Side-by-Side

Chapter 33

Matt and Gordon might have underestimated how far the community was, for we have been walking for hours and it still hadn't crossed our path.

"How close were you and Matt?" Daryl asks from behind me. Matt is in the front of the group, and Gordon is in the back. Daryl and I are just in front of Gordon.

"Not as close as you might be thinking. We were close enough that we knew a lot about each other." I answered him, though, I don't think that is what he wanted to know.

"Have you two ever --" He trails off.

"Daryl, you were my first. Remember? At the prison?"

"Yeah, I know. I meant, have you guys ever dated?"

"No. Never dated. We've kissed before, but it was mainly just to get our first kiss over with. Then a few times at parties when we were drunk out of our minds." Daryl stays silent, and I can tell that he is trying to process this new information.

I stop him, and motion Gordon to continue ahead. Once he is out of ear shot, I turn to Daryl.

"I know it's a lot to think about. But I love you, only you. I am pregnant with your child, Daryl. Nothing, not even a small history like mine and Matt's will ruin that. I swear." Daryl nods his head after I am done, and pulls me into him. His arms are wrapped around my waist, and mine are around his neck.

"I love you," He says.

"I love you." I unwrap my arms from around him, and peck his lips before we start walking closer to the group. Daryl and I stay behind them all, even Gordon as we walk. Our hands are intertwined.

"Not much longer guys, we should be there in another 20 minutes." Matt says.

"20 minutes your time, or my time?" I question him, Daryl squeezing my hand slightly. I look over to him to see a smile on his face.

He turns and begins walking backwards, his hands pressed against his chest. "My time, obviously." He says with a smirk before turning back around.

Everyone takes a look between us, and laugh. But if they find out what his time means, they won't be laughing much.

"What's his time?"

"20 minutes his time is about 45 minutes our time," I laugh. "Matt is shitty at times."

"I am not that bad," he calls back.

"You are absolutely horrible. And horrible is being used because I'm too tired to even think of a more productive word."

The group laughed at the bickering between Matt and I. They can get a sense that we were close once upon a time.

"You know what Carly, I don't like your attitude." Matt says over his shoulder, and I can hear the smile in his voice.

"Well, too bad. You found me, you're gonna have to deal with me all over again."

It fell silent in the group. Many of us were tired from walking, and we were going to have to stop soon. Judith needs to be fed again, maybe even have a diaper change, and I'm in desperate need of a tree with lots of cover.

We walk for a couple of minutes more before Matt decides that we can use the break.

"Do you need to use the washroom?" I ask Chase as he walks over to the line of shade and sits down beside Dad.

He shakes his head. "Alright, I'll be back soon," I kiss his forehead and walk over to the trees, Daryl right behind me.

As I take my turn to use the washroom, Daryl keeps watch, and I do the same for his turn. When we return, we notice the group is sitting down having some water before we start to walk again. I take a seat next to Matt and Gordon who are talking amongst themselves and wait for Daryl to join me.

He may not be comfortable around new people. But he needs to get comfortable with Matt as he was once my best friend, and possibly still is.

"So, you never told me who the pregnant one in the group is." Gordon says as he brushes away some hair that has fallen onto his face.

"Who do you think it is?" I question, a small look casted casted around the group. I was bigger than all the other women, yet my clothes happen to be big enough that you can't tell.

"I don't know. The one with the short hair?" Gordon says as he eyes Carol.

"No, I don't think she'll ever want to have another child after losing hers to the walkers." I tell him.

"Alright," Matt chimes in, his fingers lifting to his eyes as if making binoculars, "how about the country girl? The one with the Chinaman?"

Daryl let's out a laugh, remembering back when he and I use to call Glenn Chinaman. "No," I swat Daryl's leg, "stop laughing." I scowled.

"Alright, and damn girl, don't hit the husband." Matt says, his laugh echoing past us.

I hit Matt in the back of the head, and you can hear the slap just as long as I hoped, "he's Korean."

"Alright, jeez."

"Okay," Gordon says his hands rubbing together. "It's not her, nor her. It's not the one with the sword for sure as she was doing crunches when you went to the trees."

"It's not the blonde, she's too young to have kids." Matt chimes in. "Which only leaves you."

"Took you long enough." Daryl says as he throws his arm over my shoulders and brings me closer with a kiss on my head. A smile spreads around my face, the same time that Matt has one appearing.

"You've always wanted a child. I am happy for you, Carl's." Matt says. Gordon picks in with his congratulations as well.

"Come on guys, let's keep going. Should be there in another 30 minutes." Gordon says.

"Man, what are you talking about? It's more like 5." Matt says as he gets up and offers me his hand. I take it to get up, and turn around to see Gordon helping up Daryl.

"Matt, shut up." I say and begin walking.

Gordon was right, in about 30 minutes or so, we hit a thick amount of forest and walked through it slowly. We came to the clearing where there was a huge community, guarded by bricks as Gordon explained back at that house. On top of the walls were guards, rifles in hand aiming at us, until Matt and Gordon spoke and told them to drop their aims.

The community doors were opened, and we were allowed through. As soon as the gates closed, we were welcomed with many friendly and excited smiles. Girls and boys Carl's age ran to see the commotion, adults tailing after them to stop them from bombarding the new arrivals and many elders.

Everyone here looked clean, and well fed. They seemed to be happier than their letting on, but I could tell it was mostly because of Judith.

For the first time in months, we felt at home.