A/N Gee willikers, thanks so much! I appreciate you taking the time to read this story and all the nice things you have to say. Of course Mama and Daddy aren't feeling much love from anyone, are they now?
He laid his coat down on the ground there among the trees, and then he laid her down and made love to her. It was good and they were satisfied but he could tell her little heart was heavy. He didn't like knowing his new bride felt sad. He didn't like it at all.
Mama and Daddy they were home in that big empty farmhouse and they finally started to talk about the way things were going in their family. They'd lost their girls for good it seemed. The only child still talking to them was Shawn, and he always seemed too busy with school or with Peggy to have time to visit or even chat on the phone.
It was another Sunday dinner of just the two of them over soup and sandwiches. What should have been a big, happy love-filled home seemed cold and dark now.
How could their girls have gone so wrong?
When they got home he went out to mow the yard and she took her opportunity and called Maggie. She couldn't help herself, as brave as she wanted to be she cried telling her sister what had happened that morning at church. Maggie was sympathetic and tried to comfort her sister, but she didn't really feel like she'd helped. And Maggie had her own heavy heart, Mama and Daddy hadn't treated her much better than they treated Beth.
Maggie got off the phone and was so upset she called Aunt Virginia. She told her what had happened to Beth. The story may have grown some, it may have become an even worse tale than it was, as stories often do when they're retold.
Then Maggie called Shawn and she told him what had happened at church. Shawn was both shocked and bewildered by his parent's behavior. The siblings knew their sister was a sensitive girl, why were Mama and Daddy being so mean? It was done, she was married. Nothing left to do now but accept it and make the best. Apparently Mama and Daddy didn't get that telegram.
Shawn told Peggy what was going on and they agreed that maybe he should try and talk some sense into his Mama and Daddy. Although to herself Peggy wondered if that was even possible. My, oh my they were a pigheaded pair.
No sooner had Maggie hung up the phone than her husband walked in. That big redhead knew right away his wife was distressed. He was tentative when he asked, "Everythin' okay Dumplin'?" Maggie wasn't much of a crier but damn if she didn't start now. So he asked her, "What the mother dick happened?"
Now this was the third time Maggie had told the story, and it was becoming more and more interesting with each retelling. Abraham listened with his arm around her, trying to give her a little comfort but getting more and more agitated.
When she was done with her story he stood and muttered, "Bitch nuts," went to the kitchen and made a call to his C.O. Always quick to act and react, Abraham knew just what needed to be done. He'd had more than he could tolerate. There was a vast ocean of shit that needed to be calmed the fuck down.
Meanwhile the Biker was cutting his grass and getting more and more disturbed by everything that had happened. He was angry, frustrated and baffled. How could these people who claimed to love her and care about her be so fucking mean to her? Cause her to cry like that? He was fine that they didn't like him, shit he didn't like them either, but how could they hurt her this way?
The more he thought about it the angrier he was. The Biker made up his mind right there in the backyard on Sunday afternoon, he wasn't letting it slide any longer. He'd think of some way to settle this.
She'd fixed a real nice dinner and he was almost feeling guilty eating it, knowing how sad she was feeling. Oh she was trying to hide the sadness and doing a pretty damn good job, but he knew his Cream Puff and he knew she was just putting up a front for him.
He had his arm around her and her snugged close into his side while they watched Gunsmoke on the TV. But he could tell her attention wasn't on the show. "Everythin' okay Cream Puff? Ya doin' alright?"
"Oh golly, I think my mind was wandering. Yes I'm fine, I'm just a little tired I guess."
He wasn't going to continue his questioning, he couldn't think of a good reason to upset her any more than she was. It just made him feel more certainty that he had to settle this once and for all, one way or the other.
When they crawled into bed he held her just as close as he could get her, "Ya know I love ya don't ya?"
She turned slowly in his arms so she was facing him. "I do and gosh it means everything to me. Gee whiz Daryl I don't know what I'd do without you. I love you too. "
And as good as that sounded to him he didn't think he'd ever feel okay until he was sure she was happy. "Ya sleep now Cream Puff, got a big day tomorrow." And he kissed her tenderly and continued to hold her close to him. And he was still thinking of what he could do to maybe make things better for her.
She wasn't going to shirk her duties as a wife. She'd prove to him she could handle working and still care for him just like she should, do all the things a wife was supposed to do for her husband.
He woke to an empty bed and he could smell the coffee and the breakfast. He got dressed, went to the kitchen and she was there at the range. "Good morning Daryl."
