A/N Here it is.. Beth's gonna tell him a few things and then, well just read and find out! This was only going to be three parts, but that changed obviously. And my chapter titles suck.. oh and it's loosely based on Darius Rucker's "If I Told You". I may have told y'all that already… :)
She isn't sure how she's going to tell him what she needs to and make him understand. But she has to say something. He's waiting there, his chin on the banister. His blue eyes are downcast under a fringe of dark hair. Her hands are itching to brush it out of his eyes. He's been so patient with her. But that has to be wearing thin. She owes him an explanation.
He's been so sweet to her and they can talk or not talk and it's fine either way. He makes her feel good in a way no other boy or man has ever made her feel. And that completely terrifies her. Because although her track record is minuscule, it's a pretty devastating one. At least as far as she's concerned and Andrea brought all those insecurities back. She really did try and brush it off because no one can make her feel anything if she doesn't let them, but that's so much easier said than done.
"I've only been with two guys Daryl. And both of those relationships were a mess and I ended up getting hurt. You said you don't know how to do relationships, well I'm betting I'm not any better at them than you. The thing is I'm scared."
"What the hell ya scared of? I ain't tryin' ta scare ya!"
"I know you aren't. But you're scared too, you said so." He's biting his lip and looking at her completely confused.
" 'M scared a how ya make me feel, yer scared a some woman who ain't nothin'. I toldja she ain't nothing."
"What I had with those guys doesn't even come close to everything I'm feeling for you, Daryl! Doesn't even scratch the surface! So if they managed to hurt me, what could you do?" This isn't going like she'd hoped, in her head, for the minuscule second she worked it all out.
"I'm not afraid of Andrea, I'm afraid of what she is. Jimmy was my first boyfriend. I lost my virginity to him cause he said he wanted me to be his first. I was so incredibly stupid, I believed that, that was special, I was special. Turns out it was just a game. I was a conquest. 'Bustin a girls cherry raises a guy's social status baby Greene!' Jimmy's new girlfriend informed me of that in the middle of a crowded hallway. And they called me baby Greene because I was a late bloomer and small. Maggie got the boobs and the curves and I, I was the good girl!" She tries to hold back the tears, doesn't want to get emotional, but her face is wet with them and her nose is running. Talking about this is making her sick to her stomach. She's sure he must think she's nuts and she's just getting started.
"I met Zach my sophomore year in college and he was cute and popular and he paid attention to little ole me. Turns out he paid attention to every other girl in my dorm. When I caught him with my roommate Rosita he turned the tables and put the blame on me, said he needed a woman, I was nice and all, but I was just a girl. Andrea in the grocery store, looking like she looks all curvy and bouncy and.." She laughs a little at the absurdity of it all, this whole conversation. Her half of it anyway.
"Ain't a damn thing wrong with yer body. I like it.. I mean, I like it a lot. You got them tight jeans and fuck Beth, I think yer beautiful girl." His face is four shades of red and he looks like he'd like to disappear into thin air, but in that moment she believes she could love him forever. Because he's honest. He's never once tried to pull anything on her, she knows that knew it all along, but she just needed to believe it. She's gonna get this last part over with real quick and then let the chips fall where they may.
"In the middle of all that I lost my momma. And I lost my way." Fiddling with the worn leather cuff on her wrist, her eyes rest on a thin, pink scar she keeps hidden with the bracelet. Holding out her wrist tentatively towards him, she pulls the cuff back and Daryl moves to sit on the step below her. He takes her tiny wrist in his big hand and handles it like it's a delicate piece of glass. Holds a finger above it, glancing up at her before he touches it. She nods and his touch is gentle. His brow is furrowed though and she thinks this is it, he's gonna decide this kind of crazy isn't for him and run like hell.
"Ain't a deep cut, don't think ya really wanted ta do it. Jus' wanted someone to see ya needed help." He's talking low and it's almost like he's talking to himself, figuring it all out, figuring her out. Then his blue eyes are resting on her. He's right. She didn't want to die. She wanted to remember how to live. He's still got his eyes on her and she sees something there, something like knowing.
