Hotel Key

Chapter 33

"Do ya know what Jess wants?," Daryl asked, gathering up the dinner plates and tossing them in the kitchen sink to deal with later. RickyJo shook her head, only looking up for a moment from the succulent planter project she was working on with Sophia.

Sophia and her mother came over to have dinner with Shane. RickyJo invited Sophia up to their apartment for dinner instead. So that Carol and Shane could have some alone time downstairs. Sophia was a sweet girl. She was shy at first. But she warmed up quickly and they all had a grand time making a big pancake mess out of the kitchen together. Daryl was trying to talk RickyJo into putting off whatever her cousin wanted so they could all go out to a movie together. Partly because he wanted popcorn and candy. And partly because he knew Shane was trying to put the moves on Carol and that was never going to happen with her kid hanging around like the biggest cockblock on earth.

"Jess said it was important," RickyJo added with an apologetic shrug. She turned back to the planter that Sophia had carefully placed her succulent cuttings in, complimenting the girl on her handiwork and telling her how amazing it was going to look once everything filled in. There was a knock on the door and Daryl hurried to open it, expecting to see Jessica and Merle. That's who they were expecting. Instead, Shane's friend Rick was in the hallway with his son Carl.

"Hey Rick!," RickyJo said, giving him a little wave. Carl rushed over to the table to see if they were doing anything worthy of his interest. Sophia eagerly showed off her new planter to the boy, who seemed like he was trying to be polite but obviously wasn't really very impressed with a bowl of rocks and a few weird leaves sticking out of them. "What can we do for ya?," RickyJo asked, trying not to laugh at the interaction between the kids.

"Actually, we were looking for Sophia," Rick said, favoring the girl with a big smile. At the mention of her name, Sophia looked up from her project. "I was gonna take Carl roller skating and I thought you might want to go," he offered. Sophia jumped up from the table, clearly eager to join them. "...And if your mom says it's okay," Rick added, "...you can come have a sleepover at our house after."

RickyJo snorted out a laugh, moving quickly to cover her mouth. It was obvious that since Daryl wasn't able to take Sophia to the movies, Shane called in some reinforcements. He was really not joking around about trying to get laid tonight. RickyJo's body was shaking with laughter when Jessica appeared in the open doorway. Sophia came running back to hug RickyJo goodbye and get her planter. Then she and Carl took off stampeding down the hall like two tiny buffalo.

"Hey Jess!," RickyJo said, hauling herself up out of her chair so she could wrap her arms around her cousin. She glanced behind the woman into the hall. "I thought Merle was coming with you?," she mentioned, clearly trying to keep her tone casual. At the mention of Merle's name, RickyJo felt Jessica's body go tense against hers. RickyJo pulled back, giving her cousin a concerned look.

"We drove separate," Jessica announced, her tone thick with obvious irritation. "He'll be here in a minute."

"Oh," RickyJo said. A weird sinking feeling was starting in the pit of her stomach. She gave Jessica another questioning glance before she moved back to the table and began to clean up the mess she and Sophia made with the planters. Daryl grabbed a damp towel from the kitchen and started helping her. And Jessica felt her own stomach sink a little as she watched them giggling together over whatever silly nonsense was going on with their downstairs neighbor. They looked so happy together that for a moment, Jessica thought about just turning on her heel and marching back the way she came. She fingered the large manilla envelope in her hands, knowing that the contents were about to ruin their marriage. And probably all of their lives. Including hers. Jessica thought again about just confronting RickyJo privately. Maybe her cousin would put a stop to the affair if she knew Daryl was going to find out. But then Jessica heard Merle's heavy tread in the hallway outside the apartment. When he walked in, he ignored her completely, heading straight for RickyJo. As he fawned all over her, Jessica felt the anger bubbling up inside her. And with it came the determination to do what she came here to do. Daryl had the right to know what the hell was going on behind his back. Behind both of their backs.

"Well?," Merle asked, finally lowering himself to speak to his own wife. "What's so fuckin' important that I had ta drive all the way over here ta hear it?"

