pumpkins. He's gonna have so much fun, he won't even notice we're gone."
Daryl smiled and reached over, rubbing his hand over the swell of Rowan's stomach. She caught his wrist, moving his hand down and pressing his fingers into the place where she could feel the baby's movements.
"Hopefully there's only one of 'em in there this time," Daryl teased. Rowan nodded her agreement. All babies were a blessing. But she wouldn't mind if she was slightly less blessed this time around. Caring for two infants at once was a lot of work. She was pretty sure she didn't get a full night's sleep for the entire first year. Daryl leaned carefully over their son, pressing a gentle kiss to her waiting lips.
"Ready for today?," she asked. Daryl kissed her again, letting his lips linger against hers a little longer this time. He wasn't sure if he was ready to get up in front of their entire community and make a show of himself. But he was ready to marry Rowan. He was certain of that. "We don't have to do it if you don't want to," Rowan added when he didn't answer right away. She could tell Daryl was nervous. And she was sincere in her offer to call off the wedding. She waited this long. She would wait as long as it took for Daryl to be ready. Rowan didn't care if they never had a marriage ceremony. She was content just living together. It didn't lessen their commitment in her eyes. Daryl was the one that insisted they needed to get married. It was the ceremony part of the event that he was hesitant about.
"No," he assured her, "I'm ready." Rowan's body shook with silent laughter. Daryl's face did not look like the face of someone that was ready. It looked more like that face of someone that was going to run like a rat at the first opportunity. Or maybe vomit. And then run.
"I'm goin' out huntin' to relax while you get ready," he said. Just the thought of being alone in the woods calmed him. And while Daryl wasn't looking forward to standing up in front of everyone, he was most certainly looking forward to spending the night alone in the cabin with his new wife. Rowan was at the stage in her pregnancy where she was getting softer and rounder all over. She looked even more beautiful than usual and he couldn't wait to get her in his arms and know that their time together wouldn't be interrupted.
Rowan gave Daryl one more lingering kiss before she sent him on his way out the door. He glanced back at her once, his bow already slung over his shoulder as he disappeared into the woods. Before she could swing the door shut, Tank slipped past her and headed over to his dog bed for a nap. Rowan leaned down and scratched his head before climbing back into bed and kissing the twins awake so she could get some breakfast into them before the excitement of the day started. Lola and Ayla showed up just as Rowan was finishing up her toast. The two women braided long colorful ribbons into her hair. And then between the three of them they managed to coax little Melody into getting her hair braided. Rowan dressed the twins in matching pairs of soft cotton overalls.
"You look perfect," her mother told her as she tied the string of the back of Rowan's dress into a bow. The dress was dark green and made of a soft stretchy material. Rowan was grateful the fabric was so forgiving. Because her stomach seemed to be growing in size much faster with her second pregnancy than it had with her first. The dress was short and trimmed in a lighter green around the neckline. It had thin straps that crossed in the back, leaving most of her back exposed. She picked up her grandmother's shawl and draped it around her shoulders. The outfit was completed when her mother took off her crystal necklace and fastened it around Rowan's neck. Rowan felt tears welling up in her eyes when her mother pulled her into a gentle hug.
"It's almost time," her mother whispered.
The cars rushed by under their feet. Some slowed down slightly to get a better look at the crowd of people gathered on the wildlife bridge above the highway. Others honked or ignored them completely. Rowan had her son balanced on her hip. Daryl held their daughter's hand to keep the girl from scampering away. And with his other hand, he had a death grip on Rowan. The bridge was slowly filling with people. Each of them had a long colored length of ribbon in their hands.
Daryl was hesitant to invite people from outside the community. Not only because he wasn't sure how people would react to their unusual ceremony. But because he figured the less people were staring at him the better. Now he was glad he changed his mind. Because off to one side he spotted Rick standing with his wife and son, looking about as uncomfortable as Daryl himself. The Greene family also made an appearance. Beth had a pink ribbon in her hands that she was waving around. Glenn was holding his infant son in one arm with his other arm around Maggie.
Rowan's mother stepped forward and reached for her grandson. Rowan had to peel the boy off her to hand him over. But thankfully he didn't start crying. Instead he clung to his grandmother, looking back longingly towards his mother as Lola carried him only a short distance away. Melody didn't need coaxing. She pulled her tiny hand free from Daryl's tight grasp and followed her grandmother over to join the rest of the small crowd.