"Lost my momma too, I's jus' a little kid. Got left with a shitty ole man an a brother who kept leavin'. 'S tough. 'M sorry ya lost yer momma Beth." He's holding her hand in both of his, thumb pressed over the top of her scar. She lets out a shaky breath and wonders if the tiny tick of a pulse she's feeling is his or hers.
"I'm sorry you lost your momma Daryl." It makes her want to cry, the thought of a little Daryl all alone in the world with horrible a father and an absent brother. She at least had Maggie and her Daddy. Her suicide attempt managed to bring them all back together and it was because of that, of them, that she managed to go back to school and graduate on time. Her family means everything to her.
"Mmm hmm." His voice rumbles in his chest. It makes her feel things she doesn't understand.
She reaches out and brushes his hair away from his forehead, like she wanted to do earlier, slides her palm over his cheek loving the feel of the scruff there.
"I, I wanna be your girl, Daryl. I'm more scared of losing you than I am of Andrea's boobs." She blinks down at him doing her best to keep a straight face, wanting to make him smile, ease the tension, just a little. She said what she needed to and he didn't walk out on her. So that's a plus.
X X X
He let out the breath he was holding in one big guffaw. Damn girl is gonna kill him. It's like riding one of those roller coasters that are absolutely ridiculous, not just a normal rollercoaster, but the ones that got a g-force capable of transforming whatever you ate into an airborne projectile. He'd like to find Jimmy and Zach and knock their heads together 3 Stooges style. Beth is tiny that's a fact, but her tiny ass in a pair of her tight jeans is a force to be reckoned with. He knows that he would follow that ass anywhere it wanted to take him. He likes that she's small, that he can wrap himself around her and keep her safe.
"Ain't even going there with Andrea's boobs." He feels ridiculous even saying those two words together and his cheeks heat up with embarrassment.
"They are nice though, as far as boobs go." Beth justs like to keep poking at him. He can see the gleam in her eye. Growling he stands up and stretches. Sitting on the stairs wasn't a good idea. He's stiff and his neck hurts.
"Boobs is jus' boobs, depends on who's wearing 'em." He'd like to end this topic of conversation right now. But it is nice to see her laughing, the way she's tipping her head back just a little, she may be small on top, but there's enough jiggle there to keep him quite happy. A little to happy if he's not careful. He averts his eyes and holds out a hand to her. She's up, pressed against his chest and he wraps his arms around her.
"Thank you, for listening." Her breath is warm against his neck where she's tucked her face. He murmurs something into her hair and he's pretty sure it's unintelligible. But she doesn't need to thank him. He figures this might be part of the whole relationship thing, that he still wants to try. With her.
"Andrea's jus' like ya said. Someone I fucked. Two times, that's it. She weren't nothin. I never had nothin' like this Beth and I don' know that I deserve it. That's what scares me. I got ya and I know what this feels like now and damn, I jus' don't wanna fuck it all up." He's being honest with her. In words even, that's gotta mean something right? She was honest with him so he'll do the same for her.
"I think," she's drawing circles on his chest with her finger and he can't decide if it tickles or it's turning him on, "that for two relationship challenged people were doing okay."
"Maybe." They stand there for another minute or so and Daryl rests his hands on her shoulders and gently pushes her back. "I'm gonna head out, I gotta go in early, for I get ya to work and I need a shower and some sleep. Ya wrecked me today woman." He rests his lips on her forehead so he doesn't have to look at her face. He saw it fall just a little when he said he was leaving, but he thinks they both need to just go to bed. Alone. Cause the alternative would mean neither of them would get much sleep. And he's not ready to go 'there' yet. His body is, most definitely. But his head is saying wait and for some crazy reason, he agrees.
"You're right. About sleep and okay maybe I was a little hard on you, I'll make it up to you. I promise." They walk hand in hand to her door and Daryl's eyes are drawn to a small mirror on the wall right at Beth's eye level. She notices him looking at it.
"Last minute hair check." She shrugs her shoulders and he goes ahead and does what he thought the minute he saw it. He moves her in front of him facing the mirror, her reflection staring back at her.
