Chapter 6
February 1, 2014
The morning sun appeared in through the window as a ray of light rested directly on Sherry's face. Scrunching up her already closed eyes in dissatisfaction, she turned over to the other side of the bed while mentally attempting to gauge what time it was. It had been awhile since the sun had made its appearance during the winter months. Despite it disturbing her sleep, it was a welcome sight.
Sherry nearly leapt out of her skin when the alarm clock actually rang with music. It took her by surprise because she didn't recall setting the device to play anything but its regular beeping noise. Turning her head once more to face the nightstand, she raised an eyebrow when the sound of an acoustic guitar was being picked with a familiar tune. The warm memories filled her mind of the past when she often listened to the song while taking long road trips with her family. She smiled. Cheesy enough to be the work of Dwight's, she thought. She stared at the nightstand for a moment while her eyes still adjusted to the bright sun flooding in from behind the partially closed drapes.
"Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter,
Little darling, it feels like years since we've been here.
Here comes the sun,
Here comes the sun, and I say,
It's alright,"
The song and Dwight's sentiment gave her a combination that made it impossible to stop smiling. As her eyes continued to adapt from being closed after a long period of rest, she then brought her head up when seeing a note attached to the alarm clock that was still playing the melodious song. Immediately knowing the handwriting and not expecting it to be anyone else's, she grabbed the thin sheet of paper and then propped her elbows beneath her chest as she began to read it.
Care to have a little adventure?
It wasn't that Sherry had been in a constant funk but she could say that her bad days far surpassed the good ones. It was the first morning that she woke up not dreading the day ahead of her. Instead, she felt some extra motivation to get out of bed combined with a sense of intrigue. With one deep breath, Sherry brought her head down on the pillow and then rolled off the bed to get ready for the day.
…
Sherry and Amber moved into the same house that Dwight and Mark lived in. Mark and Amber didn't share a room because they were taking a break from themselves for the time being. Sherry had her own room as well and told Dwight that she needed some time before she took that big step. They shared a house mainly because the dangers within Sanctuary still lingered. Sherry and Amber no longer trusted living in a house all by themselves when multiple men still tried to break in and take advantage of them. Luckily, they were able to arm themselves unlike before and had to shoot at trespassers at least once a month. Dwight also preferred them not dealing with being attacked on a regular basis.
They all had their separate bedrooms on the second floor while the main floor was used to store supplies for everyone in the community. The basement was used as a mini home for Valerie's little family that consisted of her and her two daughters, Lorraine and Lydia.
There was some awkwardness between Sherry and Valerie when they both moved under one roof. Sherry knew it a right choice to tell Valerie that she killed her husband, Ryan. Upon hearing Sherry's confession, Valerie told her that before he died, he confided to his wife about the small amount of empty promises that Negan was giving as she then begged him not to go through with it. However, he ignored Valerie's wishes and left Sanctuary to ambush Sherry those many months ago. Valerie understood that he was turning his back on the right path and didn't hold Sherry responsible for his passing. Surprised by Valerie's eagerness to forgive, she still felt bad knowing that she made someone a widow and also two children fatherless.
As she walked down the steps, she could hear Lorraine and Lydia giggling in the kitchen as Amber and Valerie made them breakfast. The day continued to get brighter and brighter from Sherry's perspective. Everyone seemed to welcome the sunlight with open arms as the air also seemed slightly warmer. They still had more winter months to go but they all enjoyed pockets of sun to break the monotony and equal isolation that the cold weather provided.
Sherry turned the corner into the living room to see Dwight sitting at the desk while writing several notes and glancing towards another paper for reference. He saw movement from his peripherals and immediately brought his head up to see Sherry walking his direction. He then smirked at her and leaned back on his seat then brought his feet up to rest on the wooden surface of the desk. "Good morning, little darling."
"So cheesy, it hurts," Sherry commented but grinned regardless as he sometimes had that effect on her. She then held up the note that he had given her that morning and raised one eyebrow. "What is this?"
"An invitation," Dwight replied and walked around his desk to stand in front of her while he reached for the back of her arms carefully and drew her closer towards him. "Supply run. Me and you. We'll be gone for a couple of days so I hope you don't have anything major planned."
