Chapter Three
"Daddy! I didn't hear you come home! Did you get any more sleep? Is everything okay at the clinic?" Beth asked as she and Maggie ran up to him, throwing their arms around his neck in two loving hugs.
"Good mornin', girls." Hershel said with a laugh as he hugged his daughters back, patting their backs and walking with them towards the dining room, "Everything at the clinic is fine, just a little damage. Beth, will you please set an extra seat at the table? Maggie, grab the extra chair from the sittin' room, please and place it at the table. We'll be havin' a new guest for a while."
"What do you mean?" Maggie asked as they stepped back to look at their father, the older of the two girls propping her hands on her hips.
"Well, one of the men who broke into the clinic will be working here through the harvest season to pay off the damages he did." Hershel said and saw anger flicker in Maggie's hazel eyes. He looked at his daughter and placed his hands on her shoulders, sighing softly.
"Maggie, in the twenty-four years I have raised you, that look you get when you are upset could make any man run with his tail between his, including your own father."
"Daddy, this is a criminal you've taken in." Maggie snapped and Beth looked over at her, reaching over and placing a hand gently on her arm.
"Maggie, daddy knows that, but he wouldn't bring him here if he thought he was dangerous. You know his judgement has always been good when it came to people." Beth said gently and Maggie shot her an icy glare. She pulled away from her sister and Beth frowned, watching her stalk off into the sitting area to do as her daddy asked. Hershel looked down at his eighteen year old daughter, placing his hand on the top of her head and ruffling her pale blonde hair.
"You've always had a good head on your shoulders." he said and gave her a one armed squeeze, "Let's go get the table set, then I'll go get him."
The tired eyes stared back at him, dark bags heavy underneath them. He turned the cold water on and cupped his hands, leaning his head down and splashing his face. He had hoped the cold would help take the burn out of his eyes and wake him up enough to get through his first day on Hershel's farm. He leaned back up and looked into the mirror, his now wet dark brown hair clinging to his face and neck.
"Come on, Dixon. You can do this, ain't nothin' but a damn bump in the road." he muttered to himself just as a knock sounded from the door of the guest house. He scratched his bare chest and yawned on the way out of the bathroom, pulling his pants back up to his hips and grabbing his shirt from the door handle.
"Good mornin', you ready for a full day?" Hershel asked from the door and Daryl rubbed one of his eyes, grunting in response, "Hope you managed to get a little bit of sleep. I won't go too hard on ya today, I'm just as tired myself, but we still got work to go."
"Sure thing." Daryl answered as he ran his hand through his hair and followed Hershel outside. The early morning Atlanta beat down on them as they passed the bright green backyard up to the two story farm house.
"I hope you're hungry." Hershel said as they approached the back screen door, Daryl inhaling the welcoming smells of bacon and bread. Hershel opened the door and stepped inside, Daryl quick to follow and found himself at the back of a rather large kitchen. It was warm and welcoming with its soft yellow walls, the dark wooden countertops standing out against the white cabinets. There was an older woman standing at an island in the middle of the kitchen, and another younger girl stood across from her. Both were slicing fruit and dropping it into a large wooden bowl, and both had flour smeared across their aprons that were obviously handmade and decorated. The young one was the first to look up, her thick blonde hair swept up into a high ponytail with only a few stray locks to brush against her porcelain face. Her big blue eyes locked with his green ones and she sent him a big smile.
"Hello there." she said softly and Daryl nodded, clearing his throat and managing a small hello.
"Daryl this is my youngest daughter, Beth. And the beautiful woman across from her is my wife, Annette. This is Daryl, my new farmhand I was telling you about when I got home this mornin'." Hershel said as he walked over and placed a kiss softly on Annettes lips.
"You mean the criminal you invited to stay on our land." a voice said from the doorway, Hershel sighing and rubbing his forehead.
"Maggie, there's no need to be rude to our guest."
"Your guest, daddy. Not mine." she snapped and crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes narrowing in Daryl's direction, "I would never invite a convict into our home near our family."
"Maggie, let's go have a talk." Hershel said as he walked up to her, placing his hand gently on her shoulder.
"I don't have a thing to talk about."
