Daryl and Carol were sitting across from a lawyer who was taking care of Merle's finances, and had just read them his will. It was nearly a week and Daryl hadn't even been to the garage to check that everything was going well or not. As predicted he had left everything to Carol and Joey. He had left some things in trust until he was 21 also. Daryl was just surprised at the huge amount of money that was going to be transferred into Carol's account soon. He told Daryl that he'd had a life insurance policy but he'd never said the amount it was. He also left his half of the garage to Daryl.
He hadn't been into work since it happened he didn't know if he could. He'd talked to Tyreese a few time the man had agreed to manage the place for him with a big pay increase until such time he did come back. He just didn't know if he could. He'd been thinking he might just sell it to the man.
They nodded, Carol signed for everything, leaving a deposit slip for them to transfer the money for her. Daryl signed the paper work to get Merles half transferred into his name and they gave Daryl Merle's death certificate to go to the banks to get his name taken off the bank accounts for the business. He knew he had to do it before the banks froze the accounts for the business for him not taking in all the stuff he needed to do in.
Daryl knew he was going to have to talk to her about opening up some other accounts and spread the money around a bit so its not all in the one place. Also so she wouldn't be at risk of it all just being sitting in one spot. He just wanted her arse covered in case something happened. He also thought maybe the could get a wall safe for her if they stayed in the town.
He'd been thinking they should move on. There been heaps of questions because Carol's grief was not normal for losing a flatmate and brother in-law. He wanted to protect her from gossip and funny looks. No one had comfirmed any questions, however people had wondered about the close bond between Carol and her brother in-law and if people got wind of her big insurance policy people would talk.
He took her hand walking out of the lawyers office. He was tired, Carol was still crying every spare moment and he didn't know what to do with her. He thought it was best just to let her grieve any way that helped. Tomorrow they were driving to Rick's home town because the lawyer had asked Carol to come. Daryl had a fair idea that he had left everything to her.
He packed for them because Carol was incapable of making a decision. She managed to keep it together for when Joey was around, but sometimes not even then. Daryl had taken him to pre school today trying to get some sort of normal back for him. They told him a name for a book to buy for Joey to work for Joey to talk bout grieving, it dealt with talking to them dealing with the children's thought process.
He went and brought the book for them to talk to him some more. He hadn't realized he would be so good with everything. He still asked questions everyday if they were coming back of Daryl, he was sad. When Daryl told him no they were not because they died, Joey said 'Awwwwwwwwwww,' then would ask to do something. He wanted to know why everything was gone from Rick's room. Daryl told him because Rick's Mama and Dad come to get his things.
He took Joey into Merle's room to show him his stuff was still there and some of Rick's. He tried his best to put together a photo album for him. The women at the pre school gave him a card of a place that could put together a book full of photos like a children's book for him. Daryl was going to gather up some photos he could prize out of Carol's hands to turn into a photo book for Joey.
He felt like a solo parent. Carol was low functioning and barely ate, or drank, preferring to wrap herself in Rick's work shirt and Merle's jacket. Getting her into pants and a bra and top to come to the meeting was like dressing a dummy. He wanted to shake her and tell her she was still here and so was he. He felt like he was holding it all together. When he finally managed to get Joey though his dinner and bath, stories and into bed, he went outside to smoke. Wandering up and down the deck wondering when enough was enough. He was fighting his own demons of wanting to go to the bar and drink himself into unconsciousness, but he was a Dad now Joey needed him. Carol was starting to block him and Joey out, he'd already lost two of his family, Daryl was barely gripping onto Carol.
Last night she locked him out of her bedroom, he could hear the sobbing from outside the door, she sobbed for two hours before he tried to get in she wouldn't unlock the door so he went into the garage and set to work taking the door off its hinges. So now her door was outside in the garage. He took all the locks off all the doors so she couldn't lock herself somewhere. He was beginning to get really worried about her.
He pulled up outside the garage, Carol wouldn't come in. He knew he had to sign some checks for Tyreese to pay some bills. He looked though what he was paying and signed it. He also gave him some cash to buy coffee and milk. Toilet paper and appoligied for not being there. Tyreese said he understood and they would keep on top of things till he come back. Daryl gave him $100 to thank him for spending the time helping. He looked happy that he was getting paid more and some cash in hand for taking over.
'How's Carol?' Tyreese asked, 'Look I know she was with Merle and Rick whatever you guys were doing, none of my business, how's is she?'
'Not good, she's... shut off... I don't' know, we gotta go to Rick's lawyer tomorrow.' Daryl told him.
'Look, while you have her out, go for a coffee or something, its too easy to sit at home, just go out sit in the sun, or get take away coffee go sit in the park, get out of the house,' Tyreese suggested. Daryl nodded thanked him again, asked if his wife could come do the books, and things to help out for a while, Tyreese nodded and Daryl told him he would come in on Monday to see how things were going.
'I want to go home,' Carol's voice croaked from all the crying, she was sniffing. Daryl had a vice like grip on her hand, he'd put a coffee in her other one and was all but pulling her behind him on a slow stroll around the park. He'd put her sunglasses on her face because of the glare.
'No, we going to drink this, then we going to go buy Joey a book explaining grief, then we going to go take some photos get a book put together for him. Then we are going to go pick him up. Bring him home to his Mama and Daddy who love him,' Daryl told her.
'I want to go home,' she tried to pull her hand out, sobbing loud, he pulled her into a hug, 'I can't breathe without them,'
'You can, we doing it, lets just walk a little bit, go see the baby ducks or something,' Daryl put his arm across her shoulders leading the way. They walked for half an hour before agreeing to take her home. He was trying to draw her out, it had been 6 days and since they buried Merle on Tuesday she'd shut off completely barely even touching Daryl or Joey.
He was surprised to see she went to the laundry to put a load of clothes on for Joey to be washed. Then she told him she had to lie down, he had to let her. He followed her in and cuddled her on the bed.
'We going to go get Joey at 3pm, I've changed our plan's we going tonight, so one hour to sleep, one hour to get ready,' he told her.
'I don't want to go,' she told him, 'I can't,'
'You gotta, come on, you gotta try... for Joey, Rick would be sad if he knew you hadn't snugged Joey, Merle would want you watching him try ride his bike down the steps,' Daryl told her.
'Rick would freak out if he crashes and gets hurt you know,' she told Daryl, 'Merle would tell him he was fine even if he had a bone sticking out,'
Daryl was happy she spoke of both men without bursting into tears, 'Ok, sleep a bit then we gotta go live,' he pulled her in kissed her on the mouth, she finally let him, her kissing become desperate, wanting him, rolling him onto his back kissing him with tears rolling down her face. He pulled away and set the alarm so they wouldn't be late and rolled over kissing her back desperate for her to take away his hurt as much as she wanted him to take away hers.