...in which Stella gets some good advice and then DRAMA!

I headed to work with a giant, stupid grin plastered on my face. I knew the minute Maggie and Marie saw me, they would know exactly what happened last night. I could hear them talking in the shed as I approached.

"OK, my turn," Maggie said. "I would totally keep Breaking Bad and toss the Kardashians!" I had noticed that she and her group REALLY seemed to like keep or toss. I had witnessed about a million rounds of that game since Marie told them about it. "Now you."

"Um, I'd keep mascara and toss…plastic bags." Marie sounded considerably less interested in the game than Maggie did. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'd heard her use those two items in a game before.

I was able to swallow my smile as I walked up and said good morning, but the minute the two of them turned to look at me, it came back with a vengeance.

"I KNEW IT!" shrieked Marie the minute she saw my face.

"Uhhh, knew what?" I asked with an attempt at an innocent tone of voice.

"Maggie said that she saw you yesterday leaving with Gun Show on his motorcycle." Marie studied me with a critical eye. "And if I am not mistaken, you, my dear, have all the signs of someone who got laid last night."

I ducked my head for a second, slowly nodded and held up two fingers. "Twice."

This time both Maggie and Marie screeched so loudly that Donnie came running around the corner to see what the matter was. "What's going on? Are you guys all right?" he asked, out of breath.

I said, "They're fine. Um, Marie just got some good news."

Donnie looked Marie up and down. "Are YOU pregnant?"

Marie rolled her eyes. "God no! Don't worry about us; we're fine. You can go on about your business. Move along, move along." She shooed him away. Donnie shrugged and went back to work.

Naturally, they wanted all the glorious details, but I was not one to kiss and tell. I did describe to them the motorcycle ride and some of the less explicit particulars.

"I'm surprised you're not walking bow-legged," Marie commented.

This time, Maggie looked at her wide-eyed and said, "Jeez, Marie!"

"Oh, come on Maggie, you know you were thinking it, too!" Marie replied.

"So when are you going to see him again?" Maggie asked me.

I was silent for a minute. I hadn't actually thought much about how this would play out. "Um, wow, I don't really know. Like, what exactly is the normal progression anymore? It's not like we can go out to dinner and a movie." I suddenly started to feel very uneasy. "And it's not like we had a 'where is this going?' talk or anything. Shit, it's not like we talked about much at all. I think I know more about him by what other people have told me than what he's actually said. For all I know, he's just interested in being fuck buddies."

Marie snorted. "Not like that would be such a bad thing." She was definitely right about that.

"Glenn and I started off kinda like you guys," Maggie offered. "But I wasn't sure it was a good idea to get involved with the situation we were in. I mean, what if it didn't work out, and then we were stuck living in the same house? He's an amazing guy, though, so I couldn't hold out for very long." She smiled and paused for a second. "You're right, though; the rules of dating are kind of out the window in a situation like this. What about you and Matt, Marie?"

"I wasn't super interested in him at first. He was nice enough, but I thought he was kind of an idiot."

I interrupted her, "Never one to mince words, are you?"

Marie continued as if I hadn't said anything. "But then we were out on a scavenging run and got separated from the group. We spent about three hours in a tree with a swarm of walkers swiping at us from below before the rest of our party came to our rescue. Once I got to know Matt, I found out he actually WASN'T a moron, just shy. I realized that he was a great guy, and it just snowballed from there." She thought for a second. "We never really 'dated' though. Once we acknowledged our mutual interest, we pretty much saw each other every day and moved in together about a month later. Because, honestly, it's not like I was fielding any other offers."

Maggie laughed. "Wow, you are quite the romantic!"

Their stories succeeded in making me feel better, but didn't help with my big question. "So what do I do next? Should I go talk to him about what he's thinking about us, or just wait and see what happens?" I was really hoping they thought the direct approach would be best because I was definitely not very good at waiting and seeing.

"I think you should just let things progress naturally. It's not like you're NOT going to see him again, since he lives a couple hundred feet away. And Daryl is not a one-night-stand kinda guy," Maggie declared confidently. Then she thought a minute. "Well, I guess I don't know that for a fact, so let's call it a hunch."

