I'm so glad you all enjoyed that last chapter! It makes all the headaches this story has given me worth it! Okay, this is where I have a little trouble and I hope none of you mind. Sometimes... okay, usually I end up making Carol just a tiny bit harder than some of you like. Keep in mind the lessons she has learned and the changes she has made. She will go about things much differently now. She's learned how to deal with monsters. Real ones. So she handles another kind of monster flawlessly in this chapter. I hope you don't think it was too much! Thank you for reading! Hope you all have a fantastic weekend =)
And a huge thank you ldyjaydin for catching the majority of my flaws. You have a hard job, love! But you do it well ;)
The Delivery Boy
Chapter Six
Carol was getting stronger. Much stronger. Her muscles had deteriorated and she had woken up as soft and defenseless as a baby . She could barely walk at all for the first few days but the physical therapy team were patient and encouraging. She didn't dream when she slept. She had hoped that she would. She had hoped that maybe she could still be with Daryl, even if it was only in her own mind. She knew how crazy it all sounded but that was still all she hoped for. He never showed up. She was grieving but she tried to hide it.
Ed had visited her on her second day awake. He came in and mumbled a few things about being glad she wasn't dead and about the large sum of money she would be receiving. He muttered about how it would be nice because that way they could pay off their debts and maybe move to a better house. She hadn't said a word. She looked him right in the eye as he spoke though he kept his diverted from hers. She didn't know how to be who they all thought she was. She was a new woman. A strong woman. Not the person they knew at all.
Looking at him made her skin crawl. He was being civil now but as soon as she was well enough to go home things would get bad again. Well, he would try to make things bad again. This time he was messing with a woman that had killed. She had killed and she had survived and if he put one hand on her he would know what pain was. Hell, maybe she wouldn't even wait for him to put his hands on her. One cruel word to her and she would not hesitate to smash in his face. It's what she should have done the very first time it had happened years ago.
When she looked at him she grimaced. Sophia sat silent in the chair, watching her mother with wide eyes. Carol couldn't help but compare the two men. Ed was an unattractive woman beating coward. He was soft. Soft chin, soft jawed and soft bellied. Very different from what she had gotten used to seeing. Daryl was all hard muscle and firm lines. She didn't care that Daryl was a figment of her imagination. He had been real to her. Solid and strong and her constant companion. He had been real that last night she had been with him. He had been very real.
"Why didn't you take care of your daughter while I was unconscious?" She snapped, knowing she wasn't ready for their inevitable show down but unable to keep her mouth shut.
His head snapped up then. His eyes narrowed. "You need to watch your tone. I feel bad about what happened to you but I won't stand here and have the likes of you talk down to me. You understand?"
She nodded, feeling the rage pooling in her stomach. "Mmmm. I understand perfectly Ed. More than you will ever know."
He stared at her for a long time but she refused to break the eye contact with him. She would not avert her gaze and submit to him.
"I think it's time for you to leave." She said in a strong quiet voice. "Thanks for stopping by but I think maybe if I have to look at your ugly face much more I may just vomit. And I don't feel like vomiting at the moment."
She saw the shock on his face and couldn't hide the small smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. He was standing there in disbelief. Sophia gasped at her bold words. She wanted to give her daughter a reassuring look but she still refused to move her eyes from Ed's. Finally his lips twisted up into a cruel smile.
"I guess I'll go on home then. I can't wait for you to get to leave here." He said quietly. She heard the threat in his voice but he did turn then and left the room. At least he would wait for her to be one hundred percent recovered before he tried to beat her back into submission. Tried being the key word there.
She watched him walk out the door. He had been the one to break the eye contact. He had looked away first. She didn't know why this thrilled her but it did. It made her feel good inside to stand up to him like that.
"Mom, what are you doing?" Sophia was at her side in a flash. "He's going to kill you now! Why would you say something like that to him?"
