Where The Wildflowers Grow

-6- Dandy

Clover and I sit in the trunk space of the Grimes car while her mother, Sophia, and Carl sit in the middle row. It wasn't uncomfortable and Clover would occasionally talk to me about what has changed up here. "And if you ever have to face a Walker, go for the head."

"Because of the brain."

"Exactly."

Though I can help but get this ugly feeling in my chest. The Grimes and the Peleteirs almost seem like long lost friends. Both families are caring and kind. Both mothers alives and dotting. We eventually come to a stop where we get to stretch our legs.

  I awkwardly stand beside Carl and Sophia trying not to seem like I'm listening in to the adults but I am. I know I'm a subject for them to speak, another child in their group with no mother, no father. No one.

"What do we do with the kid?" The tall blonde named Andrea finally asks. "She's not any of ours, her father made a choice-"

"Yea the prick made a choice, she didn't," Daryl snaps. "She's just a kid."

"She's a liability," Andrea snaps. "Carl and Sophia, their parents pull their weight. Do you really expect a kid that age not to cause trouble. I heard what he said, he said she was trouble."

  Dad thought everything I did was trouble. Even if it helped.  "So you wanted us to leave her to die?" Lori asks putting her hands on her hips. "She's a little girl not a monster."

  I kneel on the side of the road noticing a bush of blackberries. It helps keep me looking busy enough to not be eavesdropping. Sophia and Carl follow my leads picking thick ripe berries off the bush. "Are you going to take care of her? Cause I sure as hell won't! Look at her! She picking flowers for fuck sake!"

"Dandy," Daryl shouts. I turn around holding onto the berries. "What's in your hand?"

"I found some blackberries."

  Daryl looks back to the blonde with a look that states she's a moron. "I'm not watching her," Andrea states.

"No one fucking asked you to," Jessie snaps crossing his arms over his chest. "I will." Him and Daryl hold gazes with one another for a long moment. "Consider her Dandy Dixon from now on you ugly faced bitch."

I can't help but wonder why Daryl and Jessie are helping me. I almost bashed Daryl's head in when I first met him and a haven't ever interacted with Jessie. Most people I meet don't really spare me more than a second thought. But the Dixon's and Clover...

"Daryl, Jessie." Dale warns stepping in front of Andrea.

Rick breaks through the trees only pausing once he seeing how riled up the group is. "What's going on?"

"Andrea is being an inconsiderate bitch."

"Clover!" Carol scolds with wide eyes.

"Shes wanting us to leave Dandy on the side of the road even though Dandy has already been more useful than Andrea ever has," Jessie snaps.

"Dandy is staying."

"Can Dandy get a cup to put these in?" I ask pointing to Carl who is holding the berries in his shirt. Jessie hands us an empty water bottle in which the we start eagerly shoving the berries in.

Once I close it I hand the bottle to Carl. He cautiously takes it. Jessie puts a hand on my back in which I sidestep. However he catches the back of my overalls using that to lead me towards his bike. He easily straddles it while holding a helmet out to me. "I've never-" I get cut off by Daryl picking me up from my armpits and setting me behind Jessie.

I give Daryl my dirtiest look I can muster but he ignores it. I strap the helmet on in which Jessie looks around before tightening it. "I'm going to grab your hands," he warns before doing as he said. He forces me to wrap my arms around him. "Hold on tight okay?"