Show Me the Scars You Hide

[13]

"When we are touched by something it's as if we're being brushed by an angel's wings." ~Rita Dove

Skye Taylor

We all sat around a large table, smiles on everyone's faces. Laughter echoed throughout the room, making the smile that was already on my face grow. I held a glass of red wine, food surrounded the table, more than I've seen in months.

I sat beside Daryl, as usual along with Carol on my other side, with Glenn sitting across from me. It was a nice sight seeing Glenn drink. I looked over to Daryl, a smile on his own face as he took the bottle of wine and brought it to his lips. It was such a rare thing in these times, smiles, laughter. It used to come naturally, now it is only welcomed on occasion, when something good finally happens.

Needless to say good things don't last. One moment is filled with laughter and happiness and the next is filled with sorrow, grief, and death. Losing people you care about is difficult.

Unfortunately I have mastered the skill of losing people.

I mastered this skill when I was only twelve years old, my mother left in the middle of the night. She didn't call, she didn't write, she lost contact, she's been dead to me all these years, she probably died at the very start of all this. I shrugged my thoughts away, wanting to enjoy what we have in the moment.

"You know in Italy children have a little bit of wine with dinner." I heard Dale say once I entered the real world. "And in France." He added. I looked over to the small boy, a smile on his face as he looked up at his mom, pleading with her to listen to the older man.

"Well, when Carl is in Italy or France, he can have some then." Lori said as she brought her own glass of wine to her lips.

"What's it gonna hurt?" Rick asked, amused. "Come on. Come on." He told the woman, a smile on his face. Lori laughed and nodded her head, letting Carl have his first taste of alcohol. Everyone began to cheer and all began to stare at the boy when he picked up his glass.

"Eww." Carl spoke, making me and everyone else erupt into another fit of laughter. We might not have TV but at least we can watch a twelve year old boy have his first taste of wine for entertainment.

"That's my boy." Lori encouraged as she poured the rest of his wine into her glass.

"That tastes nasty." Carl spoke.

"Well, just stick to soda pop there, bud."Shane told him.

"Not you, Glenn." Daryl said, making me turn in my seat to look at him.

"What?" Glenn asked, chuckling nervously.

"Keep drinkin, little man. I wanna see how red yer face can get." He said, making me almost spit out the wine I was drinking. I erupted into laughter at the thought. "Whatchu laughin at girl? Yer face is already startin to turn." Daryl said to me. I laughed again and shook my head at the man.

"Please, I could drink ten times the amount that you can, and I won't even be on my ass in the mornin'." I said cockily. I heard numerous oohs from the group. Daryl's eyes scanned up and down my body, a smirk on his face.

"Is that a challenge?" Daryl asked.

"Yeah it is." I said, making the group ooh again. I stared up at the man, a smirk plastered on my face. I had this thing in the bag no doubt about it.

"I just want ya ta know wha' yer getting into, yer a tiny girl... yer gonna be on yer ass before yer third drink." He said confidently.

"Oh yeah? We'll see about that Dixon."