He went to her and kissed her on the cheek, "G'mornin'. Smells real good Beth." He poured himself a cup of coffee, walked behind her and kissed her on the neck before sitting down at the table. "Ya sure look pretty today. I always did like the look of ya in your uniform, it's real cute on ya." He meant it, he really did, but he also meant to try and cheer her up a little. Because even though she was looking pretty, and smiling oh so sweetly at him, he knew his Cream Puff had the blues.
He offered to drive them in the pickup but she wanted to take the Bike to work and that was cool with him. He dug that she loved riding on that Bike as much as he liked having her there all cuddled up behind him. He pulled up in front of Ripley's, helped her off the Bike and she leaned down and kissed him goodbye. "I'll be over for lunch Cream Puff, have a nice mornin'."
She smiled that pretty smile and he was thinking maybe work was going to be good for her today, give her something else to think about besides what assholes her Mama and Daddy were being. He hung a uey and pulled into the shop.
Merle was just pouring himself a cup of brew, "Mornin' Little Brother, can I get ya a cuppa mud?"
"Yeah thanks man." Daryl had a furrowed brow and he wasn't looking like a happy man.
Right away Big Brother knew something was wrong. "You an yer little wife ain't havin' a spat are ya?"
"Nah, ain't that at all." And then Daryl told Merle the story of the scene at church. Merle just couldn't figure what this bullshit with her folks was all about. And dammit he was the only one allowed to pick on Daryl, hell he'd gotten to where he hardly even did it much himself any more. He was thinking her Mama and Daddy needed their own private conversation with Merle Dixon.
Over at Ripley's things were mostly going good except for folks asking the Bobby Soxer if she was in the family way, and then giving her a kind of a side eye when she told them 'no.' But she thought about what her husband had said, about how when it turned out she never did look pregnant, and there was no baby, they were going to know they were wrong. But gosh, why was everyone so sure that was the only reason she and Daryl would marry?
The Biker and the Bobby Soxer should have been celebrating. These should be happy times and folks should have been congratulating them. Instead all the people seemed to want to do was speculate on whether they HAD to get married.
He found he couldn't keep from glancing across the street every few minutes, he still managed to keep his work up but he was definitely distracted. He was hoping once he got used to this new routine he'd wouldn't be so preoccupied. And he supposed with her working right there he was going to get to see a lot more of her. That was a good thing.
It was about 15 minutes before lunch when he saw that muther fucker Jimmy walk into Ripley's. He was sure he'd run that asshole off months ago. He hurried to wipe his hands on the shop rag and hollered over his shoulder at Dirty, "Hey man, gotta take lunch a little early, back in an hour." And he hot footed it over there.
He walked in the door and that asshole was sitting there at the counter. He heard him say to her, "Can't believe you wouldn't even let me get to second base with you and then you let that Biker Trash knock you up."
Daryl wasn't one to cause a scene at her work so he couldn't very well punch the guy at Ripley's, but he'd seen the shock and the sadness in his wife's eyes and he wasn't having it. Not to mention the wormy little fucker was way outta line. He walked by the bastard and he bashed a shoulder into him so hard the guy fell right off the stool and onto the floor. Cracked a spot open on his forehead and it was bleeding real good. He was crying now.
Daryl looked down and said, "Ah shit, sorry man, guess I wasn't payin' attention ta where I's walkin'. Ya okay?" Then he smiled at his pretty wife and went over and sat on "his" stool.
Mr. Ripley came rushing from behind the counter and helped the kid up off the floor, doctored up his head a little, and then he told him, "You probably shouldn't come back around here son, try the diner next time."
As he walked by the Biker he set a hand on his shoulder, "Try and be more careful where you're walking son, you never know what kind of nastiness you might run into."
He was her hero and that was a fact. She handed him his water and said in a hushed voice, "Golly Daryl, thank you."
He reached out and squeezed her hand, "Ain't gotta thank me, it's my job ta always be lookin' out for ya. Woulda done him lots worse if ya wasn't workin' here."
He ordered up the ham stack and his vanilla coke and then he just enjoyed watching his sweet wife, just like he always had.
In the meantime things were festering in Merle Dixon. Goddammit he was the leader of this family and he did not for one minute appreciate anyone fucking with them!
