Thank you so much to those who are supporting this story by taking the time to read and review. Slow day at work for me so I was able to write this chapter and I already can't wait to get started on the next one. Merle and Rick will both be in the next chapter as will a talk between Daryl and Amy.

…

Chapter Six.

How hard can it be to bake a coconut cake, she had naïvely thought to herself. Well, it's pretty darn hard, apparently, and she's quickly learning that. She should have known. Anything that tastes as decadent as Paulie's coconut cake must be impossible to make but this whole week leading up to her daddy's birthday hasn't been a good one. Her first one without him and she had wanted to do something that would remind her of him; as if she needs any more reminders; as if she doesn't get enough of those every single day.

The idea of baking a coconut cake – Paulie's coconut cake – came to her in the middle of the night and as soon as she got herself dressed the next morning, she went to go talk with her. Paulie had been more than happy to teach her and now, when she follows Daryl into the kitchen, Paulie's there and pulls her into a tight hug.

"Happy Birthday to your daddy," Paulie says once they break apart and Beth feels tears stinging her eyes but she smiles nonetheless. Paulie hugs her again. "And we're goin' to be makin' dinner in honor of Hershel tonight, too,"

"Oh," Beth is quick to say and shake her head. "You don't have to do that, Paulie. Teaching me how to bake this cake will be more than enough."

"Nope," Paulie argued. "You shouldn' be alone on this day so you can lose yourself to sad thoughts. Hershel always liked the chicken and dumplin' special at the diner, I remember, so I talked with Dale and he gave me the recipe. We're gonna be makin' that for your daddy today, too."

Beth feels more tears flood her eyes before she can stop them and she steps forward, hugging Paulie again. It feels good to be hugged. Besides hugs from Rosita and Lori, it feels like it's been so long since the last time she was hugged by anyone.

She knew today would be hard but she hasn't been expecting it to be this hard. Maggie called her bright and early that morning before she left for church service and the two sisters began crying almost immediately even as they both reminded the other that daddy wouldn't want them bawling their eyes out over him. Shawn hasn't called yet but Beth's not expecting him to. Shawn tends to lose track of days and probably has completely forgotten that today is their dad's birthday.

Behind them, she has almost forgotten that Daryl is in the kitchen, too, until she hears him set her box of baking supplies down on the kitchen table.

"You need anythin' else?" He asked then in that gruff voice of his and Beth kept her head turned away from him as she wiped at her damp cheeks. She doesn't quite know why but she's embarrassed to be crying in front of him. This is the second time he's seen her crying and that's two too many times.

"We're good, Daryl. Get yourself back outside," Paulie answers her son and a moment later, Beth hears the front door open and close once again.

She feels a cold nose on her thigh and she looks down in surprise. Louis has stayed in the kitchen with them instead of going back outside with Daryl. And he hasn't called the dog to come with him. Beth knows that Daryl and Louis are practically inseparable but maybe, both dog and man know right now that Beth needs the dog, too. She smiles a little now, through watery eyes, and she rubs a hand behind Louis's ear as Paulie goes to the table and looks through the box that she brought with her.

She's not entirely surprised when Paulie begins reaching into the box and taking the butter and eggs Beth has brought with her, the woman turns and puts them into the refrigerator before taking out her own eggs and butter. And Beth would argue with her but she knows Paulie Dixon well enough to know that no one really stands a chance when it comes to arguing with Paulie Dixon. She's a strong woman with a mind of her own and her being any other way is almost impossible to even imagine.

Beth never knew Will Dixon. She was still just a toddler when the man left the family and was found a couple of months later, nearly clear across the country. But she's certainly heard things about him. Small towns like this always remember bad seeds like that man. He was an awful man and he was terrible to his wife and two sons and that is still putting mildly as to the kind of man he was. Paulie walks with a permanent limp and has a small scar above her left eyebrow and Beth knows that both are souvenirs left over from her husband. She wonders if Daryl has his own scars.

