A/N Thanks for reading, for the reviews and the PMs, you guys are the best.
Well hell Merle thought, I ain't never promised that woman nuthin', made it clear from the start we was just screwing no strings attached, that's what I told her I wanted, and that's what she said she wanted. Not like we ever had a date or nuthin' just drank and screwed on Saturday nights, not like it was anythin' more. She said she didn't want nuthin' more. And why the hell was he worried, wasn't like he and Beth were on date.
When they sat in the booth at the diner, Beth saw the woman approaching the table, big hips swaying. She was tall with red brassy hair piled high, large breasts straining her uniform buttons, and lots of make-up. She didn't look happy as she walked to their table, "Well big boy who's this little girl, your daughter or your baby sister?" Merle was pissed, but he didn't want to let on as he said, "This woman is Beth Greene and this is her son Tommy. Beth rented the apartment out back, can we see a menu?" He noticed Beth looked scared. What the hell had happened to this girl?
When they got the menus he saw she didn't open hers. "Ya already know what ya want Beth?" he looked at her. "I thought you said we were having meatloaf," damn if she didn't look shaky again. He told her, "I usually have the meatloaf on a Saturday night, but you and Tommy can get whatever ya like, have a look at the menu." She placed a hand on the menu but didn't open it, and then in a nervous voice said, "I don't want to be any trouble." The fuck, "well girl, jus cuz I like meatloaf don't mean you gotta eat it, say what ya want."
She swallowed hard and answered, "I like chicken, haven't had any in a long time." "They got fried, ya like fried? And what about you sonny, what are you havin'," Merle was feeling bad for the girl. "Tommy can just share mine, we don't need extra, that will be plenty for us," Beth gave a small smile. "Nah, that ain't good, what does the boy like?" Merle wanted them to have plenty of food, dammit. "Grilled cheese and tomato soup, do they have that?" she timidly replied, just as Carlotta got back to the table with the waters.
The older woman didn't even look at Beth, "Ready to order big boy?" "Yep," Merle began, he was gonna handle this and save Beth from being any more uncomfortable, "Little fella is havin' a grilled cheese and some tomato soup with a glass of milk, Beth is havin' the fried chicken dinner and a glass of milk, and I'm havin' the meatloaf special and a coffee, please." When Carlotta had left the table Beth looked at him and said just above a whisper, "thank you Merle that was very nice." He just gave her a smile and small nod. Right on cue Tommy said, "Mama pee pee." "Oh dear, I'm sorry Merle, we'll be right back," she said. "Man's gotta go," Merle chuckled.
Merle glanced over in time to see Carlotta lean in and say something to Beth as she led the boy in the bathroom. "Now what?" he wondered.
Beth was almost to the bathroom door when Carlotta whispered in her ear, "You're not woman enough for a man like Merle, so keep your damn hands offa him." Beth never looked at her, and she was way too nervous to respond.
When she got back to the table Merle asked her, "You okay Beth?" "Yes, I'm fine," she didn't sound fine. "Is Carlotta your girlfriend?" she asked him. Oh for the love of Pete, "Nah, I know her, and we been friendly, but she ain't my girlfriend, I don't have a girlfriend. She say sumthin' to ya?" He watched her turn bright red, "Everything's fine, I'm sorry," that's what she said, but her face was bright red and she was shakin' again.
Damn, he thought. He was worried she'd start cryin' again. "Well whatever it was, don't be nervous now, we're here to have dinner and relax, been a big day for all of us," Damn, who thought goin' to a diner for meatloaf was gonna be so much like work. "Thank you Merle, you are a very kind man," Beth smiled shyly. Merle let out a small laugh and said, "Half the people I know would probably argue that with ya." And then thank God above, the food arrived.
He thought he had a hardy appetite, but when he saw the way Beth and the little fella dug in he knew they hadn't had a decent meal in a while.