He got on his Bike and rode home to have lunch with Cassandra. Of course he told her the story about what had happened at church, and naturally as agitated as Merle was the story grew even more insulting to the Biker and the Bobby Soxer. Cassandra was pretty damned pissed her own self. She loved Beth like a baby sister and Daryl like a little brother. And Cassandra could see by the set in his jaw and the steel in his eye, her husband was a lot more than a little pissed off.
He told her he might be a little late getting home for supper, he had some business he had to finish up after work. His loving wife put her arms around him and said, "Don't you be gettin' yourself in trouble now sweet stuff."
He gave her a big old kiss and assured her, "Only kinda trouble I'ma be gettin' into is you." Ah the man had a way with words.
The thing about working on a motorcycle is, it's kind of solitary and a man had time to think, and that's all Daryl Dixon could do was think on how mad he was. And when he thought about how mad he was, it made him more mad.
He pulled the Bike up in front of Ripley's, held a hand out to her to help her on, and handed her his coat. When they got to the house he walked her in, took her in his arms and he held her tight for a minute. She was a little surprised by how hard the hug was and how much emotion seemed to be wrapped up in it. He gave her a kiss that made her feel like he had a deep need, and not just sexual. He spoke, "Gotta go take care of a couple things Cream Puff. I hope ta be back in a hour, maybe a little more. Don't be worryin' 'bout fixin' dinner or nuthin', I'll just stop n pick us up sumthin' on my way back, k?"
"Gosh well yes sure, okay." She was confused, this had all come on so suddenly. But she didn't question her husband about whatever it was that had suddenly come up. She felt sure he'd tell her about it when he got home. Maybe.
Finding that now she had some extra time she thought gosh, she might bake him a chocolate cake, just because she loved him and she knew he loved chocolate. Or the other thing she could do was, well golly he was always saying how he liked her in pink, so she thought she could just go ahead and paint her fingernails and toenails that new petal pink color.
She was just wishing Maggie was there so they could paint each others nails. That's when she heard a car pull up in the drive.
Lo and behold it was her sister and Abraham. The women hugged but Abraham got right to the point, "Get in the car little one we got a mission." His voice was loud and carried a mile, and he was so big and gruff he might have intimidated her, but she'd seen how sweet he could be so she wasn't scared.
Maggie playfully pushed at his stomach and looked to her sister, "Come on Bethie I'll explain in the car."
She left Daryl a quick note and got in the big Buick.
She nearly had an anxiety attack when Maggie told her they were going to the farm. "Abraham and me both think it's time we just straighten this mess up. We plan to have it out with Mama and Daddy tonight. Once and for all Beth. They shouldn't be treating you and Daryl this way, or me and Abraham."
"Damn straight Dumplin'!" He said in that voice. And Beth was just glad they'd be there to catch her if she fainted.
Daryl was pulling his Bike into the long farm drive when he saw his own brother standing there on the porch. Merle looked to be giving Beth's Mama and Daddy a not too pleasant earful, and shit Shawn and Peggy were there too. The fuck?
That's when he heard another Bike pulling in behind him, well what the hell? Virginia and Smitty!
And just when he thought the situation couldn't get any worse, here come Abraham and Maggie in that big Buick, and shit if they didn't have Cream Puff with them. And right away he was worried for her, she was even more pale than usual and her blue eyes were the size of silver dollars.
He thought that was the end of it, this shit couldn't get any deeper, when here come Cassandra in her little Chevy coupe.
This was not looking good.
He hopped off the Bike and went right over to open the door of the Buick. He helped his wife out and he told her, "Stay back Beth, ya don't need in on this." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and rushed over to join his brother on the porch. He got there just in time to hear his brother say, "...and yer damn lucky ta have my little brother in yer crazy fuckin' family. He's a good man, finished high school, served his country an he works hard every day. Shit the kid's even got his own house. An he'll always be good ta yer girl, it's his nature. Ya oughta be feelin' real damn proud."
"You watch yer language around my wife sir!" Daddy yelled.
Merle snorted a laugh, "Fuck I thought I was. I usually talk a whole helluva a lot worse than this."
That's when Daryl broke in, "I don't care if ya like me or not, it ain't important ta me ta be yer friend or nuthin', but yer hurtin' my wife an that's sumthin' I can't abide. She's good an she's been a good daughter to ya, I know she has. Maybe if she felt like you'd let her speak her mind, trust her ta make a decision on her own, well maybe ya woulda found out about all this the right way, 'stead a the way it all happened. I asked ya kindly ta talk with me, give me a chance, ya wouldn't, you was too busy worryin' about how much better than me ya think ya are."