"Look there." She's looking and he can see the blush on her cheeks and how she's got her bottom lip between her teeth. "Ya looking?" He leans over her, his mouth right against her ear.
"Uh huh, I'm looking." She is. With those big, ole, blue eyes.
"Good. Yer beautiful Beth. Yer so fucking beautiful and ya don' even know it." He whispers this in her ear and kisses her softly on the cheek. He feels her shiver as he steps away and opens the door. She's still standing in front of that little mirror, but she's watching him. And it's almost a tangible thing, the way her eyes are holding him. Makes him nervous, just a little bit, but it also makes it even harder to leave.
"Not goodbye," she says before he's even out the door. He's a little confused but figures it out pretty quick. Okay. She never says goodbye. Not once when they'd left the bar at the end of the night did she say it. See ya, be safe, talk to you next weekend... But not goodbye.
"Mmm hmm, sleep tight girl." One last touch, finger on her cheek and he turns and heads down the little walk to his truck. His face hurts because he's smiling so big and he's pretty sure he hears her sigh.
X X X
In the bathtub an hour later, going over the entire afternoon and evening, Beth is second-guessing herself. The hot water and lavender aren't doing their job, she hardly feels relaxed at all. Maybe she told Daryl too much, maybe she's blowing everything out of proportion, maybe he won't come and get her in the morning, just send a text saying he's not sure this is gonna work out. Groaning Beth sinks down as far as she can into the warm water and blinks back the tears that are just begging to fall. She needed to be honest right? If this thing is going to go somewhere being honest is the best way to begin. Refusing to let any more negative thoughts creep into her already whirling mind she pulls the drain and turns on the shower to wash her hair.
Once she's finally in bed it hits her how tired she really is. It's an emotional tired. It's been a long day. But when her phone buzzes on the night stand by the bed she shoots up like she wasn't just starting to nod off. Her heart is beating in anticipation until she sees the name on the caller ID. Oh no! It's Maggie and she never called to tell her about the wreck. This is a small town so more than likely Maggie knows and she's probably going to lay into Beth.
"Hello Maggie, I.." she starts but is cut off by a high pitched voice.
"Beth Greene! Do you know what I heard today from some woman who I know went to church with us, but I can't remember her name cuz she was one a those busybodies who always had her judgy eyes on me.." When Maggie gets worked up she doesn't need to breathe like normal people. She is able to go without air while she continues on with whatever her rant may be.
"I think I know Maggie." Beth cannot figure out for the life of her why her sister still has the ability to make her feel six years old.
"Oh you do, do you? And why didn't ya call me? Or your daddy who I am standing right next to right now and he's a nervous wreck!" There's a muffled voice in the background, her daddy, but Maggie has covered her phone, laid it face down in her lap probably. Beth has seen her use that trick on guys when she doesn't want them hearing whatever is going on in the background.
"Maggie, it's been a really tough day and I just forgot. I'm sorry." See, here she is being honest with her sister because it's important. It's not her sister's voice she hears though. It's her daddy,
"Bethy? You okay? Look I talked to Carol, she told me everything and I'm fine. Maggie just likes to try and make a point, you know your sister. She'll make a fine mother one day." Beth hears Maggie screeching in the background and her daddy chuckling is like a soothing balm.
"I'm fine daddy. A friend was there and he helped me out, and Rick was there too." She twirls a curl around her finger and considers telling her daddy about Daryl, but decides against it for now.
"Good, good. Oh and sweetie, the Lawrences wanted me to make sure you know that they know you did what you could with their little foal. They were worried because you seemed pretty upset." She feels the lump in her throat and wishes she was there next to him because he of all people understands how hard it is to lose an animal you're supposed to be helping.
"I just hate losing them. It's the worst part of this job." Doesn't matter if it's a gerbil or a great big old milking cow that's somehow become more of a pet than anything else, not being able to save them all hurts.
"I know honey. It's part of life. You're doing a fine job. I'm gonna give your sister the phone back before she passes out from holding her breath. Come out this weekend, we'll talk more. Love you Bethy."
"Love you too daddy." There are more muffled voices and then Maggie is back.
