Sooo, I'm still working on making the chapters a tad bit longer and again I want to say thanks to the great reviews and for our new followers! You guys give me the drive to keep writing!:) Y'all leave more reviews on how you think it's going so far or what you'd like to see happen(;
I walk to the only bedroom on the first floor and knock gently on the open door. I see Hershel sitting on the bed reading an ancient looking book, he looks up at me with surprise,
"Oh, you're too quiet.", he says with a light chuckle.
" I'm sorry, sir.. It's more of a habit than anything." I say, politely smiling as I look around and add, "I see you got a room all to yourself?"
He looks around now too, "Yes, it's a little easier that way.", he replies with vague sadness in his voice but the smile on his face is bright and sincere as he looks back to me.
"Thank you so much for all you're doing."
-Not again. I think to myself, I can't handle anymore emotions today. The rock in my throat begins to settle but I swallow hard, refusing to let it come back.
"Really, it's no big deal. It's good for all of us." I say, turning to leave but stop, "get some rest Herschel, you need it." I catch a polite nod and smile before I head up the stairs two at a time.
I find Carol and Beth first. They are moving around talking lightly as they fix the room to suit them. Beth sees me before I get the chance to knock and her face lights up, practically glowing. She is quite a pretty girl, blonde hair with navy blue eyes, can't be much older than 16 if I had to guess.
"Hey Rose!" She says brightly with a huge grin.
"Hey Beth," I reply with a small smile, "Carol," I acknowledge her with a nod, "how is the room working for y'all?" They both are beaming as they go on about their room and how the farm reminds them of Herschel's.
-Something bad must've happened to his farm to cause the whole group to leave. Walkers? Another group? My was running through all the possibilities, none of them which I like.
As I turn to leave, I feel a small hand on my forearm and look to see Carol attached to it.
"We would like to cook dinner if you wouldn't mind it," she says with a strange tone in her voice, almost like longing, "it's just you've been so busy all day with getting us comfortable that I was hoping to repay you a little, and a kitchen like that has my name written all over it."
I laugh at her last remark, "Of course, I already had some beef out to cook, but I'll have to get more since I wasn't expecting the company," I say sarcastically, causing her to smirk and laugh along with me.
"I can show you the pantry or help find whatever you need." She pats my arm gently, which makes my heart ache with memories of my mother. I manage to chase the hurt a little as I round the corner to see Rick, Carl, and Judith setting up in what used to be my grandparents bedroom.
"The room big enough for everyone?" I ask from the door way, flashing them a warm smile which they return as soon as they see me.
"It's more than fine." Rick says in his easy way.
"You know, I might have an old bassinet in the cellar, I can get it cleaned up for Judith.", I say as the random memory of my grandmothers old baby crib pops into my mind. "I'll be right back!" I call, already making my way to the stairs. I hear footsteps behind me and a second later I feel Rick's presence beside me, which, for whatever reason, calms me.
I flick the old light switch at the top of the stone steps and it illuminates our path with a flood of aged light. The cellar has never been my favorite place, damp and enclosed, it makes my stomach twist with anxiety if I ever stay for too long. I'm sure being locked in here alone by my brother when we were kids doesn't help my case any, and my mind begins to wander off to a time when the world was still right. Jake and I were playing Hide-N-Go Seek, running around trying to find the very best hiding spots from one another. I got the bright idea that he would never find me in the cellar, but little did I know he had heard me shut the door, and I found myself locked in the dusty, old time capsule for what seemed an eternity before my grandfather let me out.
I do a lot of traveling down memory lane as we rummage through the large space in comfortable silence. I find old pictures and even older artifacts that I'm sure my grandparents had once held dear. We were beginning to give up hope when I spot the dusty baby crib huddled in a far off corner with even more ancient junk piled on top of it.
"It'll be perfect with a little fixin' up." Rick says as he gives me a warm smile. My heart flutters for an instant but I can't place a finger on any one logical explanation as to why.
-You've barely known this man for a day! You can't seriously being thinking you're attracted him? Maybe I am and maybe I'm not, I decide to settle the matter another time as my pondering is cut short by Carol's soft voice calling us to dinner. We make our way quietly up the hard, worn stairs sitting the bassinet at the top, to be cleaned after we've eaten.
Carol, Beth, and Maggie had laid out an impressive spread on the large oak table. Creamed potatoes, corn and beans, and what looked to be hamburger steak, were all sitting in their respective dishes just waiting to be demolished.
"Wait.. Where's Daryl?" Carol asks as she looks around at all the faces, openly upset about his being the only missing.
"I'm sure he's in the barn," I say, bitterly adding, "I'll take him a plate."
I figure it's something I can do so that he doesn't try to murder me in my sleep tonight, so I load a plate down, wrap it up, and began my trek to the old barn.
As I open the big door quietly, I look up to notice a light flickering in the loft.
-Figures. He would be up here pouting. He's more moody than Judith.
I urge myself to be nice as I climb the stairs softly, hoping he's asleep so I don't have to apologize again yet, two times in one day was just too much to handle. As I make it the landing I see him laying on the cot looking up at the open sky light.
"I brought dinner," I say, trying to be polite, "since you didn't show up."
He doesn't move his head, just rolls his eyes around to meet mine for a second,
"I hope you ain't trying to play nice again." He says as he sits up on the squeaky cot.
"Please," I scoff, "I wouldn't waste the energy to pretend to be nice to you."
He turns his gaze back to me, annoyed amusement in his eyes.
"Thanks." It comes out in more of a grunt than an actual word.
He could have just slapped me with the shock I feel, "Wh.. What?" I barely stutter out.
He looks down at the food , "If you think I'm saying it again, you got another think comin' lil' girl."
-Well there goes the moment. My minds says patronizingly. Please, like you could have a moment with Daryl anyways.
"Lil girl?", I say incredulously, sarcasm jumping back in my voice, "well you'd better watch your back while you're living under this 'lil girls' roof." I say as I stand up, "and next time, you be at supper or you're just gonna have to be hungry. I'm not doing anymore charity visits." I add while I walk away, back toward the stairs.
Approaching the last step, I pause for a moment, looking back up towards the flickering light.
"Goodnight Daryl." I say, soft as breeze blowing by, not really intending for him to hear it. Why I say it, I probably won't ever know, but I do, and as I begin moving to the barn door again I swear I catch only one word, but it was monumental in my mind considering who it was coming from.
"Goodnight." My ears hear faintly from the loft.