half a chapter to fill in some holes, i might do these more often, just portraying small moments


oOo

After the dispute and her pity party, the last thing Diana wanted to do was face her family. It was all too fresh. They'd figure out something was wrong in just one look.

She sat on the field for a little while, watching the wispy clouds fly by. When the heat became too much, she stood and left.

"Hey, Diana," a feminine voice sweet like honey called out. Amy. Her blonde hair plus white shirt hurt Diana's eyes at first glance. She was so pretty.

Diana raised a hand in greeting and mustered a smile. There was nothing wrong and she was fine. Her internal monologue repeated that mantra over and over. "What's up?"

Amy smiled in return and fell in step with Diana. "You going to your post?"

Diana nodded and lifted one shoulder. "Gotta do something, right?"

"Yeah… About yesterday…" she started. Diana knew where this was going.

The day they'd arrived at the Quarry, Dale had kindly lent her some space by his RV and helped her set up her medical office, if one could call it that. He'd then introduced her to Amy and Andrea.

Andrea had been friendly but seemed skeptical of her. It was understandable, Diana was a practical stranger, one she didn't want interacting with her little sister. Diana could relate. That didn't mean she wouldn't win her over.

Amy had been more willing to talk to her. She'd attempted some small talk, but Diana's ineptitude with chit-chat shut down the interaction pretty fast. She still felt guilty about it. She remembered how sad and let down Amy had looked. And how cornered she had felt.

Anyway, the next day, Amy had come to her again. This time as a patient. She'd been having weird cravings and her period was two weeks late. She'd been on the verge of freaking out and didn't have anyone to talk to about it. She'd been scared to talk to Andrea about it, afraid of how she'd react.

So Diana had listened and comforted her as best as she could. She didn't know much about pregnancy because she'd worked and studied in a rehabilitation clinic, after all. She tried dispelling her fears, but (really,) there was nothing she could say to definitively take away Amy's every doubt, so she'd been kind of useless. It was an awful thing to be.

Amy looked around them in conspiracy and leaned in. "I got my period this morning."

"Congratulations!" What did you say in such a situation? "I told you there was nothing to worry about." Diana patted her upper arm.

"I know, it's just, the time window fit. I didn't come for a month and a half, it was totally inside the lines. Mike and I… well, the time fit."

"Well, good…" This was very awkward. She didn't want to discuss Amy's sex life as a 'civilian'. "I'll be sure to write that down."

"Thanks for yesterday. I was totally paranoid."

"I get that."

"Pregnant! I mean… That would've been…"

"Yeah…" Diana pursed her lips and nodded tersely.

They arrived at the RV. Amy's look was expectant, as if she waited for Diana to elaborate. Diana had no freaking clue what there was left to say.

She pointed at her station. "Well, I gotta…"

"Oh, yeah- yeah, I understand. Thanks for talking me down and everything." Amy nodded with a kind smile. "It was nice of you to listen."

"No problem, it's… it's what I do." Diana gave her a tight-lipped smile as she propped her bow against the RV, next to her table.

"I'll be sure to pop by for a chat sometime soon."

Diana shrugged. "Yeah sure, why not?" Please, don't. "Well, see you." And then she extended her hand to her.

She extended her hand. For a handshake.

Amy furrowed her brow but managed a chuckle and then shook it. "See ya."

When she walked away, Diana plopped down on her chair and dropped her head onto the table. Her forehead connected with a pang that made her groan with pain and delayed embarrassment.

She was a fool.

Amy had been waiting for something from her, possibly some way to start a conversation or develop past their awkward first interactions. Of course, Diana's introverted ass went blank. Not only that, but Amy was very pretty and pretty girls made Diana nervous. Her pansexual ass also went blank.

Feeling completely silly, Diana sat upright and rubbed her sore forehead.

Great. Not only that, she'd also forgotten her medkit at home camp. She sighed. Her day just kept getting better and better. At least Amy hadn't commented on her puffy eyes.

"Diana?"

Oh, great. Diana looked up. Lori.

Upon seeing her unchanging expression of indifference, the woman gave her a tentative smile.

"Are you okay, sweetie? You look tired." Lori stepped forward and grabbed hold of the back of the 'patient's chair' in permission.

Diana straightened her spine with a deep inhale and nodded in consent. Lori took the seat. "I'm fine. Something troubling you?" She schooled her features into a look she'd wear to work and leaned on the table.

A shake of the head from Lori. "Not, not personally. It's…"

"Is it Carl?"

"No he's fine, he's… adapting."

"That's great. It's not easy for a child, all of… this." Diana gestured with her hands. She avoided mentioning the death of his dad. The subject was too loaded for the situation and she didn't know how fragile Lori was from his loss.

"He's doing amazing. Shane's been helping us immensely. I'm… I'm very grateful."

"Uh-uh." Diana tried to remain neutral.

Lori tilted her head to the side. "He's actually the reason why I'm here."

