Taking a Chance

Chapter 13

The flight home to Georgia was much different than the one to Las Vegas. It was smooth and completely non-eventful. It also made a difference that Daryl was sitting with Michonne and Rick. He had someone to talk to even though he didn't feel like talking. He did not know if it was for his sake or hers but Michonne held onto his hand and Rick's both when they took off and landed.

Daryl had a long time to think about what had happened in Vegas and what lay ahead for him. Rick was going to set up an appointment with the estate lawyer about his inheritance. He was still stunned that Rick's parents included him in their will and were so generous. Ten thousand dollars was more than he ever imagined ever having in the bank. He had plans to spend some, but not all. Nothing frivolous, well maybe the flat screen TV he wanted was, but anything else would be a necessity.

Gabrielle. What the hell was he going to do with her? Common sense told him that getting the divorce was the best option. They had so many things going against them. She lived in Atlanta and he was at least forty-five minutes outside of it in Parkvale. She may have started out poor like he grew up, but now was a difference story. She ran with a faster, higher class group of people and he was well one step beyond white trash. Nothing about them should work and nothing did, except the sex.

That was the first time Daryl smiled in the last few hours. Yeah, the sex with the princess was off the charts good. He knew it and so did she. Was that enough of a start for them? Daryl wasn't sure, but then what did he know about relationships. "Not much that's fer sure," he thought to himself.

For now, Daryl decided to wait and see what happened with Gabrielle. The ball or in their case the divorce was in her court now. He couldn't afford a lawyer so it was up to her to dissolve the marriage if that's what she wanted.

Once back on solid ground, the newlyweds and Daryl headed back home. After the lights and excitement of Las Vegas, Parkvale seemed very tame and quiet. For the first time, Daryl walked into his apartment and it felt lonely. What would it be like to share a place with someone like Gabrielle?

The dump he lived in wasn't bad by his standards, but he knew someone like Gabrielle would never like it. He bet her place in Atlanta ten times nicer than his, maybe even twenty times. He sat down on his used sofa and figured it was hopeless. Well at least, he could claim that he had a really hot wife for just a little while.

Much to Daryl's surprise, he had a few changes in his life over the next few weeks. He and Rick met with the lawyer and he was on track to get the money by first of the month. He also had been keeping an eye out for another job. He liked where he worked and the guys there, but he felt underpaid. One day an ad caught his eye and he saw that the local car dealership was looking for an experienced mechanic.

He went over and filled out an application and a week later he gave his notice at the garage. He was guaranteed forty hours a week, occasional overtime if he wanted and it also paid three dollars an hour more. It was a no brainer to switch jobs.

The strange thing was that he had still not heard a word from Gabrielle or her lawyer and it had been weeks. He wanted to call her, but he was afraid to. He was afraid that he would have no idea what to say to her and afraid that she still wanted the divorce. He wasn't sure what he wanted and that's why he felt the need to discuss it with her. So Daryl took the easy way out and did nothing.

Days turned to even more weeks and there still was no word from Atlanta. Daryl received the check from the Grimes' estate and for once, he felt like a rich man. He bought the flat screen TV he wanted and a new bed. He had a used twin bed that someone was getting rid of and now he was able to buy his first brand new queen size bed. At least now if he ever did have a girlfriend, as the idea no longer sounded strange to him, he had a bed that two people could fit in.