We Can Sleep Now

Chapter 3

I grinned at my fingers on the black and white keys of my piano, memories of water and sheets all crumbled together in my head. 

Daryl had left with Aaron and I was getting ready to go to the group meeting to support Rick, on some unknown cause. 
My cheeks burn, red from your kisses
My blue heart shivers and misses,
Your brush strokes

Maggie knocked on the door rapidly twice before she entered wearing a large blue coat. I raise my eyes at the coat, and she just shrugs it off.

"Okay Beth I know this sounds stupid, but can you kinda keep an eye on Rick while everyone has work to do. It'll only be a few hours." She quickly adds the last part.

I roll my eyes a bit, "you make him sound like Judith." Maggie laughs and I nod to let her know I would keep an eye on Rick. After all that's happened I understand why someone's got to watch him.

"It sounds nice, by the way." Her gentle voice said as she came over to sit by me. I grab hold of her hand and she smiles, and I swear there are tears rimming her already red eyes. 

"Beth, I don't want anyone to know, because of what my happen," she says.

My eyebrows knit together in confusion, know what?

"Glenn and I, were gonna have a baby." her face is lit up with happiness.

I immediately open up my mouth to squeal and congratulate, but she holds up her hand to silence me. So instead I just embrace her, the terrifying feeling of her being sick lifting off my shoulders, but in its place the fear that Maggie will go just as Lori had. I pull back and hold her at arms length, a smile taking up my whole face. There are silver tracks down her face and she smiles, wiping them off with her sleeve. 

"When did you find out?" I ask.

"Just about when we got here, but I'm sure I was pregnant earlier, I'm already showing." She laughs. God I missed her laugh.

"That's why your wearing the jacket." I understand now, all the dreams, the sickness in mornings.

She stands, dropping my hand, "I'll send Rick up in a bit." I nod and she leaves me sitting by myself.
I walked by colorful side walks,
Children with buckets of pastel chalks.
And I thought of you my love.
I thought of you.

My mind fumbled for the next phrase as I stroked the keys.
So I walked until the sun went down.

I write the phrase down in my book, along with all the other songs I have wrote.
I thought that no one else was around.

Again I write, then something touches the back of my neck and I spin around fast, stabbing my pen. Rick catches my arm easily, laughing at me dramatically, and takes my pen. 

"Shit Rick, you scared me."

He sits beside me, so that he is facing me and slowly looks up.