Between Arrows and Hearts - Daryl Dixon

An attractive man

Carl and Cass sat in the back of the car, separated by the empty middle seat, while Rick drove and Lori sat in the passenger seat.

Cass quietly watched Carl, who was staring out the window. Her heart ached for him. The past two days had been horrific for everyone, but it was especially tough to see such an adorable little boy having to endure it all.

Determined to lighten the mood, Cass decided to tease him. "Jeez, Carl, stop looking for T-Dog's van! I'm sure your girlfriend is fine."

"I wasn't looking for Sophia!" Carl shot back, spinning around defensively.

"Aha!" Cass exclaimed, raising her hands in mock victory. "I never said I was talking about Sophia. Maybe I meant..." She paused for dramatic effect. "Andrea!"

"Ew!" Carl grimaced, clearly disgusted.

"Hey, never say 'ew' about a woman!" Cass pointed at him, feigning seriousness.

Rick and Lori pretended not to hear the playful banter, relieved to see their son lightening up.

"Well, your boyfriend is back there too." Carl countered with a smirk.

"So, my boyfriend?" Cass crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "And who would that be?"

"Glenn!" Carl pointed at her, his accusation very serious.

Cass noticed Rick's eyebrow raise in the rearview mirror. The sheriff clearly had his own suspicions about the friendship between her and Glenn. They were always together, sharing meals, and looking out for each other.

Cass paused for a moment, considering her response. She realized that what she said could not only turn into a playful jab from Carl but also pique Rick's interest.

"Nah, he's not my type," Cass replied simply, shaking her head.

"I bet your type is ugly men!" Carl laughed, clearly enjoying himself.

Cass pretended to be offended, placing a hand on her chest. "Of course not! I have impeccable taste!"

Rick, unable to resist joining his son's attack, chimed in. "So who's your type, then?"

Carl grinned, happy to see his dad supporting him "Yeah, who do you think is cute at camp?"

For a brief moment, Cass felt trapped. Whatever she said would turn into fodder for Carl's teasing. 

She thought, touching her chin as if in deep contemplation. "Well, if you think about it, your dad is an attractive man."

Carl's face twisted in disgust, and Cass couldn't help but stifle a laugh at his reaction. "Ew!"

"Yes, you can 'ew' about your father," Cass shot back, smirking.

"No, you can't." Rick interjected, feigning offense.

Seeing that Carl was still looking at her with horror, Cass quickly added, "Your mom is a very pretty woman too. In fact, this reminds me of a study I once read."

Carl perked up, genuinely curious. "About what?"

"How two very attractive parents can have horrible children."

With that, the teasing resumed, laughter filling the car as Cass and Carl exchanged playful jokes. Rick and Lori tried to maintain an appearance of serious authority but soon found themselves caught up in the joy of the moment, joining in with their own jokes and playful jabs.

The fun didn't last long. Less than halfway there, Dale's RV started having problems, bringing the entire caravan to a halt.

"It's Jim," Jacqui's worried voice caught the group's attention. "It's bad. I don't think he can take anymore." She spoke urgently as she re-entered the RV, where she had been looking after Jim during the trip.