"Oh?" She would've been lying if she said she hadn't been expecting that. "Why's that?"

"Come on, Diana, I've heard what happened. Shane, he's… he feels bad that you took his words in such a negative way. He didn't mean any harm."

Diana avoided Lori's empathetic eyes. Shane's words replayed in her head and despite how much she'd regretted her explosion initially, she knew she'd been right. "Is that all?"

"Could you at least look at me?"

"Lori, no offense, but I really don't wanna listen to this right now." Diana crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. She stared off to her right, her eyes following little Sophia as she dragged herself to her beckoning father. Maybe if she didn't look at Lori she would go away.

"I'm not gonna go away if you ignore me."

Damn it.

Diana sighed deeply and her eyes eventually found Lori's.

"Shane-"

"God, Lori, if he felt that bad he would've come himself!" Diana threw her hands up. She'd had enough of being treated like shit today. "You don't gotta lie for him. It doesn't make him look any better."

Lori reached around the table and touched Diana's knee. Diana willed her hand away with her eyes, but Lori didn't seem to notice or persisted through it. "He told me what he said. He just didn't want you getting caught in the middle of something that you have no business in. Especially with Daryl involved. You never know what he might do."

"Everyone's just assuming what my business is nowadays," Diana murmured. Her head hurt. Everything came forward at once and she wanted to whimper and be swept away by self-pity while in the safety of her mom's embrace. Instead she inhaled deeply and shook off Lori's hand. "He made it my business when he treated me like I was nothing."

"I think you're being a little dramatic."

Diana breathed in through flared nostrils. "I don't wanna talk about this anymore."

"Diana."

"I think you should leave." It took a lot of courage to say it out loud. "If you need medical help, feel free, but otherwise… just leave."

"He's a good man. You don't know him well enough yet, but he'd never do anything to hurt one of us."

I'm not one of you. Diana wanted to reply, but refrained herself. She was feeling hurt and emotional. She'd say things she didn't mean and ruin everything. That was the last thing she wanted. Her righteous but partially hormonal moodiness wouldn't justify her and her family being ostracized.

"I understand," she said instead. Diana was a people pleaser; it was time to do some pleasing. She was also not against lying for her own benefit. Maybe it would get Lori to back off and drop the subject completely. "I get it. He was just looking out for me, I guess."

"Yes." Lori smiled and touched Diana's knee again. Why did she insist on doing that? "He's a good man, Diana."

Diana nodded, hoping it was convincing enough.

"There's something else." She squeezed Diana's knee for emphasis. "Stay away from the Dixons. They're not good company."

Diana ignored the fact that she was pissed at one half of them and could barely tolerate the other half. Lori didn't need to know that. She frowned in confusion. "We came here with them."

"Yes, but-"

"I think I know them better than you do, to be honest."

"I'm just trying to look out, you're young and impressionable. I was fascinated with bad boys at your age."

"I'm sorry, is your name Irene?"

"Sorry?"

"Is your name Irene?" Diana emphasized every word.

"Diana…"

"I already have a mom; I don't need this kind of advice from you. Thanks." Diana did not appreciate being patronized. Especially by a woman who didn't know the first thing about her.

Wow. She could understand a little bit why Daryl had exploded at her.

Lori didn't say anything in return, just stared at Diana, who stared right back.

Carl came running up to them, calling for his mom. It succeeded in distracting Lori and Diana sighed in relief. Thank God for children and their constant need for attention.

Diana smiled and waved at Carl, who shied away behind his mom, now that she'd stood up. The kid had no fault in anything. And his blue eyes were too cute and irresistible.

"Think about it," Lori said while stroking her son's hair. Then they left.

Diana released a deep breath and rubbed her eyes. Was it National Bother Diana Day or something? It sucked.

"I believe in redemption." The sudden disembodied voice caused Diana to startle.

"The fuckening?!" She stood abruptly and looked around. Then up. Then she noticed Dale on the roof of the RV. "Oh, no," she whispered. "Hi, Dale."

"Sweetheart," he greeted, his eyes on the horizon. He looked down at her and smiled. His crazy bushy eyebrows raised like an owl's. "I'd ask how you're doing, but I've heard enough to know the answer."

"Yeah…" Diana looked down at her fidgeting hands. "Can you keep it secret? I don't like people knowing my business." It was ironic and a little bit hypocritical.

"Keep what a secret?"

Diana squinted up at Dale's enigmatic smile and offered him a grateful one. Then she sighed a deep weary sigh and looked over her shoulder. None of these problems would've actually been problems if she'd learned how to hold her tongue. That wasn't even normally an issue with her.

"Dale, what d'you mean with redemption? Who're you talking about?"

The man lifted one shoulder. "Whoever seeks redemption shall eventually reach it. Hopefully."

Diana sighed and nodded. "Okay, great."


you heard it here first folks, this just in, Diana likes boys and girls and everything in between and beyond

also, other stuff happened

let me know what you think of these half chapters