"I have a couple of minor things but…" Sherry began as she contemplated what Dwight offered. She hardly ever turned down an opportunity to get outside of Sanctuary so his sell was enticing enough on its own. Going outside of their community walls was still dangerous and walkers weren't the only ones that they had to look after. They knew more or less the exact location of the exiled Saviors campground and knew it was further north of the roads that they scavenged or cleared for any kind of transport that they had to deliver among the four large communities. She wasn't afraid to leave and more often welcomed it. "When our supply run is done, can we make a quick trip towards Hilltop to see Noelle?"
"Anything you want," Dwight said and leaned down to give her a light peck on the lips. "Get your stuff ready and we'll leave as soon as we can, okay?"
"Sounds good," Sherry agreed and walked slowly out of the room. She then turned back to watch Dwight find his spot back behind the desk while she admired his tall and toned build. He wore darker jeans with a simple gray short sleeved shirt. It wasn't anything much different than what he usually wore but for some reason, it kindled something within Sherry. She chalked it up to the cheerful mood that she was in. He glanced up as a thrill surged through her knowing that she was caught checking him out. His lips curled while she took her leave to prepare for their departure. Her face felt warm with slight embarrassment and a bit of another familiar feeling but she quickly shook it away before it got the better of her. She did recognize the feeling as progress though.
…
Sherry got her large backpack and started walking out the front door to prepare for her and Dwight's trip. As she left the front door, she stopped and stood on the porch to see the house that was across the street. It was the new family that moved into the Stapleton's old home. The family consisted of three children.
When they arrived at Sanctuary's front door, they were cold, tired, and grieving the loss of their youngest child who the father still held in his arms in complete shock. The sight made Sherry's heart ache as their youngest had to be less than a year old. The family let her know that their son died the same morning just a few hours before they saw Sanctuary. Walking into the gates of Sanctuary was bittersweet. They were so close to finding a safe haven but not close enough.
The doctor observed the child's body and rightfully presumed the child was malnourished but the cause of death was the cold weather from the night before. Their other children were being observed in the hospital and on fluids as they were also clinging on for dear life.
Sherry watched from the porch as the husband and wife buried their youngest in the ground. The day was unusually warm which helped the dirt be less frozen. Regardless of the mild heat wave, the sight still sent a chill within Sherry as she hoped other families would find safe places to live.
Sanctuary still wasn't the safest and they were still teetering on the idea of whether or not they should abandon the place altogether. Dwight saw the benefits of leaving like she did but he had a stubborn streak to see the place become better than it had ever been before. She admired his persistence but didn't want the place to exhaust him if it wasn't cooperating with his aspirations for the long haul.
"You ready to go?" Dwight asked behind her. His voice had some reverence to it as he too saw the scene that Sherry was staring towards but also sounded urgent so she didn't have to watch the tragic moment anymore.
"Sure," Sherry responded as they both stepped side by side off the porch and towards the mill where they kept all wagons, sleighs, and horses for travel. They wanted to transport a lot of things with them so they chose to bring a truck. As it was one of the final years that they could use diesel fuel, they were going to definitely take advantage of the time that they had to travel fast and not worry about parking horses in a safe place as they scavenged the insides of stores.
"Looking for anything in particular?" Sherry inquired.
Dwight shook his head. "No, we're as stalked up as we can be with food thanks to the Kingdom and Hilltop. Same with bullets. This trip is more for whatever we can use in trading with others. Just what we can find."
"That actually sounds like a lot of fun," Sherry said with a smile. Dwight appreciated her upbeat attitude in regards to their short trip and reached for her hand as their fingers interlaced one with another.
…
They both laid out a course for places within their community limits but decided to venture towards areas that weren't cleared by their people so they could try and find some stores that haven't previously been touched. On the way to the stores, they would search through several homes to see if there was anything of value before moving on.
Arriving at the first home that was on the way to the supercenters, Dwight and Sherry walked up to it and heard something already pressing up against one of the windows. Knowing it was just a biter that must have noticed them headings its way, Sherry continued to walk towards the house. "How many do you think are in there?"
Dwight loaded his crossbow and brought it up to aim at the front door. "I'm guessing it's just the one," he presumed. "Other walkers would've come beside that guy to see what all the fuss is about."
Sherry checked the door to see if it was locked or not. Not to her surprise, it was already unlocked which meant it was scavenged of food or bullets previously. Luckily, they weren't looking for things that most supply runners were hurriedly grabbing for. She then banged on the door loudly to get the walker's attention then stepped back to stand beside Dwight as they both waited for the undead to answer their call. She watched around them for any signs of danger besides the walker that they were going to face while Dwight stood tall with his weapon still directed towards the door.