Not that it's any of her business whether he does or not and it never will be her business. She saw the way he had looked when Amy, with her new boyfriend, had come into the diner a couple of mornings before. Daryl still loves her. It was clear as day on his face. And either two things will happen. Either Daryl will always love her and never move on from her or Amy will realize her mistake and go back to Daryl. Beth can't see the possibility of something else happening besides those two options. So thinking about Daryl in any capacity is just a waste of time, in Beth's opinion. She just wishes her brain agreed with her.

"Alright," Paulie says, setting the butter down on the counter to soften a bit before they begin. There is a metal recipe box on the counter and Paulie takes it, sitting down at the table, and Beth follows her lead, sitting down beside her. Louis instantly sits at her side, not wanting her hand to stop its affection. Paulie flips the lid of the box and Beth sees it home to so many index cards, it will probably be difficult to add another one. "Did your mom ever bake with you?" Paulie then asks her.

Beth shakes her head. "Rice Krispie treats. And she could make this amazing peach pie. But I never stayed in the kitchen with her to learn. I thought…" her words clump in her throat.

I thought I had more time, she finishes silently to herself.

And Paulie seems to know exactly what she's thinking because she reaches over and pats her hand and Beth exhales a shaky breath. She manages to give the woman a small smile. She knew today would not be good but she hadn't expected to be quite this emotional over everything. Not just over her daddy but her mom, too, and she wonders if it will be like this every year on one of their birthdays no matter how many years have passed.

"God gifted me with two sons who can't give a hoot 'bout bakin' so this box is all me," Paulie smiles and she pushes it closer to Beth. "Want a look?" She then offers; an offer Beth isn't going to turn down as she eagerly pulls the recipe box in front of her.

The cards are alphabetized. Almond cookies… Blackout Chocolate Cheesecake… no less than fifteen cards with chocolate as the first word… She pulls out the index card with Coconut Cake labeled across the top.

"Did you try to teach Amy?" Beth couldn't help but ask.

And Paulie smirks at that – Beth sees immediately where Daryl got his smirk from – and she shakes her head. "That girl didn' care much 'bout things like this. Or anythin' for that matter," Paulie says and it's obvious the woman wants to say more but she purses her lips together to prevent herself from doing so. She stands up and goes to the counter and Beth stands up as well, looking over the index card, the recipe handwritten in Paulie's cursive.

"I don't know how to separate egg whites," Beth says then, already feeling slightly panicked as she reads over the recipe that is so long, it continues onto the back of the index card.

What had she been expecting? She doesn't know how to bake and she knows that Paulie doesn't use cake mix boxes. Everything is from scratch and she almost begins panicking before she's able to reign herself in. She can do this. She thinks of everything she has been able to accomplish – or somewhat accomplish – in the past few months and after today, she will be able to add "make coconut cake from scratch" into the accomplishment column.

"Don't worry, honey," Paulie says with a warm hand on her back. "I'll show you everythin'."

And she does.

…

Paulie doesn't have an electric mixer and likes to stir everything by hand with spoons.

"It's how my mama and grandmamma did it, so it's good enough for me, too," Paulie had explained before handing the wooden spoon to Beth.

And now Beth stands at the counter, mixing the butter, sugar, egg whites and all of the teaspoons of extract together as best as she can. She wonders how long she's been stirring because her arm is burning and she's a doctor so she knows it's not possible but her arm really does feel like it's going to fall off. But she wonders if stirring everything by hand is why Paulie makes the best cakes of anyone in their town.

Beth looks to the clock on the microwave and sees that it's just a little after noon. Louis is still in the kitchen with her, lying down at her side on the floor like a loyal companion, and Paulie has excused herself for the moment, having gone outside in the backyard to water her tomato and green bean plants that she waters twice a day in the vegetable garden that Daryl has built for her, surrounding with chicken wire. Beth can see her through the window over the sink.

Beth lowers her eyes to the bowl. Paulie had told her that the mixture will look curdled and not to be concerned and Beth is grateful the woman warned her of this beforehand. She keeps stirring and wonders how this will turn out to be the coconut cake that her daddy loved so much because right now, it looks like a science experiment gone horribly wrong.

