"Sophia, try the potato salad. It's really good." Carol held out the spoon to her.
"No. Looks funny." Sophia said and pressed her lips together.
"You'll like it. I promise." Carol took a bite to prove to her that was good and this wasn't some sort of trick.
Sophia still looked skeptical. Carol shrugged. "Alright. If you're not going to eat it, I guess I will." Carol went to pick up the plate.
"No. Mine." Sophia covered the plate with her hands.
"Are you going to eat it?" Carol asked, raising an eyebrow.
Sophia nodded and took a small bite. She chewed for moment before swallowing, and took the spoon from Carol, declaring she could feed herself.
"Carol?" Merle called.
"Yeah?" She wiped her mouth on her napkin before looking up.
"Your cousin Andrea…she seeing anybody?" Merle took a bite of a biscuit and looked her expectantly.
Carol wasn't expecting that. She knew that Andrea had a bit of a crush on Merle. The last time Merle had been home was nearly two years ago, and from what she remembered they didn't really get along. What had changed? She looked at Daryl and he shrugged his shoulders.
Andrea had gone on that blind date with that friend of Rick's but she hadn't mentioned him since. Carol shook her head. "No, she's not dating anybody."
Merle nodded. "Good." He went back to shoveling food into his mouth. _
Everyone finished eating a few minutes later. Even Sophia, who despite her protests about the potato salad had actually finished what was on her plate, plus a couple of bites from Daryl's plate. They began gathering their plates to take to the kitchen.
"Sophia, want to come with me and get some cookies?" Daryl took her hand and looked at Carol to make sure it was alright.
Carol nodded. "Go ahead."
As he, Sophia and Mary headed for the kitchen, he turned to look at Merle and nodded toward Carol.
"Hey, little sis." Merle motioned for her come out on the porch. He lit a cigarette once they were outside.
Carol followed him and shut the door behind her. "What's going on?"
"You know I didn't mean nothing by what I said earlier, right?"
"I know." She knew Merle was only trying to help. She didn't like when anybody brought up Sophia's father. But she knew Merle didn't mean anything by it. She also knew Daryl had told him to apologize to her. When she had gone to tell them dinner was ready, she had heard them talking. Daryl had told Merle he needed to apologize. Carol didn't think it was necessary but she knew Daryl was only looking out for her.
"I was just saying that to help. The guy that got you pregnant was an asshole. But don't let that ruin it what you have with Daryl. He ain't like that. He won't hurt you." He put out his cirgarette in the bucket of sand they kept on the porch for the butts.
"I know he wouldn't. I trust him." Carol knew Daryl wouldn't hurt her. Since they had started dating he didn't touch her unless he was sure that's what she wanted.
"Good," He nodded. "Oh, and don't let him suck on your neck like that."
Carol laughed and leaned up to kiss Merle's cheek. "I'll tell Andrea you say hi." She slipped back in the house before he could protest.
While Carol was getting Sophia ready to go home, Merle pulled Daryl aside to talk to him.
"After you drop them off, don't take too long getting back."
"Why not?" Daryl asked, pulling on his jacket.
"Me and Mom need to talk to you about something. It's important."
"What is it?" He wasn't sure before but he was now. Before he and Carol had gone to the store he had heard his mom and Merle whispering about something. He couldn't hear what they were talking about but he knew they were up to something.
"We'll talk about it later. Just don't be too hard on her when she tells you."
Before he could ask any more questions, Carol and Sophia came out the kitchen. Carol was carrying a wrapped plate, and Sophia had a plastic bag full of oatmeal raisin cookies that Mary had given her to take home.
"You ready to go?" Daryl asked.
Carol nodded as she helped Sophia put on her jacket. They waited by the door while Sophia said goodbye and hugged Merle and Mary. While Carol loved that Sophia was so friendly, it also worried her because everyone she met was a potential friend to her. She didn't understand that some people aren't her friends and she shouldn't talk to them. _
Daryl pulled up in front of Carol's house. Sophia had fallen asleep, so while Carol carried her inside, Daryl put the car seat back in Carol's car. He carried the leftovers his mom had sent inside.
Dale was stretched out on the couch watching a movie. "Hi, Daryl, how's your brother? Must be good to see him after he's been gone for so long." He said, and sat up.
"Yeah, I missed him." Daryl said, and held out the plate. "My mom sent some leftovers from dinner."
