Take On The World

18.I Hate Puzzles

"What? Her brother?!" I say standing up.
"No no no, that's impossible, it's just..." he cuts me off,
"Sit down and let me explain."
"How'd you know my mom?" I stopped talking when he gave me the look. He sighed and then answered,
"I married her." He said with regret evident in his voice.
    I can't even say anything, I'm speechless.
"You were married to my mom?"
"It was a mistake, we barely knew each other... we married out of need."
"What do you mean?"
"She wanted away from her brother, and I wanted away from my dad. It seemed like the only thing to do."
"What happened?"
"It had been a few months, one day I got back from work and she was gone. No note and no goodbye... just up and left."
"Did you look for her?"
"She was a grown woman and made her choice."
"So you didn't even want to know what happened? You just let her go?!" I say getting louder with every word.
"Stop yelling. As I said we didn't even really love each other, it was more of a mutual partnership."
"What about me?"
"Masie I don't know about that."
"How don't you know?"
"I'm not having that conversation with you, but all I can tell you is that if you were mine I would have never let her go... I would have made it work."
"Well that means a whole lot!" I say and turn around to leave.
"Mason we aren't making a habit of your little storming off. You're gonna sit and listen to what I have to say." I huff, but still obey.
"Now, I'm sorry I can't tell you everything you want to know, but I don't understand everything and I can't explain it to you. All I know is a little piece of the puzzle. I don't understand how you ended up with Scott, or why your mom left, I don't even know if your mine."
"I'd think you should know that!"
"Listen it doesn't matter, blood or not you're my kid now. Nobody is gonna say any different either way, and if they do that's their problem not yours. You got that."
"What if Scott was my dad and Kelly was my aunt? I mean all I have is the note and picture of her. Why would Scott keep me around if I wasn't even his kid. It makes no sense. None of this does." I say putting my head in my hands and rubbing my eyes. I don't know if I'm confused, angry, sad, or what I'm feeling. Maybe a little bit of everything. My life already sucked and now it was all a sick game.
"Hey," Daryl says comfortingly.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have told you until I knew everything." I look back at him,
"That's the thing Daryl we won't ever know everything! All we have are bits and pieces of my life." He grabs my forearms and pulls me in front of him.
"Who cares? It's the end of the world why does it matter?!" I pull away from him.
"It just does!"
"You know what." He grabs my arm and pulls me with him inside.
"Daryl? What are you doing?"
"Just come on." He barks.
I'm confused when he pulls me into what looks like used to be an office and starts going trough the drawers until he haves a pencil and a piece of paper. He sits down and starts writing.
"When's your birthday?"
"Why?" I shrink back when he glares at me.
"July 25th."
      He stays quiet and just keeps writing and now I have no idea what to expect. I'm starting to get impatient, but don't want to rush him he seems irritated. He stands up and hands me the paper. I can't help but smile when I see a homemade birth certificate with His signature and a small note
'I Daryl Dixon swear on my life to protect and care for you the rest of my life.'
"There, now that settles it." He says still clearly irritated, and walks out of the office.
I smile, but I'll still never know if Daryl is my real dad or not, and the uncertainty is an awful feeling. I don't know why it matters so much to me. I mean it's the end of the world and everything, I should just not even care, but just the thought that Scott wasn't even my dad, and my mom left me with her abusive brother is enough to make the once longing I had for my mom a burning hatred. Did she know what I went through or how awful my life was? Did she ever even think of me, or was I nothing more than a kid she never wanted. Nothing adds up all I have is one truth, and now I want the whole truth. I can't have it, though, and I don't want to accept that, but I know I have to.
I fold the paper up, put it in my pocket, and leave the office. I hope there's more than a granola bar for dinner cause I'm starving. I smile when I see Carl and Rick trying to make Judith smile... it doesn't seem to be working.
I walk closer, but stand back so I don't disturb there moment. I lean against a wall and for some reason that's the last thing I remember.

(Daryl's POV)
I'm standing by Merle who's smoking.
"Put that out. There's kids here." He gives me a look, but does it.
I don't know if Mason is my kid biologically or not, but she doesn't seem to get that it makes no difference to me. I also can't believe that Kelly would leave her daughter with her scumbag of a brother. She may not have been perfect, but she would only do that if she was in some kind of real trouble. I may not have loved Kelly, but she wasn't a bad person. Something must've made her leave Mason. I should've looked for her. What if something really bad happened and she needed me. I wonder if she's dead. I just can't see her abandoning her own daughter.
I must've been in another world, cause I finally look at Rick after he tapped my arm to get my attention. I let out a chuckle when I look over to see Mason asleep standing up. Poor kid must be exhausted after the last couple of days.
I still don't know if it was the best idea to tell her about her mom and uncle, but I can't change the fact I did. She had every right to know that he wasn't her daddy. She might not know everything but at least she knows not everything is the way it seems. Sometimes you have to dig a little deeper to know the truth, or some of it at least.
"I told her about The governor's offer."
"Daryl I haven't told anybody about that I wanted to keep it quiet."
"She isn't gonna tell anybody. She knows it's not her place."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah I'm sure, but she doesn't want us to. I don't either, but I told her if it's her or us we're gonna have to make that call."
"You know we have have to have her to the governor by noon tomorrow, and Merle already agreed to it."
"Just let Mason know I tried."
"Why do you care so much what she thinks?" Merle asks.
"Everybody let's her down I'm not gonna... not again."
"I'll let her know," Rick assures me, and I nod to him in appreciation.
"Just make sure she doesn't tip off Michonne." Merle says gruffly I just ignore him, and walk over to mason.
     I pick her up bridal style and carry her to her cell. I take off her shoes, and tuck the blanket around her to make sure she's warm. I can't help but sit next to her on the bed, and look into her innocent little face. I remember when I first saw her, she thought she was so tough looking. Me and Merle were laughing at how other people in the cars were looking at her. She must've misunderstood and thought we were laughing at her. I'll never forget how Merle face was when he thought she was gonna put a huge scratch in his truck. I don't know what he was gonna do with her, but I got out to make sure it wasn't anything too mean for a little prank. I remember how she seemed to hate shame, and how annoyed she was with Lori. I'm glad she learned to love Lori, she deserves a mother figure in her life. I hate that the only mother she knows is gone. There's not much I can do to make up for that, but I can try.

IM SOOOOO EXCITED FOR THE NEW EPISODES OF TWD!!!! I CAN'T WAIT FOR MAGGIE'S REACTION TO NEGAN BEING OUT. AND I'M DEFINITELY HOPING FOR SOME COOL JUDITH AND HERSCHEL SCENES! HOPE YOU LIKE THE CHAPTER, I'M TRYKNG TO UPDATE MORE OFTEN, BUT IV'E BEEN BUSY WITH WORK, SO IM TRYING TO GET A FEW CHAPTERS AHEAD BEFORE I START A REGULAR UPDATING SCHEDULE.❤️
(February 15/2021)