Three Empty Words

Chapter Eight

"As we walk in a straight line. Down in the dirt with a landslide approaching. But nothing could ever stop us. From stealing our own place in the sun. We will face the odds against us. And run into the fear we run from. It has begun." ~ Starset (It Has Begun)

***

Thea's PoV

Standing in the living room with Carl just a few feet away from me, made me feel quite a bit of emotions. I wanted to run over and pull him into a hug, feel his warmth that he deprived me of when he left. But that's the thing. He left. Went on a suicide mission with no regards to anyone else, yet he was here in front of me. Was that forgivable? Should I just forget all about it and move on like nothing happened? The truth is, I couldn't. Not when he led Negan back here once again in just a short amount of time.

"Well, this is awkward. Shouldn't you two be, I don't know, happy?" Negan asked looking back and forth between us. I scoffed, wiping my face of any emotions except for indifference to the situation. I started forward, brushing past them to go upstairs and into the sanctuary of my room. Slamming the door shut, I plopped myself in a far corner to collect my thoughts. Below me, I heard Negan's booming voice.

"Women are a force to be reckoned with, Kid. Let whatever the hell that was simmer for too long, and you're as good as dead. Anyways, help with me with dinner." I clenched my fists at his words. I couldn't imagine what other things he filled Carl's head with while they were together. I didn't even know the whole story of what happened. It couldn't be that bad, right? If Negan brought him home.

I shook my head, ridding it of those thoughts. My ears perked up at the sound of the door opening downstairs. I got up from my spot and crept out of my room to see who has entered. To my surprise, I found Olivia walking past the stairs and into the kitchen. My curiosity got the best of me. I entered the kitchen and saw Olivia take Judith into her arms and sit at the table, while Carl was making place settings. He even wore an apron over his clothes.

"We're gonna to need another setting." Negan smiled up at Carl from his place at the head of the table. Both of them glanced at me, but Carl's gaze didn't linger for long. He went back to rummage through the cabinets for another plate and more silverware. The strong scent of spaghetti entered my nostrils, and I actually felt like drooling. It smelled delicious. I didn't even care if Negan made it.

Taking a few more steps, I took the other head of the table, right across from Negan. Olivia sat to my left with Judith on her lap, despite her highchair being on my right. Carl brought all the food over and finally sat down to Negan's left, or my right. Olivia poured all of us a glass of lemonade and then... we just sat in silence. No one made a move to eat.

"I'm not waiting for your dad anymore," Negan sighed out. "I don't know where the hell he is, but Lucille... is hungry." So, that's who the extra place setting was for. Negan had been waiting for Rick to return, but now, his spot had been taken by an inanimate object. Negan tucked a napkin into his white shirt and looked down the table to me. "Carl, pass the rolls."

I looked down to see that the bowl of rolls were right in front of me, but he didn't ask me. Carl was two chairs away, even Olivia was closer, but he didn't ask us. He looked at Carl expectantly, we all did. "Please," Negan forced out. Carl gave him a look and finally grabbed the bowl to hand to him. At least he said please, I guess.

***

Awhile later, I found myself face down on the living room couch. It was the only source of solid comfort in the house with our mattresses gone. I didn't really want to be down stairs in the open, but I wanted to listen in on Negan and Spencer's conversation. Although, I couldn't hear much when Carl kept impatiently tapping his fingers against the dining room table. His foot was even going at it as well. I groaned and sat myself up to stare at him, a scowl on my face.