He got an idea, "Beth do ya know how ta fry a rabbit up?" "Oh yes, I love fried rabbit," she finally seemed to relax. "Well I'ma get up early in the morning and do a little rabbit huntin', if I bring a couple home how 'bout you cook 'em up and I'll share. Is that a good trade?" "Oh yes Merle, I would be happy to make that trade with you, thank you."
When they were done with dinner Merle announced, "I think we need us some vanilla ice cream for dessert. I ain't had any a that in quite a while and I got a cravin'." Carlotta hadn't taken her eyes off of them and he motioned her over and asked, "Yeah could ya bring us each a dish a vanilla ice cream, and put a bit a whipped cream and a cherry on the little fellas'. Thanks." Beth couldn't help but notice Carlotta looked angry.
Tommy had fallen asleep on the way home from dinner and Merle carried him in the house for her. "Where ya want me to put the boy?" he asked. 'Oh he gets the bed, I'll have the couch." Dammit, now he s'posed he better get another little bed for the room, he couldn't have her sleepin' on the couch.
Before he left he lightly touched her upper arm, he felt her muscles tense and he promptly dropped his hand. "Ya know Beth, we all got a past, we all been through things, some's a lot worse than others. I done things, and had things done ta me I ain't proud of or happy about. Ya got nuthin' to be ashamed or embarrassed about. And Beth, ya don't always gotta say you're sorry. Night now." "Thank you Merle, goodnight to you," she actually looked him in the eye for once.
As he walked back to the house he wondered, "When the hell did I get so damn nice? And what is it about this woman that's got under my skin?"
After he'd left she sat down to catch up on some mending she'd been doing for the sheriffs' wife, and she heard a car pull in the driveway. She peeked out the window to see Carlotta get out of her car and go to Merle's back door, saw him open it and stand aside to let her in. If she wasn't his girlfriend, why did she know where he lived, why had she said what she said to Beth, and why did he let her in his house? She found herself feeling hurt and sad. Why? He was obviously an attractive and successful man, why wouldn't he have a woman friend, and why would it be Beth's business? But why had he lied, and why did she care? Her head was spinning when she lay down on the couch to try and get some sleep.
Merle got up early as planned, got his coffee and his gear and headed off. Usually it was just getting out in the woods Merle enjoyed, but he wasn't gonna come home empty handed today. He knew he wanted to help the girl, but it was more than that, he couldn't deny he was attracted, hell he hadn't even been able to think about screwing Carlotta last night, and she'd been more than willing. They'd had a big blow up and he'd told her he thought they oughta just quit messin' around like they'd been doing, no hard feelings. She'd yelled at him that he was throwing her over for a flat chested kid, and that made him angry, but it also made him wonder how old Beth was. And damn, he knew Carlotta was madder than a nest of hornets when she left, and shit, hadn't they agreed it was all just for laughs and sex, when did she forget about that?
With Beth, anyone could see she was a beauty, but that wasn't all of it. She was sweet, obviously a good mama, the kind of woman a man would be proud to have, and she was something more, whether she knew it or not, she was tough. No weak woman could raise a kid on her own, especially when it was obvious she had no real way to make a living but she'd managed to survive. And with all her trouble she was still a good person, he could tell. He knew he didn't know the half of what had happened to her, but he could tell it had been real, real bad.
Beth was so relieved there would be breakfast for both she and Tommy. It was just oatmeal with some reconstituted powdered milk, but it was somethin', and she still had the beans and a piece of chicken she'd brought home to share with him for lunch. She prayed Merle would have a successful hunt so they'd have a little dinner. She'd worry about tomorrow, tomorrow, what more could she do?
She got Tommy dressed, and she put on her pink Sunday dress, she put him in the wagon and walked the ten blocks over to the Bible Church. She didn't always feel welcome there, she saw the sideways glances so many of the women gave her, but her daddy had raised her to be a believer and she wanted Tommy to have faith. She prayed hard, thanking God for their new home, thanking God for Tommy and for Merle, and praying to God that he would see fit to let her be able to provide for her son.
