Love Hurts but Heals

Chapter 12

Carl's POV

My dad shakes me to consciousness again, and before I can do anything else, Kiley is placed in my hands. She looked like I did when I was little: bright blue eyes filled with wonder and curiosity and a bright smile that lights up the room with just one glimpse. I instantly smile.

"What do you think? Beautiful, isn't she?" Dad says as he walks away from a sleeping Marie.

"Yep. She looks just like Mom."

"I don't see how," he chuckles a little. "She had nothing to do with her."

"I don't either. But she does, I think anyway."

He looks at her more closely.

"I can see what you mean now," he turns back to me. "Maybe she was sent to help us. To remind us that she's not too far gone."

"Yeah... maybe..."

Then we near a knock on the door.

My dad replies, "Come in."

Foxface comes in and instantly clamps her hands over her mouth.

"She's beautiful!" she squeals.

I reply pointing to Marie, "Ssh!"

"Oh. Right," she turns back to Kiley. "Can I hold her?"

"As long as you don't take her and hide her in a tree," Dad replies chuckling.

"No promises," she joins in laughing.

She cradles her with care, just as my mom did Judith. Judith!

"Dad! Where's Judith?!" I shout.

"Calm down. I already took care of that. She's with Daryl and Lucy. They're at Chandler's house."

"Chandler there, too?"

"I don't know. We haven't heard anything about him for a few days. About the same time we haven't heard from you."

He wouldn't have...

"Let's go look for him."

Foxface replies, "I'll walk with you."

"I got it."

"No."

I nod nervously and run out of the hospital.

* * *

As I climb the porch steps, I exhale the last bit of my breath. Foxface is out of breath as well, but not as bad as I am. She breathes a little more rapidly than usual, but I act like I'm having a heart attack. I haven't ran that much since I escaped the prison.

"You okay there?" she asks.

"Yeah. I'm fine," I reply in exhaustion.

She nods and knocks on the door, and a few seconds later, Daryl answers the door with baby Lucy.

"I didn't expect you," he says. "Where's Rick?"

Foxface replies, "At the hospital with Mary. She had the baby. It's a girl, and her name is Kiley."

"Congratulations, boy," he turns back to me.

"Yeah. Whatever. Where's Judith?" I reply when I catch my breath.

"She's asleep upstairs."

I nod and run upstairs. As he said, she's asleep on the bed Jordyn and I slept in when we were here. She lays on my side of the bed, comfortable as ever. She reminds me too much of Mom with that smile, even though she never smiled much.