That Valley Girl || Daryl Dixon

[ 014 ] Secrets

It was around noon, Carol and I were hanging up clothes to dry. I had told her about the graphic scene at the well yesterday. Carol had also told me her idea of cooking dinner for Hershel and his family.

I think it's a really nice idea. I'm not the best cook, but I offered her my help.

Suddenly Lori approached us. "I can't believe I slept in."

"You must've needed it." Carol said. "Feeling all right?"

"Next time wake me, all right? Especially on laundry day." Lori said, throwing some clothes over her shoulder.

"I had an idea I wanted to run by you." Carol started.

"What's that?"

"That big kitchen of theirs got me thinking. I wouldn't mind cooking in a real kitchen again. Maybe, we all pitch in and cook dinner for Hershel and his family tonight. Kind of looking for things to keep my mind occupied."

"After everything they've done for us, seems like the least we could do." Lori agreed with the idea.

"You mind extending the invitation?" Carol asked. "Would just feel more right coming from you."

"How so?"

"You're Rick's wife. Kind of makes you our unofficial first lady."

"She's right. Rick's like, the leader of our group." I said, pinning a shirt onto the clothesline.

We continued to pin up the clothes. And due to my habit of eavesdropping, I couldn't help but listen in to the conversation Rick and some others were having over by the R.V.

They were planning to go look for Sophia. I also caught the story about Daryl seeing a Chupacabra.

It made me think of the time I saw the Chupacabra, back in Mexico. I don't care how many people say it's not real, me and my cousins saw it with our own eyes, no joke.

We were done hanging up the clothes and I figured I'd go talk to Glenn or something. I looked around and noticed Maggie walking away from the farmhouse, Glenn staring at her as she walked away.

I began walking towards the house, flashing Maggie a friendly smile as we walked past each other, which she returned.

"Something going on with you and the farmer's daughter?" I asked Glenn as I walked up the steps, a small smile creeping onto my face.

"Wh-what? No.. nothing like that." He shook his head nervously. I raised my eyebrows.

"You're bad at lying."

He paused. "Well, one minute, it's like she hates me. Then another, she really, really likes me." He enunciated the last part.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"It's complicated. Hey, is it true that women's cycles line up when they spend a lot of time together? Because all the women have been pretty on edge lately."

"Don't ask Maggie that. Anyways, who's acting weird?"

"You know what-- never mind, it's nothing." Glenn rubbed his forehead.

"Glenn, come on, tell me." He seemed hesitant.

"I probably shouldn't--"

"Glenn." I urged.

"It's Lori." He finally said.

"What about her?"

"She's... pregnant."

My mouth slightly hung open at what he just said. I then thought back to how she slept in this morning-- which wasn't something she'd usually do.

"You know this how?" I asked, not wanting to believe it.

"When me and Maggie went on that run, Lori gave me another list and told me to keep it a secret. She wanted me to get her pregnancy tests." Glenn explained, fidgeting with his hands.

"Oh my God." I leaned on the railing.

-

Lori, Carol and I were now in the kitchen. We went through with the idea of cooking dinner for Hershel's family. Beth and Patricia offered to help.

"I never thought I'd be so happy to see a potato." Carol laughed.

"I'm just glad we're not roasting squirrels over a fire in the woods." Lori said.

"Ditto." I spoke as I cut up some veggies.

"Thank you, Patricia, for letting us into your house." Carol thanked.

Suddenly we heard a gunshot outside. We looked around, confused. Hershel ran outside and we quickly followed.

"What on earth's going on out here?" Hershel yelled out.

We quickly ran across the field to find Rick and Shane holding up Daryl. He had blood all over his face and neck, he was covered in dirt and grime and--

I looked closer at the things dangling off of his neck.

He was wearing ears.

Fucking walker ears.

Rick yanked them off and shoved them into his shirt pocket. T-dog bent down and picked a doll up from the ground. I recognized it as Sophia's doll. But I was too far away to hear what T-dog was saying.

"What the hell happened?" Lori asked Rick as they approached us.

"Andrea grazed him. With a bullet." Rick told her.

"I'm sorry-- I'm so-- I thought he was a walker." Andrea explained herself.

Hershel patched Daryl up and told us he'd be fine. Thank God it was just a graze.

Andrea had felt really bad though, she'd almost killed him.

We finished making dinner and set the table. After all the chaos from earlier had settled down, everyone sat down to eat.

I stifled my laugh as I saw Glenn sitting at the 'kids' table with Beth, Jimmy, and Maggie. Thankfully, I had just made the cut for the adult table.

Dinner was quiet, only the sound of utensils and plates was heard. The food was really good, though. The best thing we've had in weeks.

"Does anybody know how to play guitar?" Glenn suddenly asked, turning over in his chair. "Dale found a cool one." There was silence.

"Somebody's gotta know how to play." He insisted, followed by more silence.

"Otis did." Patricia spoke up.

"Yes, and he was very good too." Hershel said, cutting more of his meat.

I continued to eat my food. The silence was getting really uncomfortable.

Everyone began to finish their food, they got up to put their empty plates in the sink. I took the last few bites of my food and got up, walking to the kitchen.

I offered to help Beth and Maggie with the dishes. We were washing and drying everything when Maggie slipped off somewhere, Beth and I didn't really question it though.

After we were done, Beth and I bid our goodnights. I left the white farmhouse and made my way to our little camp outside and went to sleep.