Chapter 10

Beth stood looking around the café at the customers that sat in the fifties inspired booths and tables that dotted Karen's café, and wondered if any of them would look back on the memories they were making with the people around them.

Making memories is always one of the things that Beth enjoyed, no matter how big or small, but she couldn't help but wonder, as the man in the corner joked with his sons, or the elderly woman with her family, realised just how precious their memories would become or how valuable life was.

"You keep wiping down that table and your going to hit the wood" Karen joked pulling Beth from her daydream.

Realising that she had indeed been wiping down the same table for the last thirty minutes, Beth blushed and ran the damp cloth she held through her fingers.

"Sorry" she offered as she grabbed the salt and pepper shakers and moved to take them over to the counter to refill them.

Karen followed with a look of concern on her face, "It's Hershel's anniversary today, right?" she stated as a question.

Beth looked up from where she was watching the grains of salt fill the clear shaker in front of her before she offered a single nod in confirmation, "Three years today" she sighed.

After Hershel passed, people would often tell her that it would get easier with time, but no matter how often they said it or how many years or months had passed since he'd passed away peacefully in his sleep, it hadn't got any easier and she didn't believe it ever would.

Beth tried to be strong, especially around Annie, but sometimes when she was alone at night or the wind blew a certain way, her thoughts would always drift back to the man that had become her father.

Noticing that Karen was about to speak and tell her what she'd heard over and over again throughout the last few years, Beth opened her mouth and cut off her friend before she could even get a word out, "Don't" she said.

Karen held her hands up in peace, "Wasn't going to, honey" she replied before turning and heading towards the small window where Tyreese had just placed some orders, "I was just going to remind you that your shift ended around twenty minutes ago".

Beth looked at the clock on the wall before double checking the time on her watch, "Shoot" she yelped as she rushed to screw the tops back on the shakers, whilst Karen simply chuckled.

After hollering her goodbyes, Beth left the café and started her walk to collect her daughter from kindergarten. Stepping through the gates of the park, that sat between Karen's café and Annie's school, she couldn't help but return to her memories of Hershel and couldn't believe that he'd already been laid to rest for three years.

As per his request she'd arranged his funeral, with the help of her friends, so that he could be buried with Annette back in Woodbury. It was the one thing he'd been adamant about and if she could reunite them in death, she would give him his final request. At first she'd been unsure if she could return to the place that held so many memories, both good and bad. But, as the day drew closer she knew that she would find the strength she needed because it was what Hershel wanted.

When the day had arrived she'd been unsure and nervous as to who would turn out for his funeral, bar their new friends, but she needn't have worried, because as soon as the town had found out about his death they had turned out in abundance; some were faces she recognised whilst others were unfamiliar, but she was grateful nonetheless that they had all turned out to give Hershel the send off he deserved.

It was also the first time that Beth realised just how many people and how many lives that Hershel Greene had touched throughout his eighty one years on this very earth.

As the guests had joined her at the gravesite as his coffin was lowered into the ground next to his wife, she'd noticed one person present that she hadn't expected to see.

Beth stood at Hershel's graveside long after most people had filtered back down the small hill towards the line of cars that sat along the narrow road so that they could head to the hotel Beth had booked for refreshments.

She focused on the handfuls of dirt that herself and Enid had dropped on to his casket as her daughters babbling sounded from behind her, where Aaron bounced her on his hip so that Beth could pay her final respects.

Finally looking up to scan the land around them, Beth was shocked to see none other than Will Dixon stood on the opposite side of the open grave. He looked different to how Beth remembered him and it was then that she finally realised that he looked sober.

"Beth" he mumbled so much like she remembered Daryl doing.

Unable to speak, Beth simply offered a small nod in acknowledgement at the same time that Annie started crying behind her.

Turning to look over her shoulder in the direction of Annie and Aaron, she saw Aaron offer her an apologetic smile as he approached her before she took her tired daughter from his arms. Pulling her towards her chest, she couldn't help but lean down to inhale Annie's familiar scent; a smell that always brought her comfort.

From the corner of her eye she noticed Will Dixon still standing there watching her. Smiling kindly at Aaron who was appraising the man with caution she stepped forward to kiss him on the cheek and whisper in his ear, "Can y' give me a minute?" Aaron simply nodded before walking away as he warily watched Beth and Will.

After watching Aaron's back grow smaller as he walked down the hill, she turned back to Will who looked at the child in her arms intently.

"Is she my granddaughter?" he questioned gently with a gesture of his chin towards Annie.

Beth looked down at the child in her arms and used one hand to move some of the baby soft hair from her forehead, "This is Annie" she confirmed with a nod.

His face softened slightly and Beth didn't think she'd ever seen his face look that way in the whole time she'd known him.

"She looks just like Daryl at that age" he observed before stuttering at Beth's pained expression, "She's got a lot of you in her, too" he added quickly.

Beth offered a small but confused smile. Will Dixon had never been one for pleasantries and she wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

Stubbing the dirt with his toe, Will looked down at his feet before raising his face to meet hers, "He wrote you, ya know" he stated suddenly.

