Chapter 8
It had taken Rick and Daryl a couple of hours to return in the car. The stragglers of the herd were still milling around the vehicle and they had to wait for them to pass out of earshot. As they drove into the town they saw Michonne sitting on a porch, eating an apple. There was a strange car parked on the road with the hood up. They couldn't help noticing the long legs and denim clad rear that was bent over the engine.
"Always thought the scenery in Georgia was real nice" Rick commented as they climbed out of the car. Daryl couldn't help agreeing.
"When you've finished drooling, little help'd be nice." Michonne rolled her eyes as she walked towards them. Sheepishly they both adverted their eyes.
"'bout time you turned up" Eleanor called from under the hood as she checked the engine over. As they got closer they noticed a trailer hitched to the back of the vehicle. It was already full with the supplies they had gathered, as was the back of the car.
"Took so long weren't sure you were comin' back. Thought we'd better have a plan" She straightened up and slammed the hood closed. "Found this in one of the garages. Engine's running fine, should get us back no problem, plenty of fuel too"
She saw Daryl staring at her "Thought you didn't know about engines" he muttered.
She looked guilty "My Daddy had his own auto shop, I used to help him out. I was just messin' with you earlier." She smiled sweetly as she picked up another bag and headed to the car they had arrived in. He shook his head and followed her. As they went to collect the last of the supplies from the furthest house they came across the bodies of several walkers.
"Trouble?" Rick asked, noting there were at least 20 bodies.
"No trouble, just a few stragglers. The girl here's pretty good with a machete" Michonne indicated Eleanor, who gave her a small smile.
"You're not too shabby with that sword of yours either" she commented
"You two best friends now?" Daryl asked "Gonna be sleepovers and braiding each other's hair next"
The women ignored him and climbed into the car with the trailer, Eleanor in the drivers' seat.
"See you back at the prison" she accelerated away in a cloud of dust, the trailer wobbling madly behind them.
"Remind me why I bought her back with me again" he grumbled to Rick.
"'Cos she's pretty good in a fight, can fix cars and she sure can fill a pair of jeans." Rick suggested with a grin, as they got into their now full car and set off.
They didn't see the other car until they arrived back at the prison. Eleanor had parked and was unpacking the trailer before they got there. As they pulled up alongside she laughed at them.
"You drive like an old lady goin' to church" she teased Rick as he got out.
"Just wanted to get here alive" he replied, opening the trunk and handing bags to some of the others that had come to help unload. He saw Michonne standing to one side, leaning on a wall. She looked shaken.
"You okay?" he asked, concerned. It took a lot to shake Michonne.
"Don't ever let me get in a car with that crazy woman again. She drives like a lunatic. I thought we were gonna die at least three times, and I've no idea how the trailer is still the right way up" She shook her head "I can't believe I'm still alive"
Eleanor laughed "Quit complaining, you big pussy" she teased, causing a gasp from some of the nearby people. Nobody ever insulted Michonne.
"You were always safe. My daddy used to build race cars in his shop, I used to race them for him all the time. I was pretty good too, won a few races"
Carl was impressed "you were a racing driver before the turn? That is so cool. What sort of cars?, how big were the engines? Where did you race?" The questions flew at her, and then another teenage boy, Patrick joined in.
"Whoa, slow down there boys" Eleanor held up her hands in surrender "Let me finish unloading this lot, grab myself a drink and then I'll tell you all about it."
The two boys grabbed as many bags as they could carry to speed the unloading up. As they headed inside Rick heard Patrick asking Eleanor what she would like to drink and if he could get her anything else.
He turned to Daryl "I guess she's got some admirers."
Daryl snorted "not surprised, she goes around looking like a teenage boys fantasy come to life" His voice trailed off as he realised several people were looking at him and smiling.
"Gotta get this stuff inside" he muttered, grabbing a couple of bags and almost running inside.
Michonne exchanged an amused glance with Rick "looks like she's got another admirer" she laughed.
Daryl was cursing himself for speaking without thinking, all he needed was people to start thinking he had feelings for Eleanor. He liked her and she was certainly good looking but that was as far as it went. It didn't pay to get too close to anyone these days, you just get attached to someone and then they were gone. He'd seen how losing someone close could all but destroy a man and wasn't prepared to take that chance himself. He took the bags of supplies into the kitchen area and handed them to Carol.
"You've done really well. All this will keep us going for a few weeks. Did it go okay?" Carol started sorting through the bags, putting stuff away.
"Trouble with a herd, part from that no problems" Daryl looked around and saw Eleanor sitting on a table, her feet on a chair, telling Carl and Patrick about her days as a racing driver. From what she was telling them it sounded like she'd won the Indy Car Championship at least twice and very nearly was a Formula one racing champion. The two boys were staring , wide eyed, believing everything she told them.
Eleanor felt someone staring and looked up to see Daryl in the kitchen, watching her, a small smirk on his face. She smiled back and gave him a wink over the teenager's heads as she launched into a tale about a head to head challenge with a well-known, professional driver.
"She's got them eating every word she says." Carol laughed "Patrick came in here to see if we had hot chocolate 'cos that's what Eleanor said she missed the most. He was so upset when we didn't I gave him a candy bar he could take instead. Should of seen his face when she gave him a peck on the cheek and called him Darlin'. I've never seen a boy go so red"
"She's lyin' through her teeth and they're dumb enough to fall for it" Daryl commented.
"It's not doing any harm. Look how happy they look. Don't see that very often nowadays" Carol didn't see a problem with it.
Daryl shrugged and turned away as Glen and Maggie came into the room. Glenn made his way over to Eleanor and started listening to her wild tales.
"Another dumb ass" Daryl helped himself to a drink and left the kitchen. On the way out he suddenly remembered something. Turning he called across the room.
"Hey Glenn, found some rounds for that shotgun of yours. They're in my pack"
"Cool, Thanks" Glenn saw Daryl's pack on the table where he'd left it and reached for it. "Okay if I get them?" He was already undoing the pack. Eleanor saw Daryl go still and a strange look cross his face as he tried to reach for his bag before Glenn opened it. It was too late Glenn had already got it undone and was reaching inside, searching for his rounds. A puzzled expression turned into a huge grin as he pulled something red out and held it up.
"There something we need to know about you Daryl?" he asked between laughs. Eleanor realised he was holding up the red dress she had admired earlier on.
She saw the embarrassment on Daryl's face and knew he was going to cover it with anger. His fists clenched as he approached the oblivious but highly amused Glenn. Eleanor saw Carol leaving the kitchen, she'd obviously seen the same thing and was coming to intervene.
She slid off the table and pulled the dress from Glenn's hands,
"That's mine, you dumbass. I know it's stupid but I couldn't resist it when I saw it in one of the houses." She held it up in front of herself and smoothed it down "I just wanted something pretty again. My bag was full so I stuffed it into his when he weren't lookin'" She looked at Daryl, pleased to see he was relaxing, but he still didn't meet her eye. "Sorry Honey, should of told you. Didn't think anyone was just gonna go lookin' in your bag" she gave Glenn a disapproving look and he cringed.
"You're right, sorry Daryl. Shouldn't of just helped myself." Cautiously he handed the pack over to the hunter, who snatched it away. He pulled out the ammo and handed it to Glenn with a glare, before stomping out of the room.
Maggie walked over to her husband "Sometimes I think you have a real death wish and other times I think you're just dumb" she shook her head, glancing at Eleanor "Thought I was gonna be a widow for a while there" she joked. "Thanks for saving my jerk of a husband"