Daryl didn't realize the man was behind them until he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. Daryl smiled. A fluffy black cat was rubbing up against the old man's legs. How the animal managed to follow him all the way out here from the barns was anyone's guess. Wherever the old man was, there were sure to be cats. The man didn't clear his throat or call out for quiet. He simply raised his hands in the air and waited for all the quiet conversations to die down on their own. Then he began.
"Join your hands, and with your hands, your hearts. These are the hands that will hold your children and gather your family together as one."
Rowan reached for Daryl's hand, holding it tightly in hers. The cat man grabbed their elbows, lifting their joined hands into the air for everyone to see. When he lowered them, people began to approach with their ribbons. Some people had a bit of poetry or advice for them as they tied their ribbons around Rowan and Daryl's joined hands. Many just said blessed be and offered up a friendly smile. Rowan's father spoke to them in Sioux, giving them his blessing before he turned back to Carol and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Rick offered Daryl his sincere congratulations as he tied the ribbon on as fast as possible. Then his young son stepped forward, proudly displaying the bright green ribbon he plucked from the basket.
"I picked the green one because I hope you have a whole lotta money!," Carl announced. Daryl felt his body shaking with laughter before he realized that getting married really wasn't so bad. In fact, he was actually enjoying himself. And hearing what everyone had to offer with their ribbon was sweet and sort of fun. His favorite offering came from Beth's father Hershel, who despite the clearly pagan nature of the ceremony, recited a bible quote for them as he tied his ribbon around their joined hands.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs."
When everyone was done, the cat man moved around in front of the couple. A second cat had joined the first and lay rolling a purring at the man's feet. He held up four ribbons, giving the meaning for each before he tied them on.
"White for the spirits of air, it brings communication and clear connections between heart, mind, and body. Red for the spirits of fire, it brings the warmth of home and heat of passion, and a promise of light in darkness. Blue for the spirits of water, may your love be deep, forgiving, exciting, and passionate. And green for the spirits of earth, it brings blessings of steadiness and stability, and the promise of a true home."
When he was done, the cat man retreated around behind them again, lifting their joined hands into the air for the second time. The crowd erupted into applause. Daryl wasn't sure if kissing was part of a hand binding. But no one said it wasn't. So once the old man let go of his arm, he used the free one to pull Rowan against him and kiss her. Her arm went up around his neck, twinging into his long hair and deepening their kiss. This brought on more applause from the gathering and several honks from the cars driving by below.
Their wedding was kicking off the beginning of festival week. So the moment it was done, everyone dispersed and started heading for the festival site. Daryl and Rowan stopped off at their small home first. So that they could get a moment alone. And also so they could carefully slip off the giant mass of colored ribbons that was wound around their hands. Rowan had a special box they could use to display the large knot. But for now they just let the mass of rainbow ribbon fall down gently on top of their unmade bed. He kissed her again, rubbing his hand over the round swell of her stomach. With this second pregnancy, Daryl found he wasn't as nervous as he was the first time Rowan was pregnant. He was getting more enjoyment in her ever changing body since he knew what to expect.
"How does it feel?," Rowan teased, "...to be my husband?"
"I dunno," Daryl told her, his hand moving up from the swell of her stomach to cup her breast. "But I'll show you how it feels to be my wife. Later tonight."
Rowan giggled, leaning forward to nip at his bottom lip with her teeth. Daryl kissed her back, pulling her close as they enjoyed their brief moment of privacy. Seconds later there was a knock on the door. As it swung open, their small son came rushing towards them. He wrapped his little arms around Rowan's leg, clinging to her like she was a life raft in the middle of the ocean.
"I tried to take him down to the festival area with me but he started crying," Rowan's mother explained.
Rowan lifted the boy up into her arms and held him close. His twin sister was lingering in the doorway, clearly eager to go to the festival even if her brother was not. Rowan let the girl run ahead as they all headed down the well worn path together. After he was sufficiently comforted by his mother, Wolfy allowed her to place him on his feet between them. Rowan and Daryl each grasped one of the boy's small hands, swinging him up into the air when he jumped. Soon his laughter and squeals of delight brought his sister running back for a turn. Daryl swung the girl up and sat her on his shoulders instead.
