The Baby Arrangement

Chapter 27: Stupid Decisions

Chapter 27: Stupid Decisions

Getting in his truck he starts the engine and backs out. He starts heading toward the restaurant to meet Amy, a girl he met a few days ago and finds amazing. The whole way downtown, he starts to feel less and less excited about the date and finds himself worried about Beth in her room. She shouldn't have done that too him. Using him is one thing, but a courtesy blow job was kind of ridiculous. Not to mention the kiss beforehand was a bit out of place.

Sitting at a red light, he can't do it. Pulling over to a side street he parks and pulls out his phone.

"Hello..."

"Hi, Amy....it's Daryl."

"Oh hey..."

"Um, I'm got some bad news....my dog just died and well...nfff, I just can't go on that date tonight...I'm so sorry."

"Daryl it's okay...I'm sorry about yer dog. Could we reschedule?"

"I'd like that...when are you free next?"

"Umm is Friday good?"

"Friday would be great. Thank you for being so understanding."

"No problem... I hope yer night goes a little bit better."

"Thanks." Hanging up, Daryl sets his phone beside him and sighs. Going down Carson and over toward his shop, he pulls into Marty's bakery and picks up a cheesecake platter and then heads home.

Sitting in her bedroom, she feels like shit. Why would she do that? To Daryl even? It was so disgusting, but she kind of liked it. Shaking her head, she doesn't feel the ache of want any more but the ache of humility. Of all the things she could've done,should've done, she decides to cross that border of friendship and just blow him? Use him? She did. She used his dick to finish what she couldn't. How is that friendly?

And now he's on his date, waiting to get laid no doubt. Picking up her phone she dials his number and waits.

"Hello..."

"Gareth? It's Beth..."

"Beth, how are you doing?"

"I'm good. Um...would you like to come over or go somewhere tonight?"

"Sure...I can come over."

"Great. I'll see you soon." Hanging up, she needs a distraction I her stupid earlier decisions, and Gareth out of the last few people was the...well most courteous.

As Daryl gets out of the truck he notices a tall thin guy, who looks familiar, get out of a can and start walking up the stairs in front of him. As he's reaching his floor, he notices it's Gareth and stops. Beth opens the door and Gareth goes inside. Sinking low in his posture, Daryl goes up the stairs and passes his door and Beth's. Knocking on Rick's door, Michone answers it and invites him in.

"Did you do something different with yer apartment?" Gareth asks as he sits on the couch next to Beth.

"No...it might be cleaner than the last time you saw it." She smiles, but feels like shit

"Oh...what do I owe the pleasure of yer call?" He scoots closer and lays a hand on her thigh.

"Just...ya know, wanted to see you..."

"Well, I've been thinking of you too." He his that's around her shoulder touches her bare skin from her tank top and soon starts kissing her neck. She leans into is lips, but soon feels stupid and pushes gently on his chest.

"Gareth...I'm sorry, I can't." Pulling away from her he stands up.

"Jesus Christ, you called me. Remember? Yer the one who sounded desperate an needy. Not me!" Going to the door he slams it, just as Daryl is coming out of Rick's to go to his apartment. Gareth catches his eyes with a glower and storms down the steps. Looking at Beth's door, he doesn't know if he should go see if she's okay....or just go home. He's at a standstill. Sitting on the bench, he has his head in his hands and he runs his hands through his hair, suddenly Beth opens her door and is taken back when she finds Daryl sitting on the bench looking disheveled.

"Daryl..." He looks up at her and then at his hands. Coming over she sits next to him on the bench. "I thought you were on yer date."

"She canceled....her dog died." He lies and she just stares ahead of them.

"I'm sorry...Gareth stopped by..."

"I saw that."

"Oh...he wanted me back, but ya know, who dates people from Starbucks right?" She jokes and he smiles.

"Some people are just desperate." He laughs and she sinks in her seat. She hates this guilty feeling she has.

"Yeah...so I think there's a Modern Family Marathon on tonight...you wanna watch it?"

"Sure." Getting up the head inside and watch the show. As they sit and laugh Daryl catches Beth's small stomach beneath her shirt. It's really subtle, but he can see it perfectly. "Ya know...you should get pictures each week of yer growing belly..."

Looking at him, she never really expected him to say that. Looking down, she does notice her stomach protruding a bit more than normal.

"You think?"

"Yeah..."

"Would...would you take one for me?"

"Sure. Stand up... and take yer shirt off...I seen a few where you cover yer breast but show yer stomach. Lets do that way. " Doing as he says, Beth removes her shirt and her bra and covers her breasts like he said as she stands in front of the brick wall by the tv. Taking a few pictures, he feels his stomach turn and he heart race. "Perfect."

"Let me see!" He hands her his phone and she slides through his picture until she reaches one of her sleeping on her couch. She sinks as she looks at it and then looks at him. When he sees her looking at the wrong photo, he snatches the phone and sits back. "Why did you have that picture?"

"My phone must've got on camera mode when I was covering you up."

"No...cause that was perfectly clear and angled." She says, a lil mad that he'd take a picture of her like that and a lil curious as to why he would want a photo like that, a photo of her.

"Cause..."

"Cause isn't an answer."

"And I suppose you don't have photos of me on yer phone..." He says as he grabs her phone and finds the one of him sleeping with the book on his chest.

"Blackmail...thats what I was gonna use that for..." She lies.

"Whatever." Getting up, he leaves her apartment and goes to his. He's so angry he got caught with that picture of her. He had it because she looked so cute. he doubts she had his picture because of blackmail.