I can't say that her hunch made me feel a whole lot better.

"So really, do you WANT a relationship with him?" Marie asked. "I mean, it's obvious you guys have chemistry."

"Chemistry, shit!" Maggie giggled. "More like a nuclear reaction."

I laughed and then attempted to answer Marie's question. "Yeah, I do…well, I guess. I think? I do like him. What I know of him. But I guess I don't really know him…." I trailed off. "OK, I really like being around him, and I would DEFINITELY like to get to know him better. Does that make sense?"

"Clear as mud," Marie replied. "Maggie is right. You should just see how things develop. Just be your normal, charming self next time you run into him. You don't need to have a big 'relationship conversation' with him anyway because the field is pretty much free of competition."

"Oh, yay, so that means I would be his default girl," I said sarcastically.

"Again, would THAT be such a bad thing?" Marie asked with a grin.

0000000

The rest of the day, I mentally rehearsed how to be my "normal, charming self," in case I happened to run into Daryl. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), I didn't get a chance to put my ideas into practice because Daryl was nowhere to be found. I ate lunch with Marie, Maggie, Herschel and Carol, but I didn't ask if they'd seen him as I didn't want to seem too desperate. Dinner was with Beth, Carl, Marie, Tom, and Matt, but still no sign of Daryl. Beth asked if we were interested in playing some tonight, so we went back to Marie and Matt's place and practiced for a couple of hours. Honestly, it was a relief to have something to distract me from my thoughts.

Band practice wrapped up, and Tom and I ended up walking back to our houses together. I wasn't sure how to broach the topic of his reaction when I had seen him that morning, but I knew I had to ask because it was seriously the oddest thing I've ever seen him do.

"Sooo," I started, "about this morning…"

Tom laughed. "I think I'm glad I had to work the night shift last night!"

I turned red and grinned sheepishly. "It's just - the high-five and - I'm confused?"

"Oh, I'm just glad he got the balls to make a move. It was weeks ago that he asked me about you," Tom explained.

I was completely stunned. "He…asked about me?" I croaked.

"Yeah, a couple days after he got here. Actually, I think it might have been the day after you fell over on him."

"Oh God." I turned even redder at the memory of that shining moment.

Tom went on, "He was wondering if you were cool, and if you and I had something going. I told him you definitely were cool, and that you and I definitely did not have anything going on."

Once again, I was stunned. I couldn't believe how much I'd misjudged Tom. "Oh wow. I don't know what…thanks," I stuttered.

We were at my house, and he turned to me. "Well, I wasn't lying. I like you, as a friend. It's good hanging out with you but man, we have such a lack of chemistry, it's almost painful."

I was so relieved that I just laughed. "Oh my God, you don't know how glad I am to hear you say that! I don't think I've ever been so happy to hear someone say they don't like me that way!"

"Well, I hope it works out for you guys. You deserve it." Tom smiled at me. "Good night."

"Good night."

0000000

The next day was going to be a killer. It was our first big planting day. In late winter, we had planted trays of seeds which we kept warm in the greenhouses we'd fashioned from old cars. Think about it - is there a more perfect use for an old car? We pulled the seats and stuff out of them, so that there was plenty of flat space for the trays of seedlings. We could adjust the windows up and down to regulate the temperature. It was a ridiculously easy and perfect system. Now the weather had warmed up enough that it was time to get all of those plants in the ground. This would be the first of many back-breaking days on my hands and knees in the dirt. We actually had called in reinforcements from other departments to help with the labor.

This kind of work was too much for Maggie and her giant stomach, so she was doing work inside the garden shed. Marie was working, however reluctantly, by popping seedlings into the holes as I dug them. Of course, I was the one to fill in the holes, too, as Marie avoided getting dirty at all costs. The only reason she was assigned to the garden was that she lied when she arrived here about her skill set. She figured being a computer genius wouldn't help convince them to let her stay, so she made up a story about growing up on a farm. I figured that karma was getting back at her for lying every time she had to come to work in the garden.

