AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks for reading, the follows and comments.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Walking Dead or its characters
Apologies in advance for any spelling and grammatical errors. Thoughts in Italics
Touched by an Angel
Chapter 4
Beth pulls open the heavy glass door and Jessie J's Sexy Lady was playing in the background. The women's wear department was heaving with shoppers looking for bargains in the holiday sales. Every shoppers favourite time of the year to get that discount on that gorgeous outfit they wouldn't normally be able to afford.
Taking in the newly revamped boutique, Beth was impressed at how far the twins had come in a short period of time. It was already stylish and chick the last time she visited which was almost a year ago but now, WOW! she could see business was booming and doing well.
And then she sees them!
She almost forgets why she was there as she powerwalks in her high-heels trying not to trip directly over and stops to stare at the mannequin on display modelling the most magnificent pair of leather boots she's ever seen. She almost faints when she sees the 50% off sale sign on the price tag but then she sees the price which brings her back to reality - they were expensive and way out of her price range.
She sighs deeply, they were really gorgeous and reminded her of the pair similar to the ones she had when she was younger and only stopped wearing them when she grew out of them. That had been a sad day when her mamma wanted to chuck them away but instead she buried them in the backyard next to the graves of her beloved Rabbit that lived to the grand age of ten, Shawn's ugly Iguana and Maggie's creepy Tarantula. She's never found a pair quite the same that resembled the ones she loved so much, until today. "Never mind!"
"They are gorgeous."
Beth hums in agreement, turning her head to the side to see a long haired guy with a beard standing admiring the boots beside her.
"I'm Jesus and I'm guessin' your Beth?" He says facing her and extending his hand with a warm smile.
Beth looks at him puzzled. "Yeah, that's my name! But how'd you know?" She asks suspiciously raising an even perplexed brow, standing at her full height trying to remember if she transferred the pepper spray into her handbag when she switched bags this morning and she remembered she hadn't.
AWWW CRAP!
If they ever found out, both Maggie and Shawn will never let her out of the house plus her daddy – he'd have the biggest hissy fit a grown man could ever have when it came to her and everyone three counties away in all directions knew it. Her family have always been over the top and over protective, especially since she left for college and university, always wanted her to have some sort of protection since neither would be there to protect her. It had always been that way and it didn't look like it would ever change even when she turns grey, saggy skinned and walking with a walking stick – she would always be Baby Bethy to them.
"I'm sorry!" Jesus laughs nervously holding out a hand and fishing through his pant pockets for his store's identification badge when he observes the look on Beth's face and reading her body language which looked ready to be getting into position to swing her handbag at him. He knew he was always over friendly and today he must appear possibly a creeper the way the blonde was watching his every move without blinking.
"I'm the assistant manager and Callie's spoken nothin' but you since you called this morning enquiring after the sales assistant's position." He explains in a rush, holding up his badge when he finds it, bracing himself the beat down of his life by a tiny girl if it was his nephew's pacifier he pulled out instead of his badge. His nephew was at an age where he loved to shove things into his pockets.
Beth's eyes sweep the plastic card to see long haired, bearded guy's smiling photo, his name and his position at Tillie's and Millie's. She looks up at him and he stands before her, smiling like a carbon copy of his badge's photo.
"Jesus, you're lucky I didn't go Rambo on you!" Beth lets out a breath as her body relaxes and they both burst out laughing.
"It would help if ya introduce yourself first dummy!" He says rolling his eyes at himself. "All's I can say is - Phew!" He chuckles re-extending his hand.
Beth shakes her head bearing her perfect white teeth as she reaches out and shakes Jesus's hand watching his smile lift higher and relieved as he drops the lanyard to dangle around his neck.
"Callie's jus' finishin' up on a conference call and then she'll be ready for you, you're the last interviewee today." He informs waving goodbye to a few regular customers.
Callie? Beth thinks long and hard and then it suddenly dawns on her. "…Mrs Wilson?" She asks surprised but more confused. Why would Mrs Wilson be talking about her, what exactly about and why was she here instead of her daughters she wondered.
Jesus nods and motions for her to follow him. When they reach a set of double doors, he punches in the code numbers, it beeps and then unlocks for them to enter.
"I thought either Tillie or Mille would be interviewing me, but Mrs Wilson?" She enquires hesitantly staring in and seeing the big leather swivel chair with its back to them. She presumes its Mrs Wilson sitting in the chair facing the window, listening to someone talking on speaker. Her guess was confirmed correct when she hears Mrs Wilson hum satisfied and then hum unsatisfied.