Shuffling noises were heard inside the house as the walker meandered its way to the front door. Once it finally came into view, it only took Dwight seconds to aim at the rotting corpse's brain and take his shot. The walker started growling as the bolt flew in mid air towards its target. With ease, it pierced the dead's eye hole as it fell down face forward with an inhuman splat noise. Sherry scrunched up her nose at the sound but simply walked around the body that was now finally at peace. Stepping over its feet, she made it to the doorway the same time that another walker emerged from the home. Knife already drawn, she leaned back with an arm extended to hold the walker at bay and stabbed the walker from it's ear. No longer putting up a fight, Sherry let it fall to the ground as it landed on top of the walker that Dwight killed seconds before.
"Still got it," Sherry said and feigned a smug grin as she walked into the house.
Dwight followed behind her clearly impressed with her walker kill. "I would say as much but I don't want it to go to your head or anything."
Sherry made a face and stuck her tongue out at him then focused on her surroundings within the home. "What are you thinking they have in here?"
"Blankets, clothes, if it's still in a package that's preferable," Dwight responded while trailing behind her. He stopped to load his crossbow again. When he glanced back up towards Sherry, she was already looking at him with a fond expression. She turned around the same time that he knelt down to line up another bolt. Still watching her, he was drawn to the light curves that she had with her small and delicate figure. She was a surprising person to Dwight. Even when he first met her, she packed more spunk than those twice her size. It was one of the thousands of things that he found attractive about her.
Intelligent as she was equally stunning, Sherry was someone completely out of his league. As he watched her search the house, he noticed how her dark hair - that was up in a bun - complimented the complexion of her olive skin tone. Her brown eyes studied the area around her as she bit the inside of her lip like she always did when she was thinking.
His mind then traveled to thoughts that some considered ungentlemanly as he shook his head in response. Nope, Dwight thought to himself, Sherry needs space. You have both talked about it before. Don't torture yourself, Dwight.
It had been more than a month since Dwight first spoke with Father Gabriel about some misgivings that he had about his future. After that impromptu discussion they had after the Carson's special day, Dwight made it a point to ask Father Gabriel certain questions that he had with the beliefs set down in doctrine. It wasn't that he found God yet but he could safely say that he was searching for some closure and redemption from the life he tried to escape.
There was also the people in his new life that he wanted to benefit and not hinder furthermore. He didn't expect to take his role as Godfather that seriously but he wanted to be another example for Noelle of how to be a good person regardless of the world they resided in.
Sherry was a big reason why he wanted to change. He wanted to always be the person that she turned to for everything and anything. She made an effort to support him in all his duties whether she agreed with him or not. They depended on each other.
"Do you have this album?" Sherry asked, pulling him out of his thoughts while holding up a Rod Stewart vinyl for Dwight to see. She knelt in the living room while thumbing through what they had in their cabinets.
"I think the correct question would be if I want that album," Dwight teased as she rolled her eyes. "No, I think I'm good on that one."
…
It was around noon that they made it to the store. Using a stick, Sherry hit it against the metal beams in the front of the store as they waited. For large stores, they waited the minimum of ten minutes for any sign of life. Dwight and Sherry talked about trivial things in a whisper more so they could still hear their surroundings while they stood at the ready.
Nothing appeared. They usually anticipated around ten walkers for every supercenter that they looted but no sound was made within the darkness. Something appeared fishy to Dwight as he could read the hesitation on Sherry's face as well. Nevertheless, they both walked into the store and both grabbed carts to put stuff in.
"Whatever stands out, bring it with us," Dwight suggested lightly. "People are finding things to splurge on now. We're in a position to use less practical shit."
Sherry and Dwight first walked down a clearance aisle as Sherry spotted a pasta maker and placed it in the cart. "Someone will find this useful, right?"
"I assumed you were packing that for yourself," Dwight teased.
"No, I actually know how to make my own pasta," Sherry explained with a smile. "My aunt taught us way back when."
"Us?" Dwight inquired.
"Me and the thousands of cousins I had in the Chicago area," Sherry revealed with the number being an over exaggeration. "We used to get together all the time and do stuff like that as a famiglia."
"Famiglia," Dwight repeated while testing the word on his tongue as grabbed a bunch of toilet paper from one shelf. "We'll have to make a couple of trips to the loading truck after this."
