Family Ties ✔

Chapter 17

~Lori~
I was sitting with Carl helping him with his schooling, Maddie was sitting on the other side of me drawing, when I heard footsteps walking up towards us. I lifted my head up to see it was Lizzie walking over to us. “Where’ve you been,” I asked smiling at her as I glanced over to see Daryl walking into his tent. “Just went to try and cool off,” she said as she sat down beside Maddie, “hey sweetie what you drawing there?” “It’s a picture of our family,” she said beaming proudly up at Lizzie, “see there’s Aunt Lori, Uncle Ricky, Carl, you, me, and Mr. Dixon.” “Mr. Dixon,” Lizzie asked shocked as she looked over at the picture, “why him?” “Because he’s lonely Mommy,” Maddie said looking up at her, “and I like him. He’s sweet.” “But Maddie why our family,” Lizzie questioned her daughter who was still smiling brightly up at her. “Because he loves you Mommy,” the little five year old said smiling. “Um I’m gonna have a little private conversation with my daughter,” Lizzie said looking up at me and Carl as she stood up from the table we were at and picked up her daughter, walking off from us.
~Lizzie~
I couldn’t believe what had come out of my little girl’s back there. “Maddie, sweetie,” I said kneeling down in front of her after making sure we were away from any prying ears, “why do you say that Mr. Dixon loves Mommy?” “Because Mommy,” she said smiling up at me, “Mr. Dixon looks at you like Uncle Ricky looks at Aunt Lori.” I stared at my little girl in shock as she smiled at me before turning around and running back over to Aunt Lori and Carl at the table. I stayed there in that same position watching my little girl run off, too shocked to move after what my five year old just told me. “Lizzie you alright,” I heard someone say behind me causing me to jump and turn around, Shane. “Yeah,” I said standing up and rubbing my hands across my face, “you seen Daryl?” I kept my back to him, didn’t want to hear what he’d say if he noticed how red my face was. “Yeah went to the stables,” he said, “said something about going out to look for Sophia again.”
I nodded without looking back to Shane and headed over to Aunt Lori. “Mind watching Maddie for a second,” I asked looking at her as I grabbed the piece of paper Maddie had drawn our family on. “Sure,” she said smiling over at the little girl who was back to drawing something else. “I won’t be long,” I said smiling at her as I folded the piece of paper up and tucked it away in my jeans pockets before walking to stand behind Maddie. “You listen to Aunt Lori,” I said placing both my on her blonde head and kissing the top of it. “Yes Mommy,” she said as she tilted her head back to look up at me with a smile as I leaned forward to kiss her forehead. “I’ll be back,” I said smiling at Aunt Lori as I headed off towards the stables where Shane said Daryl would be.
As I grew closer to the stables, I noticed Daryl walking out without a horse but with a limp on the side where he had taken that arrow in the back. Even from this distance I could tell he looked pissed. When I looked behind him towards the stables, I noticed Carol, the little girl’s mother, standing in the entry way looking at Daryl. “What happened,” I asked looking up at him after coming to a stop and letting him come the rest of the way towards me. “Stupid back there,” he said glancing over his shoulder to where Carol was still standing, “doesn’t believe we’ll find the little girl anymore.” “Do you still believe we’ll find her,” I asked looking up at him as he looked down at me. “Yeah,” he said, “we’ll find her.” “Okay then,” I said smiling up at him, “as long as you believe we still will that’s all that matters.” I watched as he grimaced in pain and his hand went to his side. “You alright,” I asked.
~Daryl~
“Yeah,” I said through gritted teeth, “just hurt my side. I’m fine.” “You don’t look fine,” she said as she placed her hand on my side, “let me look at it? I have some medical experience under my belt.” I nodded as we both walked towards camp where I went into my tent and she followed behind. I sat down on my cot while she knelt down in front of me and lifted the edge of my shirt up where I had my arrow go through me was. “Well you didn’t pop a stitch,” she said as she placed her hands on my side by the wound, “but you did come close. You really should rest Daryl. But I already know you won’t.” I smirked at her as she smiled up at me while I let my shirt fall back down as I noticed a piece of paper sticking out of her back pocket.
“What’s that,” I asked and nodded to it. She stood up and looked back at her pocket as she pulled the folded piece of paper out and looked at it. “Maddie drew a picture earlier,” she said laughing lightly as she handed it to me while I looked up at her, “she said it was a picture of our family.” I smiled and looked down at it, only to be shocked to see Mr. Dixon under one of the figures. “She added you to the picture,” Lizzie said noticing my confusion, “when I asked her why she said because you were lonely and she liked you. When I questioned her further, she said something that, um caught me off guard.” “What’d she say,” I asked as I looked up at her. “She said she added you because you love me,” she said laughing lightly and turning her face from me, “she said you looked at me the same way my aunt and uncle look at each other.”
I sat the picture down on the cot and stood up, wrapping my arms instantly around her waist as she kept her back to me. “She’s very smart for a five year old,” I whispered as Lizzie leaned into my embrace. “She’s very observant,” she said smiling as she placed her arms on top of mine. “She’s right you know,” I whispered after a couple of minutes, “I do love you.” “I know,” she whispered, “I can tell.” I smiled and kissed her cheek before resting my head on her shoulder. “Mind if I keep the picture,” I asked as I turned my head to look at her. “I think she’d want you to have it,” Lizzie said smiling as she looked back at me just before I leaned in closer, giving her a small kiss that she smiled into. “I should probably go,” she whispered after pulling away from the kiss and biting on her lower lip, “before my aunt comes looking for me.” I nodded and released my arms from around her to let her go. She gave me a light kiss before turning and leaving out of the tent.