Jesus opens the door wider, steps aside and gestures for her to enter "The twins are holidaying in St Tropez right now and Callie's taken a more active role in her smaller investments, semi-retiring if there's such a thing?" A light smirk graces his lips.
Beth let's herself smile understanding. Her daddy had supposedly semi-retired about a year ago but was still in the driving seat of the farm and clinic. Mrs Wilson taking a more active role in her smaller investments and less at Wilson Corporation's Tower Buildings - she didn't know whether this was good or bad but she's going to find out fairly soon. Where Tillie and Millie came across shrewd, intimidating and mostly irritating, Mrs Wilson who's a very busy and successful business woman didn't need to use many words or intimidation to put her point and authority across to anyone. People jumped through hoops to get things done and to please her. Women wanted to be just like her and men practically bowed down to her superiority. But she wasn't sure the quainter life to the hectic busy life Mrs Wilson was used to in the city was going to be as satisfying and fulfilling, and that could cause problems and be frustrating.
Now she was a little unsure whether or not she was making the right decision. She could be wrong and Mrs Wilson could be the worst of them all and she's misjudged her and everyone's judgement. It had been years since she's seen or interacted with The Wilsons only what's been said on the grapevine through family and friends or whatever's been posted on Facebook. Tara texted her in the library saying she was crazy for applying to work with the Wilson Twins and if she's that desperate, Tara could get her a job at her dad's Tack & Bait Shop because working with dead and or alive worms and bugs was apparently better than working daily with The Bitches of King County.
"Don't worry, it's all but good praises," Jesus reassures reaching over and patting Beth's shoulder when he sees the worry lines etched over her forehead.
Beth lets out a nervous giggle and gulps when the leather chair spins around slowly and reveals Callie Wilson sitting behind the big glass desk catching her in her line of sight and disconnects the call.
"Oh my god, I'm really doin' this!" Beth mumbles to herself only now realising the extent of what she was walking into.
"All the best!" Jesus whispers giving her a slight nudging help along to go in.
Once her feet remember how they worked, she composes herself walking in as Callie Wilson watches her approaching.
Please stop that! She pleads when she sees the elder woman appraising her.
"Elizabeth."
"Mrs Wilson," Beth greets back "thank you for this opportunity." She says stretching her hand and wondering whether she made the right move and relaxes when the woman who she so badly wants to impress reaches over, grasps her hand and shakes it with so much confidence and experience, she feels a little of that transfer over into her body.
"Take a seat and we'll get started." Callie Wilson gestures to the chair opposite with a smile for the first time and nods to Jesus who returns the gesture backing out the room.
Beth slips into her seat and hands over her leather bound folder. She takes a quick glance over her shoulder and Jesus gives her a reassuring wink before the doors shut closed. When Beth faces back around, she entwines her fingers together and rests them in her lap watching Mrs Wilson looking over her certificates, her qualifications and her achievements. Mrs Wilson doesn't give anything away with her blank face. And by any senses, she knew she was well over qualified but she needed a job, it was close to home and the past few days she had a feeling, King County is where she needed to be.
She goes off into her thoughts. It wasn't the time nor the place but he popped into her mind like he has been doing since movie night with Maggie. She wanted to find out who he is, get to know him if at all possible before throwing herself into something that would take over her life. There was something about him that she just couldn't forget, it was a feeling she had deep inside that she couldn't shake away since that night she locked eyes with him. Moving away to some place across the country wouldn't enable her to do that. And what was bugging her the most was, she didn't even know his name but figured from the man and woman he was with, they all lived or lived close to King County, the next county from her parent's farm.
"I don't understand," Mrs Wilson interrupts her thoughts "Beth, your capabilities and credentials are more than being a shop assistant, you have the qualifications to be someone useful to society, why?" She asks looking over the folder and meeting her eyes curious to know.
Beth looks at her leather bound folder spread open on the glass table, the dress samples hanging on a rack from the corner of her eye, back to her folder and then to the waiting face of Mrs Wilson. Honesty was the best policy, she only ever wants to be honest and it would be wrong to be dishonest and mislead Mrs Wilson.
"Fashion is my passion but I'd be lying that retail is my future, it's not!" She confesses and she can see Mrs Wilson appreciates her honesty so she continues.