"Jess, are you okay?," RickyJo asked. She saw the darkened look on her cousin's face. And from the moment Jessica said she had something she needed to tell all of them at once, RickyJo was secretly terrified that Jessica had cancer. Just like Nana. They said it was hereditary. The cancer. "You're not sick are you?," she added, bustling across the space as fast as her swollen belly would allow. She looked so scared and genuinely concerned that Jessica felt guilty all over again.

"I'm not sick," Jessica said. Then she pointed to the table. "But I think ya better sit down." RickyJo nodded, quickly sliding into the closest chair. Jessica rolled her eyes when Merle took the seat next to her cousin, forcing Daryl to sit across the table from them.

Jessica didn't sit. Instead she walked over next to Merle and flipped the flap of her manilla envelope open. She reached inside, pulling out a stack of enlarged photographs and slapping them down on the table in front of him. Next to the pictures, she placed a piece of paper and a pen.

"What the fuck is this?," Merle cursed. RickyJo grabbed for the pictures, her eyes widening as she saw the images they contained.

"It's an annulment," Jessica said. "I know you've been cheatin' on me and I don't wanna be married to you anymore."

"I'm not signing shit!," Merle hollered. RickyJo dropped the stack of photos and slammed her hand down on the table.

"Like hell!," RickyJo swore, turning to face him. She pointed at the paper. "SIGN IT!" Merle grumbled a few more choice words before he snatched up the pen and scribbled his name on the line at the bottom. The moment he was done, Jessica snatched the paper up and tucked it carefully away. RickyJo began to rise from her seat, her pleading eyes focused on Jessica. Her best friend since she was five. "I'm sorry Jess. I'm really fuckin' sorry." Jessica just held up her hand, indicating that RickyJo better not try to approach her. Not right now at least.

"Daryl," Jessica said, "...I'm sorry but I thought you had the right to know."

"Know what?," Daryl huffed. "Y'all been cheatin' on each other fer years. Ya didn't need ta drag us into yer bullshit." Jessica sighed, casting a pointed glance at the stack of pictures on the table. Then she turned and walked out of the apartment, only stopping at the doorway to wish the three of them a very sarcastic 'good luck'.

RickyJo reached for the pictures, clearly intending to pull them away out of Daryl's reach. But he was quicker than her. Grabbing the photos, he flipped through them one at a time. His mouth dropped open in shock. And for a moment, Daryl was sure that this must be some sort of prank or terrible practical joke. But there was no joke. The pictures were of his wife and his brother in some extremely compromising positions. Positions that left no doubt that they were fucking each other. And since he could see her rounded stomach in the pictures, it was obvious the pictures were taken recently.

"What in the fuckin' hell man…," Daryl cursed, rising from his seat and pointing at RickyJo. "That's my fuckin' wife!"

"Yeah?," Merle hollered back. He pointed at her as well, gesturing towards her rounded stomach, "...well that's MY fuckin' son in there!"

Daryl's face paled as he turned his attention to RickyJo. She let out a string of low curses, terrified of Daryl's reaction to what Merle just said. Not only was she not supposed to know the gender of the baby. Because they agreed to wait and let it be a surprise. Merle definitely wasn't supposed to know. He wasn't even supposed to know the baby was his. Let alone the gender.

"What the fuck have ya been doin'?," Daryl asked, the color rising in his face as he stared at her. He slammed his hands down on the table and hollered. "EXPLAIN YERSELF!" RickyJo jumped, clutching her stomach and rising to her feet. Merle moved towards her, putting his arm around her shoulders.

"Don't you fuckin' talk ta her like that!," he challenged. Daryl's face was red and he could feel his hands already clenching into fists. But he forced himself to focus on RickyJo. And not his brother.

"Is this what's going on then?," Daryl asked. "Yer leavin' me fer him?" Because if that's what RickyJo really wanted, he would just leave. There was no need for further discussion. Or a fight. She gasped, her tears spilling over and running down her cheeks. The sharp intake of breath started her in motion. She ducked under Merle's arm and rounded the table, grabbing Daryl's hands.

"No! I'm not leavin'. I'm so sorry. I love you! I didn't mean for any of this ta happen," she gushed between sobs. Daryl yanked one of his hands away, snatching up one of the more explicit pictures off the table top and holding it up for her inspection.

