Beth's Old Sweet Shoppe

Chapter 57:

Chapter 57:

Getting up, Beth places Kylie in her crib and painfully hustles down to the shop and asks Michone to check on Kylie every so often. Leaving her the baby monitor, Beth walks outside and watches Daryl walk several yards away from her, never slowing down so she can catch up. As she follows him, she tries to calm herself from her burning stomach. As she starts catching up to him, she rests and calls to him. He stops and turns, looking at her. His shoulders are slumped and his face casted down. Walking over to him, she holds her stomach and finally stands a few feet away from him.

"What are you doing?" She asks genuinely and he shrugs his shoulders. "What's wrong? You just left abruptly? What's going on?"

"Beth let's not pretend any more." He shakes his palm at the ground and she stands confused.

"What are you talking about?"

"It's jus...huh, you don't want me. So I'm jus going a..."

"Stop. What do you mean I don't want you?"

"I heard you talking to Michone. It's okay. I understand." He starts walking away again and she grabs his hand.

"You think I don't love you? We were making fun of how guys think. You guys don't think that we need you or want to be with you...and some girls feel that way, but I don't and Michone doesn't either. She wants to marry Rick, but he doesn't think she wants him. I want you and need you more than anything. I was joking."

He just stairs at her tiny hand grasping his rough callused one. Stepping closer, she makes him look up at her and his eyes are speckled with tears.

"I love you so damn much, Daryl. If I'd have known you were listening, I would have made sure you knew it was a joke." She kisses his knuckles and looks up at him woefully. "Forgive me."

"I do...yer bleeding a bit. We need to take you home to stitch that up." Scooping her up, he carefully takes her home. When they get there, he sets her in the bathroom on the edge of the tub and grabs the needle and medical thread. Her c-section stitches are in tac except for one at the end that is slightly bleeding from strenuous activity. She takes the needle from him and pushes it painfully through her stomach and sees two new stitches in her flesh.

"I still don't get how you can do that." He shivers as she kisses his temple and pulls her shirt off, before tossing it to the laundry basket to be washed.

"Haha don't get queazy on me. Help me to the living room?" She asks and he smile before scooping her up and taking her there. Setting her on the couch, he sits beside her and brushes her bangs back and looks deep in her eyes. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I don't even want to think about that." Holding her close, Daryl plays with her hand and leaves kisses on her neck and lips. Turning in her seat, Beth throws her legs over Daryl's lap and lays down on the couch. "Getting tired?"

"Yeah, I hate being so fatigued."

"Well you take a nap and I'll help Chone with the shop and watch Kylie." Kissing her forehead, he lays a blanket over her and leaves.

She can't believe she almost lost him today. What would she do without him? Probably suffer and be extremely upset. No one can replace him- especially now that he's the father of her baby.