"Next time call me! Ok, so I'm picking you up tomorrow. We need to have some sister time because I have to fill you in on everything that's going on with Glenn!" The mom voice is gone and Maggie is giggling like she's six years old.
"Are you guys a thing? Oh my gosh, Maggie I like him! Tomorrow.." Wait, if Maggie picks her then Daryl won't need to and she'll only see him in the morning. Chill Beth. Smothering the man isn't going to endear you to him. Besides she does want to talk to Maggie, get her opinion. Maggie can be pretty level headed when she needs to. "Ok, that sounds great. I'm off at 4 tomorrow."
She finishes her conversation with Maggie and turns out her lamp and her thoughts turn to Daryl, but not the conversation on the stairs. Nope her mind has bigger plans on how to torment her tonight. It takes her right back to the couch and the pillows and being straddled across his muscular legs and the way he held her butt in his hands, tight against him, against a certain part of him that was hard, so hard. Moaning a little she kicks off the covers because suddenly it's way too hot. It's been a long time since she's felt like this about a guy. In fact, she doesn't think she's ever felt quite like this. She can take care of herself, but god it would be so much better if it was him here or there, right there between her legs, him instead of her fingers. Her fingers will work, but she's imagining it's his mouth there, his big hands holding her against his face. That's enough to send her right over the edge. When her stomach muscles tighten and her hips buck up against her hand she shivers and whispers his name, giggling softly cause she has never, ever done that. And what would Daryl think if he knew she had used him, instead of her usual nameless stranger, to make herself come? She may have to ask him since she's being honest and all. More giggles and then sleep comes easily and whatever it is she dreams must have been good because she doesn't wake up until her alarm goes off.
X X X
Daryl is up even before the sun has fully risen. He likes to get up early, likes to get his day started. He tosses his sheets in the washer and digs in the fridge for a bagel. Filling his thermos with coffee he heads into work to get a head start on Beth's car. He won't admit it to anyone else, but he's excited to be able to fix it for her. No one else is gonna be allowed to touch it. This is his baby, for his baby. Baby? Damn! He called her baby, last night in a weird ass dream where it was all yellow pillows and he and Beth were rolling around in them naked. Craziest shit, but it turned him on, woke him up at 2:30 in the morning, his cock in his hand rock hard. Still half asleep and naked in those pillows with Beth, he let his hand run the length of his cock, once, twice, shuddering he knew it wasn't gonna take long and it didn't. He pulled off his t-shirt and wiped himself off, rolled over and fell back asleep.
A door slamming somewhere inside the shop brings him back from wherever he's gone and he unscrews the thermos and takes a big gulp of the hot liquid, thankful for the burn because if something didn't take his mind off of that dream he'd get caught in an embarrassing predicament. Setting the thermos down on his workbench he picks up Beth's keys. Someone tagged them with her name and his name as the mechanic and there is a tiny little heart in between the two. Very funny.
"Hey Daryl, you're in early." It's Caesar, his boss and the owner of the shop. He works just as hard as all his employees. There isn't a day that goes by that Caesar doesn't have as much grease under his fingernails as everyone else. Daryl respects him for that.
"Who the fuck did this?" Daryl asks holding up Beth's keys. The little tag dangles from his hands. Caesar smiles a little, a guilty kind of smile.
"Well you seemed pretty adamant about taking care of that specific car and Karen, well she heard you were hanging out at the bar with one specific girl and, hey man it's just a joke. Karen was happy to hear you seemed interested in a girl. You know her."
Karen is Caesar's wife and the office manager and she's always trying to pry into Daryl's business, offering to set him up with her women friends. She's nice and he knows she means well. So he's probably going to get hounded with questions about the girl from the bar and the car and dammit sometimes he hates living in a small town.
"Here gimme it, I'll change it." Caesar comes over and stands by Daryl with his hand out and Daryl wraps his hand around the keys a little tighter.
" 'S fine," he mumbles.
"Yeah. You like this girl?" Caesar asks and he isn't teasing, just asking. Daryl shrugs his shoulders.
"Well when you're fixing the damages, give it a tune-up too. Don't charge your friend. We take care of our people." Caesar smiles and heads over to his own workbench.