"Ya didn't mean fer this ta happen?," he asked. "This was a fuckin' accident?" She didn't mean to do it? She just slipped and landed hard on his brother's dick? What the hell kind of excuse was that?

"Yes…. No…. I don't know…," she stammered. "I'm so sorry." With that RickyJo sank to her knees and buried her face in her hands. Then she really started crying. Deep racking robs shook her body. Her chest and her stomach were hitching with the force of her gasps. Daryl hesitated. But he couldn't take her tears. He reached under her arms, pulling RickyJo to her feet and holding her against his chest. He kept one arm around her, pointing at his brother with the other hand.

"GET. THE FUCK. OUT!," Daryl ordered, gesturing towards the door.

For possibly the first time in his entire life, Merle was at a loss for words. It was clear from his shocked expression that this was not how he imagined this whole situation playing out in his mind. He wasn't stupid. He knew eventually this whole debacle would boil down to RickyJo having to choose between him and Daryl. He just naturally assumed that she would choose him.

"Are you deaf?," Daryl hollered. "Get the fuck outta here! I don't ever wanna see you again!"

"Well that's gonna be a problem, since yer wife is pregnant with my kid," Merle spat back, rounding the table as he slowly advanced on the two of them.

RickyJo sucked in a deep rattling breath and wiped her face with her hands. She was still clinging to the front of Daryl's shirt. But she turned her head, looking at Merle. Her eyes were red rimmed and full of more unshed tears. She looked completely broken. And Merle realized that he was the cause of her pain. He could have just left her alone. She was perfectly happy before Merle interfered in her life. He loved her. But his love was like poison. It didn't make her happy. It hurt her. And Daryl. And Jessica. He destroyed everyone that ever cared about him.

"Merle," RickyJo said, her voice hitched and wavering. "Please just go. Don't make this any worse than it already is." Her bottom lip was quivering. And all Merle wanted to do was pull her into his arms and tell her everything was going to be alright. Because he was going to make sure that everything was alright. And it was killing him that he couldn't. Just absolutely killing him. He felt the anger starting to simmer down low in his belly. But he kept it there, taking a step closer to RickyJo.

"Are ya sure that's what you want?," he asked, his eyes flicking towards Daryl before he returned his focus to RickyJo. "If you want me ta go, I'll go," he said, edging just a little closer and reaching towards her. When his hand made contact with her shoulder, Daryl moved, slapping Merle's hand away with a loud crack.

"Don't fuckin' touch her,' he hissed.

RickyJo's eyes were blurry from her tears. She was overwrought with emotion. And her head was spinning a million miles a minute. She wouldn't have been able to say which one of the brothers was the aggressor of the fight. Only that she heard a loud slap. And then suddenly complete chaos broke loose. She took a hard hit to her own face and stumbled back against the table as blood gushed down over her chin from her split lip. Merle and Daryl were locked into each other, thrashing wildly as they careened into her large glass front curio cabinet. The glass broke, shattering all over them and the floor. And then the entire cabinet toppled forward, knocking them both to the ground as everything inside slid out and broke on her floor. Rolling out from under the mess, they were still intent on beating the living shit out of each other. RickyJo started screaming for them to stop, the blood from her busted lips running and dripping down onto the front of her oversized t-shirt.

"What in the fuck is going on?!," Shane yelled over the loud cursing fight. Daryl and his brother were both torn up and bleeding. There was broken shit everywhere. And they were now having a full on fist fight in the middle of the living room.

"Break it up!," Rick hollered, moving past Shane and inserting himself between the two men. Shane followed his example, grabbing Merle and pushing him back and away from Daryl. Once they were separated, Shane relaxed his grip. He wasn't expecting it when Merle backed up a step and landed a hard kick into the center of his chest, sending him flying backwards into RickyJo. Merle then went tearing back after Daryl, still determined to beat the other man senseless. Rick jerked out of the way, catching Merle by the arm and swinging him down onto the floor. He twisted Merle's arm behind his back, immobilizing him as he ordered the man to get control of himself.