Dale took them and sat them on the table. "Thanks, I already ate. But I'll bring them with me tomorrow for lunch," he said, carrying the plate to the fridge. "Hey, tell your brother if wants some work while he's home, he can come to the garage."
"I'll tell him."
Carol came into the kitchen from the hall. "Daryl."
Daryl turned to look at her. "Sophia asleep?."
"Yeah. Fell asleep as soon as I put her down."
"Walk me out?" he asked.
They kissed on the porch for a few minutes before Daryl pulled away. He rubbed his hand against the hickey on her neck. "I'm sorry about that."
Carol smiled. "Don't be. I kind of like it. But Michonne and Andrea are going to hound me tomorrow for details so maybe I should return the favor." She grinned widely.
Daryl chuckled. "Maybe next time. Merle said Mom has something to talk to me about. Said it was important."
Carol frowned. "Your mom said the same thing to me. She said you were going to be upset about it."
"Did she say anything else? Like what it was about, maybe?"
"No, she didn't. But we did talk about your dad."
Daryl stiffened. "What about him?"
"Nothing specific, she just told me about how she got pregnant and felt like she couldn't leave because she didn't have anyone to help her."
Daryl nodded. "She don't really talk about him much. What if he's getting out?"
"He got ten years, didn't he? It's only been six."
Daryl shrugged. "Yeah, but people get out early all the time."
"If he is, are you going to be okay?" she grabbed his hand and squeezed.
"I'll have to be. Nothing much I can do about it. Just as along as he stays away from my mom," he sighed. "I better go find out what's going on."
Carol nodded and leaned up to kiss him quickly on the lips. "Okay. I'm here if you need me."
Daryl nodded. "Goodnight."
"Night." Carol watched until he was out of sight.
When Daryl got back to the house Merle and his mom were sitting on the couch drinking coffee. They looked up when he came into the room. He dropped his keys on the table and took a seat on the couch.
"Alright. Ya'll wanna tell me what's going on?"
Mary set her coffee on the table. She scooted so she was sitting a little closer to him.
"It's about your dad," she said slowly.
"He getting out?" he asked even though he was sure he already knew the answer.
Merle spoke up. "Bastard's already out," he sneered.
"Damn. He was supposed to serve ten years." He'd been afraid of this.
"I know, but he got an early parole and they decided he was ready to be released."
Daryl shook his head. "Ain't they supposed to tell us about that or something?"
Mary nodded her head. "They did. I only found out about the hearing because Hershel Greene's brother is on the parole board and he told me about it. I went to it last month."
"How come you didn't tell me?" He would have gone and told them to never let him out. He couldn't believe she didn't tell him.
"Because I didn't really believe they would let him out and I wanted to spare you from having to see him if it wasn't necessary. I was worried seeing him would hurt you."
"I wish you'd told me. I could've been there with you."
She reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. "I know. But I really don't think it would have made much of a difference."
"You still should have told me."
"Don't be too hard on her, brother. She thought she was doing the right thing," said Merle.
Daryl ran his hands through his hair. "Yeah, I know. You don't think he's planning on coming back here, do you?"
"I hope not. I talked to the Sheriff and he said that he's living just outside of Senoia in a halfway house. Tomorrow morning I'm going to see about getting a restraining order."
Merle stood up. "He better not show his face around here or I'll show him what a Columbian necktie looks like." He hadn't been able to protected them back then but he'd be damned if he let Caleb hurt them now.
"Merle!" Mary let go of Daryl's hand and stood up. "You will do no such thing. You will let the police handle Caleb. We don't even know if he will show up here." She was not going to have her son get arrested.
"Fine. I'll stay away from him just as long as he stays away from you two."
Mary sighed. It wasn't what she wanted to hear, but she would take it.
Daryl stood up from the couch. "I need to get out of here for awhile." He headed for the door.
"Daryl, sweetheart. Wait." Mary followed him to the door. She placed her hand on his arm.
Daryl pulled his arm away from her. "I'll be back," he said, walking out the door.
She started towards the door to go after him.
Merle pulled her away. "Just leave him be. He said he'll be back, so he'll be back. He just needs some time to think."
They watched as Daryl walked out the door and down the street. Neither of them noticed the silhouette of a man across the street standing in shadow of a street light.