"Was gonna do that anyway," Daryl calls out to him, smiling.
X X X
Beth's wearing her usual scrubs for work, but they're the yellow ones that everyone compliments her on and she took a little more time on her hair that she usually does. The sheen on her lips is proof she even applied a little makeup. And she may have looked out the window 200 times in the past 10 minutes, but who's counting? When Daryl finally does pull up it feels like a swarm of butterflies are doing ballet in her tummy. He's early and he's carrying two coffees. When he gets to the door he stops and contemplates it and she's giggling from where she's peeking out the window. He finally uses his toe to tap on the door.
"Hi." She smiles and hopes it isn't too obvious how happy she is to see him.
"Hey. Brought ya a coffee." He holds it out to her and he's smiling just a little. When she reaches for it her fingers brush his and she suddenly remembers what those fingers did last night while she was thinking of him.
"Oh! Yeah, thank you, Daryl. Um, come in, I uh, I have banana nut muffins if you're hungry." She turns and hurries to the kitchen. The plate of muffins is an invitation to sit down and she smiles and takes the seat across from him. He takes a big bite out of one, swallows and brushes the crumbs from his beard.
"Ya make these?" He asks taking another bite.
"Well no. I got them from the bakery, my specialty is blueberry muffins. I can never get the banana nut right, they're always too dry." She sips her coffee and relishes the warmth. He's still eating and for some reason, she's just watching and she can't even fathom why she likes watching Daryl eat.
"Coffee okay? I had 'em put sugar n' cream, figured ya liked it sweet." He crumples up the muffin wrapper.
"I do! Thank you, again." The muffins are still warm as she unwraps the one she picked up. "Did you sleep okay?"
Coughing, he covers his mouth. He choked on the coffee he just took a drink of and his face is bright red. Beth jumps up rests a hand on his back.
"Are you okay Daryl?" He's nodding and wiping his mouth with the napkin she handed him.
"Yeah, musta went down the wrong way." His face is still red and he isn't looking her in the eyes. Standing beside him, she's unsure of what to do next. But since he seems okay she takes her hand away.
"Um, maybe we should head out?" What just happened? Did she say something wrong? She picks up the unfinished plate of muffins and holds her breath as she walks to the kitchen counter. He brushes up against her holding his napkin.
"Ya got a trash can?" He's so close, there's hardly any space between them. The collar on his work shirt is tucked under the wrong way and she reaches out and fixes it, smoothing her hands down his chest. He sets the balled up napkin on the counter and cups her face in his hands, leans down and kisses her softly. His mouth is warm and he tastes like coffee and muffins.
"Been wanting to do that since I walked in," he says huskily.
"You could've. I wanted you too. Last night I, after you left.." She can't bring herself to tell him what she did last night while she was thinking of him and wishing it was him. Suddenly she's feeling really shy.
"Me too," he whispers, his lips finding hers again. His hands slide down over her shoulders and back and he rests them right where she wants him too. Suddenly it clicks, what he said about last night. Does he mean, did he? That thought makes her a weak in the knees and she moans softly into his warm mouth.
"Girl, yer driving' me crazy, thought 'bout ya all night. Even had dreams 'bout ya." His hot breath in her ear is sending electricity zipping down her spine and to other parts of her body. Nuzzling into his neck she sucks gently at the exposed skin there. There's an aching tension building between them and if they don't quit now she isn't sure she'll be able to at all.
"God Daryl, we have to.." She's pressed against him and it's apparent what she's doing to him, achingly apparent. His hard cock is making it impossible to think about anything, but him in her bed minus all these clothes.
"I know, we gotta go." They're still wrapped up in each other, breathing like they just ran a marathon, Beth moves just a fraction so that she can look up at him. Being wrapped up in Daryl Dixon is becoming one of her favorite places to be.
X X X
He's never had this before, this feeling that he doesn't want to be without another person right there beside him. He's pretty much been a loner for a long time. But he has Beth Greene in his arms and sure he wants to bend her over her kitchen counter and fuck her until she's screaming his name, but he also just wants to be with her, next to her, talking and laughing, holding her hand. Losing himself in her big blue eyes.