Tears shone in the girl's eyes and Carol used both her hands to wipe them away. She kept her hands on the sides of her daughter's stricken face and she smiled sadly. She was ashamed of herself. This is why Sophia had gotten herself bitten. This was why she had lost her daughter to begin with. It was Carol who had taught her, from example, to keep her eyes on the ground. To avoid violence. To cower under those that were stronger than her. She taught her this and it had costed her her life. Maybe not here in the real world but it was still as real to Carol as if it all had just happened.
"You listen to me, okay." She said fiercely. "You are strong. You don't ever forget that. You don't ever stand there and let anyone hurt you. You fight back and you survive. That is what we are going to start doing. We stand up for ourselves and we stand up for each other. Do you understand? Your daddy is a gutless coward. We will not be afraid of him anymore."
Sophia's bright eyes were big as saucers as she searched Carol's face. She blinked back the tears that threatened to spill over. Her chin came up a few inches and her lips formed a thin determined line. "And if he tries to hurt us when we go back?" She asked, her tone dark but no longer frightened.
Carol thought back to everything she had been through, or imagined she had been through, over the past year. She thought of the things she had learned about herself. She thought of the things Daryl had taught her. She removed her hands from Sophia's face and then took the girl's hands in hers and gave them a gentle squeeze. "We don't take any shit from anyone. If he wants a fight then I'm gonna give him one. He doesn't own us. He hurts us, we fuck him up."
Sophia blinked as her face turned from one of distress to one of complete shock. "Mom, you know what he's gonna do now..."
"Sophia, I know that he better think twice about what he plans on doing. He'll learn. I'll teach him."
"Mom, I think maybe you should think about this."
Carol let her head fall back onto the pillow as she let go of Sophia's hands. "We're going to be fine, honey. Just fine. I don't want you worrying about your father and me."
Sophia sighed and then bent down and kissed Carol on the cheek. "I love you mom. Get some rest, okay?" She said, more than a hint of worry marring her words.
"I love you too." Carol smiled and then closed her eyes.
It took her three weeks. Three weeks to rebuild her strength enough for her to walk herself out of those hospital doors. She wasn't as strong as she would have liked to be but her strength was building quickly. She would buy herself some weights or something. She had to be able to fight off Ed. She was almost sure that he would try to hurt her or Sophia after she got home today. It didn't matter. She was ready.
She had no friends she could call for a ride. He had made sure to keep everyone away from her. He pulled up to the curb and didn't bother getting out to help her. Sophia opened her car door for her and slammed it shut before she got into the backseat. Carol caught her eye in the rearview mirror and smiled reassuringly at her. Sophia simply nodded.
Carol didn't even glance in Ed's direction. Instead she looked out her window, amazed at the normalcy of the scene that flew by. This was her hometown. There were no flesh eating monsters stalking them. Nor a worry about when you would get your next meal or next fresh drink of water. The sun was shining and children were playing and everything looked rather peaceful.
She felt out of place. This wasn't her world anymore.
Ed didn't say a word to her and that was fine by her. She did feel a bit of excitement stirring when they pulled up into her driveway. She was going to get to see the inside of her house. She would get to go through old family photos and cook in her own kitchen and bathe in her own bathtub. All of these things were good things but she wasn't as excited as she should be. She was eager to see her things but that's all they were to her now. Things. As long as she had Sophia back nothing else mattered. None of the things in the house would replace Rick, Glenn, Carl... Maggie, Hershel, Judith or Beth. None of those things mattered anymore. She wouldn't even let herself think his name. Every time she did the dagger in her heart twisted painfully and she found it harder to breath.
"You plan on cookin' anything for dinner. It's been forever since I've been able to sit down to a home cooked meal," Ed grumbled as he stormed past her and sat down in his ratty old lazy-e-boy chair.
She ignored him and made her way to the kitchen. Everything seemed to be in order. She was surprised. She figured she would have found nearly four months worth of dirty dishes and garbage strewn out all over her kitchen. It wasn't as spotless as she would have kept it but it wasn't half bad.
She went to the counter where there were several pans and a large skillet in the dish drainer. She was going to put the few dried dishes away when she heard him enter the kitchen. His heavier footsteps were followed by the quicker lighter ones of her daughter.
