My Little Girl {Daryl Dixon Story}

Chapter 6- First Birthday

Daryl's POV

** June 9th 1999 ***

Today my little girl turns one. Crazy how time flies... it's already been a whole year.

Today we're having a small cookout for Peyton's birthday.

It's more like a barbecue but with a cake for Peyton.

It's small.. It's only gonna be myself, Merle, My boss and Kathryn, Mark, and my three good buddies from work.. Dustin, Shane, and Gareth.

The party is in an hour and I'm tryin to season all the meat.. which happens to be deer.

The people that are coming are each bringing a side so all I have to do is cook the meat.

Merle went to go buy some beer, although I won't be drinking any.

I made a promise that I won't ever drink around Peyton.

I finish prepping the meat and wipe my hands off on a rag hanging on the counter.

I wipe the sweat off my forehead when I hear Peyton start yelling from her high-chair.

I put the tag down and walk over to her. She reaches her arms up to me, wanting me to pick her up.

"Hold on baby girl, daddy has to wash his hands first" I say to her and walk over to the sink.

She starts yelling more and I smile to myself. She's definitely mine

I dry my hands off as she continues to yell

"My goodness ye' are loud today" I say as I pick her up and place her on my hip.

She stops whining instantly and lays her head on my shoulder and grabs at my chin.

I make silly faces at her as I walk around the kitchen.

She smiles and starts bouncing so I go in the living room and set her down on the floor and I sit on the couch.

Soon after I hear the door open and Peyton crawls/ stumbles towards the door.

I watch as merle rounds the corner carrying two twelve packs of Bud Light and a small cake. Peyton crawls quickly behind him.

"Come here" I say as I pick my little girl up and carry her to the kitchen.

I Stand by Merle and Peyton reaches her arms out and leans towards him.

"Oh I see how it is" i joke as Merle laughs and holds his arms out for her.

I had her over and take over putting the beer into the cooler.

"I got something for ye' princess" I hear Merle say as he places Peyton in her high-chair.

He walks away to grab the cake and she instantly starts fussing.

I grab my phone and take pictures as Merle sets the small cake on her high chair table.

The cake was white with purple icing that said 'happy birthday' and a number 1 on it.

She grabs a handful of the cake and shoves it in her mouth getting icing all over her face.

I smile and take more pictures of my beautiful baby girl who I now know loves cake.

She eats more than half of the small cake before reaching out to me with her icing hands.

"Have fun baby brotha" Merle laughs as he takes the meat out to the grill.

I roll my eyes and take the cake off her trey and and put the plastic cover back on it.

I grab some wet wipes and start wiping her face, which she hates.. she starts moving her head making it almost impossible to clean her.

Finally I get her face clean and grab another wipe to clean off her hands.

"See tha' wasn't tha' hard" I say and pick her back up.

*** 30 minutes later ***

All the people that I invited have showed up, each brining one gift each for Peyton.

Gareth walks over to me and holds his hand out and nods towards Peyton.

I slowly hand her over to him and she reached back for me.

"I don't bite" he says trying to get her to calm down.

"Ya she's shy" I say smiling at my little girl.

He laughs and she slowly becomes used to him.

After everyone ate we watched as Peyton attempted to unwrap her gifts which she had trouble with.

I lean over beside her and place my large hands over hers and help her unwrap them.

Her, being too young to understand what anything was, was more interested in the trashed wrapping paper.

Everyone laughs as she giggles and plays with a small ball of wrapping paper instead of a new toy that Kathryn bought her.

"Guess I know what to buy next year" Kathryn says laughing.

I smile and clean up the littered living room except the one piece Peyton was playing with.

After everyone leaves Merle and I sit on the couch while Peyton fell asleep in my arms.

I stand up and carry her to her room and place her in her crib.

"Happy birthday baby girl" I whisper and kiss her forehead.