Born 2 Be Wild-A Merle Dixon love story

Chapter 58

A week later I was able to find a reason to get up. Some mental math I'd been doing scared the shit out of me. I was sitting on the edge of my bed trying to decide if I should go find Daryl when he walked in.

"You're up." He said, looking surprised.

"I figured I should get up, if I don't everyone may want to have another campfire chat. Since the last one went so well." I replied, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"About that, since you're feeling better, do you want to maybe apologize?" Daryl asked, ignoring my sarcasm.

"No. It's not like I insulted all of their mothers. What I said was the truth. I'm not going to beg for their forgiveness just because the truth stings." I answered.

"Can't blame me for trying." Daryl said with a shrug.

"Are you busy today?" I asked him.

"I'm not sure. I was about to go see if Rick needs me. Why?"

"I, uh, I need a favor." I told him, trying not to look scared. But it was either sarcastic or scared.

"What's that?" Daryl asked, coming over to sit beside me on the thin mattress.

"I could be wrong, you have no idea how much I hope I'm wrong." I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I need you to pick me up a pregnancy test. I can go with you, actually I want to go with you." I said quickly.

"Wait. What? You're pregnant?" Daryl asked, looking very confused.

"I'm not sure. That's why I need to get a test." I explained.

"I'll tell Rick we're heading out. You'll have to come with me, I don't know anything about feminine shit." Daryl said, getting up and walking to the door.

"I know." I told him, a small smile lifting the corners of my mouth.

Daryl came back a few minutes later and leaned in the doorway of my cell. Seeing him, leaning there where Merle did, the exact same way as Merle did made my stomach clench.

"I have to do something for Rick before we can go. I didn't tell him why we needed to leave. So go get something to eat, I'll be done as soon as I can." Daryl announced.

"Thank you, Daryl."

"You're welcome." He said as he walked away, towards the stairs.

I got up, put on jeans and a t-shirt then stood in front of the cracked mirror in my cell. I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to get some of the tangles out. When I looked slightly better I left my cell and went to the commons. I didn't speak to anyone on my way there, and they all did the same. The only person that spoke to me was Carol. She was in the commons room along with a few other people I'd never seen before. I got some of the oatmeal from the pot and sat down, Carol joined me at the table.

"It's good to see that you're out of that cell." Carol said, smiling sweetly.

"I decided it was time to pick myself up and carry on." I said after I'd swallowed my mouthful of mush.

"That takes strength. Moving on is hard, but you can do it. You're one of the strongest people I know." Carol said, before getting up and joining the other people again.

I continued on eating, thankful she didn't introduce me to her friends. When the bowl was empty I washed it an laid it out to dry. After not eating much for over a week, being full feels awful. I sat back down at the nearest table and put my hand over my mouth until the nausea passed. As I was getting up Carol came back in with the baby. Carol sat her down in her playpen, then walked back out, probably forgetting something. I walked over to the play pen and looked over into it. Judith smiled up at me.

If I'm pregnant, I wonder how my baby will look. Will they have curly hair like Merle used to or will it be wavy like mine? Will their eyes be blue like his or green like mine? Will they be Merle's spitting image or look like me? Maybe somewhere in between. When they're older will they act like Merle? Part of me really hopes not. Tears that I couldn't stop started to blur my vision and drop from my eyes. I turned around quickly and hurried back to my cell.

Not long after the tears had dried up Daryl came back to my cell. He pulled a clean rag out of his back pocket and wiped my face with it. He sat down beside me and put an arm around my shoulders.

"It'll be okay Jess." He promised. "I'm done helping Rick so we can go now. I've gotta go get your gun before we leave. The weapons are in Hershel's cell. I trust you with it."

I nodded and followed him out of my cell. We got my gun and then headed outside. The bright sunlight burned my eyes, but it felt good on my skin. I climbed on Daryl's motorcycle behind him and wrapped my arms tightly around his stomach. The engine roared to life and we went out of the only gate that was still left standing.

The first pharmacy we got to was completely empty, but the second one still had some stuff left in the family planning aisle. I guess people aren't planning much anymore. I searched the aisle and grabbed two tests while Daryl stood guard at the door.

"Did you find one?" He asked.

"Yeah, I got two. I want to take them before we go back to the prison. I don't want anyone to know if I am pregnant. Not yet, anyway." I answered.

"So what do you do then?"

"I have to pee on them." I answered.

The look on Daryl's face made me laugh for the first time in what felt like forever. I found the bathroom, which stopped working a long time ago, but there's nowhere else to pee here. Daryl checked the inside of the bathroom for walkers, when he decided it was safe he stepped off to the side.

"I'm gonna be right outside the door if you need me." Daryl told me, his face and ears a little red.

I went inside and hovered over the toilet. Trying my best not to think about having Daryl as an audience, I finally peed. I laid the test on the edge of the sink and took the other. When I'd finished my business I pulled my pants back up and glanced at the tests, they both read the same thing. I put the caps over the part I'd peed on and left the bathroom. Daryl looked at me with curiosity before I handed him both tests.

"So the plus sign means you're pregnant?" Daryl asked after being silent for what seemed like an eternity.

I nodded my head slowly as my stomach twisted. Daryl suddenly hugged me tightly, then loosened his grip.

"You're having a little Merle!" He exclaimed as I tried not to cry.