A/N: This is for beyondmythought-s. She's been an amazing friend to me and I honestly don't know what I would do without her. My stories would be crap without her bouncing ideas back and forth with me, and being my slave driver, pushing me to get chapters written and updates ASAP. Believe me, if it weren't for her the last 5 chapters of Your Choice would not be out by now. They'd still be a inkling barely formed in the back of my head.
This used to be my old man's place, till he drank himself into an early grave. Secluded and cut off just like the old man, that's what I thought growing up. Only sounds that broke the silence were dad's drunken rages and the sound of the belt against my back after Merle left. It was just a place to lay my head, until I met Beth. Then it became a home, something we built together.
Beth told me she wanted a garden in the yard next to the tree my ma had planted for me when I was born. Each year her garden got bigger, I got roped into extending it for her, till she got pregnant for the first time. That year she let it stay the same size. When I asked her about it one day she simply said, "Your son is going to need a big yard to play in. I don't need my garden trampled jus' 'cause he needed more room to run," She let her hands settle on her growing tummy.
We had three kids now, two daughters and a son. They all grew up and moved out, too soon for me and Beth's liking. They came home for their mama's funeral, offered to help me go through her stuff. I turned them down, telling them that no one's touching her stuff except me. They all understood and let me be with it. Maggie, Beth's sister came through and got my clothes house and I moved in with my brother Merle for a year. He sobered up when Beth got pregnant with Jamie, our oldest, saying he wanted to be a good uncle to our kids. He was. Still is. Amazingly enough my brother never pushed me to do anything with Beth's shit or take care of our home.
I haven't set foot on the property since the funeral. I wasn't ready to face it. I feel it in my old bones, I'm not going to be around much longer. I can barely move these days. I know it's time to go home now.
The chairs and furniture are caked in dust, same with the windowsills. Moths have eaten away at the lace drapes Beth had up on the windows.
It took the last of my strength to go outside to the tree my ma planted for me, the one I attached a tire swing to for the kids when Jamie was six, Lizzie five and Mika three. I climbed that tree, I wanted to see the home we built in full one last time. I took in each piece of our home, letting all the memories wash over me. I stayed up there till I was shaking then I climbed down carefully. No need to fall and break my neck. That would just make it worse for the kids, Merle, Maggie and Glenn. I hate to admit it, but I hobbled like Hershel use to on his crutches, into the house and to mine and Beth's bed. If I have to go I want to go on my terms and with her scent surrounding me.
"And now, it's time to leave and turn to dust..."