"Well look who finally decided to show up," Rowan joked. Daryl only shook his head. It was just like his brother to show up to his wedding only after the ceremony was over.
"Hi Merle," Lola said, the corners of her mouth turning up into a sly smile. "How are you? Been behaving herself I hope…" Rowan laughed as she watched Merle back quickly away from her mother, putting a wide berth between himself and the petite woman. She noticed her mother also seemed to be enjoying the man's outward display of nervousness. "I'll save a dance for you later," Lola offered with another grin before she turned and headed away from them and towards the tent she set up for her tarot readings.
"Like hell," Merle grumbled under his breath. Rowan giggled again. Now that her mother was gone she wrapped the arm she wasn't using to hold her son around Merle and gave him a little side hug. When her rounded stomach pressed against him, Rowan felt her baby give a hard kick. Merle must have felt the movements as well, because he cast a curious glance at her belly. Rowan smiled and took his hand, placing his palm on the side of her stomach where she could feel the most movement. Rowan half expected the man to yank his hand back. Or to be uncomfortable with the contact. But instead he turned and placed both hands on her, moving them around with gentle pressure until he could feel the baby's movements again. When he felt a hard kick, he smiled. In an even more surprising turn of events, Rowan's son let go of his death grip on her and reached for the man. Merle looked hesitant. But he took the boy into his arms, holding him awkwardly for a moment before he shoved him back towards Rowan.
"So ya really did it?," Merle asked, directing his question to his brother. Daryl nodded.
"Sure did," Daryl said, swinging his daughter down from his shoulders and setting her on her feet. Melody darted over to pick a dandelion. Then she stuck her arms out and spun around in a circle until she got so dizzy that she flopped down onto her back in the grass.
They chatted a little between the three of them. Daryl was surprised how much his brother seemed to know about his life. Except to invite Merle to his wedding, Daryl had barely spoken to the man in the last few years. It wasn't until Merle specifically mentioned a letter that Daryl realized where he was getting his information. Rowan had been writing to him. At least once a month from the sounds of it. Daryl smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close and thinking about how lucky he was to have found such a kind and generous partner.
Merle felt a tug on his pant leg. He looked down, expecting to see Daryl's little terror of a daughter. Instead, there was a small boy about the same size staring up at him. The resemblance in his facial features to the twins was obvious. He didn't have the freckles the other two kids had. But he had the same blue eyes and blonde wavy hair.
"How many of these brats you got," Merle asked his brother with a laugh. "I thought there was only two." Merle shook his leg, trying to loose himself from the small boy's grip. But the boy seemed intent on maintaining the hold he had on Merle's pant leg. The child looked up at him, cocking his head to the side with a curious expression on his face. When Merle glanced back at his brother, he could tell immediately that something strange was going on. Daryl looked like he swallowed a bug. And Rowan was forcing a smile, her body language suddenly tense.
"We only have two," she said. "That's …uh …um," Rowan stuttered. Finally she spit out the truth. "That's Ayla's son."
To speak of the woman was to make her appear. Suddenly Ayla was rushing towards Merle. She pulled her small son away from him like she was snatching the boy out of the mouth of a lion. Clutching the boy tightly in her arms, she looked Merle up and down. Then she turned and ran, getting herself and her son as far away from him as fast as possible. Her long golden hair and her colorful skirt flew out behind her.
Merle knitted his eyebrows together as he stared after the woman. He knew Ayla might be a little angry with him after how he treated her. But her reaction to him still seemed a little extreme. And her son looked so much like Daryl's kids. And also appeared to be about the same age as the twins. Merle felt the pieces of the puzzle suddenly click together in his mind.
"That's my fuckin' kid ain't it?," he asked. Merle looked to his brother for an answer first. But Daryl was suddenly finding the ground near his feet to be exceptionally interesting. Rowan at least made eye contact with him. Then she sighed and nodded her head. "Ya didn't think ya might have mentioned that in yer letters?," Merle asked.
"It wasn't my secret to tell," Rowan explained. "I'm sorry. Ayla didn't want you to know. She's afraid you might try to take her son from her." Merle nodded. He wasn't sure if Rowan needed to explain the last part. When Ayla stared at him like he was the real life boogeyman, it was pretty clear to Merle that she didn't want him around her child.