Beth's brows pulled together, but Will continued, "Left ya a letter the night they left, but that brother of his…"

"Merle?" Beth quizzed in confusion, "What are y' talkin' about?"

Will sighed, "The night they left, Daryl wrote y' a letter" he gestured behind Beth to a small wooden bench that had been erected in memory of someone likely buried in the same cemetery. Heading over, Beth sat down and rearranged Annie so she could sit more comfortably, "I didn't get no letter, Will" she told him.

Sitting next to her, Will sat forward hunched over with his forearms resting on his thighs and his hands clasped together. Turning his head slightly, he looked at her, "Merle took 'em" he admitted.

Beth shook her head, "How d' ya even know that?"

Will gestured towards Hershel's grave, "Hershel came by t' see me a few weeks after…" he trailed off and looked down at the ground.

"After what?" Beth urged.

Sighing, Will shook his head, "After ya daddy put y' in the hospital"

Beth gasped. When she'd been released, they'd moved out of the area without looking back. She didn't realise that Hershel had come back, especially to speak with Will Dixon.

"He wanted t' know if I knew where Merle and Daryl had gone to" he explained, "I told him that I was the last person those boys would tell, but he was a stubborn ass for an old man, I'll give him that"

Beth snorted, she knew just how stubborn Hershel Greene could be and a lot of it had rubbed off on her over the years.

"Must'a told him twenty times I didn't know where the hell they were. It was then that he mentioned the letters" Once again, Will looked down at the ground before plucking a long piece of grass to fiddle with.

"He watched them that night" he confirmed, "he watched Daryl follow Merle, watched as Daryl left two letters on his porch and then he watched as my waste of space son took those letters before leading his brother off t' god knows where".

"Why would he do that?" Beth questioned angrily.

Will shook his head and scoffed, "Merle's always been jealous of Daryl, ever since he was jus' a boy!" Will admitted, "Daryl was the baby and apple of his momma's eye until she favoured the bottle over him; until we both did".

For a moment, Beth was sure she could hear remorse in the man's voice but then again angels were tempted to trust the devil from time to time, weren't they?

"When Hershel took him in, Merle got worse. He started dabbling here and there with drugs, that's when he took the old man's car"

Beth eyes watered, "Hershel's car?" Will nodded, "He told us he sold it" Beth whispered to herself, "Said the garage had offered him a deal he couldn't refuse".

"He was jealous of you, too" Will stated

"Who was?" Beth question.

Will shook his head, "Merle" he spat.

"Merle was jealous of me?" Beth asked perplexed.

Will nodded, "It was bad enough that Hershel was lookin' out for him, but to have you too" Will whistled and shook his head, "You'd have laid down your life for him, wouldn't you?" Beth blushed but nodded.

"I never even got to thank him" Will admitted.

"Thank who?" Beth questioned as she changed position to accommodate Annie's now sleeping form.

Again, Will's eyes darted over to Hershel's grave, "He took him in, he cared for him when I didn't; when I couldn't. I jus' wish I could tell the man how grateful I was that he tried to give Daryl the life that I didn't".

Before she knew what she was doing, Beth reached over and squeezed Will's arm gently. He turned to look at her and for the first time since she'd met Will Dixon so many years ago, he looked weak. Looking back at her, she noted that he had tears in his eyes.

"Hershel loved Daryl like he was his own son" Beth explained, "He would'a done anythin' for him. He loved him…I did too" she added in a whisper.

"He came back ya know" Will suddenly blurted, "Daryl" he clarified to Beth's confused face, "He came back a few months after Hershel visited".

"He'd been out t' the farm and then came here lookin' for ya" he shook his head in apology.

Beth couldn't believe what she was hearing, she hadn't known Hershel had come back looking for Daryl and she hadn't known that Daryl had come back looking for her. So many emotions swam over her at the confirmation and she couldn't help but hold out hope that one day he would return to her.

"No one knew where you'd both gone, so I couldn't give him anyway t' try and find ya. I told him ya were in the hospital, but other than that I had nothin' to go on" he explained, "I tried t' tell him about Merle, but I don't think he would'a believed me even if he'd listened".

"Why are ya even tellin' me this?" Beth questioned as her throat tightened and her eyes filled with fresh tears.

"I know I wasn't the best father" he started, "In fact, I would say I could probably get the worst father of the decade award, but the truth is…he deserves to be happy"

Beth knew it wasn't an apology for the way he treated Daryl or Merle, but she knew he was at least trying to make amends for the wrongs he'd inflicted during his life.

She also realised that Hershel's death had made Will Dixon look at his life differently.

Beth arrived at the school gates just as the children started filtering out. Instantly her frown from the afternoon sun turned into a smile that filled her face at the exact moment she spotted her daughter's blonde hair and yellow t-shirt through the crowds.

Annie walked, rather than ran, in Beth's direction which was unusual as she usually ran everywhere she could.

"Hey, Doodlebug" Beth smiled, "You have a good day?"

Annie shrugged her shoulders and lowered her head, "I drew you a picture" she announced as she pulled the artwork from her bag.

"You did?" Beth cooed happily as she took the picture.

Beth could make out three stick figures, "That's you, that's me" Annie pointed out "and that's grandpa" she finished in her small four year old voice.