"I asked you a question. I expect an answer," he growled from a few feet away.
Her heart lurched in her chest and she felt her lips press into an angry line. She wasn't at full strength just yet but that didn't matter. Just like when they had to kill off walkers, she felt that familiar adrenalin spike her blood. If there was a threat then eliminate the threat. One of the first rules that Daryl had taught her. She ignored the pain his name caused and clutched the handle of the skillet with both hands. "No. I'm not cooking dinner. I'm tired and this is my first day back home. We can order a pizza."
"You're gonna cook dinner. All I've lived on is take out and I'll be damned if I'm gonna eat that shit when you're here to cook some goddamn food. Now cook."
"You don't own me, Ed. You aren't my boss or my daddy or my keeper. You want something else? Fine. Cook it your fucking self." She growled, testing the weight of the skillet. It was nice and heavy.
She heard that small gasp escape her daughter's lips once more and it caused her to get even angrier. She felt Ed's hand grab hold of her upper arm.
"You crazy bitch. Time for you to relearn your place. You must have forgot," he hissed.
She spun around, wretching her arm out of his grasp and bringing the skillet up at the same time. There was a dull metalic sound as the bottom of the skillet connected with his face. She swung hard once more, hitting him square in the jaw this time instead of directly in the center of his face like her first swing had done.
He stumbled backwards, unable to regain his balance and then fell on his ass onto the tile. He shook his head like that would help him make sense of what had just happened to him.
"That's my girl. Watch your ass. He's pissed now. You know what to do."
Daryl's voice echoed in her mind, cheering her on and it caused her to pause for a second. She was insane. She knew it. But she listened to that gruff voice in her mind and grabbed a knife from the drawer before Ed could stand up. She pressed the blade hard into the spot just under his chin, just like she had done, what felt like a thousand times, to walkers.
"I'm gonna say this one time. One. So you better listen real careful. You put your filthy hands on me again, I will kill you. I'll drive a knife so far into your skull so fast that you wont even see it coming. Do not. Touch. Me." She growled between clenched teeth as she pressed the tip into the soft flesh, causing him to whimper like a scared little girl.
She held the knife in place for a few more seconds and then backed away from him. Sophia had her back pressed against the wall, staring wide eyed at her parents. Ed dragged himself up off the floor and touched the spot under his chin. His jaw was swelling already and his nose was bleeding. His fingers came away slick with blood.
"You're crazy." He roared.
Carol rolled her eyes and turned her back to him. "Stop being dramatic, Ed. You've spent the last thirteen years beating the hell out of me. I'm not crazy, I'm tired of your shit. I've decided I'm not putting up with it anymore. Pack your crap and get out if you don't think you can handle it. You aren't scary anymore. You're nothing but an overgrown pussy."
She glanced over her shoulder as Ed and Sophia both gaped at her. She shrugged and turned back to the sink. She was tired now. She wasn't used to much physical activity. She walked to the phone and called in an order for a pizza to be delivered and smiled at her daughter who approached her cautiously. Ed slinked out of the kitchen wordlessly. She knew he would, she kept that knife close. A coward didn't want to fight someone that would fight them back.
She hung up the phone and then knelt down in front of Sophia, placing her hands on her shoulders and looking her in the eye. "No more being afraid, okay?" She said quietly.
Sophia nodded. "I'm gonna go get washed up and get changed. It's gonna be good sleeping in my bed again," she said as she offered Carol a slight smile even though her eyes were still huge and she almost looked afraid. Carol sent up a silent prayer that the girl was afraid for her and not afraid of her.
Carol hugged her tightly, thinking she would never get enough of her daughter's sweet embrace. Not after going so long without it. She figured that she should stop thinking of it in those terms. To her she had lived without the little girl for over a year. In all reality it had been a few months and it had really been Sophia who had been living without her.