"Goddamn," Merle cursed, "I know I've done some shit but I'm not a fuckin' baby snatcher." Merle lifted his hand, rubbing it over the back of his neck. What in hell would he do with a baby? He had absolutely no interest in taking care of a kid even if he did know how. Which he didn't. Merle thought he wouldn't mind maybe getting a better look at the child, now that he knew the boy was his. But that was about it. He had no desire to take the boy from his mother.
"Does he have a name at least?," Merle asked. Rowan nodded again.
"His name is Lyric," Rowan said, gesturing towards her daughter, "...to go with Melody. We picked their names together." Rowan didn't offer up any further information. She just held on tight to Daryl and gave his brother a few moments to process the situation.
"You keep an eye on him and shit right?," Merle asked, glancing at Daryl.
"Yeah. Of course," Daryl said. "They live next door to us. I see 'im every day." And even if Daryl wasn't taking an active interest in his nephew, Ayla lived with Aaron and Eric. After she found out she was pregnant, she did what Rowan referred to as 'joining their union'. The two men doted on Ayla and her son, giving him all the love and attention any child could wish for. But Daryl decided to leave that information out. He wasn't sure how his brother would feel if he knew two gay men were playing father to his son.
Merle nodded and Rowan could see the tense set of his body finally start to relax. She guessed he was relieved that Daryl was keeping an eye on the boy. Not only because that way Merle knew the boy was being looked after but also because if Daryl was taking on that responsibility, that alleviated any guilt Merle might feel for not stepping up and looking after the boy himself. Something he clearly had no desire to do.
"It's fer the best," Merle said, his voice low and quiet. "Would make some kid a shitty father anyway."
Daryl walked Merle back to his bike. As always, he extended his brother an offer to visit them anytime. An offer that he knew Merle would likely never take him up on. They shook hands and Daryl watched the man disappear into a cloud of dust from the gravel drive. Daryl didn't know when he might see his brother again. And like every time, he knew there was a chance this visit was the last. Merle's lifestyle was wrought with risk and danger. He was a tough son of a bitch, but it was inevitable that if he kept on with his bullshit, one day he would end up on the wrong end of a gun. In case that time came sooner rather than later, Daryl was grateful that they parted on good terms.
"Congratulations again," Rick hollered over once he spotted Daryl walking back up from the parking area. Daryl headed towards the man, thanking him for coming. Rick clapped him on the back as he smiled over at his son. The boy got tall since the last time Daryl saw him. He was kicking an old beat up soccer ball back and forth with Carol's daughter Sophia. Daryl glanced at Rick, noticing the man's face had turned slightly more serious.
"I have something I need to ask you," Rick said. Daryl narrowed his eyes slightly at the man. He wasn't sure he liked the sound of that. But Daryl still gestured for the man to continue. "When you came out a few weeks ago and helped us track down that missing girl," Rick said. "...Is there any way you'd be willing to do that again?" Daryl breathed a sigh of relief. Then he was quick to nod his head.
"Yeah," he agreed, "anytime."
Rick smiled. He drove out to Twin Oaks and got Daryl as a last ditch effort to find a small girl that was snatched from her own backyard. No one saw anything and the police had no leads. Rick went hunting a few times before with Daryl and knew the man was an experienced tracker. But even he was in awe of Daryl's skills once Rick really saw what he could do. Following a trail that was totally invisible to the rest of the police force, Daryl and Lily, his large brown dog, led them straight through the wooded area behind the girl's house and right to a dilapidated cabin where a recently paroled sex felonw was holding her against her will. There was no doubt in Rick's mind that without Daryl's help they would have been looking for a body instead of returning a frightened young girl back to her family. And Rick was not the only one impressed with what he saw. About a week later he received a phone call from the Georgia state police director himself, asking for Daryl's contact information. They wanted to put him on retainer and call him out when they needed his help. Sort of like they called in a team of trained divers when they needed to search for something underwater.
"What if it wasn't me personally that was calling you for help?," Rick asked. Daryl's eyebrows knitted together. But he still looked interested in what Rick was asking. "The Georgia state police want to hire you."
