The Baby Arrangement

Chapter 69: A Basket

Chapter 69: A Basket

He's lied to Beth for three whole days. He's lied to Michone, who was on a strict 'don't ask, don't tell' policy and he's lied to Merle on top of everything. Rick was noted than excited when he hear Daryl would be apart of his stupid plan. So, after Michone signed away alright a to some unknown person, never even seeing the baby or naming it, learning the sex, never knowing anything that was going to happen and certainly never expecting it to be in her presence- Daryl took a flight with the newborn son in his lap to New York for a day or two.

How did he get everything passed Beth? Well, he claimed he had to fly out of town to get what was going to be her present. So when Rick snuck the baby and the legal papers out of the hospital and met Daryl at the airport, Daryl was less than enthused about having to spend two whole days with the child, before being able to come home and present Beth with it. It was all a big charade for Daryl to simply help out his friends. So sitting in New York's train station, just chilling out, he looks down at the dark skinned boy and watched him yawn in his little outfit that is too big for the baby.

"Need a name for you....Need ta register you as mine and Beth's....You don't really care do you?" Sitting and talking to the baby, he can't help but feel his chest grow tighter as he things about this child's future and how built up on lies it will be. "We can't leave till I get a name....not to sound racists, but I don't know many good names for little black boys..."

It hard to name a child, especially one you never got the chance to get to know up until two days ago. Not to be a dick, Daryl doesn't want to name the child something generic. Without Beth, Daryl feels like an asshole and stupid.

"Are you hungry? I suppose I have some formula in my bag...Hmm? Does that sound good..." he wants a name to just slip off his tongue and hope it sounds good enough, but he can't think straight.

"Excuse me...do you need help?" An older woman with grey hair and glasses sits beside Daryl and stares down at the child in his arms.

"Yes actually...My wife and I adopted this boy and she's too sick to be here. I can't leave te state until I have a name for him... a good name mind you." Lying is his new hobby apparently, but it seems to be the only thing working for him.

"Oh...Um, well he kinda looks like a Theodore...like a Theo or Teddy, but what do I really know." The woman takes out her knitting and smiles at Daryl. "You know, names are hard, but what's harder is showing love to new beings in our lives. Every child is born with a purpose. Maybe his is to be a Theodore..."

"He does kinda look like a Theodore...Theodore Andre Dixon."

"TAD...haha I believe you've found it." The woman gets up with a smile and gets on the next train. Sitting with a glint in his eye, Daryl looks down at the sleeping baby and smiles.

"Hello Theodore...I'm yer dad."

............

"Mommy!" For the last three days, Kensi has done nothing but follow Beth around, call for her, and make a mess. Since Daryl's been off getting Beth a mysterious present from God knows where and God knows what it is, their two year old has been nothing but a pain.

"Kensi, enough sweetie. Mommy needs to rest." The child bounces on Beth's stomach and all Beth wants to do is lay down in peace and quiet for five seconds. She never remembered it being this hard to look after her when Daryl was gone. Then again Daryl never seemed to leave. "Kensi! Stop jumping on my stomach! I'll throw up on you."

Sticking her tongue out play Beth, Kensi keep a bouncing up and down on her mother and Beth can't take it any more.

"When yer father gets home yer in big trouble!" Beth warns and Kensi stops. Looking down at her mother on the couch, Kensi frowns and then a devilish smiles grows on her face, which scares Beth, because it's Daryl's smile.

"Tickles!" Kensi starts tickling Beth and all she can do is laugh and squirm beneath Kensi, when they stop at the sound if someone pulling in the driveway. Looking at each other, Beth pears up and finds it's a taxi.

"Yer father's home." Beth warns and the girls squeals and tries to run away, but Beth grabs her around her waist and carries her to the front door. Opening it the rain is now a small sprinkle and Beth's face grows long when she notices Daryl get out of the taxi, grab his single bag and the. A basket out of the back seat. "Kensi..."

Her chest is rising as Daryl walks closer and closer to the house. She backs up inside as he walks in, a blanket over the basket. Setting Kensi down and shutting the door, Beth watches as Daryl sets his luggage on the floor, kicks off his boots and sits in the living room after kissing his girls.

"Daddy! What's in Basket!" Kensi rushes up and sits beside him on the couch, basket in his lap. Beth stays in the arch way, but looks curiously at the basket.

"It's a surprise."

"I open it?"

"Well Marie, get mommy over here and you both and open it." Rushing around the couch, Kensi grabs Beth's hand and pulls her over to Daryl. they sit down on either side of him and Beth just looks at Daryl.

"Where were you?"

"New York....go on open it." Kensi and Beth lift up the blanket and both look down with wide blue eyes and gaping mouths.

"Daddy!"

"Daryl...."

"It's a baby Mommy!" Kensi squeals with delight as he gently touches it's blue knitted hat.

"Yes honey...This is Theodore...or Teddy."

"Teddy!" Kensi bounces up and down and Beth doesn't know what to feel or think. "We keep teddy?"

"Yes, he's ours baby girl. A little brother for you." Daryl smiles and Beth just sits there paralyzed.

"Imma go draw." Kensi says and races off to the back room. As Teddy wriggles in his basket, Beth just looks down at him and Daryl feels something's wrong.

"Beth...say something."

"You adopted a baby?"

"Yes...for us. For you." Daryl goes to kiss her cheek and she pulls away. Standing up, she walks to the window and now watches it down pour outside. Arms wrapped around her waist and straightened back, Beth can't understand this situation.

"You didn't even let me be apart of it...you just went ahead and chose what you wanted." She grimly says.

"Beth, I'm sorry I didn't include you...but he's perfect. Healthy, happy, he needs you and me. Honey, I thought you'd be happy."

"He's adorable, but Daryl...he's...he's not mine. He's not us. I don't even know how you could do this."

"Beth we want a baby...instead of put you through pain again, I thought I'd help someone else out. He wasn't being loved...he needs us. I..I need him."

"You need him? Why? To replace yer dead son?" Crying, Beth races out of the room and out the front door crying and hurt. Was this a bad idea?