They continued to shop while getting further into the store. Weaving in and out of the aisles, they came across baby clothes that were still on display. Reserved for the most part, Sherry didn't see a speck of blood on the clothes and thought they would just need a good washing before they were given to young children throughout all the communities.
"We should bring a couple of these back with us," Sherry stated. She looked around the space and then walked across the aisle towards some plastic bins that were stacked on top of one another. She rolled some out as Dwight assisted then started putting baby clothes inside the bins.
"Is that what our supply run is going to consist of this week?" Dwight asked.
Sherry nodded. "I think so. All of our people seem to be fine on everything else, right? If we have all of these baby clothes, blankets, and other things in our supply buildings, we don't have to worry about babies being cold during the nights."
"That one family make you think of that?" Dwight inquired as Sherry took his place from retrieving clothes and just passed the clothes that she wanted to bring to him so he could place them in the bins.
"Yes," Sherry responded sadly. "I just couldn't imagine. You get so close to finding a safe haven and your baby freezes to death. That's heartbreaking. We could even place some of these in homes surrounding Sanctuary. With a letter saying that they are close? What do you think?"
"I think that's a great idea," Dwight answered. Sherry nodded and he knew her mind was already made up as she continued to load whatever clothes she liked in the first bin. A thought entered his mind as he watched his beloved gaze at a couple of newborn clothes before grabbing them and putting them in for future trading. There was a sense of longing there that Dwight could see. He had an idea where it derived from and hoped Sherry would talk to him about it.
"Have you ever felt sad that you aren't going to have kids?" Dwight asked. Sherry glanced toward him to try and read what he was really trying to ask but saw that his question was as simple as that. "I'm just curious."
"Well," Sherry started as she handed him more clothes. "The doctor told me that the chances of me having children are one out of a hundred. The same as someone on birth control. Technically, there is that very small window of opportunity but… Mind if I get blunt for a second?"
"Please do," Dwight responded.
"I had unsafe sex with Negan for two years and… nothing happened," Sherry concluded with a shrug. "Not really holding out much hope for the future, ya know? I mean, why would I do that to myself? To answer your question though… In the world that we live in, I'm kind of glad that I don't have to worry about it. When the doctor first told me, I was sad but now I don't really mind. Noelle fills the void in a lot of ways." Sherry then gazed over to him. "What about you?"
Dwight grinned wide. "You know how I feel about it. Kids are great but you were right with what you said about Noelle. Teegan, Troy, and Judith can be included in that too. I'm completely satisfied with it being just the two of us. Never worry about that."
"Just thought I would ask," Sherry replied. "Don't want you to be disappointed in something that I can't control."
"I'm not a douchebag, I promise," Dwight joked as Sherry smiled and went back to her work.
"I know that stuff is kind of important though," Sherry defended. "People want to have children to carry their name into the future. But having children is also a loving thing to do. It's a big thing to miss out on."
"And I already made my choice to miss out on it," Dwight answered. "That's one of the easiest choices I have ever made."
Sherry smiled softly at his statement then walked into the area where blankets were kept. They continued to talk about other things such as music, Noelle, Sanctuary, and Alexandria while their carts, bins, and dollies got full. Making trips to the truck, they loaded cribs, car seats, baby shampoo, and other useful items for young babies. They also grabbed large comforters still in plastic wrappings, towels, bathroom items, and many laundry baskets as starter kits for new families. For the most part, the shopping center hadn't been weather torn or infested with critters. Dwight & Sherry thought to keep it that way and taped the front door with cardboard to keep most things out of it in case they needed to raid more items from the good find they had. Searching for baby items proved to be a fruitful find.
…
By the time they loaded everything from the store, the sun already began to set with colder weather starting to set in. Several snowflakes began to fall as Dwight groaned from the sight while Sherry could feel the temperature quickly fall. The trip back to Sanctuary meant potential icy roads. Even the clouds gave Sherry some misgivings as that meant potential danger with an oncoming blizzard.
They didn't drive more than five minutes when the wind picked up unforgivingly. Roads were treacherous as the snow melted from the warmer day began to ice over quickly. Dwight didn't feel good about driving while Sherry equally didn't feel good about being a passenger. Driving to the house that they raided before, they parked the large truck in the driveway, got some items from their day's scavenging and decided to stay for the night versus attempting to make it back to Sanctuary.
