These Awkward Moments

Chapter 31 Come Away With Me

Daryl's POV
I lifted my head in surprise. Had she really just said that she was ready to stop using condoms? "What? No Doc. I know you ain't ready for that now. I was just playin'. I don't want ya ta feel pressured just cuz I was teasin' ya."

She gave me that look where she raised just one eyebrow. "Does that mean you're not really ready? Cuz I didn't say that because of any pressure you're puttin' on me darlin'. Mercy will be a year old soon. Even though I got pregnant with her easily, it may take a while for us to get pregnant, especially while I'm breastfeedin'. I'm not gettin' any younger, and I guess I might like the option of havin' a third child later if we decide it's right for us. But if you're not ready..."

I raised my finger to her lips to stop her. "I never said I wasn't ready for babies Doc. If we were younger and didn't already have Mercy, then it would make sense to wait and enjoy our time alone together. But I ain't gettin' any younger either Doc. We already got one baby ta love and take care of. Better ta just go ahead and fill our arms and hearts while we can. There's already the possibility that we started the next one this mornin' in the bathroom anyway. And I gotta admit that fuckin' ya without a condom felt pretty damn awesome."

She looked at me with so much love in her beautiful green eyes, my heart turned over in my chest. She reached up and stroked my cheek with her thumb. "Ok then. It's settled. No more condoms. If it happens now, then it's meant ta be."

I nodded then reached out and stroked Mercy's dark hair as she nursed. "You know, my original plan was to bring you here to propose. But then it took longer than I thought to secure the area. And then when we were tryin' ta get home even more time ta lead that herd away. I was goin' crazy tryin' a get back to ya, and I knew you'd be beside yerself worryin' about me. I knew I couldn't wait, and I knew I couldn't risk missin' a chance ta let ya know that I wanna spend the rest a my life with you."

She looked into my eyes. "I'm so glad you didn't wait Daryl. I don't wanna waste another day not bein' with you. I love bein' yer wife."

I leaned over Mercy to kiss Delilah's sweet lips. "I hafta go outside and do a perimeter sweep. I wanna make sure the fence line don't have any breaks in it. When Aaron and I were here we put barbed wire rolls around the outside of the fence to slow down walkers. I need ta make sure that's clear. I'm leavin' your crossbow and a handgun next to the back door just in case. Y'all gonna be ok?"

She smiled up at me. "Yeah darlin', we're good. Just don't be too long. As soon as she's done eatin' I'll start some lunch for us." He smiled and kissed me before heading outside.

We spent the rest of the afternoon getting settled in. A thunderstorm rolled through in the early evening. After dinner we played with Mercy until she got sleepy. Delilah nursed her, then I took her upstairs and tucked her into the crib. When I came back downstairs I heard soft music coming from the piano.

Delilah was sitting at the upright playing a few chords. I sat down next to her on the bench and put my arm around her waist. "I didn't know you played the piano Doc."

She smiled and shrugged. "It's been a few years, but my folks made me take lessons all through my childhood. I just wanted ta see if I could remember anything I learned. There's this song that reminds me a this place. I think I can figure it out."

She moved her fingers up and down the keyboard as she sounded out the melody. It started to take on a familiar sound, then Delilah began to sing along.