Red River Blue

Chapter 69

Deanna tried to collect herself as she walked down the street towards the two houses she had given the group of newcomers to live in. She wasn't totally sure who was living in which house. But she noticed the screen from the upstairs window was lying in the front yard of one of them. So she guessed that was the house she was looking for.

Heading up the steps, Deanna took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Before she was even done rapping her knuckles against the wood, the door jerked open. Deanna startled, not expecting to be greeted so quickly. She also wasn't ready to be greeted by her son's conquest of the night before. Harley stood in the doorway, scowling at her. The girl made no move to welcome her and instead turned and screamed at top volume into the house.

"MOOOOOOOMMM! AUNT CAROL! IT'S FOR YOU!"

Deanna took a step back, trying to protect what hearing she had left after having the girl scream almost directly into her face.

"Hello Harley," Deanna said, "How are you today?" Harley turned her attention back to the woman on her front porch, wrinkling her nose up.

"Fine," she barked before turning and hollering into the house at someone else, telling them to hurry the hell up and that she wasn't going to wait around all day for their slow ass. Since Harley was clearly paying her absolutely no attention, Deanna took the opportunity to observe the young woman. Her sons were right. The girl was quite pretty even with the way she constantly had her face twisted up. She was wearing a pair of snug jeans that tucked into her combat boots. There was a large hunting knife on her belt and her long blonde hair was slicked back into a braided ponytail. Her arms were well defined, probably from using the longbow she had strapped to her back. Deanna could see why her older son was smitten with the girl, especially since there weren't a lot of other available options. But good lord did she need a lesson in manners. The girl was like a feral cat.

Deanna was surprised when the person Harley was hollering and swearing at finally appeared in the doorway. It wasn't Harley's younger sister. It was the other little blonde girl that Carol said she had sort of informally adopted. Her name was escaping Deanna at the moment. The girl seemed unaffected by Harley's brash language and approached her with a large smile, turning around for Harley's approval. Harley leaned down, tightening up the girl's belt slightly. Then she gave her a nod of approval and they went stomping down the porch steps together.

"If I get a rabbit will you teach me how to skin it?," the little girl asked. Deanna smiled a little when she saw Harley take the younger girl by the hand. They swung their hands together as they walked.

"Yep. And even if I get a rabbit I'll still teach ya how to skin it," Harley told the girl. The girl seemed excited about the offer. She had a huge smile on her face.

Carol appeared in the doorway a moment later. Unlike the other two members of her household, she greeted Deanna politely and offered her a smile of her own. Then she called after the girls.

"You girls be careful," Carol warned, "Don't go too far away from the walls."

Harley didn't respond or even bother to turn around. She simply held her middle finger up in the air and waved it around for Carol's viewing pleasure. Deanna expected the woman to get angry at the blatant display of disrespect that was directed towards her. But Carol only shook her head and laughed.

"Don't mind Harley. She's an acquired taste," Carol joked. "Would you like to come in?"

Deanna nodded and gratefully followed Carol into the house. She was starting to wonder if she was going to be left standing out on the porch indefinitely. The two women stopped on their way through the living room. Carol turned towards the stairs. Someone was thundering down them at top speed.

"They leave already?," Daryl asked once he hit the bottom step and flung into the living room. Carol nodded.

"They just left a second ago," Carol said, "you can catch up before they even get to the gate if you hurry." Daryl nodded and took off towards the door. Once he swung it open he stopped and turned around. Deanna took a step back when she saw him flying in her direction. But he wasn't after her. He was after Carol. He grabbed the woman, yanking her against him. Then he kissed her hard on the mouth, shoving his tongue what looked like halfway down her throat before he released her. Then he wacked her on her ass before running back out the open door and slamming it shut behind him. Deanna fought back a smile as she watched the other woman try to straighten out her disheveled appearance. Carol wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and pulled at the hem of her shirt where it yanked up.

"Goddamn, you'd think he was tryin' ta taste yer breakfast," River remarked from the kitchen doorway with a laugh before adding, "Hi Deanna."

Deanna smiled and returned the greeting as she followed the two women into the kitchen. There was a large bucket of acorns on the counter. And the nuts were spread out on cookie sheets in various states of deconstruction. River explained that they were trying to make some sort of acorn flour. Deanna chatted a little with the woman, feeling more relaxed now that no one seemed overly concerned about her presence or angry that her son stayed the night with River's daughter.

"I actually came to speak with you because I was worried about what went on between my son and your daughter," Deanna said, taking a sip of the hot tea Carol made for her. River could read between the lines of what Deanna was saying. It wasn't a secret that her husband had been running around, screaming and carrying on like a total lunatic. He probably woke up the entire town. Deanna was probably afraid Merle was going to have a go at her son. Though River's opinion on the matter was that the young man should have come back here himself and spoken to her or Merle. Instead of having his mommy do it for him. But River decided to keep that to herself.

"After he chased yer boy outta here," River said with a laugh, "Merle caught Rick's son Carl in Wren's room. So I think Spencer is off the hook fer now." River was also sure that Merle had no further interest in stirring up any more shit with Harley. Not if he wanted to keep his balls. But she didn't think it was necessary for Deanna to know the details of their family dynamics.

"Oh my," Deanna said, taking another sip of tea. For years she wished for a daughter, but at the moment she was glad she only had sons to deal with.

"To be young and in love again would really be somethin'," River said, leaning her chin onto her hands. There was a faraway look in her eyes for a moment. And then she was back, tossing roasted acorns into a food processor. Deanna smiled. It had been a few more years for her than it had been for River. But she could still remember when she fell crazy in love with her husband.

"How would you like to come over for dinner tonight?," Deanna asked. Their talk was going much better than she expected. And though the girl her eldest son had his sights set on was not one she might have chosen for him, Deanna thought she still might like to get to know the girl's family better.

"Me?," River asked, looking at Deanna like she had gone crazy.

"Well not just you, your family," Deanna said. She glanced between River and Carol. River looked nervous. But Carol was smiling at her, looking more receptive to the idea. "Maybe you and your …uh …boyfriend would like to come too?," Deanna added. River and Carol exchanged glances. River was shaking her head slightly. If this poor woman had any idea of the redneck chaos she was inviting into her house, there's no way she would be trying to have them over. Carol gave River a pointed glance before she turned back to Deanna.

"We'd love to."