The Baby Arrangement

Chapter 29: Baby Carriage

Chapter 29: Baby Carriage

Sleeping in for the third day in a row, Daryl finds that he is less than enthused about the day. Particularly hating the idea of Hershel and Maggie coming to see Beth. He knows he needs to stay away. He knows he should run for the hills, but he is so captivated by Beth's growing baby girl, that he doesn't possibly have it in him to not be around. However, Beth has made it very clear to him that she doesn't want him around.

She's been moody lately, irritable, cruel even. He can't tell if it's the baby or her. Needless to say he finds hanging out with the guys today will be good for not only his mood, but testosterone levels.

Over in Beth's apartment, Beth is trying to figure out the right path of how to tell Maggie, Hershel, and Glenn she's pregnant, better yet explaining the whole arrangement. Or should she leave that part out and say she found a reasonable donor? Either way, the cookie will end up smashed, not crumbled. She knows she's telling them today without a second thought, not cause she's excited or hate lying to them- but for he only reason is that she's showing a lot more than predicted.

Hearing Daryl's door open, Beth goes to the door and looks out the peep hole. She notices him look at her door, ready to knock no doubt, shrug and then walk down the stairs.

"Figures...jerk." He is a jerk. The last time they really had a decent time was the day he shoved her over her washing machine and pounded her senseless. Ever since that day, he's been rude, irritable, and as usual and asshole. She doesn't get it. For almost two and a half months he was purely sweet, considerate, nice and caring, and now he's worse than his old self. There's no wonder no woman would marry him, he's basically bipolar.

Setting up the nursery even more than it was, Beth puts the last touch to it and sits back in the rocking chair. The room looks adorable and she can't believe in what is now sixth months away, she'll be having a sweet little girl.

Sitting in the bar with the guys, only Rick knows about the arrangement between Beth and Daryl. The game rages on and everyone has bets on the table but Daryl. He hasn't hung out with the guys in a long time. He's usually with Beth, shopping, cleaning, fucking, or doing whatever she feels is necessary. It's like they're basically married, only when they get in a fight they have separate homes to go to and they're not in love.

"So, Daryl, how's the ladies?" Tyreese asks as he swigs his beer.

"Haven't really been hitting any lately. Mostly just hang out in my apartment."

"Why? You used to bag at least a weeks worth of women." Bob says as he sits down, just catching the conversation.

"I don't know. Just getting too old for that stuff, I guess." Rick looks at him and shakes his head. He knows Daryl's hooked on Beth, even if he won't admit it.

"Maybe yer just ready to find the one and settle down."

"Maybe...I just don't feel like looking, ya know?"

"But that's how you find someone. You go out and choose someone who's un-expecting. Someone who you connect with, but can still have yer difference." David says. "That's how I married Jackie. She was someone completely different than what I would normally date, but she turned out to be the best thing for me."

"I don't know guys...maybe I should just be a hermit."

"Better yet, let's get you a dog."

"What? Why?"

"Cause one it'll keep yer sorry ass company and two woman love dogs."

"I guess..."

"Let's go find you a dog bro!"

Sitting at the table, they eat lunch and Beth watches Ainsley play the wii. She's gonna have a little girl just like Ainsley...she just needs a name first.

"Beth...are you even listening?"

"Hmm?" She looks at the table and finds Maggie's the one talking to her.

"I asked you about Daryl."

"What about him?" Beth asks, kind of annoyed with Daryl at the moment.

"How is he?"

"Good...actually I don't know. He's been off doing God knows what... but what does that matter for anyway?"

"Are you doing okay?"

"I'm pregnant." She just let's it come out like word vomit. Everyone drops their forks and Ainsley stops dancing and turns to look at Beth.

"What?" Her dad looks at her with furrowed eyebrows and Beth sinks in her chair.

"I found a donor and well...it worked."

"Oh my god, Beth how far are you?" Maggie asks

"Three months...going on four tomorrow."

"Why would you do this without talking to us first?" Hershel watches Beth closely and she reasons with him.

"Daddy...It's kinda my decision. It's my body... I wanted a baby...so I got one."

"Beth, you can't raise a child by yerself."

"Daddy, I can and I'm going too. You can't really stop me. I'm not a lil girl any more."

"Aunt Beth! Yer having a baby!"

"Yes....it's gonna be a girl...in case y'all were wondering."

Maggie and Glenn try to be supportive and everything, Hershel on the other hand isn't so rewarding. After finishing up dinner, Beth and Maggie talk about baby things and Hershel just looks over the baby room for almost an hour.

When they leave, Beth shuts the door and sits on the couch. She wishes Daryl were here so he could tell him about her day, but for all he knows, he's off fucking some loose woman.

Just as she lets the silence fall upon her apartment, she hears a small bark in the hallway. Getting up she opens her door and finds Daryl holding a dog leash with a baby German Shepherd eating it.

"Daryl? What are you doing?" She asks as she watches him holding a big bag of kibble in one arm and trying to open his door with the other. Turning around, he looks at her and then down at the pup.

"Got a new roommate. His name's Ozzie." Going into his apartment, Beth follows and the puppy keeps jumping and biting the lease. Shutting the door, Beth just stares at the puppy and wonders what's going through Daryl's head.

"Why would you get a dog?"

"I like dogs. I wanted one. I made a decision and I seen it through." He's very short with her and he lets Ozzie off the lease an he runs around, slipping a bit from the wood floor and then slides into Beth's legs.

"So you just jumped right in?"

"Kinda like you did with the whole baby thing, yeah." She raises her eyebrows and scoffs. How could he go there. "Why does it matter? It's not like he's gonna be in her apartment to both you and yer bundle of joy."

As the argument gets heated, Ozzie is running about the apartment.

"Fuck you Daryl. Yer a complete and utter asshole! You know that!"

"Haven't you figure that out yet! Why are you so fucking surprised?! You think cause fuck you and get you pregnant, that I'm not still an asshole!" She backs up from his explosion and the words hurt her so much. "Look around Beth! I am an asshole. And you've made it pretty clear to me to just leave you alone, so just get out."

She just stands there frozen.

"Go! Get out!"He yells even louder and she starts to cry and she runs out of his apartment. Catching his breath, he falls to the ground and hates himself for what he just did. How could he hurt her like that? Coming over, Ozzie licks Daryl's hand and sits beside him.

Crying, Beth slams her apartment door and starts hyperventilating from holding her breath over at Daryl's. He was so mean to her...but then again se started it. Why does she push him so much? Laying on her bed, she can't stop hating herself for pushing him passed his limit. She liked the idea of Ozzie. He's cute and sweet, and she just flipped? These hormones of hers keep getting worse with each week.