Maggie appeared next to use with a basket full of bottles of water. "Hey guys, I thought you might be thirsty. It just came out of the well, so it should be nice and cold."

I gratefully took it from her and took a long drink before passing it to Marie. Eyeing Maggie, Marie asked, "Can't you find ANYTHING for me to do inside? Maggie looks so nice and cool and CLEAN from being in the shed."

"Until you are on the verge of popping out a baby, you are working out here with me," I replied.

Marie filled Maggie in on the conversation we had been having when she walked up. "Stella is stressing because she hasn't seen Daryl since they slept together."

"Yeah, in order for me to act all relaxed and casual when I run into him, I actually have to RUN INTO HIM," I complained. "It's like HE'S hiding from ME now."

"Oh!" Maggie exclaimed. "I totally forgot to tell you. He went out hunting."

"Huh, I didn't realize there was a hunting party going out." There was a group comprised of the best hunters that went out every few weeks, but I didn't remember hearing anything about it. In fact, Andy and Violet, two members of the team, were actually out in the field working as we spoke.

"It was just him. He used to do that all the time back at the old place. I guess he just got the itch and went out. Sometimes it was for an afternoon, sometimes it was for a couple of days." Then she noticed that I suddenly looked like I might have a panic attack and backtracked a bit. "Well, I doubt he'll be gone for a couple of days this time. He'll have to be back to work, I'm sure."

"When did he leave?" I asked.

She seemed reluctant to tell me. "Um, Tuesday after work."

My stomach dropped. "So we hook up Monday night, he goes to work Tuesday and then immediately takes off for the woods?" This did not seem to bode well for our new relationship, whatever that might be. A new thought occurred to me. "And that means he's been gone out there ALL ALONE for almost 24 hours?" I was really starting to freak out now.

Another negative of post-ZA life? When someone left you, there was no way to get ahold of them. Think about the seemingly humble cell phone. You might have taken for granted the fact that if you wanted to reach someone, you could call, text, Facebook, Tweet, or instant message them, all from one handy little device in your back pocket. You knew pretty much at all times what your loved ones, and even people you didn't remotely care about, were doing. You sent a text, and within minutes you got reassurance that the person was actually still alive and well and had not, in fact, been killed by an ax murderer. No longer! Now when someone left, you could do absolutely nothing but count the days, hours, minutes, and seconds until they returned. I always got stressed out when Marie, Tom, or Matt left on a mission. It was nothing compared to what I was feeling now.

Marie gave me her attempt at a pacifying look. "Now, don't get yourself all worked up." She was all too familiar with my wild imagination taking over when people went outside the fence. She looked at Maggie, "Her mind always goes immediately to the worst case scenario."

"What do you expect?" I shot back. "There are ZOMBIES out there who want to EAT PEOPLE, and I'm sure Daryl looks especially tasty!" I miserably started digging another hole.

Maggie jumped in. "Hey," she said soothingly. "Daryl is a pro. He pretty much grew up in the woods and is a crack shot. I have NEVER seen a walker catch him off guard, and trust me, we've run into more than our fair share." She looked down at me and smiled comfortingly. "He'll be back, I promise."

I smiled weakly back at her. "Thanks." I wasn't exactly convinced, but I appreciated her effort.

"OK girls, I have to get the rest of these waters to the others. They are probably dying of thirst right now." Maggie picked up her bucket and started to walk away. She made it a couple of steps before she gasped and dropped to her knees.

Marie and I leaped up and ran over to her. "Oh my God, are you OK?" Marie asked apprehensively.

Maggie was obviously in a lot of pain. She had her hands wrapped around her large belly and was crying. "Something's wrong! It hurts so bad!"

"Come on, Marie. Help me get her up. We have to get her to the infirmary NOW." Marie and I put her arms around our shoulders and helped Maggie to her feet. As she was getting up, she let out another yelp of pain. I yelled to Donnie and Violet who were running towards us, "Go find Glenn and tell him to come to the infirmary right away." Now it was my turn to be soothing to Maggie. "Don't worry, everything will be fine." I really hoped I sounded like I believed that.