I do not own any of the TWD characters. Thanks you for all of the reviews and kind words. Apparently, the email notifications of your messages were backlogged and I was beginning to pout a bit because I thought everyone was ignoring me. Silly me! Love you guys!
Time to Get Gussied Up
Dozens of plates littered the table that the men folk had been sitting around. There were no appetizers left and only scraps of the main course, veal scaloppini and eggplant. Interestingly enough, there were no salad plates to be found since Negan never allowed salad at any of his lunch meetings. According to him he "had to eat enough of that shit at home."
"So Morgan" Glen held up his wine glass to the man "when you think you're gonna hang all this up and move down south for good?"
Morgan smiled and scratched at his chin. "My graceful exit is getting closer and closer young man. Why? You vying for my job?" he asked Glen with a kind smile on his face.
"No Sir" Glen quickly responded. "I don't think I'd ever be prepared for that position."
Negan cackled. "He's just waiting to find the perfect woman to take care of his crusty ass during his golden years."
Everyone around the table was laughing while Morgan shook his head trying to make Negan feel at least a little bit bad about getting a laugh at his expense. "No, John" Morgan said, a bit sadly but more fondly, "I don't imagine I'll ever find anybody to take Jenny's place. I'm doomed to a life of bachelorhood."
"Yeh" Negan grinned. "We'll see about that." Then Negan cut his eyes at Daryl. Daryl looked around the room to see if perhaps Negan was eyeing someone else, but no, Negan was staring directly at Daryl and grinning like an idiot. "You just never know when the right woman's gonna come along. Ain't that right, Daryl?"
Still unsure of what was going on Daryl replied with the safest answer he could come up with, "Uh, that's right."
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"So, Momma" Beth asked Annette, "You gonna need help getting dressed for tonight or are ya good?" The mother and daughter were walking down the hallway towards the elevator that would take them from the spa to the floor that Annette's room was on.
"Oh, I think I'll be just fine" Annette answered Beth. "I think I'm goin to lie down and try to get a nap in before all the festivities tonight. If I need help with a zipper or anything I'll holler at Michonne – she and Rick are right next door to me."
"Well, okay" Beth smiled as they entered the elevator together "But just call if ya need me."
They quickly reached Annette's floor. "Don't you worry 'bout me Elizabeth. You just get yourself some rest and then slide into that sinfully beautiful gown you're wearin tonight. I can't wait to see you and Daryl."
Beth couldn't contain her smile. "Momma, he makes me so happy" Beth told her mother.
"And that makes me happy" Annette replied. "You are a beautiful couple – I am so proud for you. I will miss you terribly when I go back home, but you have your life to live and I do to."
They stood in the hallway for a few minutes, right outside Annette's door, hugging and whispering to each other. "Now, you get on up to your room and rest up Baby Girl" Annette kissed her daughter's forehead. "I'll see you this evenin."
"Love you Momma" Beth whispered.
"Love you too Elizabeth" Annette told her before entering her room.
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Rick was covered with a bath towel and giving Lila a bottle. He certainly didn't want to get formula on his dress shirt – both Beth and Michonne would have an absolute duck fit. Michonne tried to get into her dress without ripping any seams. She was cursing all that food she'd put away over the past week. Rick watched the struggle from where he was seated on the couch but he was a smart enough man to know not to say a word. Not. One. Fucking. Word.
Finally, Michonne called out into the sitting area of the room. "Hey, Rick" Michonne called out helplessly.
"Yes" he answered.
"Can you come here for a sec?" she asked, sounding a little tense.
Rick jumped up with Lila in his arms to try and help Michonne get the dress pulled down over her hips. Rick smiled at his wife, but remained quiet.
"Not one word" Michonne warned him.
Rick placed Lila in the middle of the bed and surrounded her with pillows before turning back around to try and fix the "dress" situation. It took some doing, but they managed to get the dress pulled down completely and Rick thought that he might not mind that extra bit of snugness one bit. Yep, ole Rick Grimes was an ass man and boy, did his woman have an ass!
"You look beautiful Chonne" Rick looked his wife in the eye as he hugged her from behind. Michonne smiled at him in the mirror.
"Thank you" Michonne told him.
"Can't fuckin wait to get ya out of this dress" Rick teased. He nibbled at her earlobe.
"Mmmm" Michonne grinned. "I bet not. Need help with your tie?"
"Yes, please" Rick turned to grab it from the dresser.
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"Glen" Maggie snapped. "Have you been smoking?"
"What?" Glen looked sheepish. "Me?" he asked. "Heck no" he answered. "You know we had a working lunch, and Negan and Daryl, you know them. When they get deep into work conversations, they get nervous, and then they get to smoking."
"Glen" Maggie tried to stop her husband before he dug himself in too deeply. "You forget I stopped in on one of those lunch meetings to deliver some papers a few years back. I know what goes on there."
Glen just returned Maggie's gaze with a blank stare.
"I'm not quite sure why they even allow ya'll to smoke, but every single one of you were smoking I'm sure – it looked like the teacher's lounge when I used to sneak in there to buy a coke back in the day" Maggie laughed. "Please wash your hair really good – I don't want to dance with a cigarette butt all night long."
"Yes Dear" Glen replied on his way to the restroom in their hotel room.
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Daryl swiped his key card to his and Beth's honeymoon suite. He was loaded down with his tuxedo bag and a few other items they'd forgotten the night before while they were making a hasty exit.