"Maggie, please." he said softly and she sighed, nodding her head and turning to follow him. Annette sighed and wiped her hands on her apron, looking over at Daryl who stood as far back as he could from the family in the back of the kitchen.
"Don't worry about her dear, she's got a strong head about her and she's as stubborn as an ox. I love that girl to death though, even if she isn't my blood. Now, you just get yourself comfortable and I'll go make sure the table is set. Beth, love, if you'll bring that bowl on outta here when you're done with the fruit we'll be ready." Annette said as she slid her apron off and hung it on a hook by what Daryl presumed was a rather large pantry behind two old wooden doors.
"Yes, mama." Beth answered and picked her knife back up, grabbing an orange from the fruit basket on the middle of the island, "You got a last name?" Daryl looked up at her and saw her smile, looking at him out of the corner of her eyes.
"It's Dixon." he answered.
"You can come sit down, Mr. Dixon, I don't bite." she said and pointed with the tip of her knife to a row of barstools across the island from her. He nodded and moved slowly across the kitchen, sitting down in front of her and watching her cut the orange in half, "Strawberry?"
"Ah, yeah, thanks." He took the berry she held out to him and popped it into his mouth, his stomach demanding for more after he finished chewing and swallowing, "Those are pretty good."
"Not as good as the ones that grow here. Hopefully you'll get a taste of those. You ain't from around here, are ya? I don't recognize your name at all." she said and he shook his head, "Where ya from?"
"I uh, it don't matter. A ways away." he answered and she nodded slightly, dropping the oranges in the bowl and takin a handful of blueberries in a colander to throw in there.
"You hungry, Mr. Dixon?" she asked and slid her apron off, walking to the hooks and hanging hers up next to Annette's.
"Yeah, and, jus' call me Daryl."
"Sorry." she said with a soft smile as she picked up the wooden bowl, nodding in the direction of the dining room, "Let's eat!"
When they made it to the diningroom Daryl felt his stomach growl hard and his mouth began to water at the sight of the food that lay down the middle of the table. It had been a very long time since he had seen this much food on a table in front of him. Actually, he had never seen this much food at one time.
"Where do I sit?" Daryl whispered to Beth and she smiled, placing the bowl down on the table. She was a tiny thing, barely came up to his shoulder and was as big around as a twig. He figured if he touched her she'd break in half.
"Here, you can sit by me if you'd like." she answered and he looked up just as Maggie and Hershel walked back in, "Don't worry, I think Daddy calmed her down." Beth whispered and Daryl nodded, sitting down as she did.
"This looks absolutely wonderful." Hershel said as he sat down at the head of the table, Annette sitting down to his left and Maggie sitting down across from her. Beth sat down next to Annette and Daryl sat down next to her at the other end opposite Hershel, "Everyone, bow your heads. Lord, thank you for this food before us, and the hands that prepared it. Thank you for waking me and my family up this morning to enjoy another day to live for you. Thank you for our company as well, and I pray you help guide him and protect him during his stay. In Jesus name we pray, amen." A chorus of 'amens' followed and Daryl only cleared his throat. He wasn't the praying type, and had never said a prayer the thirty four years he had been alive. Plates of food were being passed back and forth and Beth made sure that Daryl had a full plate by the time they began their meal. In front of him sat a shortstack of fat pancakes drizzled in thick syrup, a couple links of sausage and strips of bacon, a large scoop of fluffy scrambled eggs, a heap of crunchy golden brown hashbrowns and a couple slices of toast.
"Beth, I swear you make the best pancakes." Maggie said as she took a huge bite, syrup dripping off of her bottom lip. She grabbed her napkin quickly as Beth laughed and thanked her before looking over at Daryl, "Milk or orange juice?"
"Do what?" Daryl asked with a mouthful of pancake. Damn Maggie was right. They were the best pancakes he had ever had.
"To drink. Milk or orange juice?" she asked, giggling softly as he tried to swallow his mouthful.
"Milk." he answered and she filled his glass, Daryl shoveling in another mouthful of pancake, "Goddamn a guy could get used to this." he thought before taking a gulp of milk.
"One of the hens quit layin'." Annette said before taking a bite of a piece of bacon.