"I hadn't planned on comin' in here an doing this to ya Beth. Was jus' bringin' coffee." He knew this would elicit a smile, so he's not disappointed when her face lights up.
"Maybe I did it to you, Mr. Dixon!" There's that giggle and she pulls herself away, grabbing his balled up napkin and taking it to the trash. While she's turned away, he reaches down and adjusts his jeans, palming his hardness for just a few seconds of blissful relief.
"Yer doing a lot a things to me," he mumbles taking a good look at her. Yellow scrubs. Seems yellow is her color and it looks nice on her. But he's sure her hair was a little neater and that she had some kind shiny stuff on her lips when she let him in. Now she looks a little disheveled, a little mussed up and he did that. And it looks good on her too.
"I'm just gonna run upstairs real quick and-"
"Wait." Arms around her again he kisses her, not soft no, but hard. She's gonna go up there and fix her lips and put herself back together. He likes her with better with her lips swollen from his kisses. He's a fucking mess himself. And he's walking through unknown territory, but he's learning, a little anyway. He blows out a breath as she leaves the kitchen and he hears her footsteps on the stairs.
By the time he finishes his coffee she's back and they head out. She stops and looks in that little mirror and he glances over at the couch and those damn yellow pillows. Some are still on the floor where she pushed them when she… Shit! He cannot let his mind wander there!
"I know my ridiculous pillows," Beth says with a soft laugh.
"Them damn things were in my dream too." He reaches for the doorknob and steps back to let her go first.
"Oh? I'd like to hear more about this dream." She's practically skipping down the walk and he feels like he just swallowed ice water. Oh, no way is gonna tell her what he was dreaming about! He doesn't gotta, he can keep somethings to himself, can't he? Sharing everything isn't a requirement of a relationship, is it? And what he did after having that dream? Ah hell.
"Can't really remember it so.. Come'on, yer gonna be late." He opens the passenger door for her and winks when she looks at him suspiciously. Nope, he isn't gonna share everything.
"Okay, Daryl." But the way she's looking at him makes him think that somehow she's gonna try and get the details of his dream out of him. And she'll probably be successful. Slamming the door he just shakes his head and climbs in behind the wheel.
X X X
When Daryl dropped her off at work he asked her about a ride home and when she told him he was off the hook because Maggie was picking her up, he seemed a little bit let down. She felt the same way. But she just smiled and thanked him again for the coffee and after a few seconds of awkward silence she slipped out of the truck and headed into work. She'd been hoping for a kiss, but Daryl had seemed lost in his thoughts and she felt herself wondering what he'd been thinking and if she should have just told him she still needed that ride. She could've had Maggie pick her up at home. But if Daryl came back to her place, came inside with her, well she wasn't sure what would happen. Now though, was he upset with her because she didn't need a ride? Suddenly the perfect start to her day flip-flopped and she was back to second-guessing everything.
The office was way too busy for her to be distracted by the complications of relationships and romance and men in general and before she knew it, it was four o'clock. Maggie was waiting in the parking lot, standing by her car.
"My air conditioning is shot again! I need to find a good mechanic!" Her sister was fanning herself with a grocery store circular and Beth's mind immediately went to Daryl. She shook her head and frowned at the car.
"Great, well then we're stopping off at my place first so I can change." The yellow scrubs were cute, but hot and pretty dirty after a day of wrestling cats and dogs, a grumpy cockatoo and a contrary turtle.
"Sure thing baby sister!" Maggie was all smiles. Beth knew her mood had plenty to do with this guy Glenn. She also knew her own mood had plenty do with a gorgeous blue-eyed man she'd really like to be with right about now. She giggled to herself as she unlocked her door. She didn't know how Daryl would feel about being thought of as gorgeous. He'd probably grunt and grumble or utter one of his favorite expletives. She couldn't imagine him thinking of himself as gorgeous.
