A Happy Marriage?

Chapter 3: Signing Contracts

So, it's Friday. The days leading up to it didn't looks so hot. I.E- Daryl barely got anything done because Negan was watching him the whole time.

Sitting at his engine, Daryl looks down at it, afraid that his next few tests on it will put all his hard work, for not. With it hooked up to one of the sample bike, Daryl sits on it, and everyone- I mean EVERYONE, including Beth, who snuck down to really see the work place- waits in silence. A nail biting silence because everyone knows just how hard Daryl worked on this. Beth, however, just heard through the grape vine that he had been slaving away at a dead engine for two months. Negan had brought it to her attention several times that week- stating the grunt was delusional in his thinking process and that no great scientist on Earth could even get the engine to work, even if it was a life or death situation. So naturally, she just had to see just how hard a worker her potential husband was.

"Checking the lines!" Daryl yells and everyone takes cover, literally because this could blow up in his face. Resting his hand on the key, he takes a deep breath and prays to God that this doesn't blow him to smithereens. It is as though his whole world moves in slow motion. Letting one more breath out, he turns the key, and...

VRRRRROOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!!

"Yes!!!!!" He screams and everyone stands up clapping and cheering for Daryl. For the first time in his life, he feels accomplished. Beth stands up with excitement in her voice and ruins the moment, after Daryl shuts off his motorcycle.

"Mr. Dixon, I'd like to see you in my office right away!" She says with maybe too much volume in her voice. Really she was counting on the bike to still be running, which it wasn't so all the employees could here her say that. Daryl hunkers down and then starts walking over to the woman in her tight black cocktail dress, just like the one she wore the first night they met. When he reaches her, she sort of has this look on her face that tells him, maybe, she is turned on. Then again, no. He doesn't expect her to feel that way toward him. They get in the elevator and stand across from one another. Waiting for to reach their floor, Beth looks at Daryl and then looks at the floor. She realizes he was right- about what he said the other day. She doesn't know anything about her employees. She doesn't know how hard they work or what they go through on a daily basis. Maybe she isn't such a good boss.

"So...you finally got that engine to work... how many months were you working on it?" She finally breaks the silence and Daryl is surprised it isn't with some kind of nasty comment.

"About two..."

I should probably be in trouble for wasting company time and money...

"I see... you didn't give up on it."

"No... it's something I love. You don't give up on the things you love- no matter how hopeless it may seem." It is that thought right there that makes Beth believe in her Grandfather's decision. The elevator dings and the doors open to her office floor. Heading down the hallway to the double doors, Beth opens them up and waits for Daryl to come in before closing them behind her.

"Have a seat please." She gestures to and arm chair and he reluctantly sits down. Going over to her bar, she makes up a Gin n' Tonic and a whiskey. Coming back across the office, she sits in the arm chair beside him and hands him the drink. "Congratulations on your big success."

They clink glasses and take a drink. Daryl nearly looses his shit because this is the best whiskey he has ever had. Beth smiles a bit at the sight of his happiness. Setting her drink down on the coffee table, she takes his free hand, which catches him off guard.

"You were right the day when you said I have no idea what my workers deal with. This is important to me. I'm the youngest Greene in charge of the family business and I know that I don't want to give that up. If this marriage doesn't happen, my father will put a man in charge who will destroy all our values and the lives f our employees. We are the only motorcycle business left in the US that still uses actual people to assemble and make motorcycles. If they put someone new in my position they will be firing thousands of the employees here and replacing them with machines. Please. I know that This deal is ridiculous, but like you said moments ago- when you love something, you don't just give up on it. Even if it seems hopeless. I pledge my fidelity to you and only you. Will you marry me?"