Cherokee Roses {Daryl Dixon's Daughter}

f o u r t y

The knocks came from Michonne, while part of me is disappointed that it wasn't my dad I'm glad we found another part of our family. We embrace the woman in a group hug before inviting her inside. 

"There's some clothes upstairs." I tell her before gesturing to her tattered shirt. "If you want to change." 

"How come you haven't?" She questions with a raised eyebrow. I look down at the shirt I'm wearing. It's dad's flannel, one of the more recent one's that I've stolen. If I close my eyes shut and imagine really hard I can smell a faint linger of cigarette smoke. 

"It's my dad's." I say hoarsely.

"I'm sorry." She says before going upstairs to change her shirt. 

"Me too."

"You alright?" Carl asks grabbing my hand.

"Just wish my dad was here." I mutter playing with my food. 

"We'll find him." He says squeezing my hand. 

Michonne comes back down in a men's white button up shirt and I laugh and so does Carl. 

"Do you guys have something to say about my extremely comfortable and attractive shirt?"  She asks rolling up the sleeves.

"No, no, no, It looks great" Carl stutters.

"Yeah especially with the button you missed." I snicker and she swats my arm. 

She sits down down and begins to pour the rest of the cereal into a bowl. 

"I wish we had some soy milk." She says as she does. 

"Seriously?" Carl asks in disgust.

"Yes, seriously. Have you ever tried it?" 

"My best friend in third grade, he was allergic to dairy."

"Uh-huh."

"And everyday he brought this soy stuff. I tried it."

"And?"

"I threw up."

"Yeah right." Michonne scoffs.

"All right all right." He says caught in his lie. "I almost threw up. But I was like, bleh. It was so gross. I mean, literally I would rather have powdered milk than to have to drink that stuff again. I would rather have Judith's formula--" 

All laughter dies down as we remember the boy's little sister. The bloody carseat remains a vivid image in my mind. 

"I'm gonna go finish my book." He says getting up from the table and walking away. "I have a couple chapters left."

"It's been a rough time." I tell her getting up and leaving the room. I go to living room and sit by the window, tucking my knees to my chest. Michonne and Rick talk in the kitchen, while I sit here and think. The thing I've become really good at since the end of the world.  

The house is big. In fact it's the type of house I would've wanted to live in when I grew up and had a family of my own. It would've meant that I defied my fate and got away from the 'redneck trash' stereotype cast on me by my peers. If the world was perfect, I'd have three kids when I grew up, a happy marriage, a nice job and a big house just like this one. 

Michonne comes in distracting me from my thoughts. "Going on a run? You coming?"

"I'll stay here, keep watch with Rick." I tell her nodding. "Make sure Carl doesn't do anything dumb okay?" 

"I will." She says laughing before going to grab my Cowboy.

"How long do you think you'll be?" Rick asks as they leave.