The Greene sisters left their busy lives in Atlanta to return home together for the first time. The car ride alone was both painfully long and nerve-wracking but it only broke their hearts even more to see their home had slowly deteriorated since they left it last. They knew their father, Hershel, couldn't take on the workload of maintaining a failing farm alone, but he was a stubborn man and that stubbornness led him to be hospitalized. Although he had already been released and sent home, Beth and Maggie agreed to go and check on him anyway after Rick called and told them what had happened. It took alot within Hershel to get himself to stay in bed as the doctor ordered, but it was difficult considering the amount of work needed to be done.
"Dad, we warned you about working yourself to death. Now look what happened."
"It was nothing for you girls to worry about," Hershel argued.
"But you could have died!"
The argument between Maggie and Hershel was getting a bit heated, not to mention a bit personal. Once Hershel said it was only a slightly difficult, Maggie had to bring up Shawn and their mother. They were the stronghold of the farm, something to which Hershel was blind to until they were killed in a car crash several years ago. To think of them with the whole situation going on was too much for Beth to bear and she decided to say something to put a stop to the thoughts. "Maggie...daddy. I'm thinking maybe I should call it quits and come home."
"Bethy, there's no need for that," said Hershel. "Absolutely none. You have a wonderful opportunity out there and I'm not gonna let you throw it all away over me. Aside from that, it won't make a difference. I say this farm has about a year left, maybe less. I think it's time we just let it go."
Maggie cried. "You don't mean that."
"I do, Maggie. I know you girls want to help, but it's over. Keep the money you make for yourselves. I'll take whatever money I have from the farm and find a decent retirement home."
"But you deserve better than that. And this is our farm. We'll find the money."
Looking out over the farm, Beth wondered if it was too late. Much of the land and livestock had already been sold off. But even with less work, it still wasn't enough for Hershel to keep up with and he could no longer find outside help who would work for free.
Once the sisters headed back to Atlanta, their worst fear was for their father to have more heart problems again...or worst yet, a stroke. They had to come up with a new plan to stretch their finances even further. But Maggie already had a full time job. Even Glenn was helping out a bit despite the sisters protests' about it. This left Beth being the one who needed to do more. She had to make a decision regarding the internship and volunteer work she was doing. It simply wasn't going to be enough and with what little time they had, they needed more money.
She would make a bad impression if she left the internship too early in. The internship was her only chance if she wanted to get an actual well-paying job. That just left the volunteering job at the soup kitchen. Hard as it was, that might have to be the one thing she would have to sacrifice if she was to find time for a part-time job in the mix of things. On the drive back, Beth was searching through her phone for part-time jobs in Atlanta. Of course, the only ones available were working as a waitress on lousy pay. Her father was right: even if she worked hard now there, was no possible way to get the money their family needed in time.
"Is your dad, okay?" Glenn asked when the girls got back to the apartment.
"He's still as stubborn as he always was. So yeah...," said Maggie.
"Well listen, I've got some cool news. You know how my cousin has a media company downtown? He says he got an opening for an assistant. I told him that Beth might be interested in applying. It's gonna pay really well, too."
Maggie seemed excited but Beth was still pretty hesitant. "How much work experience do I need there?"
"Not much really," said Glenn. "I told him you were doing an internship and it's not a problem since it's gonna be part-time. You should go for it."
It definitely sounded like the biggest break that Beth desperately needed. Beth spent the whole night filling out an application, and trying to get some form of resume together so that she could be ready. The only available interview times were the following morning. She was a bit concerned about being late for her shift at the police station, but this job opportunity was huge. There was no way she could pass it up.
When morning came, she didn't get much sleep but Beth still had a lot of work to do, she had to get herself ready and was thankful that she had something decent to wear for the job interview. Nervous as she was, she thought about Daddy, she thought about the farm. She needed to get this job. It felt like her whole family would lose everything if she didn't.
"Greene."
Beth entered the office and wouldn't step out until 45 minutes later. The interview was not a bad as she thought it would be. She had the smile, answered all the questions and showed the resume. Glenn's cousin said that a decision would be made within the next 24 hours, and he would let her know once everyone was interviewed.
She was feeling good about herself until she checked her phone. "SHIT!"
With only high heels, Beth ran as fast as she could to get to a taxi. It was the only way she could get to her shift at the police station on time.
Traffic was bad and Beth was checking the time the whole trip there. She hurried her way to the police station with just a minute to spare and nearly trip over her own heels as she made her way in.
"YOU'RE LATE!"
Beth had no time to catch her breathe as a very angry Dawn loomed over her. "I'm sorry...I was..."