Preparing their night, they covered the basics first. Sherry covered windows with dusty sheets that were on one of the beds while Dwight strung cans to every entryway as an alarm.
Once they thought their presence was discreet enough, Dwight tried the fireplace as Sherry got some sleeping arrangements done. She removed all the old, dusty sheets from two mattresses, and replaced them with newer ones from the store. Still in its packaging, they hadn't been moth eaten and still smelled fresh. But while getting the mattresses ready, the wind howled against the windows as a chill settled over her. It was going to be a very cold night.
…
Dwight successfully got the fire going from the fireplace but looked towards Sherry as she struggled to bring a twin size mattress within the living room.
"Those for anything in particular?" Dwight inquired as she sat it on the floor directly in front of the fireplace.
"Cold night," Sherry answered. "Figured we could bunk in front of something warm. The other rooms are way too chilly to sleep comfortably in."
Sherry started to get up to bring his mattress into the room but he grabbed her hand and shook his head. "I'll get it. You relax."
When he returned to the living room with his own twin size mattress, she was no longer sitting in front of the fire like he left her. As he plopped his mattress beside hers, she emerged from the kitchen with a photo in hand and sat on her own sleeping area once more. Seeing that Dwight was staring at her, she held the photo up and shrugged. "I saw it on the fridge."
Dwight began taking his shoes off then while continuing to gaze at Sherry. "What's this picture?" He asked. It wasn't unusual for her to set her eyes on photos within random homes.
"A mom...a young mom and her two boys," Sherry said and handed him the picture. He saw what she briefly described and saw all three family members smiling towards the camera with matching gray shirts and appeared to be on a small train like the ones at amusement parks or zoos.
"Make up a scenario for them yet?" Dwight questioned. It was a game that they played often.
"They are alive," Sherry revealed confidently. "The two boys learned martial arts skills. Want to add on?"
"Um...the mom's weapon of choice are crochet hooks…" Dwight offered. "And she places them in between each finger like Wolverine claws."
Sherry let out a small laugh as Dwight shrugged to defend his answer. "Katana sword and baseball bat were taken. I'm drawing low on clever weapon choices here, okay?"
"Fair point," Sherry responded. She settled on her mattress as Dwight reached into his bag just above his pillow and began searching through its contents.
Without looking inside his pack, his voice drew recognition upon feeling a thin metal flask and produced it out of his pack. Sherry saw it immediately and rolled her eyes as a way to react.
"May I ask where you got that?" Sherry asked.
"Found it in one of the homes that we raided," Dwight conveyed with honesty and reached into his pack again. With a smile, he pulled another flask from his bag and handed it toward Sherry. "Want some?"
Sherry reluctantly reached towards it and twisted the top to sniff whatever was inside. When she brought it up to her nose, she immediately regretted the decision as her face scrunched up in revulsion.
Dwight laughed at her reaction as he sat up on his mattress. "Strong?"
"Even that word would be an understatement," Sherry proclaimed. "It does not smell that great. Doesn't even smell like it should be legal. Like a vodka mixed with another alcohol."
Dwight started opening his bottle and raised his eyebrows at Sherry. "Lucky for us, laws about alcohol consumption don't matter anymore," he reminded and looked to her mischievously.
Sherry eyed her flask in hand with skepticism. "Do you think that's a good idea?" She questioned and looked up to him warily.
"Well, what else are we going to do until morning?" Dwight asked and started lifting the bottle to his mouth.
Sherry quickly grabbed his forearm to bring the bottle away from his face. "You are a recovering alcoholic," she stated as a matter-of-factly.
Dwight snorted with humor and pursed his lips. "Come on, I'm not an alcoholic," he blurted but then shrugged his shoulders in defense mode again. "I have been known to abuse it on stressful days but if you asked me to stop drinking cold turkey, I definitely could."
Sherry gave him a doubtful look. "Would you?" She asked.
"Sher, if you asked me to run around this house in my birthday suit, I would do it; snow and all," Dwight declared with a satisfied smile in her direction.
Sherry looked at the alcohol again and sighed. It had been awhile since she allowed herself to let loose and enjoy life. Above everything else, she trusted Dwight to be a gentleman even while under the influence if their booze fest happened to go that far.
"Fine. Let's play 'I Never,'" Sherry suggested and raised her eyebrows at Dwight.
He stared back at her in disbelief for several seconds as if he didn't hear her correctly. "Really?" He asked in shock. "You really want to play that and drink?"