When they'd gotten back home she had played with Tommy in the backyard for a while, then they'd gone inside, she'd fed him their little lunch and lay him down for his nap. She sat in the small chair and took up her mending again.
She hadn't slept all that well the night before and must have dozed off, she woke up to a banging on the door, and thinking it was Merle, she didn't hesitate to open it, Carlotta pushed her way in and immediately began yelling at Beth, "You two bit little whore, how dare you take what's mine. He's gonna screw you a couple of times, realize his big mistake, and I'll have him back. Your skinny little ass and flat chest don't stand a chance against what I got." Beth didn't know what to say, she tried to assure the woman, "Carlotta, Merle is my landlord, I haven't been with him, I promise." Carlotta was not swayed, "You're a miserable excuse for a piece of ass Little Miss Beth Greene, Merle must just feel like goin' after a little young stuff." "Please just leave me alone, I promise I'm not doing anything with Merle, please just leave," Beth was begging. "Don't you tell me what to do you stupid little bitch!" and with that, Carlotta slapped her hard, it caught Beth by surprise and off balance, she let out a scream as she fell back and landed hard on the floor.
Merle was feeling pretty damn good about having taken three rabbits as he pulled in his driveway. But he was puzzled for just a minute when he saw Carlotta's old Chevy parked at the curb; that was quickly replaced with a lot of concern and anger. He jumped out of the pick-up and rushed towards the apartment, just as he reached the door he heard the scream and he didn't hesitate to push the door open just as Beth hit the floor.
Carlotta was ready to take another swing when he grabbed her wrist, "Ya get the fuck outta here now or I'm callin' Grimes and don't you ever come back, never, ya hear!?" he snarled. "Merle, can't you see, she's not right for you, please Merle," Carlotta begged. "You heard me, get out! I won't have Beth mistreated. Yer lucky I don't hit women or I'd knock ya on yer ass myself, now get gone and stay gone!" Carlotta ran out the door screaming at Merle as he rushed over to Beth, he got down and pulled her into his arms, "I'm so sorry little darlin', so sorry, I had no idea that woman was capable of actin' like this," he just held her and kept trying to calm her, she'd tensed to his touch at first, but then seemed to relax a little, but damn, she was crying so hard and he had no idea what the hell to do, except just keep holding her.
When she finally calmed down a little she spoke, "It's not your fault Merle, it's me, everyone knows I'm bad, I have Tommy and I never even been married. I think it just brought back lots of scary memories when she yelled at me and hit me like that. I should probably just try and find a new place to live," there was that damn shakin' again. "What're ya talking about darlin', ain't nuthin' bad about you or the little fella, and you ain't goin' nowhere, ya live here an you're staying right here an I'ma make it my business ta see no one hurts ya again, right?" She just looked up in his eyes and nodded.
He helped her to her feet just as Tommy walked in from the bedroom, "Hi mama, hi Misser Mur." Beth and Merle both had to smile. It was then he noticed, her sweater sleeve was pulled up on her left arm and he saw the telltale scarring. He didn't say anything, he figured eventually he'd ask her why.
"Oh Merle," Beth looked at him with a small smile, "I didn't even ask, did you get a rabbit?" "Nope, I got three of 'em," he grinned. "Oh good, I've been hoping for fried rabbit all day," she smiled back. "Ya sure ya feel like cookin'? I could take us over to Robinson, they got a nice restaurant there," he looked concerned. "Oh no, please, I love to cook and it would make me happy to cook for you," her smile was bright and he felt a little clinch in his chest when she looked at him.
"C'mon now to the house you two, we're gonna cook up some rabbit and have us a feast!" Merle grinned broadly.
He felt guilty and angry about the incident with Carlotta, but at the same time he was happy to have this woman and her little fella with him.
A/N Aww Merle, new deals new drama next chapter