Home Is Your Heartbeat ('Home Is' Book Two - Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 9 - Get What You Give (New Radicals)

NATE

After all the hugging finished, Carol held Judith. And the girls took a hand each, leading me to their cabin. Chattering away with excitement.

Ty drove the Jeep around to the little gravel track. While he did, I tried to get Carol to tell me how they all got here. But she just shushed and herded me into one of the cabin bedrooms.

Gently pushed me down onto the bed.

"Rest now....talk later"  She ordered, taking my boots off and tenderly lifting my legs onto the mattress.

She handed me a couple of painkillers with a glass of water and waited until I swallowed them. Covering me with a quilt, she gently kissed the top of my head.

"Sleep, my sweety"  Carol whispered before closing the door behind her.

*

The sun was setting when I groggily opened my eyes. The first thing I spied was a plate of grapes and pecans on the bedside table.

Starving as always I gobbled them greedily until I felt a pain filled crunch that's not nut related.

Sticking fingers in my mouth I eventually pried out a wisdom tooth. Probe around gingerly but it's the only one that's come loose.

Like a kid, I hide it under the pillow for the tooth fairy.

"Should be worth a couple of dollars at least?"  I told myself and got up.

I'm wearing just a tee now. Carol took the rest of my clothes off while I slept? Wow, I really must've zonked out.

So I wrapped a throw blanket around me like a sarong.

When I limped into the little living room area I saw they've settled themselves in. The girls are helping Carol with dinner....have found the stash of food in the car.

Ty bounced Judith on his lap, singing to her softly.

"Nice threads, Juju"  My fingers gently tickled her cheeks, while I admired her pretty purple dress.

When she smiled up at me I spotted a tiny flash of white.

I lose a tooth and she's finally gained her first one. Quid pro quo from the Tooth Fairy I'm guessing?

Sitting on the arm of the lounge chair, I draped my arms around Tyreese. Lay my head on his shoulder while we both cooed at her.

"Found them in a closet along with a whole heap of baby things"  Carol peeped at me sheepishly.

"It's cool....I know my limitations. And my dressmaking skills are certainly limited. Hope you threw her other wardrobe out?"

She nodded and laughed.

Conversation was kept light for the benefit of the girls. We all ate before Carol ushered them to another bedroom.

"Can Muttley please come too, Nate?"  Mica begged.

"Of course, cutie pie. But not on your beds through. And keep the door open a little bit so he can get out if he needs to."

They coaxed him in with his water dish.

Juju settled down in a cot and soon the cabin became quiet. Bar the crackling of a small fire in the hearth.

Ty squeezed himself back in the armchair so I went and perched on a floor cushion next to him.

He kept touching my face gently. Kissing my hands or patting me on the shoulder....gazing at me in absolute amazement. As if he still can't believe what he's seeing?