A playful grin appeared on her face as she had to look away from him at the sudden giddiness she felt at the idea.
He huffed loudly and shook his head. "Sherilyn Anne Ciccone, I am surprised at your ungodly behavior," Dwight mocked as she giggled wickedly.
"Do you want to go first or should I?" She pressed and opened her flask again. The odor was strong as she closed it once more to avoid smelling it more than she had to.
"You go first. I need to think of a good one," Dwight replied as he fidgeted in his spot to get more comfortable.
Sherry looked out of the windshield to ponder what to say. "I never…was a part of a sorority or the male equivalent in college," she said and looked at him expectantly but he didn't budge.
"And here I thought you knew me so well," Dwight teased. "Nope. I was never a part of a fraternity. I thought the idea to be very immature and distracting from the actual college experience."
"Yeah, it was a bad first try for me," Sherry admitted and lifted the flask to her lips as she took a small swig. Immediately, she forced herself to gulp down the drink before she let out a cough. "Holy hell, that burns going down."
Dwight laughed with obvious delight that they were playing one of his favorite games. "I never…fell asleep while watching a movie in theaters," He recalled. Sherry's shoulder sank dejectedly while she took another drink as he laughed. "What movie was it?" He asked.
"Quantum of Solace," Sherry answered in shame. "I never really liked James Bond movies."
"I disagree but fair enough," Dwight replied. "Your turn."
Sherry made a face and tried to think of something that would stump him. "I never…surfed before?" She said hoping that he had done that at least once in his life.
Sure enough, Dwight took the bottle and finally drank his first sip of the night. He almost spat it out from the taste but let it settle instead. "That shit is stronger than it smells."
"That stuff is dangerous!" Sherry said with a grin but looked delighted in the game anyways.
"I never…" Dwight thought but it was difficult going back to a time that already seemed so long ago. "I never went skinny dipping before."
"I need to step up my game," Sherry muttered and took another sip. "I never played Dungeons and Dragons before."
"More than once I regret telling you that story," Dwight said with a small chuckle but drank from the flask. "This stuff has to almost be one hundred percent alcohol. I'm already feeling something."
"Same," Sherry agreed but said it with a grin. They both seemed to be enjoying their activity well.
"I never really knew my cousins that well," Dwight revealed.
Sherry drank but stared at him like the idea was foreign to her. "But you had cousins, right?"
"Probably not as many as you but I had a few," Dwight replied. "My mom was an only child so no cousins from her side. And my dad's siblings didn't talk to him or my Grandpa John while either of them were alive."
"Was there a reason why?" Sherry questioned.
"Some disagreement about my Grandpa John's farm," Dwight answered. "I don't know a lot of details but there was a lot of money involved if Grandpa sold his crops to a potato chip factory. He said no." Dwight scoffed upon remembering something. "The last time I saw my cousins was at my parents' funeral. My aunt and uncle were trying to ask my brother how much money they received from the will. Which was a low move. My family wasn't well off anyways and both of my parents worked to pay the bills. John basically told them to go fuck themselves. I never saw him so angry before. He didn't even let them approach me and asked the funeral usher to escort them away."
Dwight took a large portion from his flask even though it wasn't part of the game; he just needed a drink. "Your brother protected you," Sherry spoke softly.
"He always had my back," Dwight agreed and stared into the fire. "I honestly didn't know if I could make it in this world without him. And I always wonder what life would have been like if he was still alive right now."
"Do you think it would have changed some scenarios for us?" Sherry pondered, willing to daydream about it with him.
"I would like to think his presence would have changed everything for the better," Dwight responded.
They both took another large swig before moving on. "I would have been in Michigan if I stayed close to my parents," Sherry disclosed. "I don't even know if they made it there from Chicago but I like to think that they did. I dreamt of all my family members living in Michigan. Everything was calm there. Not like here."
"Do you ever regret leaving Chicago to live in Georgia?" Dwight thought to ask even if her answer would probably hurt him. He took a drink just in case.
"In some cases, yeah," Sherry said. "There's obviously some things I wish I didn't go through. But...I wouldn't have met you."
Dwight considered what she said while Sherry looked towards him. She took two more drinks as some tears began to form. "You okay?" He asked quietly and placed a hand on her knee.
"Yeah, it's just…" Sherry started as she wiped at her eyes. "You just think about how much time has passed and how much that has happened. It's overwhelming sometimes."