"Looks like chicken for dinner then tonight." Hershel said and saw Beth wrinkle her nose as she lifted her glass of milk to her mouth, "I know, Beth." he said and she smiled. By the time Daryl was finished he figured he'd have to roll himself out of the dining room to follow Hershel as the older man stood.
"Are you ready for a tour of the farm?" Hershel asked and Daryl nodded, standing up and picking up his dirty plate.
"I got it, you go on ahead." Beth said and pushed her chair back in, "Daddy don't you work him too hard his first day!" she called over her shoulder. Maggie huffed and walked away from the dining room, grabbing her keys and heading out the front door. The sound of the screen door slamming filled the house and Annette sighed, Hershel patting her back and kissing the side of her head.
"She'll come around. Let's go, Daryl."
"That's about it." Hershel said as he leaned against the pasture fence, Daryl standing next to him and crossing his arms over his chest, "What do you think?"
"A lotta land, a lotta stuff to get done." Daryl answered and looked over at the farmhouse as he heard the screen door slam shut. Beth was walking towards them, a picnic basket hanging on her arm. Her white knee length skirt danced around her legs as she walked, her hair shining in the bright afternoon sun. She had slid on a white tank top and a soft pink short sleeved blouse on over it. To Daryl she looked completely innocent.
"Lunch time!" she called as she walked towards the picnic table underneath the large oak tree in the side yard, setting the basket down and opening it up. Hershel lead the way, thanking Beth as she poured two large glasses of a bright pink drink, Daryl raising an eyebrow at it.
"Homemade strawberry lemonade." she answered his unasked question with a grin, "Along with turkey and ham sandwiches. I didn't know if you liked lettuce, onions or tomatoes so I packed them separately. I also packed some chips to go with them, and fresh chocolate chip cookies for dessert! Daryl after dinner if you'll give me a list of foods you like I'll stop by the grocery store tomorrow and pick up some stuff for you."
"Yeah, sure. Thanks." he said and sat down when Hershel did, bowing his head and waiting for Hershel to finish praying over their lunch.
"What do ya think?" Hershel asked as he opened his bag of chips, taking one out and popping it into his mouth.
"This is a lot better'n I thought it'd be." Daryl said after taking a swig of the lemonade.
"I'm glad you like the food, but I was talkin' about all the work you gonna be helpin' with." Daryl looked over the land and shrugged his shoulders, taking another gulp of the lemonade before opening his sandwich and putting all the toppings on it that Beth had left for him. This girl was going to have him spoiled before he knew it. He might never leave if she kept up cooking like this.
"I think I can handle most of it."
"I have faith in you, Daryl. I know deep down you're not a bad person, but we all make mistakes in our lives. I used to be a bad alcoholic. I dunno how my family put up with me but they did and I'm so glad they did. The bar in town, you mighta seen it last night, I could walk through those doors and already have a drink sittin' on the counter waitin' on me. But I fixed that, fixed up my life and now I can sit out here and enjoy God's country without havin' a liquor bottle in my hands."
"That's a good thing." Daryl said and took a big bite out of his sandwich, chewing slowly and picking at a tear in his pants. Hershel smiled and nodded, watching the younger man as he tried to look anywhere but at him. He didn't want to talk much about himself, but Hershel understood. It's not easy opening up to strangers.
"Give your clothes to Beth or Annette tonight and they'll get them washed up, looks like you been rollin' around in the dirt for a few days."
"Never had a place really to wash 'em."
"Send all your clothes you had with you then. My step son outgrew a bunch of his clothes that would still fit ya. Luckily we got them lyin' around upstairs. I'll bring 'em to ya tonight after dinner."
"Sure thing." Daryl answered and snagged a chip, savoring the saltiness on his tongue. He looked over Hershel's shoulder, seeing Annette and Beth hanging sheets on the clothesline up near the house. He watched Beth laugh, tuck loose locks of hair behind her ear as she talked. He listened to her cry of surprise when a gust of wind blew through and she had to hold her skirt down with one hand and keep a sheet from blowing off the line with the other hand. And then he realized, he enjoyed just sitting and watching her.
What the hell was this girl doing to tough-as-nails Daryl Dixon?