As Beth headed up to her room she heard Maggie complaining about the 'beautiful yellow pillows' she'd given Beth being strewn all over the floor. Beth tossed her scrubs in the laundry and grabbed her paisley lavender maxi sundress and slipped it over her head. It was soft and light and she could wear it and only it. That was one of the benefits of being small. No bra needed! Pulling her hair up into a messy bun she hurried back downstairs. Maggie wasn't in the tiny living room though. Beth found her in the kitchen eyeing the two take-out coffee cups sitting on the counter.
"Did you have a guest Bethy? Maybe one who helped you mess up those nice yellow pillows?" Maggie waggled her eyebrows ridiculously and Beth whacked her on the arm. Her sister was very perceptive.
"Let's go! I'm starving. We were swamped today and I didn't have lunch." Beth herded her out of the apartment and towards the parking lot, ignoring the barrage of questions about who had been at her apartment.
X X X
An hour later they're tucked in a corner booth at the only little cafe in Senoia worth eating at. It's Tara's Place and it's known for its comfort foods. Well, whatever it is a person decides comfort is. Tara makes everything and then some. Beth's favorite is the parmesan macaroni and cheese dish and apple slices with Nutella dip. Maggie is a huge fan of the mashed potato plate, you pick your favorite toppings and anything goes. Maggie always gets the shredded cheddar cheese and bacon bits. Today she's added avocado slices.
"So.. Glenn." Maggie is smiling around the spoonful of mashed potatoes she just put in her mouth and Beth can't help but laugh.
"Yes, tell me all about Glenn, Mags. I mean I know a little, he's such a sweet guy. I like him." Beth dips another apple into her Nutella and listens as Maggie lists each and everything she adores about Glenn Rhee, even some Beth doesn't want to know. Like the fact that Glenn has a cute little mole right under his...
"Maggie enough! Some things aren't meant to be shared!" Beth screeches. Tara comes running from the kitchen.
"Hey y'all okay?" She's breathless and looking back and forth between the two sisters.
"Yeah, Maggie's just being gross," Beth says licking Nutella off her fingers.
"Maggie behave or I'll withhold dessert." Maggie almost chokes on her potatoes.
"You wouldn't dare! I'll behave, I promise." Maggie and Tara have been friends since high school,
Tara even added a special milkshake to her menu in Maggie's honor. The Caramel Oreo. A disgustingly sweet concoction that Maggie has been eating in one form or another since they were little girls. Some kids have caramel sauce over their ice cream, Maggie has it over her Oreos. It's a mystery how she stays so slim.
"You better, Beth you need anything?"
"Nope, I'm good, thanks, Tara." She smiles and looks back over at Maggie. Who is now eyeing her suspiciously.
"So are you gonna tell me who was at your place either this morning or last night or both? Or is that one of those things you can't share?" Oh, she can be so annoying! It's probably in the big sister job description. To be honest, though, Beth wants to talk about Daryl. She wants her big sister's advice because Maggie has definitely got relationship experience.
"It was Daryl. He gave me a ride to work." She says this fast and waits to see Maggie's reaction. Obviously, she knows Beth and Daryl are friends. They all hang out at the bar. She just doesn't know what Maggie thinks about that friendship. Or what she would think if it was more than just a friendship.
"Daryl? Dixon? Your barstool boyfriend?" Maggie smirks a little when she says this. Beth feels her face heat up and knows that she's blushing, probably all the way down to her toes. "It was him! And you like him! Wait what in the hell were you doing on the couch with Daryl Dixon to mess up my pillows?"
"They're my pillows and that part is one of those things you don't share." Beth quipped.
"Bethany Ann Greene! He's a man. A grown ass man. He has a nice ass, that's undeniable, but he's how much older than you?" Beth feels like sinking down behind the table on her side of the booth.
"Maggie, could you not? I need your advice." Beth says in her best little sister voice. And this always gets Maggie's attention.
"Okay, okay.. so what's going on?"
"I just, I like him. And he likes me, but we are both not any good at this whole relationship thing," Beth says.
"Okay! First of all is he nice to you?" Beth nodded emphatically. "Then do not compare him to the other two losers you had the unfortunate luck of hooking up with."
"I'm not. Not at all. He's different. He's.." Beth searches for the word.
