Beth's Old Sweet Shoppe

Chapter 53:

Chapter 53:

"Daryl, what's wrong with you?" She asks, concerned and confused by him.

"Baby, I want Kylie to live and be happy... I've been praying like Hell to make it so, but God's the final decider...and if he does take our little girl, well, I won't be scared." The little girl yawns and opens her eyes for the first time to them. Smiling down at her, they see bright blue eyes that pierce them- a moment, they won't ever forget.

"Beth, it's time for her feeding...Mr. Dixon, if you could please give us some priv..."

"I'd like to stay please...." Daryl cuts her off and Beth just smiles and nods her approval. She knows he's trying to get as much time with her as he can. When the nurse, helps Beth figure out breast feeding again, Daryl just watches and let's his heart sink deeper into his chest. The nurse leaves after they get Kylie latched of and Daryl comes a little closer. "Wh...what does it feel like?"

"Like when you give me hickies...only I can feel the pull of the milk." Beth shares and he just smiles. Her heart has been breaking all day and she too can notice a lull in Kylie. She seems to grow weak and tired, even though all babies are tired. Beth just tries to focus on what they have right now, but her heart is still deep within her and it's hardly beating. When they girl's done feeding, Beth covers her chest back up and gently pats the babies back, causing the tiniest burp to come out.
"That's my beautiful girl..."

"She's asleep again." Daryl sighs and Beth nods, with a tear coming down her cheek. "Baby, it's okay."

"I know...Shoot..." She sobs.

"What?"

"You never got to hold her yet."

"It's okay, Beth. You need this..." So selfless and caring, Daryl just wants Beth to hold her as long as possible, so she can always feel her up until her absence.

"Daryl, yer holding out baby." Beth cries and he reluctantly takes her from Beth. It's something he's never felt before, power, magic, and some indescribable feeling coursing through his body. It's as if he were still holding Rose's hand, before she died. His heart isn't as deep in himself now, as it is to the surface of his throat. Gazing down at his child, her eyes flutter open and her blue eyes glimmer and sparkle, unlike before when she opened them and they looked dull and glazed over a bit. Her skin also isn't as translucent as it was, but pink and supple like a peach or tanned skin. His smile grows and as he looks at her, he sees a familiar smile too upon Kylie's face. It resonates in him and now he feels her. It hits him like a brick wall and he stops all other thoughts in his mind as he just gazes down at Kylie Rose.

"Daryl? You okay?" Beth wonders, and he just feels it, but can't call it out right now.

"I'm perfect. She's perfect." He says gayly and Beth just wonders with this happiness came from. "Hello again."

As he speaks to his daughter, he eyes sparkle and her smile grows wider.

"Yer very tricky, you know." He says with joy in his voice and Beth doesn't quite understand him at this moment. "I bet you planned this, didn't you? You love-able angel."

"Hey folks, In just hear to check on Kylie an Mom." Dr. Edwards comes in and Daryl just stays in his own mindset. "So, how ya feeling Beth?"

"I'm good, a little sore, but fine." He does a check up on her and them goes to Kylie.

"Well, you are looking very chipper today, lil one. May I take her back to the exam room, so I can get a few tests out of her?"

Daryl looks at Beth and he nods, though she's still sad.

"Of course. I will see you later, Ms. Kylie." Daryl says with a grin on his face and hands the child over to a nurse with a hospital crib. As they wheel her out, Daryl goes to Beth, smiling widely and kisses her. Sitting up and looking at him, he's quite odd to her. She doesn't understand how or why he's so happy, if their daughter is dying and most likely won't come back with Edwards. "Yer so beautiful."

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Me? I'm perfect as a penguin on an ice slide." She scoffs a bit at him and he kisses her again. "I'm not scared. I'm not sad."

"How? Edwards looked upset, so did the nurse....I hate to think this way, but she probably isn't coming back to us." Daryl shakes his head in disbelief.

"No, she is. I guarantee it. That girl is going to be just fine, and come home with us." The more hopeful he is, the more it hurts Beth. It's as if he's making a mockery of their daughter. She felt how boney and how weak she feels. It's hard for the baby to breathe, she doesn't open her eyes, and she barely eats or uses her diaper. When she handed the child to Daryl, she felt her slipping from this world, but Daryl continues to mock them as he stood there. And he whole church thing also has her up in arms.

When Edwards comes back in, Beth and Daryl both notice Kylie isn't in his arms or with a nurse. Beth begins to get upset and Daryl just sits there with a stupid smile plastered on his face.

"Beth, Daryl. I have some news for you." He pauses and cleans his glasses real quick, looking frazzled or something else. "We've checked Kylie over, did all the tests possible, and she seems...to have recovered."

He pauses and both jut take it in- Beth as shock and Daryl as joy.

"She seems to have come full circle and then some."

"What do you mean? And them some?"

"I mean, her organs are fully formed and functioning, where they weren't yesterday. Her skin has fully repaired itself and she seems as happy as any other baby, where before she seemed not with us....its all very miraculous and, well, I can't understand it. We'd still like to keep you both here for a few more days, but after that, I think you both can go home and love normal lives."

Between the rock and the hard place, they both find a new space- a cushion of hope and a valley of wonder.