"Calm your ass down!," Rick ordered. He glanced at Daryl, who looked like he might not be all the way done fighting either. "Don't even think about it!." Rick told him. "Or yer both gonna spend the night in jail." Thankfully, Daryl turned his attention to RickyJo, who had not only been hit in the mouth, but also knocked backwards onto the floor in the chaos. He rushed over to her, helping her up and into a nearby chair. Shane had the wind knocked out of him. But once he caught his breath, he managed to climb to his feet. He headed for the kitchen, grabbing a bag of frozen peas and shoving them at RickyJo before he turned to Daryl and asked him just what in the hell was going on. Before he could answer, Merle voiced his loud complaint from facedown on the carpet.
"Get the fuck offa me," he yelled. Rick glanced at Shane, who shrugged and took a step forward, placing himself slightly in front of Daryl. Just in case they decided to go for what he was pretty sure might be round three at this point. Rick released Merle. And both of them scooted away from each other, sitting back on their asses and wiping the sweat out of their eyes.

"Who hit you?," Rick asked, glancing at the blood on RickyJo's shirt. She pulled the bag of peas down from her swollen mouth.

"No one," she insisted, "...I tripped and fell." Shane snorted, trying not to laugh at one of the worst lies he'd ever heard. He rubbed his head and gave her a pointed look. RickyJo sighed. "They were after each other," she admitted, "...no one hit me, I just got caught in the middle of the fight." Shane nodded, satisfied with that answer, which he guessed was probably at least something close to the truth.

"Are you okay?," Shane asked, "...you fell pretty hard when I bumped into you." She nodded. Her elbow hurt. But at least she landed on her arm and hip instead of her stomach. She could feel her baby doing his usual acrobatics, so she was sure the little one was fine.

RickyJo suddenly felt like she couldn't breathe. She pushed herself up and out of the chair. The walls of her apartment suddenly felt like they were closing in around her. Tossing the bag of peas back into the freezer, she grabbed her giant hoodie and yanked it over her head, tucking her phone into the front pocket. Then she grabbed her wallet and keys from the little shelf near the door.
"I need some air," she said, rushing out of the apartment before anyone could think to stop her. She rushed down the hall and into the elevator, jamming the close door button with her finger repeatedly until the doors finally slid shut and she was alone with her regrets. When the elevator let her out onto the ground floor, she headed for the door. She wasn't really sure where she was going, just that she needed to get outside before she went crazy. RickyJo headed towards the little bodega down the street, thinking that maybe she would get herself an iced tea and pretend it was the long island iced tea she wished she was drinking right now. At the least, she hoped the walk might clear her head a little. Or at least it would give Merle and Daryl an opportunity to calm down without her there, inciting more problems. She was upset with herself. For what she did. And for still not feeling sure about what she wanted. She didn't want to lose Daryl. She was sure of that. But she also felt a deep throbbing sadness at the thought of losing Merle. She could still feel the horrible emptiness inside. After what happened between her and Daryl in Mexico. Merle was the only one that was there for her when she was at her lowest. And the beautiful little life she had growing inside her. They made that together. That had to mean something. The whole situation was just beyond fucked up. And she didn't help things one bit by sneaking around and cheating.

RickyJo was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she didn't realize she was being followed. Or more specifically, stalked. Even when the man in the hooded jacket stood outside the bodega and waited for her to come out, she didn't notice him. It wasn't until he grabbed her and began pulling her towards the open door of a waiting van that she even realized he was right behind her. A pillowcase was forced down over her head. And her wrists were taped together. She thrashed and struggled. But she could feel at least three sets of hands on her, holding her in place as the van door closed and began to speed off down the road. Finally she slumped to the floor of the van, pretending that she fainted. Whoever grabbed her, took her wallet and keys. But her phone was still in her hoodie pocket. Someone nudged her a few times, trying to determine if she was actually passed out or not. RickyJo forced herself to keep her body limp. Her wrists were taped. But she still had some limited use of her hands. She was turned towards the side of the van, her back to her captors. Moving as little as possible, she slid her phone out of her pocket. The pillowcase was still over her head. So she couldn't see. She just flipped the phone open and pressed the button for recent calls, praying that whoever was the last to call her would pick up when she dialed them. Then she pressed the call button and clamped her fingers down over the speaker to keep the other occupants of the van from hearing the ringing.