Daughter of a Dixon

Chapter 26

I awoke slowly , yawning .

My head hurt just a little , but I got up anyway. Everybody was still asleep, so I snuck into the "living room" where there was a mirror. On the floor beside the desk, Gabriel stared at me while I brushed my hair out .

"I'm sorry I tried to kill Beth, and Carl," He whispered weakly .

I noticed his face was bruised and bloody.

Truly, I felt sorry for him . His religion was making him crazy each day. He was angry at himself for loosing it on Beth and Carl. Of course , I would not fully forgive him ever, but I still felt a little bit of sympathy for him .

I bent down next to him after I was done . He was tied to the desk leg.

"Who did this to you?" I asked , anger growing in me. I saw Beth walk in . She looked at me sadly and answered for Gabriel .

"It was D-Daryl. I broke up with him when I found out. That's one of the reasons he drank so much. You are the other reason," She looked down at the floor.

Slowly , I stood up. Without making we contact with Gabriel or Beth, I ran out of the room in search for my father. He was just waking up from being passed out .

"Summer!" He lit up when he saw me. His feet carried him over to me quickly .

"Go away, dick!" I screamed at him, pushing him away.

He got a hard look in his eyes and Orleans his mouth. "Watch your mouth, girl!"

"YOU! YOU BEAT UP GABRIEL ! WELL GUESS WHAT? HE'S GOING CRAZY FROM RELIGION! IT'S NOT HIS FAULT . EVEN THOUGH HE'LL NEVER GET MY FORGIVENESS ! BUT YOU WERE A COMPLETE ASSHOLE ABOUT IT! RICK HANDLED IT, YOU MADE IT WORSE!" I yelled , causing everyone else to wake up.

Dad looked shock by my outburst, but he shouldn't have been. I was pissed.

"All you care about it Beth. Not your own daughter, who you walked out on , or who risked her life to find you," I spat at him.

Before he could react , a hard blow to my face made me fall backwards. I looked up at saw Dad retracting his hand. He had hit me.

Memories of Ed hitting me back at the camp flashed back.

Everyone stared at Dad in shock, and nobody could move . I sat on the floor , holding my face. I had a quick flashback.

Grandpa hit me so hard in the face, I fell backwards.

"You stupid piece of shit! You are just like your daddy! Now get back in the kitchen and make me a DECENT sandwich. Or else I will make you wish you did!"

I scrambled away, into Mommy's arms. Dad stood in front of Grandpa, fist raised.

I stared into Dad's blue eyes, fear pouring into my own. Dad looked shocked, as if he couldn't believe what he did.

"You are just like g-grandpa," I whispered, tears escaping my eyes. Arms pulled me up and into them and I realized Beth, Maggie, and Carl pulling me into hugs.

I sobbed loudly, trying to be quiet .

Dad just stood there and stared .

"Summer.." He began softly .

"Save it. I ain't gonna accept your apology . Dickhead," I spat again through sobs.   

Guilt was the only thing noticeable in his features now. He stood ever so still , and I sort of regretted what I said. But I didn't say that, because I didn't WANT today forgive him. He hit me already, and I was sick of it . This group is my family , I can't leave them just because of one person , I thought.

Carl whispered in  my ear. "It's okay. Don't feel bad."

I kissed his cheek and hugged him tighter . He pulled me closer and Judith crawled over to us.

"S-S-Sum-m er !" She squealed at me. Her first word had been my name.

"What did you say? Daddy?" Rick joked , grinning and scooping her up.

She shook her head sweetly . "Summer."

That sent laughs through almost everybody, even me. I didn't see Dad's face, but I DID hear a gunshot . I heard a boy fall somewhere , and Dad walked out . "There. He started this. I ended it ," He said hoarsely .

Everyone froze.

I ran to Gabriel's holding area, and saw his dead body slumped over. A bullet hole was in his dead.

I walked back out slowly .

"Daddy.... What did you do?" I mumbled, tears pouring from my eyes. Tyreese ran over, and peeked in the room. "Oh god... He's dead," Ty spoke slowly . Dad was crying , so I ran up behind him and hugged him. I felt his sobs shake me, so I hugged him tighter .

"Daddy. Stop crying ," I felt him began to turn around , and he picked me up.
We grasped each other tightly .

"I'm sorry for killing him."

"I'm sorry for what I said."

"I love you , Summer."

"I love you too , Daddy."

Beth walks rover and tapped on Dad's shoulder . She pecked his lips with a kiss and said, "I'm sorry too."

So all was settled . Except the death. Rick was still staring at Dad, like he wasn't sure how to handle this situation .