"It will be four years in April," Dwight shook his head in disbelief. His fingers grazed her thigh but he tried to keep his mind on her and not where they were. Alcohol was only making it more difficult. Nevertheless, he drank more. And so did Sherry with their drinking game long forgotten as they silently decided to go down another path where the conversation led them.
…
Sherry was feeling sufficiently buzzed as the room would not stay still and her thoughts could only delve so far. Multitasking was out of the question. Just the small amount that she had was enough to make her world feel dizzying and surreal.
"I'm…" Dwight started to say but lost track of his train of thought. His hand still rested on her far knee as he laid down propped on one elbow. No longer remembering what he was going to address, he locked eyes with her as they quietly did nothing. They did nothing but Sherry could feel the atmosphere change as the air felt heavy to her. His fingers traveled up her thigh but wavered when Sherry saw some doubt flicker in his eyes.
Just then, a thought entered her head that Sherry hadn't entertained in a very long time. It was a feeling that didn't overcome her for almost a year but as she looked to Dwight with his dark eyes lingering at parts of her body, she couldn't think of anything else.
"I think we should…" Dwight started but was soon interrupted by Sherry leaned in to kiss him passionately on the lips. Had he started the phrase with an invitation or to tuck her to bed, she didn't know. All she knew was that the alcohol was having a strong effect on her. In the moment of letting loose, she couldn't care less about the worries that plagued her conscious mind.
She placed her hands on the back of his head and ran her fingers through his dark brown hair while soaking in everything about him. The smell of his clothes that consisted of cigarette smoke, the outdoors, and a hint of the body wash that he used which smelled almost minty.
Dwight blinked several times as he wondered what was going on but with the alcohol in his system, he could only reciprocate her gesture without considering anything else.
Like a magnet, he closed the gap between them and got on top of her. Sherry tugged at his shirt and started lifting it over his head. His face left hers for the small moment to remove the item of clothing as she looked down to admire his fairly toned chest and arms. He grabbed her by the hips which made his arms flex slightly and kissed her again to commence the passion that had already been built up.
Just as he thought to do the same with her clothes, an alarm went off in his mind. It was faint and was fading away fast but he needed to listen to it while it was still around to adhere. They were both drunk and highly intoxicated. If Sherry were sober, she wouldn't like him touching her the way that he wanted to. Or would she? Dwight was becoming confused as she was the one who instigated the whole thing. However, he knew Sherry.
"We shouldn't…" Dwight tried to urge but was losing his self-will while Sherry's kiss deepened. It was something that he wanted badly. All he wanted was to be with her. It seemed like she was feeling the same at the moment.
"I want to," Sherry assured. The voice of reason was leaving fast as the alcohol consumed his thought process. Sherry said she wanted to. She wants it; you want it. Just fucking do it, he thought to himself.
"Are you sure?" Dwight thought to ask as he carefully put his hands underneath her shirt to feel the warmth of her bare skin before he even knew what he was doing.
Sherry gazed up to look him straight in the eyes so he could understand her meaningful intent. She nodded vigorously then grabbed her shirt and pulled it off while lifting her chin and back up to bring over her head. It fell to the floor as Dwight stared dumbfounded and almost confused. Arousal was far surpassing the rest of his thoughts while he glanced toward Sherry's chest that was covered by only one article of clothing; a bra.
He still held her waist as Sherry could see his mind trying to weigh the pro's and con's before him. Unable to analyze her own thoughts because of the alcohol, she went to proceed with the removal of her bra. As if Dwight made up his mind, he stopped Sherry but reached behind her for the bra clasp himself.
As he took her bra off, they continued to kiss while her hands reached behind Dwight and wandered all over him. His tongue explored the inside of her mouth as he wrapped his arms around her naked back and lifted her up so she sat on his lap. Sherry wrapped her legs around him albeit somewhat sloppy of an effort due to their mutual drunkenness.
Sherry began to feel the familiar tingle as the passion from the kiss lingered on their tongues. She could feel Dwight's hold on her was strong and she felt protected within his grasp. They stayed like that for a long period then proceeded to take the rest of their clothes off without even caring about what was right or wrong.
He fell on top of her while she laid on her mattress once more. Kissing her warm skin on her stomach and making his way up to her face, he spent an ample amount of time in between as she reacted favorably to his actions. Dwight grabbed Sherry's leg and swung it over his shoulder then brought his hand down to maneuver his way inside of her as she took a sharp breath upon the sweet sensation that they mutually felt.