"It's just me Babe!" Daryl hollered out. He didn't want to startle Beth. Daryl knew Beth was awake because she had texted him when she woke from her nap.
"I'm soakin in the tub!" Beth yelled back.
Daryl grinned at the thought of that – he decided to ditch the garment bag and get in there to the bathroom to see if he could assist in anyway. Stepping into the bathroom and looking upon his wife was certainly a treat, especially after he'd spent the afternoon with a bunch of blowhards stuffing their faces and shooting the bull. Beth's hair was already done for the evening and she was absolutely glowing – literally fucking glowing!
"Beth, Babe" Daryl whispered "Can we just stay in tonight?"
"Are ya kiddin me?" Beth laughed. "Lucille would kill us!"
Daryl laughed along with Beth. "Yeh, you're probably right 'bout that – guess we gonna have to do this thing, ain't we?"
"Yes, I think we are" Beth agreed. "I think I'm ready to get out though – don't wanta be all shriveled up."
"Here, let's get all these bubbles off ya – don't want ya slippin in the tub, now do we?" Daryl asked. Beth smiled up at Daryl. Always her protector, that man was.
"Use the shower head and spray me off" Beth giggled. "But don't get any ideas – I can't mess my hair or face up."
"Girl, I can't wait to mess that fuckin hair up" Daryl growled and nibbled at her neck. When he did, Beth got a whiff of the cigarette smoke and the wine on his breath. Daryl smelled like soured grapes and a pool hall.
"Oh God" Beth said with a desperate sound to her voice.
"What?" Daryl asked. "What is it?"
Beth was shoving at Daryl to get him out of her way so that she could get to the toilet. That's when the retching began. Everything that Beth had eaten that day was making its way back up – everything.
"Beth" Daryl asked scared out of his wits. "What's wrong Baby? This can't be mornin sickness, can it? It ain't mornin." Daryl walked over to Beth to try and help her up out of the floor, but when he got within a foot of her she held her hand up.
"Stop" she screamed. "Don't come any closer – I can smell you. I can smell you and it makes me want to vomit."
"Well, God Damn Beth" Daryl was half-way pissed.
"You smell like cigarettes Daryl" she said with tears in her eyes. "You been smokin today?"
Daryl hung his head. "Yeh, I had a couple."
"Honey, I'm sorry" Beth apologized. "I've been around smokers all my life, but for some reason" Daryl stepped to her again. "No – don't. Please. You stink. Please take a shower."
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Negan had given instructions to Andre and Lila's sitters for the night that they were to just order dinner for themselves and Andre off the room service menu – anything they wanted, no limits at all. He'd already sent toys and books over to Rick and Michonne's hotel room to keep Andre entertained for the night.
"Now, go ahead and be there in plenty of time so that Mrs. Grimes can give you any specific instructions that she may have" Negan told the young lady and gentleman. The pair of caregivers were employed at the daycare in Negan's firm and he had handpicked them for this assignment. As one would imagine, that kind of trust didn't come easily and the both of them were being very well compensated for their service that evening.
"Yes Sir Mr. Negan" the young man answered. "Andre is allergic to peanuts, correct?"
"That is correct Paul" Negan told him "so make sure when you order room service that you let them know that. I know that Mr. and Mrs. Grimes have his prescribed EpiPen with them – God forbid you should need it."
Negan then looked to the female of the pair. "Avery, Lila's good to go once she goes down for the night."
"Yes sir" Avery replied. "I saw her in the baby room today – I can't wait to get my hands on her. She's a beautiful baby." Negan smiled at that comment, because she really was a beautiful baby.
"Well, these people are very important to me" Negan eyed them both very seriously. "We are all in the building – you can text the parents or Lucille or I at any time for anything. Understand?"
"Yes Sir" they both answered in unison.
After meeting with the babysitters, Negan made his way to the hotel where he would shower before getting too close to Lucille – no need to set her off tonight, of all nights. He also needed a cup or two of coffee, black and strong. Negan had switched to bourbon shortly after all the wine had been drained from the six bottles that Anthony had brought upstairs to them over the course of their afternoon. Even Negan had to admit, he looked a little glassy eyed and he certainly didn't want to make an ass out of himself tonight. No, not tonight. Tonight was to honor Daryl and Beth – to show them off because he was damn proud of the man Daryl had become and he was certainly happy with his selection of a bride.
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Beth stood wrapped in a towel in the middle of the bedroom. Daryl had showered, trimmed his beard, and had passed his wife's sniff test.
"Honey, ya gonna get dressed?" Daryl asked her. "We're runnin short on time."
"My stomach's a little queasy" Beth admitted. "It hurts, like it's super empty or something."
"Well, hell, I'd say so" Daryl grimaced. "Ain't ever seen anybody vomit so much – good Lord."
"I think I'm hungry" Beth said. "I can't go down there with my stomach grumblin."
"I'll call room service" Daryl offered. "What do you want?" Beth tried to think what would settle her stomach and ease the emptiness just until they could get to dinner downstairs in the ballroom. Then she remembered what her Momma would always give her when she had tummy troubles as a young girl.
"I want saltine crackers, butter, and 7 up" Beth told Daryl. Daryl didn't even know if a hotel like the Waldorf would have something as mundane as saltines, but it was worth a try. He picked up the phone to place the order, and then they were going to have to get themselves dressed and downstairs – looking at his watch, they were ten minutes away from the start time. Lucille would kill them if they were late.