The Baby Arrangement

Chapter 9: Knock

Chapter 9: Knock

Laying in his empty bed, Daryl smiles as he gets up this morning. He feels free and uplifted- if that isn't so terrible to say. He immediately wants to go to Beth, but he doesn't want her to know what he knows. If she wanted him to know, she would've told him. She was only making a good show, right? She isn't really into him or want to be with him. Getting out of bed, Daryl just decides to stay low and play everything by ear. He just needs to go back to how it used to be, before she and him tried for a baby and before Julie. Can he go back to how it was...is? Has he always felt this way for her? He's indecisive and that's what's dangerous. If he wants her, he'll most likely lose her. If he doesn't want her, he'll never lose her and what they had.

A knock on the door comes and he rushes from bed, but pretends he's forlorn about Julie.

"Oh...Rick. What are you doing here?"

"Came to see how you were holding up. May I come in?"

"Sure. You want coffee?" Daryl sadly asks as he goes to the kitchen.

"Yes please. So, I saw Julie's note last night...thats rough man."

"It's okay...I'm just lucky my heart is used to rejection and hurt." He plays this off because he needs to mellow out and calm down.

"Yeah...hey, it'll get better though. You'll find yer one man. It will happen for you. but now you can get back out there and get some nice ass."

"I guess....I'm just not feeling it right now..."

"I know. Hey, listen,if I can go through a divorce, you can get over this tiny speed bump." He pats Daryl on the shoulder an they continue to talk.

She can't stop getting sick and feeling terrible. Is this karma for how she did the whole Julie thing? Sitting in her doctors office, she needs to just get a shot or antibiotics to take her stomach aches or this flue shit away. She hasn't felt this terrible since she was 7 and ha a really bad case of the flu.

"Ms. Greene? Doctor Ashley will see you." Beth gets up and goes back to see Dr. Sasha Ashley. Dr. Sasha is by far Beth's favorite doctor she's ever been too She uses simple terms and is always open to see her.

"Hello, Beth. What seems to be the problem?"

"Well I think I have food poisoning. All I ate last night was pad Thai...which I'm usually good with." Beth says and soon feels sick again. Hopping from her seat she bends over the trash and pukes again. Sasha leans down and pats her back until she's done. Handing her a cup of water, Sasha writes down things and then helps Beth up.

"Well let's do some vitals and check everything out."

Shopping for groceries, Daryl notices Beth's shirt everywhere- a wicked reminder of her torment. He shakes his head of everything. He can't like her. He can't want her the way he does. She's never gonna really love him or want him like she thinks she does. That was just jealousy. That's all. If she felt that way, she would have told him before or expressed it in some way. She can' steel that way and honestly she probably doesn't.

Picking up all the food he needs, he heads back home and repeats to himself that he doesn't love Beth and that she doesn't love him. He repeat it over and over and over again. He pushes her song from his head and denies he's heard it. Denies he's loved her. Denies that he wants her. They can only be friends an that's all they ever will be.

After the day she's had, she sits on her couch and can't stop thinking and smiling and crying out of joy. It's happening. It's really happening...but her happiness is cut short cause he's here. Yeah, he doesn't love her and he hates kids, but she'd like him to know it was a success, that drunk night. Her goal is checked off and she can't believe it. She can't begin to imagine how happy she'll be.

Looking at the clock it's already 9:45 and she's sat like this all day since she got home at 3:37. Her heart is pumping with excitement, but also sadness. She wants him to know. She wants them to be on good terms. Standing up, she goes to her door and shuts it behind her. Going to his door, she jiggles the handle and it's unlocked. Going inside, she tiptoes across the flat and enters his dark bedroom. In the darkness with the smallest amount of moonlight shining on the bed, Beth climbs in next to him in her leggings and camisole and scoots over to him laying a hand on his chest.

"Who's this?" Whispering he can smell her perfume.

"Beth..." She meekly says and she feels him sigh, but she's not sure if it's out of relief or dismay.

"Beth who?" He whispers back to her.

"Really?...Why are we whispering?"

"I don't know...." He whispers back and they laugh. "What are you doing in my bed at this time of night?"

"Better question why are you? it's only 10:00."

"9:57 actually."

"Smartass." She giggles and lays beside him putting her head on his chest and her hand under her chin as she faces his face. "I wanted to tell you something...."

"Yeah?" He tries not to sound excited. huge wants to be chill when she tells him how she feels.

"Yeah...I'm pregnant! We did it. I'm having a baby." She excitedly says as she fists his shirt in her hand. He tries not to feel crushed. She doesn't need him any more. Probably won't ever want him around.

"That's...thats great."

"I know. Thank you. Thank you for getting me pregnant. And like I promised, you won't have any attachment or responsibilities. It's like it's not even yers...cause it isn't." She cheerfully says, but it crushes her inside a bit.

"I'm glad everything worked out for you...Yer welcome." An awkward silence falls over the room and Beth sits up, a bit pained by him and herself.

"I best be going...I just wanted you to know." She says as she pulls from the bed and starts to leave.

"Well thanks for letting me know...Congratulations." He sadly, but kindly says.

"Yeah...thanks." Leaving she turns back to him. "Are you coming over for breakfast tomorrow?"

"No...I have plans." He lies to her. She shakes her head and wants to cry.

"Okay...just wondering was all..." Her voice trembles and she leaves his apartment. getting back to hers he cries til she passes out and over in Daryl's he does the same thing.