Beth's Old Sweet Shoppe

Chapter 59:

Chapter 59:

Waking up the next morning, Beth finds Daryl and Kylie in the kitchen and stretches before joining them. She's not in the mood for bullshit today. Merle and Michone were gonna cause a war in the town and someone that wasn't them, was gonna get hurt. Sitting down at the table, Beth sighs and leans back against her chair contemplating what their plan should be.

"Still caught up?"

"Yeah... I just don't know what we should do."

"I think, we should just go on with our own lives. Rick is dealing with it in his own way and I'm sure Carol is too. There's no reason we should get in the middle of this."

"They're my employees. They been doing God knows what in my shop. I can't just get passed this Daryl. I need to know."

"Know what?"

"Why. Why they had to hurt people they care about."

"Beth, I don't think we need to have that answer. They might say something no body wants to hear." Getting up, Daryl begins to burp Kylie and all Beth can do is growl inwardly. "It sucks, Baby. My brother fucks everything up, I know this and I told you. Do you get the picture now?"

"Listen, Baby, Michone's to blame too. She's posses off Rick never asked her to marry him. If he would've done that, maybe, no, this wouldn't have happened." She stands up and it's as if thy both are about to beat the other up. "I'm going for a walk."

Stomping passed him, she trudges down the steps and out of her shop. She has to get away from him right now or they'll be the ones falling apart. As she walks down the street she can't help but slow down as she starts to think about Carol. That poor woman had been through enough in her life. This is by far the last thing he needed. Getting passed the general store, Sophia notices Beth and runs up to her.

"Hey Beth."

"Oh hey, kiddo. How's it going?" She can see Sophia stoop in stature as they walk.

"Carl's gone. His Dad packed up their things and moved to Kentucky. My mom's been upset the passed few say and she's thinking of leaving too. I don't know what to do Beth." Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, Beth walks beside her and they continue down toward the elementary school.

"This kinda stuff is hard, Soph, but it'll get better. I promise."

"How can you promise those kind of things?" They sit down on a set of swings and Beth leans against the chain.

"I really can't, but We can always pray for it to get better. We just have to stay positive and look forward to the good things."

"But Carl asked me to be his girlfriend and now he's gone. He'll find another girl and I'll be lonely forever."

"Not forever. There is plenty of time to grow up and did someone. An who's to say you and Carl won't fin each other again and get married?" The continue to swing until the afternoon sun starts to cross the sky. "We best get on home."

"Yeah. How's Kylie and Daryl?"

"Kylie is cute and sweet as ever. Daryl, well, he and I kinda got into an argument today." They start walking down the road, since the sidewalk had ended. "It was over something stupid and..."

Out of nowhere a car from behind them, clips Sophia and throws her down the pavement. Beth stops in shock and then sprits down the road toward sophia. The guy in the car had spun out out of control and slammed into a tree. Beth, reaching Sophia, Grabs her phone and dials 911. after telling them what happened she hangs up and starts compressing the girls heart, but that doesn't stop the blood from pooling from her head. Holding her in her arms, Beth cries and screams for help as she becomes steeped with Sophia's DNA. Coming down the road is Rick's car and it stops, letting Carl sprint from the vehicle along with Rick. From the other direction Carol, who was headed out of town to go to the store pulls over and cries as she raises to Beth and her daughter. The whole world goes silent in Beth's ears as it starts to turn into slow motion. She feels numb and sick to her stomach. As Bob and Sasha arrive on the scene, they have to pry Beth off of Sophia as another ambulance helps the man, who was drunk, out of his car- without a scratch on him. They get Beth in the ambulance with Sophia and Rick pulls Carl and Carol into his car as they follow behind their friends.

The whole way there, Beth just stares at the body bag as Sasha asses Beth's shock. Dialing Daryl, Sasha informs him of what happened and soon hangs up. When they reach the hospital all Beth can do is at sorry over and over again to Carol. Suddenly Merle walks in with Daryl, who left Kylie to be watched by Maggie. When Beth sees Merle, she has no control.

"You fucking son of a bitch! How could you! How could you do that!" He pounds on his chest as Daryl an Rick try to pull her off of him. "She loved you! She loved you and you cheated! Now she lost her little girl! You fucking prick! I could kill you!"

Daryl picks her up and carries her outside and to his truck. She beats on his chest, but he keeps her pinned against the metal door. Her pain causes him agony, seeing her soaked in a little girl's blood and knowing it could have very well been her. He kisses her head as she finally begins to calm down. Her tears fall to his chest and he just rubs her arms.

"I'm sorry." She quietly says against him.

"I'm sorry. For a lot of things." He kisses her cheek and she sobs."Let's go home and get you changed."

"She was a little girl, Daryl. It should've been me. I should've been on the outside. I have to talk to Carol. she starts to run back to the hospital and Daryl just holds her arm. "Let go! She needs me!"

"Our baby needs you, Beth!" He yells and she shutters. Running his hand through his hair, he lets her go, expecting her to run, but he can't move at all. "Beth, things happen. Accidents happen. Stupid accidents. It's terrible what happened and I wish it hadn't. And I'm gonna be an asshole for saying this, but I'm glad it happened the way it had. Cause I can't raise our daughter alone."

"If you feel that way...then I can." Taking her ring off her finger, she throws it at him and runs into the hospital. Bending over, he grab the ring and feels a tear slide down his cheeks. He should've kept his mouth shut, but he couldn't stand the thought of losing her. He just wishes he hadn't phrased it the way he had.