"It's beautiful, baby" Beth confirmed with pride.

"Miss Greene?" a voice asked from behind them.

Turning, Beth came face to face with Annie's teacher, Miss Williams, "Can I speak with you a moment?" she asked.

Beth nodded and folded the picture before taking Annie's hand, "Is everythin' okay?" she questioned in concern.

Miss Williams smiled kindly, "I just wanted to make sure that Annie told you that she felt a bit under the weather earlier"

Beth looked down at her side and into her daughter's face as her small face looked back up at her. A frown pulled at her brows before she looked back at the Miss Williams.

"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about" she soothed, "It's just, Annie's had a bit of a sore tummy and we felt you should know. It's not like Annie to be unwell and it could just be a bout of stomach flu, but we just wanted to let you know so that you could keep an eye on her"

"Thank you" Beth replied in concern.

Annie's teacher leant forward and laid a gentle hand on Beth's arm, "I'm sure she's fine" she added, "it's just a precaution, is all".

A commotion near the school entrance pulled the Miss Williams' attention away from Beth and Annie, "Sorry" she offered before taking her leave to sort out the issue that had arisen.

Looking back down to her daughter, Beth noted that Annie had a look of worry on her face. Shaking their joined hands between them, Beth shouldered Annie's bag, "C'mon baby, let's get you home"

As they arrived home, Beth felt her worry increase. Usually Annie would be darting this way and that on their walk as she examined everything they came across, from ants to leaves, but today she'd simply held Beth's hand as they walked home.

"Is your tummy still hurtin'?" Beth questioned gently as she picked Annie up and sat her on the kitchen counter.

Annie offered a small bobbing nod in response before wrapping her arms around her waist.

"Do yer think ice cream might help?" Beth teased knowing that if Annie was faking she'd be able to tell by offering such a treat.

Annie shook her head and Beth knew that it was no act and her daughter really was feeling unwell. Frowning slightly, Beth raised a hand to her daughters forehead to check for a temperature but other than feeling slightly warmer than usual, she felt no cause for concern; after all, they had just walked home in the humid afternoon heat.

"Why don't we get your pj's on and I'll make ya a bed on the couch, huh?" Beth offered as she scooped up her daughter before carrying her upstairs.

By dinner, Annie still laid on the sofa tucked under her favourite blanket, a teddy that Hershel had brought her the day she was born locked in the grip of her arms. Beth sat next to her, stroking her hair, as she drifted in and out of sleep. Maybe Annie's teacher was right and she was coming down with a sickness bug.

Grabbing her phone, she sent a quick text to Karen explaining that Annie was under the weather and she may not be in work the following day but that she'd keep her updated. She only just hit send when the front door knocked.

Slipping quietly off the sofa, she tiptoed to the door and smiled as Eric stood on the other side.

"Did you forget spaghetti night?" he quizzed jokingly.

Beth moved to tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear, "Sorry" she replied before ushering him in, "Annie's not feelin' so good".

Moving them back into the lounge, she gestured to Annie who laid on the sofa asleep. Eric's smile dropped as concern took over his features. Approaching where she laid, he bent down and, as Beth had done, he laid the back of his hand on her forehead.

"She's got a slight temperature" he confirmed.

Beth nodded, "I gave her some Tylenol about an hour ago"

Standing, Eric frowned, "Is there any bugs going around at school?"

Beth shook her head. She'd checked every newsletter and the website for the school where they usually announced if any bugs or headlice were circulating, but wasn't able to find any information.

"Her teacher said she'd been complaining of pain in her stomach today" Beth explained.

Eric nodded, his nurse's instincts kicking in, "She may have picked something up" he mused. Most kids picked up anything and everything nowadays and since starting school he knew Annie had picked up every cough, cold and bug going so far.

"You want me to pop some spaghetti over for you?" he asked.

Beth smiled, "That would be great".

Kissing Beth on the cheek, Eric headed back the way he came. He stopped at the door and looked back to where Beth stood in the doorway of the lounge, "Call if you need anything" he gestured to the room where Annie laid, "I mean it, Beth" he chastised, "If she gets any worse, call me".

Beth looked back towards her sleeping daughter and couldn't help the hollow feeling she felt in the pit of her stomach. Turning back to Eric who still stood at the front door she nodded in his direction as she bit her lip.

As the door closed, Beth went back to take her seat on the sofa next to her daughter. It was times like this, when the house was quiet that Beth would think of her past, when she would think of Hershel and Daryl.

She often recalled Hershel the night he'd passed and how he'd told her that Daryl would come back. In the months that followed Hershel's death, she'd held out hope that his words would come true and that Daryl would roll back in to her life and sweep her off her feet, declaring his undying love for her whilst apologising for leaving her so many years ago.

As the months turned to years, she'd slowly started to lose hope that she would ever see him again and that she'd get the happily ever after that she'd always dreamed of. She knew now that she'd been living in a dreamworld and that Daryl was right all those years ago when he'd told her that people like them never get to have their happy ever after.

But, as she sat on the sofa listening to the sounds of her daughter's breaths, she couldn't help but send up one more wish that she'd see Daryl again.