Whatever Happened To Normal?

Chapter 3:

Putting his keys down on the table, Rick is met with a clean house and more importantly the smell of dinner. Kicking his boots off, he makes his way to the kitchen, where Beth is preparing dinner and Carl is doing his homework.

"Oh, Mr. Grimes. Welcome home- yer just in time for dinner." Beth cheerfully says as she starts making plates.

"Mmm, smells good. What is it?"

"Venison over Spaghetti and Mozzerella cheese." She smiles happily and Rick nods his approval.

"Where's you'd get the Deer meat?" Rick asks as he puts Carl's plate in front of him.

"My neighbor Otis shot it. And processed it himself." She calms her eager mood to please when Daryl makes his way into the kitchen woth Judith.

"Asskicker wanted a bottle." Daryl mumbles and Beth hurriedly takes her from him and goes to get a bottle. Rick notices the disinterest they have in each other. "How was yer day? Didn't tell me you were startin' back."

"T'was good. It's nice to be back. Did you two meet?" Daryl bypasses the question by sitting down at the table and slurping down his noodles. Looking at Beth, she too seems frustrated by the question, but shakes it off with a smile and answers the question politely.

"We greeted- yes." She grins before going back to putting food on plates. "Here ya go Mr. Grimes."

She hands him some and he thanks her before sitting across from Daryl at the head of the table. Going back to Judith, Beth gives her her bottle and goes to leave.

"Why don't ya sit with us and we can get to know ya." Rick politely says and Beth notices Daryl's glower.

"That's okay. Some other time. This one is going to need burped and changed so I'll just be up in my room with her." Shrugging, they let her leave and it doesn't take long before Daryl quickly flips her off before Rick can see.

"So, did you have a good..." Rick starts to ask, but Daryl cuts him off.

"Rick, why do we have to have a live-in Nanny- especially that one!?" Daryl asks and Carl looks up from his food.

"I like Beth. She's nice and her food is really good." The men look at the child- one with anger and the other with joy.

"I agree with him Daryl. She is very handy. I mean this house was a disaster when I left and now it's immaculate." Rick bites his venison chunk and Daryl grumbles. "She's really cheap for hire, the kids love her, and this will give us an excuse to go on the town more often."

"And what room is she staying in anyway- and she can't bring her lil boyfriend here either." Daryl growls and Rick smirks.

"She stays in Judith's room. And she is currently unattached. We've gone over the rules Daryl. Just try to be nice."

"Phh, I ain't gotta be nice ta no one." Daryl mumbles and shoves another piece of meat in his mouth. "Why I gotta be nice ta her?"

"Cause if you want to be able to go out and have fun with me- we need someone to take care of the kids." Rick smizes and Daryl grunts. He knows very well how manipulative Rick can be, and yet, he still falls for it.

"Fine."

"Or just stay away from her- that's another option."

After dinner Daryl is in the basement watching another football game. It's the only place he can think of to avoid that girl. Her blue beckoning eyes, temptress lips, and that voice- God, it's one of the most annoying voices he's ever heard.

He'll be lucky if he finds peace in the morning and afternoon on weekends when he doesn't work. And if she lives here, he might as well just cut his dick off cause he'll never have alone time with Rick if she keeps butting her head into everything. It's as if she's scared to be alone for five minutes. Daryl on the other hand, loved being alone. The quietness, the sublime space he has- it is Heaven. Sure he loves Rick and loves being around him, but he still loves his space.

"Whatcha watchin'?"

"Jesus! Fuckin' say something or knock before just sneakin' up on someone. Nearly gave me a heart attack!" Daryl yells at Beth as she stands behind the wrap around couch. He jumped so high off his cushion, she thought he was going to smack his face against the ceiling.

"Haha sorry, I didn't really know you were down here. Who's playing?" She walks cheerfully around the end of the couch and plops down next to Daryl, who growls and scoots two seats away.

"Colts and Giants. Don't you have a baby to look after?"

"She's asleep. Are you always in a fowl mood?" She asks with a hint of humor on her tongue.

"I ain't in a bad mood." He growls and Beth giggles, which is quite obnoxious for the 28 year old man.

"Yes you are. You haven't been nice to me at all. It's like yer Grumpy from Snow White."

"And yer Dopey." Daryl snaps and Beth raises her eyebrows. "Don't tell me, you cry easily too?"

"Only when I watch Old Yeller." She plainly says and he rolls his eyes at her. He's never found anyone so annoying in his life until he met her.

"Run along lil girl- the games on- so go play dress up or go to bed." He gestures a shooing motion with his hand and Beth just hunkers into the couch more.

"I like football thank you very much. And you can't tell me what to do cause yer not the one who employed me." Crossing her arms and legs, Beth gives him a final hmph and continues to watch the game.

Glaring at her, Daryl understands why she's currently unattached- she's annoying, clingy, and acts like a Princess. He never, not in a million years, would associate with a girl like her- let alone live under the same roof and watch football with her. It's not gonna be easy adjusting to this, but he'll do it- for Rick.