Together

Chapter 34

Enid's POV

1 week later

I was reading a comic book in my bedroom when I heard a knock on the door.

"What?" I called. I had really started to feel my way of keeping people at an icy distance coming back. Carl hadn't talked to me in a week and had even moved into Daryl and Carol's house. I had no idea what was wrong with him.

It was almost like I did something that just provoked him.

The door slowly opened and Rick stepped inside.

I didn't say anything as he came to the foot of the bed and sat down, just continued to read.

"Enid," Rick said with force.

I sighed and marked my page before looking up at him.

He raised his eyebrows at me. "It's been a week," he pointed out. "When are the two of you gonna make up?"

"Rick, he hates me," I told him.

"His best friend just died," he shot back. "And you're the only one that he would possibly let in. He needs someone."

"I lost my best friend, too," I reminded him. "No one's sending Carl here to talk to me."

Finally, Rick just gave me a pleading look. "Enid, please," he begged. "He handles loss a lot different than you."

I stared at him for a second before sighing. "Fine," I gave in.

He smiled and put his hand on my foot before getting up and leaving.

I sighed and put my book on my nightstand, putting my knife in my holster just in case.

I laced up my boots and headed out of the house. I had no idea where Carl was so I just wandered around for a little.

Usually, people from JC's group would say hi to me as they passed me. But this week they either locked themselves in their houses or walked down the street slowly with their head down like they were at a funeral that never stopped.

Finally, I found Carl sitting on the edge of the dock, looking down into the water.

I exhaled and slowly walked over to him.

He didn't say anything as I sat down next to him.

Looking at him, I reached and grabbed his hands, intertwining our fingers.

Carl sighed but didn't pull away.

I slowly let my head fall on his shoulder.

After a moment, I heard Carl murmur, "She was stabbed."

I lifted my head up to look at him, knowing he was talking about JC.

He recounted the whole story, starting when he followed her without her knowing, ending with her dying in his arms.

I gently put my hand on his arm and laid my head back down, knowing that if I said anything I would just burst out in tears.

After a moment of silence, Carl said, "JC said something else, too."

I looked back up at him.

Keeping his eyes on the water, he said, "She told me to be a good dad."

My hand automatically went to my stomach as I tensed up. Oh god.

He laughed bitterly and looked at me. "Is there something you wanna tell me?" he asked.

I looked down at my feet, holding my stomach, I mumbled, "I'm pregnant."

Carl scoffed. "How long have you known?"

Not being brave enough to look at him, I answered, "Since a few weeks after you left on the run."

He shook his head and stood up while I didn't move.

"So you told JC about this," he said, his voice raised. "But it never crossed your mind to tell your boyfriend, the father of the baby?!"

Finally looking up at him and gaining a little confidence, I shot back, "Of course it crossed my mind! It crossed my mind a hundred times! But with everything going on with Michonne dying and the Wolves and Negan, I didn't want to add on to the stress you already had! And when you got back from your run with JC, you wouldn't even talk to me!"

"It's just a little disappointing to learn that I'm gonna be a father from someone that wasn't you," he said, his voice going down a little bit still sounding angry and hurt.

And with that, he walked away.

I sighed and hugged my stomach.

At least there was one person in my family that wasn't mad at me.