Louis lifts his head a second before the front door opens and even though she knows who it is, she turns her head and looks over her shoulder to see Daryl coming into the house. She wishes her stomach would stop with this constant clenching. It's not going to happen, Beth, and she has lost count of how many times she has told herself that. Daryl's still obviously in love with his ex-girlfriend and Beth is just too busy for any type of relationship in her life. She knows that so why the heck can't her stomach seem to get on the same page?

"Hey," he grunts, stepping into the kitchen, and Beth refuses to look at his arm muscles.

"You need to buy your mom an electric mixer," Beth says without matching his greeting.

Louis has gotten up and is in front of Daryl with his tail wagging and Daryl gives him a quick rub behind both his ears.

Daryl smirks at that and then straightens, going to the cabinet – right by her head – and she moves it to the side as his arm reaches past her and opening the door, he pulls down a glass. She ignores his body standing so closely behind hers and his arm so close to her face. And most of all, she ignores the clenching in her stomach; clenching so tightly, it's almost painful. She stares down at the cake mix as she keeps stirring.

"Tried that already for Christmas," Daryl says as he takes the glass and fills it with water from the sink tap. "She donated it to the church garage sale in the spring."

Beth feels her lips turning upwards at that because that definitely sounds like Paulie.

She pauses in her stirring and tilts the bowl towards Daryl for him to see. "Does it look normal?" She asks him, figuring he's seen his mom bake this cake enough times.

Daryl smirks again and he leans back against the counter behind him, giving a nod and then taking a sip of his water. "Looks the way 's supposed to," he says once he's swallowed.

She's not going to lie and say she's not relieved by his answer.

"You hungry?" Daryl asks and before she can answer, he goes and opens the refrigerator, looking at what's on the shelves for a moment before pulling out a bowl with saran wrap across the top of it. "You like tuna? Ma just made some yesterday."

Beth is proud of herself for being able to smile and nod like a normal human being. "That sounds really good. Thank you."

She goes back to stirring and watches him from the corner of her eye as Daryl takes out a loaf of white Wonder bread and pulls out four slices. He pops each slice into the toaster and then reaches into another cabinet, pulling down two plates, and he makes them tuna salad sandwiches. Beth lowers her head to the bowl, hoping she's hiding her smile from him. She can't remember the last time someone took the time to make her a sandwich.

"You should prob'ly stop stirrin'," Daryl says suddenly, almost startling her. "Still got the dry stuff to add."

Beth pauses the spoon and reads the next step written on the index card. "Right," she agrees and gratefully leaves the spoon propped in the bowl and she shakes her hand out.

"Lunch," he then says and she hasn't realized how hungry she is until he's holding the plate out towards her and she can see the tuna salad sandwich. "Want somethin' to drink?"

"I'm alright, thanks," she answers with a small smile directed towards him.

But, as if he doesn't believe her, Daryl goes and collects another glass and fills it with tap water, setting it down on the table. He then plops himself into a chair – a chair that must be his usual spot and the chair Beth had been sitting in earlier – and Beth lowers herself into the chair across from him where he had placed the glass of water.

"Thank you for making lunch," she says before taking a bite of the sandwich. She wonders if there are napkins somewhere in here.

Daryl shrugs. He takes an almost-too big bite of his sandwich, the toast crunching and a couple bits of tuna plopping onto the plate, and he chews as he stands up. She watches as he rips off two paper towels from the roll on the counter.

"I jus' toasted bread. Pretty sure even Louis could do that," Daryl says as he sets one of the paper towels down in front of her and plops down back in his chair.

Beth wants to tell him thank you again but she doesn't and she takes her next bite – much smaller than the one he took. She wants to talk with him but she's not too sure what to say. For one of the first times in her life, she feels herself becoming shy around a person. And she wants to yell at herself for that because there's absolutely no reason for her to be. Not around Daryl. He may not have a girlfriend but he's off the market anyway and she could strip down naked in front of him right now and he still wouldn't think she was flirting or sending him signals. She's not Amy and Beth imagines he's blind to every girl who's not.