She let her go and then kissed her forehead lightly. She watched the girl scurry off towards her room. She had to stop this. She had to stop thinking of that strange time in her life as something that she actually lived through. It was crazy to think that way. And maybe, just maybe, it would finally help her get over the loss of all of them. To accept the fact that they just weren't real. She swallowed down the lump of emotion that was clogging her throat. She needed to stop grieving over the loss of people that weren't even real.
She straightened up the kitchen as she waited for the pizza. She was actually excited about this little treat. She hadn't eaten anything like that in... months. She had to mentally correct herself. It hadn't been over a year. It had been months.
She wiped her hands on a dishtowel and walked into the living room. Ed was sitting in his stupid chair. He still had blood drying under his nose. She held out her hand. "I need some money for the pizza." She said, making sure she kept her voice level.
His eyes slid up but didn't meet hers. "You're the one that wanted the damn pizza. You can pay for it." He looked back towards the television.
"I got it, mom." Sophia said as she hurried down the hall and pushed a twenty dollar bill into Carol's palm.
Carol glared at Ed but he ignored her. He shot Sophia a look but she wasn't going to get into another fight with him. She should have forced him to leave but for some reason she didn't tell him to pack his shit and go. Maybe it was because she had wanted him to be alive so he could see her be stronger. Wanted him to know what it was like to be with a woman that refused to stand there and stare at her feet while he humiliated her and beat her. She really wanted Ed to know who she was.
He was quiet now but she knew him well enough to know that what she had said and done earlier was festering inside him like a boil. He would lash out when she least expected it. Almost like a Walker. She needed to invest in some guns. She would do that for sure if she had any control over their bank account. Ed did all of that. She didn't have any access to any of it.
A swift knock at the door had her swinging her head around at the unexpected sound.
"Jumpy?" Ed asked with a smirk.
She shot him another dirty look and then went to get the door, so she could pay for a pizza with her twelve year old daughters money. She opened the door with a ready smile on her face but it fell and her eyes went impossibly large.
The boy that stood on the other side of the door was young, early twenties. He was looking down at the receipt but she knew what she was going to find when he looked up, which he did with a ready smile of his own. He was dark haired, dark eyed, and most definitely Korean, not Chinese.
His smile faded and he seemed to study her face closely. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but have we met before?" He asked as his eyes squinted further as he studied her face.
"Glenn?" She breathed, doing everything she could to hold back from throwing herself at this boy. Surely his name wasn't Glenn. That couldn't be possible.
"Yes, ma'am?" He said, seeming to be as confused as she felt.
Carol cleared her throat, hoping that she would be able to keep any tears at bay that may betray the surge of emotion she was feeling. He looked like the Glenn from the quarry. He didn't look very much like the Glenn she had left only a few weeks ago. This Glenn was still young. Still innocent. She shook her head. "I'm sorry. You must have delivered here before." She tried to smile once more.
He nodded, still looking troubled. "Yeah, that's probably it." He shook his own head and looked at the slip of paper in his hand once more as he balanced the pizza on his other hand. "That'll be twelve fifty." He smiled again and it looked as forced as hers felt.
She handed him the twenty and he handed her the box. He went to get her her change but she reached out and stilled his arm. She would settle with that small touch, even though she wished with all her heart that she could throw the box down and hug him. "Keep the change." She muttered instead.
His smile brightened and he nodded. "Thank you."
She didn't make a move to go back inside, choosing instead to stand there in the doorway like a moron and drink in his features. What did all of this mean? He wasn't making a move to leave either, studying her features with a frown.
"Mom, can we eat now? I'm starving." Sophia said as she poked her head out the door.
Glenn and Carol both seemed to snap out of it then.
"Well, you have a nice day. Thank you for the tip." He said as he turned and walked quickly down the sidewalk.
Carol followed Sophia into the kitchen and sat the pizza down on the small table. She grabbed them two plates and then sat down. Sophia watched her as she put a few slices on each plate. Her eyes were wide once more.
"Mom, aren't you going to fix daddy's plate?" Sophia asked.
