After the Storm [1]

10 • Sophia

This chapter contains themes of sexual and domestic abuse. Please read cautiously.

That morning the farm was so serene you could almost believe everything was alright. The survivors basked in the burnt orange sunrise and the smell of scrambled eggs. But things were anything but alright. Sophia was still missing. Rick knew about Shane and Lori's affair. Lori was pregnant. Worst of all, they were all blissfully ignorant to the bomb Glenn was about to drop on them.

Maevys and Daryl hadn't spoken much that morning, even though she so badly wanted to spill her guts to him about what was going on. Storming out was an overreaction, she knew that. As a peace offering she saved him a plate of eggs at breakfast. They'd made eye contact as she passed it to him, Daryl giving her a nod; and just like that, the air was cleared.

Rick was pissed with her, it was all over his face. Maeve had tried to approach him after he spoke to Lori, but he had shoved right past her, snapping at her to back off. It was how she knew for certain that Lori had finally fessed up about her affair, but apparently she'd also told him that Maevys knew about it. Honestly, Maeve felt a little thrown under the bus.

Everyone scraped at their eggs in silence, gathered together for the first time in days. Carol had been doing her best lately to keep busy, but the woman was losing hope more and more everyday, and it showed in how much she had withdrawn from the others. T-dog had been taking it easy, sticking to helping Lori with chores and doing easy runs to look for Sophia while he healed. But finally, his arm was starting to feel better. Andrea's eye had swollen into a nice shiner, but she seemed light as a feather. Maevys couldn't help but notice the camaraderie that had built between Andrea and Shane, she would've bet money that they were banging. Maevys and Dale hadn't spoken much since the afternoon prior, but she had seen him have a rather unpleasant looking exchange with Shane after a failed run to look for Sophia, and planned to ask him about it. Rick and Lori sat next to each other, acting chummy and in love despite the far away look on Rick's face. Carl had fully rejoined the group and was healing more and more each day. While Glenn was jumpier than a mouse in a barrel of snakes lately, and entirely stuck up Maggie's ass.