𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐋𝐈𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 ➳ 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬

Chapter 3 ~ Gas Station Rendezvouses

After grabbing a knapsack from the house, Carl and I sneaked out of Alexandria, hand-in-hand. It was a long walk to his "surprise" but soon, we arrived at an abandoned gas station. Blades of bright green grass grew up through cracks in the sidewalk and there was even a hole in one of the windows, leaving spidery cracks in the glass around the gaping opening. I frowned, glancing over at my fiancee.

"Why are we here?" I asked him in confusion.

His hand squeezed mine gently before releasing it and stepping over to one of the abandoned cars littering the highway running beside the small building. Wordlessly, he began to unpack it - spreading out an array of canned goods. My eyebrows hit my hairline in surprise.

"Um-" I started and he cut me off with a "shh".

I rolled my eyes and squatted down beside him, watching his every movement. Chewing the inside of my cheek, I contemplated this. What in the world was he even leaving this stuff out for? Perfectly good food for no reason-.... And then it hit me: he wasn't leaving it for nothing, he was leaving it for someone. I smirked, bumping his shoulder slightly with my own.

"So who's the unfortunate soul you're helping today?" I asked, smiling even wider when he rolled his eyes.

Of course, I was right. He was always doing things like this for people he didn't know. He just had a big heart that way.

"Unfortunate soul? What are you, Ursula now?" he shot back, grinning when my mouth formed an 'O'.

"Hey! I have you know I would be Ariel, okay?! I'll just dye my hair red and get one of those Snuggie tail things-" I started to say as he burst out laughing at me and finally, I broke off, giving in to my own giggles.

I grabbed onto his arm to keep from falling over, leaning my head on his shoulder as I did. And finally, after our laughter had subsided, Carl set out a simple note with the word "sorry" written on it in permanent marker beside the two cans of food on the ground before standing up. Stretching out a hand to help me, I smiled up at him before taking it. When I finally made it to my feet, I pressed my lips to his softly before sending him a smile which he returned before grabbing my hand once again. Hoisting the khaki knapsack back over his shoulder, he led the way back the way we'd come. I almost could swear I felt eyes on my back though as we turned the corner.

But I just shrugged it off and kept walking, playfully kicking at Carl's feet and having him attempt to kick me back before we both burst out into laughter once more. I loved this - just acting like teenagers in love with him. In Alexandria, we were adults - him with helping out Rick and basically being second-in-command while I was the new doctor, taking care of my patients. Not to mention, of course, the both of us raising Winnie. And that girl could be a handful sometimes. I loved her to death, though - she was my world.

My arms wrapped around Carl's as I leaned into his side, my cheek resting against the soft cotton material of his brown, corduroy long-sleeve button-down shirt. We walked on in silence and I closed my eyes as I let him lead me down the road along the wood line. A breeze blew by us, lifting up strands of dark hair to whip out behind me gently. I breathed it in, deeply, just enjoying the feeling of being here with Carl when suddenly, he spoke up and broke the silence that had formed between us.

"So if you're Ariel then does that make me Prince Eric?" he piped up, glancing down into my eyes.

I pretended to contemplate his question before picking up my hand and tilting in a 50/50 gesture, "I suppose. I mean, I wasn't really involving you here in my mermaid fantasy,"

He gasped and faked a hurt expression, the sheriff's hat on his head shading his face from the sun beating down on us as we walked.

"And here I was hoping I'd be your Prince Charming," he mock-pouted and I slapped him playfully on the arm, laughing.

"That's from Cinderalla, not the Little Mermaid, you dodo!" I giggled, shaking my head before sobering up enough to reply, "Besides, if we were Disney characters then I'd have to be Bo Peep anyway,"

He frowned and stopped in his tracks, making me stop along with him as he glanced down at me.

"Why Bo Peep? You have no sheep!" he said seriously before a grin split his face at his own rhyme.

"Because," I shrugged one shoulder before meeting his blue-eyed gaze and flicking his sheriff's hat with my index finger playfully, "She always had this thing for guys in cowboy hats."