"Dreamy?" Maggie laughs and coughs choking on an ice cube.
"Well yeah, kind of." Beth giggles. This is what she wanted. Someone to do this with. And who better than your own sister to giggle and swoon over guys with.
"He's older, he's gotta have some experience with women. Let him take the lead, as long as he's being a gentleman." Maggie spooned the last of her mashed potatoes into her mouth.
"That's the thing, he hasn't had all that much experience. At least not anything more than meaningless sex. With Andrea Harrison." Beth adds in that last little bit to see what Maggie does.
"Andrea Harrison? She's a tramp! Merle had sex with her in the bathroom at the bar!" Maggie's mouth can sometimes be a megaphone, which brings Tara running out from the back again, but this time she's holding a milkshake, extra large and she shoves it in front of Maggie.
"Can you keep it down and seriously, do not announce the town tramps for the whole restaurant to hear! We are a family establishment!" Tara stalks off and Beth and Maggie dissolve into giggles.
"Daryl really had sex with her?" Maggie spoons milkshake into her mouth and waits for Beth's response.
"Yeah. We kind of ran into her and well he had to explain because I'm a mess and couldn't just let it go." Beth sniffs and looks down at the table.
"Bethy, you trusted those guys, that's how you are. You're good and kind. They used you and they're slimebags. It's not your fault. Daryl needs to know that." Maggie rested her hand on top of Beth's.
"He does. I kinda told him, well everything. He was honest with me and I just felt like I needed to be with him. Because I think this could, like go somewhere, you know?" Beth peeked between her lashes at her sister, waiting for some kind of outburst. But it didn't happen.
"You really like him?" Maggie looks a little awed. Beth just nods again because she doesn't even know how to explain what she and Daryl have. It's something. Definitely, but she isn't ready to define it until she has a better idea exactly what it is.
"He does look at you like a lovesick puppy," Maggie says digging down into her milkshake cup.
"He does not!" Does he?
"Okay maybe not a lovesick puppy, but he definitely thinks you're something else. And he only ever has eyes for you in that bar. My advice, the fact that he's older isn't such a big deal. Daddy was almost 24 years older than your momma and they had the best love story ever." Maggie's smiling and Beth feels the tears in her eyes because she misses her momma so much and her parents really did love each other, just like in the movies. "Go with your heart Bethy. Daryl seems like a good guy, but only you're gonna know that for sure. And if he turns out to be an ass, I will personally kick his really nice ass, especially in jeans! Damn! Have you seen it naked yet? Have you touched it? Man Glenn's mole is nothing compared to Daryl's mmufhp-" Tara comes out of nowhere and reaches around behind Maggie's head and covers her mouth.
"Girlfriend I am gonna kick you out! You have such a potty mouth!" Tara is smiling though and there have only been a couple of other customers in so far. And they were old and probably didn't hear much of anything.
X X X
After Maggie drops her off, Beth takes a quick shower and slips into a tank top and boxers, her favorite summer sleepwear. Even though it isn't technically summer for a couple of weeks it's already hot. Georgia takes it's summer season seriously. She goes downstairs and straightens up her kitchen and arranges the pillows on the couch, not even thinking about how they got on the floor or the fact that they were in Daryl's dream. When she finally relaxes on her bed her phone buzzes. Glancing at the screen she sees Daryl's name.
D- Hey, car will be done tomorrow afternoon. Still, need a ride in the am?
Done? Already? She doesn't know why she isn't happy. Well, she knows, but that's silly.
B- That was fast! I could use a ride. If that isn't a problem?
D- Ain't a problem. You do know you live close enough to walk…
Yeah, she does. And she knows. Is he suggesting she walk? Maybe he doesn't want to give her a ride and he's just being nice. 'Go with your heart Bethy'.
B- I know. I don't wanna walk. I wanna see you.
She hesitates before sending the text, but only for a second. His response is almost instantaneous.
D- Wanna see you too.
A/N So they made it over that hurdle. But they're awkward and inexperienced and the road to love is never easy. It's bumpy and curvy and full of potholes... Thanks for reading! I appreciate every single one of you!