"Hire me for what?," Daryl asked. "I ain't no cop." Rick chuckled a little. He was expecting some resistance.
"They don't want to hire you as an officer," Rick explained. "You would be somethin' like an outside consultant. They would only call you in when they need your help. Like when that girl went missing."
"So if someone's missin' they would call me in to find 'em," Daryl repeated, letting the idea roll around in his mind. He didn't care much for the police in general. But what Rick was asking really didn't sound so bad. Daryl enjoyed tracking. And he was good at it. It made him proud when he found that missing girl. "They'll pay me for that?"
Rick nodded and pulled out a folded piece of paper from his back pocket. The state police chief faxed him over a proposal a few days before, complete with the full job description and salary offer. Rick handed the paper to Daryl, watching the man's face as he read it over. Rick could tell when he got to the salary offer, because Daryl's eyes widened in disbelief.
"They're gonna pay me all this jus' ta find some missin' kids fer 'em?," he asked. Rick nodded, trying not to laugh.
"Why don't talk it over with your wife," Rick suggested. "Later this week you and Rowan can bring the kids over to my house for dinner and we can go over the details then." Daryl nodded, folding the paper up and tucking it away in his back pocket. He would talk to Rowan. And since her father was visiting, Daryl thought he might have the man read the paper over and give his opinion on it as well.
With their business talk complete, the two men headed over to rejoin the celebration. The rest of the day passed Daryl by in a blur. Later he would only be able to recall bits and pieces of the celebration. Tossing his daughter up high into the air above his head and catching her. Rowan's mother cajoling him and Rowan into a couple's tarot reading. And the card she flipped over that had a picture of a giant sun on it. He could remember Rowan tasting like apple harvest cake when he kissed her. And the look of awe on her face when her father gave her the wedding present he made for them, a beautiful dreamcatcher made from two deer antlers and hung with colorful turkey feathers.
The autumn sun was sinking low in the sky as they walked the last half mile out to the hunting cabin. Rowan held his hand in one of hers. Her other palm was resting against the side of her stomach, pressing down in an attempt to shift the baby into a more comfortable position inside her. The fringe on her shawl swung softly in time with her movements. Daryl looked at the fabric as it moved, thinking about what they did the last time they laid down on top of the garment. Then he reached down with his free hand and adjusted his pants. After this new baby came, Daryl thought maybe Rowan ought to put her gram's magic shawl away for a while. Three small children, or possibly four if Rowan had twins again, was enough to keep them busy for a while. Daryl wouldn't mind having a big family. But he thought he might like the next one to be spaced out a little further, so that Rowan could have a break from growing tiny miniatures of him inside her.
"Look at this!," Rowan said, pushing the door of the cabin the rest of the way open. Daryl smiled, obliging her by peeking inside even though it wasn't a surprise to him that the cabin was already made up for them. In lue of a wedding gift, he asked Eric and Aaron to come out and tidy the place up a little for him. But per their usual behavior, the two men went above and beyond. There were drinks and snack foods laid out on the table. The bed was made up with clean sheets and blankets. The window was cracked open to let the evening breeze in. Logs for a fire were arranged in the hearth. And there were flowers everywhere. On the table in a vase. Strewn out over the bed. Even sprinkled all over the floor.
"You did this?," Rowan asked. Daryl shook his head.
"I sent Eric and Aaron out here. I knew they'd do a better job than me."
Rowan giggled and wrapped her arms around him. Her hand twined into Daryl's hair, pulling his mouth down to hers for a kiss.
"All I need is the sunset and you," she teased, "But this is amazing too." Daryl agreed but he didn't say so. He just deepened their kiss and swept her up into his arms, heading for the bed. They took their time with each other, drawing out their lovemaking so that it would last as long as possible. When they finished, Rowan snuggled into his side, resting her head on his chest. Daryl wrapped his arm around her, watching the last bit of light in the sky slowly give way to the moon and stars. He reflected on his life and strange wave of events that seemed insignificant at the time but slowly led him to where he was now. He wasn't sure if everything happened for a reason, like Rowan believed. Or if his life was just a strange tide that changed with the direction of the wind. Coincidence or destiny, he was simply grateful that he finally ended up where he belonged. He was happy to finally be home.