"I've tried out the city. It's not for me, it's a dog eat dog world out there and I'm a small town/country girl and I know I could do good for the people here who are always forgotten by the system but right now - there aren't any opportunities in the field I want to dedicate my life to but I need a job, I need an opportunity and everyone has to start from somewhere whether it's what they plan to do for the rest of their lives or just for the experience. It's a temporary position and I need a temporary job to fill in the temporary gap! I know hard work, I grew up on Herschel Greene's farm and I won't let you down!" She reassures strongly catching her breath wondering whether any of her ramblings made any sort of sense. She crosses her fingers, her toes and her legs when Callie Wilson sits back in her seat with an unreadable look on her face.
Axel watches Daryl with bewilderment, wondering what he'd taken to be on top of his form today. It had to be something effective and powerful at the speed and efficiency Daryl was working and he wanted whatever it was Daryl was taking.
Everyone was impressed because Daryl was on fire. As well as quantity, the end result of his work was quality. He's carried out a couple of full services, engine tune ups, oil changes, replaced fluids, filters, fixed a leak, ordered parts throughout the day whilst training an apprentice and dealing with frustrated customers and some of the dickhead regulars. The cash register was bursting, the appointments book was nearly booked up and every customer he's seen to was pulling out the forecourt smiling. All in all, it's been a good and productive day, better than any they've had in forever. Big Boss Man had dollar signs in his eyes as he did the figures and accounts for the day and slipped them all a $40 bonus and said the first round of beers at the bar and chicken wings were on him.
"Psst!" Axel hisses quietly "Daryl's whistlin', he's been whistlin' all day!"
"So?" Oscar says lifting his head from beneath the bonnet, holding out his hand for a wrench whilst taking a quick glance over at Daryl who was wiping his greasy hands on a towel and making his way to the car pulling in.
Oscar thought it was good Daryl was whistling and not biting someone's head off like the past few months. Rosita had done a number on Daryl - the worst thing imaginable to any man and brought out the worst in him. Daryl's recent behaviour sort of reminded him of Bad Boy Merle from back in the days when he used to run around with Merle Dixon until they both were arrested for brawling and sent to prison. It would be a big shame if Daryl was to ever follow in Merle's and their father's footsteps because everyone was expecting for him to do so.
"So," Axel tuts "Daryl doesn't regularly whistle," He says handing over the wrench. "He doesn't ever whistle to my recollection or smile in fact!" He reaffirms matter-of-factly shaking his head.
"Man would ya stop stalkin' the guy before he sticks somethin' sharp up ya exhaust because if he don't – I will!" Oscar threatens sticking his head back under the bonnet.
Alex loved to irritate people without realising he was doing it, Alex reminded him of his wife and for a moment he nearly upchucks over the engine and his hands for thinking that thought.
"He looks too mighty pleased with himself!" Alex observes again leaning forward on his elbows watching the part-time hunter's lips twitch up every so often when he thinks nobody's watching. "Oh, I'm watchin' ya Dixon!" He scoffs.
"If I was Daryl and The Big Boss was singing my praises each time a car rolls out with a happy customer promising to send their family, friends and work colleagues next time they need a mechanic - I'd be mighty pleased with myself too plus the extra cash is most welcome!"
When gorgeous Amy taps Daryl on his shoulder, Alex slips forward watching her batting her long eyes lashes to an oblivious Daryl. And when she purposefully bends over into her window to fish something out of the glove compartment, wiggling her bottom to draw attention - Alex practically dribbles from his mouth.
"Hubba, hubba, hubba!" Axel's jaw was on the floor when he nearly sees right up that little denim mini skirt.
He knows Daryl must have caught an eyeful but when he looks up, Daryl's over at the driver's side opening the door with Amy now standing beside the passenger's side drumming her nails on the hood of her car with a pouting frown for the lack of Daryl's attention towards her and her blatantly obvious flirting.
"He's crazy!" Axel practically screeches pulling at his red fluffy hair not believing Daryl had the perfect opportunity to get up close and personal, the fact that Amy wanted him to look and he didn't was killing him.
"What single hot bloodied man wouldn't, what man wouldn't PERIOD!" He complains pacing back and forth not believing what was happening before his eyes.
Daryl could've gotten lucky tonight, could be buried deep into Amy but Daryl was more interested in the body of the car than the hot young body available for him to work on. "Ahhhhhhhh!" He screams into his hands for a wasted and missed opportunity. Opportunities like that never come around for a guy like him but for Daryl, women threw themselves at him but he just didn't give an iota of a care - Axel was confused .com!
"Oscar, he's mad crazy lost it!" Axel bends down next to his friend pointing to Daryl "It's there for all his takin' and he don't want to even stroke it!"