Rocking steadily into her, he started breaking out in a sweat. Sherry tried to keep her enjoyment muffled while still consciously aware that they were away from the safe walls of their communities and then placed a hand over her mouth. Dwight started kissing her neck and then went faster while being more turned on with the way Sherry was responding to him.
Several minutes passed as Dwight persisted. Unable to contain herself anymore, Sherry started breathing heavily and reached for Dwight's face to kiss him even more. Dwight's lips kissed every surface of her face as his fingers dug into the mattress beneath them. As Sherry's pants progressed into more pleasurable noises, Dwight was finding it difficult to continue while it was sending him over the edge. It had been a very long time since he experienced a moment like the one he was having with Sherry. It had been a long time coming.
He started to groan while his body slowly began to relax once more. With one final thrust, Dwight then rested his head on Sherry's shoulder as she held the back of his head while running her fingers through his wavy to curly hair. For the first time in over two years, they finally did it. The overwhelming that came with what they just did could be felt between them as their hearts beat against each other while they breathed one another in.
"I love you," Sherry whispered in his ear.
He gave her a soft kiss on the shoulder and rolled over to be beside her. "I love you too," he echoed her sentiment. And just like that, in their intoxicated state, they fell asleep effortlessly.
…
Sherry had wondered if the previous night had been a dream. She felt like she had been asleep for weeks and that her head was going to burst from a moonshine-induced migraine. While trying to connect what happened, she felt an arm that was slung over her naked chest as it twitched slightly from her stirring out of sleep.
Opening one eye, she turned her head to see Dwight resting peacefully beside her while they were both covered by a thin burgundy sheet. She closed her eyes and could only think of the hangover that she was experiencing. However, a grin escaped her lips while remembering bits and pieces of the night before. She slept with Dwight. They were both drunk which could have been considered not that much progress but she still felt some freedom because of it. She hoped next time that she wouldn't have to drink alcohol to feel the need to be with him again. Regardless, the parts that she remembered were the better moments of her last two years. Hell, that was probably the best thing that happened since the new world even began, Sherry thought to herself.
She knew the feeling of contentment wasn't going to last. Her past always had a way of catching up to her. Knowing it would pass without a moment's notice, she snuggled in closer to Dwight as he woke up enough from his sleep to wrap his arms around her before falling back into his slumber. They faced each other on the bed as Sherry lightly traced up and down his back with her fingernails.
"Morning," Dwight muttered into the pillow.
Sherry buried her face into his chest and smiled. "Morning," she replied.
Dwight then lifted up his head slightly and stared down at Sherry as if she was a mirage. Sherry knew what was going on his mind and simply nodded. "Yeah, it really happened," she clarified.
Looking very disappointed in himself, he groaned and put his head down on the pillow. "Sher, I was so drunk last night. If I did anything that scared you…"
"You didn't," Sherry whispered. "I'm still on a high right now with my mood. Don't ruin it for me."
Dwight smirked at her response and held her tightly. The fact that she had to get herself drunk to get in the mood was somewhat troubling to him but he had a feeling that she already was aware of it. Dwight held her close and hoped that she really knew how much he loved her. He wanted to do right by her in more ways than one. Although hazy, he remembered parts of their night together and was glad that it happened. Maybe it was because of his own selfish reasons; but he was happy regardless.
AUTHOR'S NOTES, TRIVIA, & FACTS -
#1 - Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles. This is obviously one of their more well known songs. If you haven't already gathered, I am still riding that Beatlemania that they spoke of in the '60's. Dwight & Sherry are written to be in the same boat as me LOL. If you can remember, this is kind of a throwback to book 1 (Many Hearts to Tread) when they are sitting in the car after leaving the mansion. They were both more positive back then. But I guess this is to signify that they still have a part of their old selves in there deep down. #DwightAndSherryForever!
#2 - If you are a Daryl/Beth shipper, you may fondly remember their I Never game. Regardless if it turned into a heated argument, they both got some emotions out and...God, I loved Bethyl and I miss them so! This is also a scene reminiscent of ANOTHER show that I grew up watching. LOST! If you watched that show then you would remember Sawyer & Kate playing a game of I Never.
#3 - Pasta Maker lady...What's her face... She could have been more patient!
#4 - Dwight & Sherry did the deed for the second time! Small victories, my friends, small victories!