Daryl was outside putting up the hammock and bell when he heard Carol holler for him. He came running to the front of the house. She was standing there staring at the drive way. The horses had gotten loose and were just walking around.
"Damn it woman I thought you were dying."Daryl laughed. The horses got out all the time. He would just shake a cereal bag and they would come back.
"I'm sorry" Carol said looking like she was going to cry. Daryl walked up to her.
"They're running horses, they can get out of anything. I thought maybe your husband was here. I ain't ready to lose you yet." Daryl told her. He didn't know if she wanted him to adopt the kids yet, every minute he didn't have an answer killed him.
"Oh okay. It's time to go get Soph we should probably go." Carol went to walk into the house when Daryl caught her arm and spun her around to look at Daryl.
"I'm never going to hurt ya. I might argue with you but I will never ever lay my hands on you unless you want me to. Same goes with Soph. I will never lay my hands on her unless its to hug her. "Daryl looked at Carol right in the eye. Carol leaned up and kissed him. She didn't know why but she felt safe with this man, a man that she had met yesterday.
They took a short cut to the Greene farm. They walked and about half way they were holding hands. Carol liked this. Short sweet kisses and a sweeter then honey man asking to raise her two kids they're own daddy didn't even want. She knew that this would be temporary due to mama Pat. Carol feels like she needs her approval to do anything with Daryl.
When they got to the house Sophia came running out to Carol and Daryl. She had a piece of paper in her hand. She stopped and had Daryl pick her up and showed him the picture.
"I colored it today in art. Can I hang it up in my room?" Sophia asked him.
"Yeah if you don't want to hang it on the fridge." Daryl responded putting her down.
She looked up at him confused.
"Daddy says that the fridge is for food not stupid drawings." Sophia looked like she wanted to cry. Daryl stopped and hugged her. He looked up at Carol who refused to make eye contact.
"Daryl! Daddy needs your help!" He heard his little sister Maggie yell from the front door. "Soph! Come here your helping me and Beth remember?"Maggie said scooping up Sophia and walking inside. Daryl looked at Carol who still refused to look at him. He shook his head and walked to his dad.
"You just gonna stand or ya gonna come inside?" Mama Pat asked. Carol nodded put on that fake smile she knows so well and walked inside.
She followed Mama Pat into the kitchen passing the dinning room and getting glares from Maggie and Beth Daryl's two little sisters.
"Carol I think you and me need to talk. Andrea called me. She's very close with my Merle, he's the oldest of my kids. Bethy in there's the youngest of all and of my girls. Daryl's my youngest boy. You are not going to do to him what Lori did to Shane. She forced him to adopt that baby. I love my daughter and Grandson but I'm not proud of her choices. I'm not telling you to go back to your husband however, I am telling you to not stay here." Pat said after a couple of minutes.
Carol's heart sank.