"I don't care for your excuses," she said. "I gave you yesterday off to see your father with the expectation that you'd be early today. Now I'm starting to think that was bullshit."
"What are you talking about?!" Beth was pissed off at the thought that she would be lying about her father's condition. She was about ready to have it out with this woman, not caring that the people in the hall were staring at them arguing. "My daddy WAS sick! He was in the hospital!"
"Are you trying to talk back to me?!" Dawn screamed. "And why are you wearing that ridiculous outfit? This isn't a fashion contest here."
Beth worried that if Dawn knew that she had just come out of a job interview, it would make her situation worse than it already was. But she was already looking like a nervous wreck with everyone, even Gorman, watching her. "Sorry..." was all she could mutter.
"Sorry doesn't get you here on time," Dawn said. "I'm penalizing you for this and the talking back. One more and you're done here, Greene. Now hurry up and get to work!"
Beth tried to gather her composure but she was already in tears before getting into the records room.
"Beth?" Tara looked over and she could see Beth wiping the tears from her face. The makeup from her interview was getting smeared all over. Tara hurried to get her a handkerchief. "Are you okay? I heard about your dad..."
"My daddy's fine," she said.
"Oh..." Tara finally realized the actual situation. "So that must've been you I heard Dawn yelling at in the hallway."
Beth nodded as she wiped her face.
Tara tried to cheer her up. "That woman's got loud speakers doesn't she? I can't believe I heard her all the way from here."
Beth tried to smile but it was very faint. "Well don't let that bitch get to you," said Tara. "It's her way of tryin' to break people down the new people...or anyone she doesn't take a liking to. You know, when you were gone, she got on me for sending you to get that coffee from the coffee bar the other day. Seems like Gorman saw you."
"He did," said Beth who trying had not to recall that very uncomfortable run-in with him. But Tara look worried. "Shit, he didn't try anything, did he?"
"What do you mean?"
Tara rubbed her head. "Man, I'm a piece of shit. I shoulda warned you about him. It's just...I hear things...you know. Some girls that used to work here, they were working around Gorman and let's just say that they were out the door pretty quick. Either got fired or quit. I didn't know what it was. He didn't seem like a pervert, then he started hittin' on me...and not in a good way."
Gorman's behavior from the other day was starting to make a little more sense now in Beth's mind. "Oh my god. Didn't you tell Dawn?"
"Hell yeah, I did," said Tara. "And she thought I was bullshittin'. Went on and on about Gorman bein' one of the best officers in the department...had a clean slate and all this other shit. Got penalized for lying."
"Does he still bother you?"
"Nope. Finally decided to come out and tell him I was into girls." Tara then laughed. "You shoulda seen the look on his face when I told him. He just finds me disgusting now, but I guess that hasn't stopped him from ratting on me for stupid shit like the coffee."
"I'm so sorry," said Beth. "I was the one who went out there. They shouldn't be punishing you for that."
Tara seemed relaxed. "Don't worry about it. I shoulda gone myself anyway. We should probably get this shit started before Dawn loses it some more, huh?" They tried to go through their shift as normal, even with all the issues they've been dealt it.
"Tara?"
"Yeah?"
Beth was nervous about what she was going to ask her. "I might have a job lined up...a secretary job. It's only part time but do you think I should leave here if I get it?"
"I know Dawn won't be happy," Tara said. "She doesn't like people ditching the job on her and she might give you a bad reference if it comes to that. But if I wasn't into being a police officer, I'd totally get outta here, if I had the chance."
The shift ended normally and once Beth got her cell phone out, she was surprised to have missed a call from the company she was interviewed at. She hoped that Dawn's stupid anti-cellphone policy during work hours didn't ruin this for her as she sat on the steps of the police station to call the number back.
"Yes, this is Beth Greene, returning your call."
After a few moments, the widest smile came to her face. "I got it? Yes...I can start next week. Thank you so much!"
She couldn't believe it. Beth could not wait to get home to tell Maggie and Glenn and her father the news. This was definitely a miracle that they needed. She still had to think about whether or not she would continue to work here but it didn't matter right now. Things were starting to look up. Their family farm...their home, still had a chance.
Beth left the steps with such excitement, unaware that Gorman had been watching her from the station doors the whole time.
Oh snap! So I hope I am making Dawn as much of a bitch as she is on the show. That was my intention. I apologize for the lack of Daryl in the early parts of this story. His role will get bigger when we get to the good stuff. It's also gonna get dark and downhill for Beth pretty soon. I hate to say that but it will.