"An just so we're clear, you an your damn gossipin' friends are wrong. Beth an me ain't havin' a baby, not yet anyways. Seems I respect yer girl a whole lot more'n you or anyone else 'round here does. I knew the first time I seen her she was a girl who'd wait for a husband. Why would ya wanna show disrespect ta yer own daughter? Ain't ya got no feelin's for her, no love? Ya might think I'm trash but I'd never treat her bad like y'all have. Shit yer breakin' her sweet heart an ya don't even give a fuck. And yeah, I said fuck cuz that's what I meant."
And Merle clapped his brother on the shoulder because damn, he was proud of the boy.
Abraham was crowding onto the porch and in his big blustery voice he announced, "Maggie and me are the ones here that put the cart before the horse, an I gotta say we had some fun doin' it. And now we got the pup comin'. Seems crazy ya wouldn't wanna be a part a that. Maggie may be the thicker skinned sister, but ya done a masterful job a breakin' her heart too. I can't stomach that no more. What the fuck is the matter with you folks?"
By then Cassandra had sashayed onto the porch and was standing there next to her husband, "Beth is just about the sweetest little ray of sunshine in this world. Why if I was ever to be blessed with a daughter I'd want her to be just like Beth. And Daryl Dixon is a good man, you folks are so lucky to have them both. Maybe you oughta try loosenin' up yer tight asses just a little. Life might be more pleasant."
Merle put his arm around her shoulders and said, "Damn Baby yer good."
Smitty had his arm around Virginia and he couldn't stop smiling, this was the kind of family get together he'd always wanted to attend. Excitement was in the air. The only things missing were beer and pickled eggs.
And then Smitty's wife gave her sister the what for, "You've got a lot of nerve behaving like you have Annette. You're Miss High and Mighty now, but I remember some pretty wild behavior when you were younger. Why I remember our own Mama begging me not to act like you when I became a teenager. Shame on you for treating your daughters so badly. What you'd better be praying for is forgiveness."
"And by the way, the weddings were wonderful, if you weren't so self-righteous and cruel hearted you might have gotten to be there to enjoy the day with your children. I know Smitty and I had a grand time, heck we even got married ourselves. Why the best thing that's ever happened to me is marrying Biker Trash. I wouldn't change a thing about this man."
Smitty was just beaming and he reached his hand out to shake Daddy's and he said, "Hey there Hershel, I'm your new brother Smitty."
Just as Shawn was about to speak the surprise of the century occurred, Peggy spoke, "I have had all of this ridiculous behavior I can take, why I've never seen like of it. Shawn and I were waiting for Christmas to announce our engagement but I'm telling you right now Mr. and Mrs. Greene, unless you two can stop causing all this commotion and embrace your own daughters and their husbands, there will be no wedding. Oh I'll marry Shawn, but we'll elope the same as Beth and Maggie. My nerves can't take any more of you people!"
Mama and Daddy had just been standing there this whole time, not knowing what more to say or do. They both looked shocked and then Daddy took Mama's hand and they walked in their big lonely house.
xxxx
Everyone had split then, gone back to their own homes, and he'd taken her with him on the Bike.
They stopped at the diner and she told him she wasn't hungry, didn't want to eat, and he shook his head, "We ain't leavin' 'til ya have some supper."
He got the hamburger steak, she tried to order just a cup of soup, he made her get a grilled cheese with it.
They fell into bed feeling drained of every ounce of energy. But they weren't drained of want to or need to, and he made love to his wife and after, as he held her in his arms he told her, "Everythin' will work out Cream Puff. Love ya so much."
"Golly I just don't know. I don't know that things will ever get right, but as long as I have you my life is good. I'm grateful for what you said to my Mama and Daddy, and I was so proud of the way you stuck up for me. I'm happy Daryl I promise, and thank you for trying. I love you so much."
They'd just gotten home from work Tuesday when they heard the car pull in the drive, shit now what? A knock came to the door and he opened it. He was shocked to see her Mama and Daddy standing there.
Her Daddy spoke, "Hello Son we were hoping maybe it's not too late to talk."
A/N Well man oh man, it all came crashing down on Mama and Daddy right there on their own front porch. I wonder if they've seen the light now. We'll find out next chapter. Thanks so much for reading along, and as always, I'd appreciate reading your comments / reviews xo
To see the chapter photo please visit my tumblr bethylmethbrick and please check out my other current Bethyl story The Lesson Learned. You're the Niftiest!