Safe haven | Rick Grimes

015. EVERYONES ON OPPOSING SIDES

Chapter fifteen

"Everyone's on opposing sides."

A week had passed, and Randall was finally well enough to travel. Just as promised, Rick and Shane had loaded him up and driven him out to the main road to drop him off.

Back at the farmhouse, a wave of relief had washed over everyone now that Beth was awake and out of her catatonic state. Down in the kitchen, Scarlett was helping Maggie prepare a quiet lunch for her younger sister. Maggie stood at the counter slicing vegetables, while Scarlett focused on cutting up the chicken.

"Can you tell me what happened in town?" Maggie asked quietly, her hands stalling over the cutting board.

Scarlett paused, looking over at her. "Why?"

"Glenn... he's not the same," Maggie shared, her voice cracking slightly. "He says he froze up. He blames me. He says I got inside his head."

Scarlett took a deep, steadying breath before continuing. "He told us that you told him you loved him. And he... he'd never heard that before from someone who wasn't his family. So when we were being shot at, he was terrified. I know he was because I was scared, too. But I've learned to hide it really well. I just told him to take my hand and that we were gonna get out of this—all four of us. And we did." Scarlett placed the chicken onto the bread, looking directly at Maggie. "My point is, he didn't want to die without getting the chance to say it back to you."

Maggie swallowed hard, a small tear rolling down her cheek as they finished plating Beth's lunch onto a tray. "Let me just give this to her," Maggie said, wiping her eyes.

"I've got it," Scarlett insisted gently. She lifted the tray and walked toward Beth's bedroom.

Scarlett nudged the door open with her elbow and walked into the quiet space. "Lunch is served. Normally, I like to give my patients pudding or Jell-O, but we are sadly out of both," she shared lightly, setting the tray down on the bedside table.

Beth slowly sat up against her pillows. Scarlett offered her a warm smile. "Maybe once you finish your food, we can head outside. Get some fresh air, go for a short walk."

Beth looked past the tray, her eyes distant and heavy. "Lori's pregnant. How could she do that?"

The abrupt question caught Scarlett off guard. "It wasn't exactly planned, Beth."

"You think it'll make a difference?" Beth asked.

Scarlett stared at the young girl, the weight of the question hanging thick in the air. Looking at Beth's fragile expression, Scarlett found herself completely at a loss for words.

"I'm gonna go double-check the pantry for that pudding," Scarlett said softly, turning away to escape the room.

Having gone back to the kitchen to double-check the supplies, Scarlett walked back to the bedroom carrying a small container. She nudged the door open with a soft chuckle.

"I found that pudding after all," she shared.

The lightheartedness died instantly. Beth was slumped in the bed, tears silently streaming down her face. Scarlett set the container down beside the rest of the untouched lunch, and as she did, her eyes darted to the empty spot on the plate.

The knife was gone.

Scarlett kept her movements slow and deliberate. She walked around the bed and crouched down beside Beth, keeping her voice incredibly gentle. "I lost my mom, too. I was much younger than you are now when I watched her die."