A Soldier's Girl

Chapter 38:

Chapter 38:

Daryl's View

Sitting in the bar, Joe and I drink more and more, but never seem to get drunk. We have sat in this bar since I got here yesterday. We talk about everything under the sun and never find a reason to truly care about anything but nursing our beers.

"Ya know, I suppose if ya wanna build that new barn with me, yer more than welcome to start today." Joe says as he looks at the tv that's playing the recent football game highlights.

"Why not...better than going home and being bitched at." I say as we stand and pay for our drinks. Getting in my truck, I drive to the site of the barn and meet Joe there.

We work all day on the barn and I get it done in no time. Coming down off the roof, Joe calls me over and hands me my pay.

"Wanna go to my house and play some poker with my guys?"

"Haven't played in a while..." I scratch my head and he smiles.

"Then ya gotta play. We never bet high, just small cash...come on, it'd be fun." I cave.

Sitting in Joe's basement, we play Texas Hold Em with his friends Daniel, Lou, Len, and Max. We smoke cigars and play several rounds. I win almost every game and we keep drinking until we all pass out.

I never realized that I was at Joe's for three days. His basement is dark and with beers flowing and me winning every poker hand, I completely lost track of my days.

"I gotta go Joe. Had fun with y'all, but I suppose it's time I go."

"Alright...see ya at the next site."

Getting in my truck, I find my phone wedged between the seat and I look at it. 48 missed calls and 27 unread messages. Shit. Ignoring them, I head to my house, but find two police cars, Hershel's truck, Merle's car, Maggie's SUV and Beth's truck all in the driveway. Totally fucked. As I park on the street and walk up the drive, I make a plan in my head, or try too. Shoul I just tell her the truth, which kinda looks bad, but might save me or do I just make up some bullshit that will still look bad. Either way, opening the front door with everyone's eyes on me, I feel like a god damn gold fish in a bowl.

"What's going on?" I casually say and Everyone glowers at me, except Beth, she's crying. Four police officers come to me, one being Rick and they look me over.

"Where have you been Daryl?" Rick asks as one cop as a notepad out and a pen.

"Been working on a barn...then was hanging out at a friends house...I in trouble officers?"

"Do you own a cell phone?"

"Yeah...left it in. My truck and it fell through the seats so I didn't fin it til I got in."

"You aware there was a missing persons ad out for you?"

"No sir...was in a basement for three days...if you don mind, Im home now, so if you'll kindly show yerself out I can take care of it from here." I kindly say and they nod, leaving out the door and everyone else still staring at me, Beth doesn't though. She stands up and runs upstairs and slams our bedroom door.

"Fuck you been Dural?" Merle stands up and gets in my face.

"With my boss, asshole."

"You even care about her any more?" He says quietly and his voice growls low in his throat. "Cause if you did you wouldn't have been gone without any word back to her."

I shove him off and he shoves me back. Glenn grabs Merle and Shawn pulls me back.

"Fuck y'all want from me!" I yell and feel anger just coursing through me. Maggie and Carol walk up and they both look disgusted.

"Leave him be if he wants to be this way to the people who care bout him." Maggie says and they release him and Merle. "You better mind who you hurt around here...cause it ain't a game Dixon. And she ain't a toy."

They leave out the door and slam it behind them. Growling a bit, I sit on the couch and out my head in my hands.

"I just wanted to get away for a bit." I say to probably just myself. "I just wanted to clear my mind of everything and everyone and jus take a few days to think... Is it too much to ask for just some time? Cause anymore it's flying by and being wasted on petty things."

I can feel her eyes on my back and I don't need to turn around to know she's crying at the top of the stairs.

"I know I scared you and everyone...I get I was selfish...but don't we all get to be now and then? I just wanted to think and maybe find some answers as to where we went wrong...it was never to hurt you." I hear her come down the steps but I still don't turn around. "I just...huh I don't wanna have a baby. I think it will ruin us and honestly, I won't be a good dad anyway..."

"I'm pregnant..." Turning around I see her tear stained face and I see her trembling. My eyes sink and my heart breaks up because I know I just hurt her. Getting up, I turn to grab her hand, but she pulls it from me and goes back upstairs.

Fuck.