Whispered Promises

Chapter Nine

"Dinner was great mama", I said while picking up plates from the table. "Yeah babe, it was delicious", David says wrapping his arm around her and giving her a sloppy and prolonged kiss. I turned toward the kitchen rolling my eyes. David and his son, Adam, have been hanging around more often. Mama and David have been talking about marriage so they want all four of us to spend more time together as a family. "Adam, why don't you help Elizabeth clean off the table.", David says to the twelve-year-old playing on his Gameboy. "Yes, Sir", Adam replied. The boy immediately stopped his game to help. "Hey Mama, Daryl gonna pick me up later, so we can go see a movie at the drive-in".

Daryl and I have been hanging out more and more outside of the bar. When we weren't in the bar, we would take rides, whenever Merle would let him use his bike. We would sometimes catch a movie and at other times Daryl would try to teach me how to track and hunt. I honestly have no interest in hunting or tracking plus I suck at both but it gets me out of the house.

David looked at my mother and then she sighed. "Um Elizabeth, David and I have been talking and I know you and I already discussed this, you said Daryl can be trusted but David is a cop and he says otherwise."

"So why are we still discussing it?", I hated the direction this conversation was going and I didn't want to discuss it again.

"Because that Bar and the Dixon boy is a bad influence", David Spoke. I snapped my head in his direction. "Bad Influence? What are you talking about? Why are you even talking? Who even are you?", I Spat at David. "Elizabeth!! Don't be disrespectful.", my mother cut in.

I was getting angry at this point but I controlled myself to get my next sentence out.

"Daryl is my friend. He doesn't cause trouble or do anything illegal around me and I'm getting tired of talking about this.". David scoffed and said under his breath "All them Dixons are trouble".

"Oh, you cannot be serious! Ma, what is this?", I yelled at her. "LIbby, listen David is just looking out for you. He just doesn't want you hanging out in the wrong crowd." my mother says backing David.

"YOU DON'T KNOW HIM!"

"Elizabeth, don't yell"

'Ma, Why are you even listening to him? Daryl hasn't done anything wrong, he's never even been arrested."

"Not yet", David said under his breath.

"I'm done", i said walking toward the front door. "Elizabeth, please don't", my mother spoke after me. "It's not fair, you don't even know him, I said softly. "Fair? Oh grow up Elizabeth.", David spoke in a bothered tone.

"Grow u-

"Yes! Grow up! You are almost 20 years old but you're throwing a tantrum like a four-year-old. How about doing something productive with your life instead of working at some run-down bar and hanging around with some drug dealers brother", David yells. I look at my mother waiting for her to correct David for yelling at me, as she did me.

But she didn't.

"Libby, David is right. You have to think about your future.", my mother said as continued to defend David's actions.

'Well, I was doing fine in Virginia but you moved us three states away so you can be closer to your replacement for my father.", I complained.

"Us moving had nothing to do with David", my mother spoke back.

"Oh please, let's not pretend you're not just a whore that slept with the first guy who gave you attention after Daddy. So you should stop lying to me, David, and yourself, Delilah.", I spat at my mother. She stood up immediately and slapped me across the face. Everyone in the room stood quiet and no one moved. I felt tears coming down my face. "Libby I'm so sorry", my mother said to me almost as shocked as I was. She went to reach for me but the doorbell rang. "That's Daryl, I'll be back later.", I turned and walked to the door. "Elizabeth, please don't leave", she cried after me. I opened the door to find Daryl standing there with a puzzled look on his face. I grabbed his hand, slammed the door, and raced down the stairs. I got on the back of the bike and waited for Daryl to drive off. "Elizabeth?", he says in a concerned tone. "Just Drive please".

We were riding around for a while going nowhere. The Daryl stopped in front of a grimy white trailer home. Daryl got off his bike and offered his hand to help me off. "So where are we?"

"Just come on", he grabbed my hand and led me behind the home to a lake. "Daryl what-

"You seem like you need some time alone"

"Thank you, Daryl, you're a great friend.", I said as I sat down by the edge of the lake. Daryl sat beside me but left some space between us. Neither of us said anything for a while. He kept glazing over to me, waiting for me to say something.

"I feel bad now", I say breaking the silence. "You should", Daryl says with a chastising tone. I say nothing waiting for him to finish his statement. "I mean I only heard the end of the argument but I heard what you said to your mother. It was cruel.". "I know. I was just so angry. It was because David and her was telling me how I couldn't hang out with you cause your dad and brother."

I keep my head down while playing with the grass replaying the night in regret. " I appreciate you defending me but I don't care what others think of me. I can't control what others think but I appreciate it anyway. You still should talk to your mom that way. You have one that takes good care of you, not everyone gets one of those."

I realize Daryl has never mentioned her, I mean he never mentioned his family but not even the gossip around town has mentioned her. "If I may ask, where is your mother?"

He kept his head down as he started, "My mother loved her cigarettes and beer, you never seen her without them. A dangerous combination. One day she fell asleep in the middle of a cigarette and beer and burned down the house.". He didn't look sad when he told me just matter-of-fact.

"Daryl, I'm so sor-

"I don't need an apology, Elizabeth. I needed a mother and you have one. That you're taking for granted all because of some guy. She was burnt down to nothing. Erased. She wasn't the best mother but it would have been nice to have one. You should cherish her.", he said softening his tone. "You're right", I say as I move closer to him, "and I'm sorry anyway. No one should have to go through that". "I'm okay, that's just life", he replied. I leaned my head on his shoulder as I held his hand. "You ready to head home?", he asks me. "No, not yet. I just wanna sit with you ", I say as he gives me a light smile and wraps his arm around me. We talked all night till we fell asleep.