REMEMBER ME HAPPY | r. grimes

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— PART THREE of THREE —
REMEMBER ME HAPPY

FIVE MONTHS LATER

– A DIFFERENT AURA FELL ON THE GROUP during those winter months.

They survived sickness, hunger, and plenty of running around during the Georgia winter. It was easy for the lot of them to get irritated with one another, however, their irritability never lasted long.

So now, as the summer air beat around them, Emerson smiled widely as she heard Carl sing to her Mariah Carey Christmas CD.

Emerson looked to Rick, who was annoyed, but didn't show his emotion.

He met Emerson's gaze and gave her a small smile before grabbing her hand. He pressed a small kiss to her wrist before leaving it in his lap.

Emerson turned the radio down and asked, "Carl, if you love the Christmas Queen, I'll bet you love Daryl's favorite singer."

"Oh yeah? Who's that?" Carl retorted.

Emerson looked back at him and smirked. "Miss Celine Dion."

"Daryl likes Celine Dion?" Rick chuckled.

"Hell yeah he does." Emerson grinned.

Before Emerson could put the CD in, Rick stopped the car.

"Uh, what are you doing?"

"Yeah, Dad, what are you doing?" Carl asked, the same tone as Emerson.

Rick left his mouth agape as he looked between Carl and Emerson.

"Is this how it'll always be? Just you two gangin' up on me?" Rick asked.

Carl just grinned. "It's Mom and I against the world. Didn't you get the memo?"

"And where does Dad fit into that equation?" Rick said, looking at his son.

Emerson shrugged. "Sorry, no room for ya."

With that, the family of three piled out of the vehicle and met with the others.

"We got no place left to go." T-Dog announced as he pulled out the map.

Maggie sighed before saying, "When this herd meets up with this one, we'll be cut off."

"Which means we'll never make it south." Emerson said, agreeing with Maggie. "Damn."

"What would you say? About a 150 head?" Daryl asked, referring to the herd they had been dodging all winter.

Glenn scoffed. "That was last week. It could be twice that by now."

"The river might've delayed them. If we move fast, we'll have a shot to tear right through there." Hershel announced, pointing his finger from the river and into another county.

"Yeah, but this group," Emerson began as she moved her finger, "Could join with this one. Then we're screwed seven ways to Sunday."