Family Ties ✔

Chapter 9

~Lizzie~
I was still standing on the porch after he had disappeared into his tent when the door to the house opened behind me. “Carl’s asking for you,” Aunt Lori said when I turned around to look at her. “He’s awake,” I asked as she nodded. I smiled and quickly ran by her and into the room where Carl was laying in the bed. Maddie was lying beside him smiling while Uncle Rick was in the chair Aunt Lori was usually in. Uncle Rick looked up at my entrance to walking in and smiled. Carl noticed and looked over towards me, a smile finding its way onto his face. “Hey kiddo,” I said smiling and walking over to the bed and sitting down at his feet, “how ya feelin’?” “Good I guess,” he said smiling up at me, “I almost didn’t believe Mom and Dad when they said you were here.” “What made you believe,” I asked laughing lightly as I looked at me little cousin, trying to keep from crying. “Maddie ran in here,” he said as he looked over at her beside him with a smile.
“You look tired buddy,” I said looking at him as I stroked a couple pieces of hair out of his face, “why don’t ya get some sleep? We’ll be around.” “Can Maddie stay with me,” he asked looking at me as I stood up then looked over at Maddie. “I don’t see why not,” I said smiling, “Maddie you behave in here.” “Yes Mommy,” she said smiling up at me as I leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Good night guys,” I said smiling at the kids before looking to Uncle Rick, “good night Uncle Rick.” “Good night Elizabeth,” he said standing up to give me a hug before I walked out. Maggie had offered me a place to sleep in her room so I headed upstairs to her room, knocking on her door before I entered. “Hey Lizzie,” she said smiling up at me, “how’s Carl?” “He’s alright,” I sighed and sat on the edge of her bed beside her, “he’s tired though. Wanted Maddie to sleep down there with him so that’s where she is.” “They close,” she asked and I laughed. “Might as well be siblings,” I said smiling, “think I’m gonna go ahead and turn in for the night. Too much excitement for one day.”
I was up early the next morning, with the rest of my family’s group but Aunt Lori was still asleep which I thought was strange. “Lizzie you goin’ out searching with us today,” Shane asked while I was standing around the rest of the group that was planning on going to look for that little girl. “No I think I’ll stay and help out here,” I said shaking my head as I caught a glimpse of Daryl on the other side of the truck from where I was standing, “keep an eye on Maddie and Carl. Haven’t seen him since about a month before all this began to start with.” “Okay then,” he said nodding as Uncle Rick began telling everyone what the plan was. Daryl was going out on his own to find the girl. What was it with him and doing things alone anyway?
“You mind company goin’ to the stables,” I asked Daryl as every dispersed and got ready to head out looking for the girl. He just glanced at me and shrugged, like he didn’t care, so I followed behind him away from everyone else and over to the Greene’s stables that held their horses. “Mind if I ask ya somethin’,” he asked after a couple of minutes of silence inside the stable while he was saddling the horse he had picked out to ride. “Sure I guess,” I said shrugging as I leaned against the stall across from where he was standing. “You obviously had someone before shit hit the fan,” he said, his back to me so he couldn’t see my reaction when I realized what question he was gonna ask me, “what happened to your girl’s old man?” I tensed up as soon as the question left his mouth. I did not wanna discuss my ex-husband with him. The only ones who knew were Shane, Uncle Rick, and Aunt Lori.
~Daryl~
When I didn’t get an answer from her, I turned around to see Lizzie was glaring down at the ground in front of her feet. Even when she bitched at me for yelling at her girl, she didn’t look that pissed off and I began to wonder if I should’ve even asked to begin with. “That’s none of your business as to what happened to Maddie’s father,” she said, her voice tight. That shouldn’t have pissed me off but with her voice the way it was, it did. “You don’t have to be a bitch about it,” I said glaring at her as she returned it with one of her own, “it was just a damn question.” “Well it was a question you didn’t need to ask to begin with,” she said, sounding like she was trying to keep from yelling. “Now who’s the one hiding shit,” I argued, remembering her accusations back in the woods about me hiding something.
“You know what Daryl,” she said still trying to keep herself from yelling, “I don’t have time for this. I have my daughter to worry about. I don’t have time to worry about some damn nosy redneck!” “Whatever ya stupid,” I scoffed as I began walking away leading the horse out of the stables but was interrupted. “Bitch,” she asked, “stupid bitch? Yeah I’ve heard it before Daryl so ya might wanna come up with something a bit more original next time asshole!” I stopped for a moment to glare back at her to see her face was hard with anger. I scoffed as I turned and climbed up onto the horse and rode off into the woods to get away from that stupid bitch. What the hell was she hiding that she didn’t want to tell me about Maddie’s father? I grumbled as I urged the horse forwards into the woods, taking my mind off that woman and worrying about finding the little girl.

Is it bad I kinda enjoyed writing the end of this chapter?
- Kenz