Home Sweet Hilltop

Chapter 11

Carl's Point of View:

"Carl, go back and help Maggie, I told you I'm fine," she drew out the last word, pulling her hand from mine and lightly shoving me towards the door.  She was sat on the exam table, kicking her feet and glancing around nervously as we waiting for Dr. Carson to come back from his office in the back.

I sighed, wishing she would let me take care of her for once, but I knew that wasn't going to happen. "Okay, let me know what he says later though," and with that I leaned down, pecking her cheek quickly before ducking towards the door.

After slipping back into the kitchen and snagging an apple, I met Maggie and Jesus in the office to discuss plans for the run. Their heads snapped to me as I creaked the door open.

"Change of plans, Carl." I looked questioningly towards Maggie as she stood, her hand resting towards the lower part of her ever expanding belly. For the first time I saw how pregnant she had become. In the midst of the war and reconfiguring I realized how much we all lost track of Maggie's pregnancy. "Jesus thinks I should stay here," she glanced down at herself, "and I'm starting to realize maybe I should take it a bit easier for a while, so with that being said, you're going on the run."

"Okay, yeah cool!"  My response came out a bit more enthusiastic then it probably should have but I was excited. I had been itching to get back out there for a while. I've been relatively cooped up since the war, everyone trying to stay in and get stuff together.

Maggie laughed at my excitement, "Don't go getting ahead of yourself there, this is serious, you need to be careful."

"I will don't worry." 

Jesus was grinning now too, "We're taking Jax and Daniel too, but you and I will be mostly in charge."  I nodded looking back to Maggie for more instruction.

"You're leaving tomorrow, plan to be gone for 2 weeks.  All you really need to do today is help Jesus pack up the truck and pack lightly for yourself."  I nodded in assurance, "whelp, I need to go see Dr. Carson, you two get going," she pat my shoulder before opening the door once more and stepping out.

I looked to Jesus who had stood from his seat, smirking at me, "Ready for a little fun?"

"Definitely," I let it out as a laugh, glad Jesus always had a bit of a lighter atmosphere about him.  We headed out of Barrington, down towards we're all the cars and trucks were parked by the gate. 

"This where we keep extra gas just so ya know," I turned as Jesus lifted up the lid of a wooden crate against the walls.  It was filled with red gas tubs, some full, some clearly empty.  Jesus grabbed a few empty ones before instructing me to grab three full ones which we then took to a rusty old U-Haul.  We loaded them towards the back of cabin before Jesus instructed me to head to the armory and check out what we needed.  I headed to the armory which was close the the blacksmith hut and collected bullets in a messenger bag before getting any guns together.

"Jax, I told you I don't wanna talk right now," just from the sentence I could tell Enid was on the defensive.

"Enid, please, common I said I was sorry," I peaked around the corner just in time to catch Enid flinching away from Jax's hand reaching to rest on her shoulder. This seemed to anger him, a harsh tone rising in his voice, "Enid common, I'm leaving tomorrow, I'll be gone for 2 weeks, what if I don't come back? I can't die knowing you haven't forgiven me."

Enid rolled her eyes, and while I wanted to burst out laughing then, I could tell she was pissed and it would be inappropriate. "Maybe 2 weeks is the time you need to realize just an 'I'm sorry' isn't good enough! My arms in a goddam brace cause of you!" She waved her wrapped arm at him before storming away.