"Do you take him hunting with you?" Beth asks, wanting to break the silence with anything.

Daryl looks down at the dog in question as Louis sits at his side, panting and begging for a bite of tuna. He takes the little amount of tuna that had fallen from his sandwich onto his plate and drops it onto the floor for Louis to gobble up and then looks to Beth as if he's expecting her to say something about giving his dog people food. She doesn't though.

He nods his head once. "Yeah. Last fall was his first time out there and I wound up almos' killin' Merle. Idiot fired his gun without me finishin' trainin' Louis properly." He looks from the dog to Beth and she must be looking a little confused because his lips twitch. "You fire a gun off 'round a huntin' dog who's never been huntin' 'fore, you'll scare the shit out of 'im. Sometimes, dogs can't come back from that."

"But he's a good hunting dog now?" She asks.

"He's the best," Daryl says and she smiles because she hears the pride clear in his voice.

She wishes she knew what she could talk with him besides Louis. Louis is what they have in common. He has a dog and she's a vet. That's their one – and only – connection to one another. And she hates that she can't think of another thing they could possibly have together. She can't help but wonder what he and Amy used to talk about with one another. From what little she has seen of Amy, Beth can't imagine Daryl having anything in common with her. But why is she expecting him to have anything in common with her?

"What are you doing out in the garage?" Beth asks because she has to ask him something because she doesn't want to stop talking with him and hearing his voice.

This man's voice is unlike anything she's ever heard. Rough like gravel and yet, so gentle and soft at the same time. She's never heard anything like it before and there's a part of her who can't seem to get enough of it.

He has just taken a bite of his sandwich and he waits until he chews and swallows before answering her. "Jus' cleanin' some stuff out," he says and that's all he says but it's alright in Beth's opinion because at least he actually answered.

She hasn't even realized that she's finished her sandwich until Daryl pops the last bite of his own sandwich into his mouth and then stands up, chewing, and takes both of their plates to the sink. Beth stands up, smoothing her skirt down her thighs.

"Thank you, Daryl," she says again and he nods, still chewing. She takes a deep breath. "Do you know the movies they show on Friday nights in the Commons when it's warm out?" She asks though it's not really a question because everyone knows about that. "Well, this coming Friday, they're showing Jurassic Park and it's one of my favorites and I was wondering if you'd like to come watch it with me."

She's not sure why she's asked him and not sure where the courage to ask even came from but there she is and she's just stepped to the ledge and asked him. Not like a date though and she hopes that's not how he's interpreting it. She just wants to spend time with him. Surely, there's nothing wrong with that. Is there? He's still in love with his ex-girlfriend and Beth knows that won't change anytime soon. She's not expecting it to. She just looks at Daryl and she wouldn't mind having something more but she looks at Daryl and she wants something with him. A friend. Companion. Someone to watch Jurassic Park with her.

"My best friend, Rosita, will be there, too. We make food and she brings wine and we just watch the movie and have fun," Beth continues because he's saying absolutely nothing. He's not even looking at her. He's looking at something past her; a spot on the wall so he doesn't have to look at her. Beth feels her face instantly flush burning red.

Oh, god. Rejected. He's trying to think of a way to let her down. And she knows that no matter how he words it as he lets her down, she definitely doesn't want to hear it.

"Never mind," she is quick to say and she turns, going back to the counter, picking up Paulie's index card though she can't really focus on the words right now. She hears a whirring in her ears as if she's falling down a great distance at such a great speed and all she can hear is wind. Where the heck is Paulie? How long does it take to water vegetables?

She still doesn't hear Daryl say anything and she almost turns around to explain herself; that she just thought he might enjoy seeing the movie and just hanging out. As friends. They can be just friends. In fact, she knows that they'll be nothing more than that; if even that.

But just as she opens her mouth and begins to turn around, she hears the front door open and close and she looks to see that Daryl has gone back outside, leaving her in the kitchen with just Louis once again.

…

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