Carol looked up and then took a bite of the cheesy treat and nearly rolled her eyes. She was still really troubled about seeing Glenn but after... being in a coma for so long, she had a new appreciation for food that you could actually taste. She was definitely thinking about getting fat. What must have happened was, Glenn had actually delivered a pizza to her house before and her subconscious had dredged him up somehow during her coma. She ignored the nagging voice in her head that told her that pizza delivery boys didn't introduce themselves to their customers. So how had she known his name? She chewed her food slowly as she pondered that question and then decided to stow it back to think about later.
"Mom?" Sophia asked again as she watched Carol eat.
"What?" Carol asked around a mouth full of food, something she used to detest but she had picked up the horrible habit from Daryl and it was going to be one of many that would be hard to break. If she bothered breaking it at all.
Sophia watched her and then glanced back towards the living room. "I asked if you were going to bring daddy some food."
She shook her head. "Ed has legs."
"I'm afraid of what he's going to end up doing to you for what you did." Sophia whispered.
Carol glared towards the living room and then her eyes met Sophia's from across the small table. "He won't do a damn thing." She looked up as Ed entered the kitchen. "You're father is a self loathing bully. Do you know what you are suppose to do about bullies?" She asked the girl as Ed stopped in his tracks and glared at her.
Sophia looked up at Ed fearfully and then Carol had her by the chin, turning her head gently until the little girl met her eyes.
"You beat the crap out of them and show them you aren't going to take their shit. Do you understand?" Carol said in a quiet voice.
Ed stood there the entire time Carol and Sophia ate their dinner. Sophia looked scared again, which really made Carol angry now. "Ignore him. Eat your food."
"You're going back to the hospital. You've lost your goddamn mind." Ed said as he stood in front of them, clenching his fists.
Carol brushed crumbs off her hands onto her plate and then cleared her throat before looking up at him. Looking at him made her feel so sick. He was disgusting. She let it show on her face, feeling no reason to hide it. "Why is that, Ed? Because I am going to refuse to take any beatings from you anymore?" She shook her head, feeling even more disgusted. "You know what, just pack your shit and get the hell out. I thought I could do this for a little while, just to show you how it feels but honestly the thought of breathing the same air as you makes me nauseated. You're a pig."
He gaped at her. "This is my house." He slammed both of his hands down flat on the table and glared at her. "You leave." he hissed.
Sophia looked terrified. She suddenly recalled the look on her face the day those Walkers came after her on the highway. Ed was a threat to her. "Go clean the blood off your ugly face, pack your shit and get out. Now." She said evenly, refusing to flinch away from his angry stare.
He stood there, leaning on his hands that were still flat on the table.
"Sophia, go to your room for a few minutes honey. I'll come and get you when I'm done." She never took her eyes off of Ed's.
Sophia didn't argue. She bolted from the room as fast as she could. Carol didn't speak until she heard her daughter slam her bedroom door shut.
"I wasn't kidding, Ed. Get your shit and go." She snapped as she stood up from the chair.
He straightened up also, raising up to his full height to stand in front of her, trying to force her to cower. Carol had faced down bigger men that weren't alive that were trying to chew her face off. She wasn't afraid of Ed Peletier. Not anymore.
"And who do you think would want a washed up hag like you, huh? You think any man is gonna bother with you?" He sneered. "Just a lazy whore? Nobody."
She smiled. "Not very long ago I had sex with a guy named Daryl. He had me seeing double. He was this gorgeous, hard muscled redneck guy I met. And from what I could tell, he enjoyed it just fine. That's the kind of man that would want a washed up hag like me. Now go."
Ed was pretty startled. "You had an affair?" He blinked stupidly.
"Not really. I just imagined that you were dead so technically, in my own mind, I was a widow." She gave him a dry smile. "Get out, or I'll call the cops and swear to them you threatened to kill me. With your track record, they would believe me over you."
He stood there for a little while longer, still hoping she would back down but she refused. That wasn't happening again. Ever. "You're gonna regret this." He took a step back, keeping an eye on her. It seemed as though he may have been a little worried that she would do something to him while his back was turned to her. Good. He needed to know what that felt like.
"I really do hope you try, Ed. I really do." She said as she sat back down.