The Heart Won't Lie
Chapter 5
Merle had been out of jail for exactly two weeks when Daryl got the call.
He and Merle rushed to the nursing home only to be informed that there was nothing they could've done. Their mother had passed away in her sleep.
After the initial shock wore off, arrangements were made and soon they were on their way home to bury their mother.
The funeral, if you could call it that, was short. Daryl and Merle being the only ones in attendance.
With their mother gone now and their father having passed a few years before, they were left with a rundown shack to clean out.
Neither of them wanted to step foot inside that house but they had to.
This were their chance to rid the world of anything that had once belonged to their father.
They had only just begun cleaning when Merle decided it was time for a break.
A break that included going back into town, where Daryl didn't want to be, to the shittiest bar and having the cheapest whiskey.
Daryl went inside and had a beer but seein' that Merle was nowhere near finished, he left.
He didn't have much money but he needed to get some things at the store.
Before he checked out he grabbed a small bouquet of flowers to carry to his mother's grave. It was the least he could do for her.
Beth and Phillip were having a party at their house to announce their engagement.
They wanted to keep it as simple as possible so Beth would be cooking. But they were meeting at the grocery store after work to pick out everything.
Beth had just gotten out of her car and was heading into the store when she stopped.
Daryl chose that exact moment to look up from his feet as he walked back to his truck.
He saw Beth's eyes widen and he felt a sharp pain in his chest at the sight of her.
"Daryl?"
He couldn't speak, wasn't even sure what he would say if he could.
"Daryl?" Beth took a step towards him and fumbled over her words, "Wha...why...you're..."
Daryl wasn't much better when he tried to speak.
"I...uh...I..."
"Beth," Phillip called out, walking up to her.
Daryl stared at him and before Beth could say anything else, he walked off leaving her standing there still a little shocked.
When he got in his truck, he looked up to see Phillip take Beth's hand and kiss her.
"Who was that?" Phillip asked as he and Beth continued inside.
"Um...," Beth bit her bottom lip and shook her head, "he...he wasn't anyone."
Later that night, Beth tried to smile and be happy as she and Phillip announced their engagement to their family and friends.
Everyone congratulated them but Beth couldn't find it in herself to be happy.
She excused herself from the party and locked herself in the bathroom.
She let herself cry at the thought that this happiness and the congratulations were something she was supposed to have shared with Daryl and no one else.
She wiped away her tears, fixed her makeup and returned to the party.
It wasn't her fault. He was the one who left and she had moved on.
It didn't take long for the news of Beth and Phillip's engagement to spread around town.
You couldn't go anywhere without hearing about how happy they were and how everyone was glad they found each other.
So it was no surprise, when Daryl and Merle found themselves at the bar again, that he overheard the waitresses talkin' about it.
It didn't quite register with him at first who they were talking about but after a few more minutes, he knew.
"They are so perfect together," one waitress commented.
"Who is?" another had just joined the conversation.
"Beth Greene and Phillip Harris. They're getting married."
The conversation continued but Daryl tuned them out and ordered more drinks.
Phillip Harris.
He scoffed at the thought of his name. Out of everyone Beth could've fallen in love with, it had to be him.
After the way he treated Daryl, looked down on him when they were in school, she's gonna marry him.
That sealed it for Daryl.
Beth had never been in love with him.
A few nights later Beth and Phillip were having dinner with her family at the farm.
The conversation was pleasant until it took a horrible turn.
"Don't the Dixon's live just down the road from here?" Phillip asked.
"Yes, they do. Well, they did anyway," Hershel replied.
"Well, I heard around town that the Dixon's are back in town. From what I remember of them they weren't very friendly so I would appreciate it if you all would look after Beth when she's here. I don't want them hurting her in anyway."
Everyone had stopped eating and were now staring at Beth and Phillip.
Phillip spoke with genuine concern while Beth stared at her plate.
Maggie saw how uncomfortable Beth was.
"Bethie, would you please help me in the kitchen?"
Beth joined her sister in the kitchen but couldn't look at her.
"You never told him about you and Daryl, did you?"
Beth shook her head but still didn't look at Maggie.
"Elizabeth, you should have told him."
"Told him what exactly? That Daryl and I were gonna get married? That I still love him? What, Maggie, what was I supposed to tell him?"
"Beth, y'all have been together for years now. He needs to know. I'm surprised he didn't figure it before with how close you and Daryl were."
Beth looked down again.
"He asked, before we started dating, but I never told him. Daryl left. I didn't want to...he never loved me, Maggie, so there wasn't anythin' to tell."
Maggie nodded, "Well, what are you gonna do now that he's back in town?"
"I don't know. I saw him at the store a few days ago."
"You did? What did he say?"
"He didn't say anythin'."
"Oh, Bethie," Maggie pulled her into a hug, "I'm so sorry."
"I still miss him," Beth cried, "more than ever."