"Ya really want ya face rearranged!" Oscar huffs standing up and chucking the wrench into the tool box following Axel's googly eyes to see Amy trying her damned best to catch Daryl's attention but failing miserably. Like Axel had complained, Daryl was more interested in the body of the car than the body Amy was flaunting. He felt sorry for the blonde.
Oscar had to admit, if Amy was sniffing around him, he'd find the temptation too irresistible to resist, she was every man's dream but he was no Daryl Dixon.
They both watch Daryl pat the back of Amy's car as it edges out the workshop and speeds off out of there, clearly crestfallen and humiliated. When Daryl turns around, Oscar dips back under the bonnet of the car he was working on whilst Axel rummages through the tool box busying himself.
When The Big Boss Man comes out, he asks Daryl if he could change his son's punctured tyres at the side of the road and he was on it straight away even though it was nearly time for him to clean up and head home.
Rick was sat on the bonnet of his parked cruiser in a slip road with bushes either side of him. Shane was up front monitoring the speed of passing cars with their new laser radar speed detector gun. He was itching to give a speeding ticket but was unsuccessful.
"This here is bullshit!" Shane complains as people wave as they drive by.
"Shane, nobody's gonna speed knowin' we're sat right where they can see us!" Rick says waving back to Carol and Sophia and unable to tear away the smirk dancing over his lips.
"I'm watching ya Sophia!" Shane warns when she pokes her tongue out "Pray the wind don't blow girl!" He advises walking behind Carol's moving car.
"Deputy Walsh, your flies are undone!" Sophia shouts back.
Shane's head bops down to look and he hears Sophia giggling like a hyena "Huhuh! Made ya look, made ya poop!"
Rick can't help the laugh that erupts out of his mouth watching Shane being teased by a kid and nearly getting run over by Jackie who tells him to get out of the way and stop being a nuisance.
"Jeez, no respect for the badge!" Shane complains plonking himself down beside Rick pretending to shoot Jackie's butt with his laser radar speed detector gun.
"What d'ya expect, you let a pair of boobs talk themselves out of a speeding ticket and harass the innocent law abiding citizens!" Rick scoffs watching people going about their days.
"Did you see those boobies?" Shane asks grinningly and squeezing the air with his fists.
And Shane was off rambling on about his favourite topic. Rick drops his face into his hands and groans into them. He could kick himself, wishing he never opened his mouth but it was too late. He sighs looking to his side over towards the boulevard of shops. He sees there's a 50% off sale at Tillies and Millies, Lori's favourite shop. He was thinking of dropping in and getting Lori something special for New Years and then he cocks his head to the side when he sees someone he didn't think he would see so soon.
"What are we lookin' at?" Shane asks tilting his head to the side in the same manner and his eyes jump out of his eye sockets with a big hungry grin when he sees her. "I think I have me a hot date for New Years, come to daddy!"
Just as Shane gets up, Rick jumps grabbing hold of the back of Shane's shirt, and before Shane realises what's happening, he finds himself flat on his back on the bonnet of the cruiser staring up at the sky.
"She's off limits!" Rick warns pressing his arm across Shane's collarbone.
"Off limits?!" Shane asks, voice strangled confused but now he wanted the girl more that she was off limits, he thrashes out and Rick was on him holding him down.
They both turn their heads when they hear gleeful laughter. Beth was jumping up and down, clapping her hands, twirling around as she goes. They smile watching her wondering why she was so happy, there weren't many people around so high spirited.
Daryl rolls a tyre towards the parked SUV whistling as he goes. He looks towards the boulevard of shops when he hears laughter and when he sees Beth, his lips lift up his cheeks into a wide smile watching her. Lost in the moment, he trips over losing his footing and finds himself entangled and rolling down the hill.
Shane and Rick watch Daryl zooming passed inside a tyre. They look at each other, jump and set off running after him. When they round the corner, they find Daryl upside down against the tree with the wheel spinning around in circles.
When Daryl stops seeing chirping birds, he squints up into the sun to see to two hazy figures. When their faces come into clear vision, he groans. It was none other than Rick and Shane hovering over him with stupid smirking faces and now they were laughing, laughing really hard that they need to hold one another up for support.
"Fuck you!" Is all that comes out of Daryl's mouth knowing he was never going to live that down. The two giggling idiots who witnessed that happen, were going to bring it up every time they wanted to embarrass him.
"Dangerous and reckless driving, speeding, public nuisance and I could go on roomie!" Shane teases holding his laser radar speed detector gun.
"Don't call me that!" Daryl warns grumpily until he looks past Rick's legs to see Beth crossing the road, he wasn't grumpy anymore.
