Not Desperate

Chapter 14 The Spanish Inquisition

Chapter 14

The Spanish Inquisition

            That night, when Daryl got to Yvonne’s house, he was bearing flowers. Just a hodge podge of wildflowers, but they were beautiful. She had just put the lasagna in the oven and was making a salad. Daryl spent the next forty-five minutes playing zombies with Michael and in a show of mercy, let the boy win. Dinner was amazing, Daryl was really starting to get used to this. He’d never had a woman cook for him like this, well, except Carol, but this was different. Speaking of Carol. . . “My brother’s gonna be going with us to Carol’s tomorrow night. Hope you don’t mind.”

            “Of course not. She invited him, right? Are they trying to get back together?”

            “I don’t know. She’s good for him. Only person to ever keep him in line, but he screwed up bad and I don’t know if she’ll take him back,” Daryl said sadly.

            “Tomorrow is gonna be a good night. We’re all gonna have a good time, right Michael?”

            “Yeah, sure,” Michael replied, sounding dejected.

            “She’s got a daughter,” Daryl said. “Her name’s Sophia. She’s real cute. You’ll like her, she’s nice. She’s excited to meet both of ya. Soph’s twelve, but older women are cool. They know stuff.”

            “If you think she’s cute, then, okay. Maybe it won’t be so bad. I just don’t wanna get stuck playing with Barbies or something.”

            “Soph’s an outdoor girl. She’s a tomboy. You’ll have fun.”

            After dinner, Daryl helped Yvonne clean up while Michael finished his homework. When he left, he held her tight and kissed her. “Don’t be nervous about tomorrow night. You’ll do just fine. Everybody will love you,” he said and drove home. Now all he had to do was keep himself calm. Sometimes Merle worried the shit outta him.

            The next night, Daryl and Merle pulled into the café just as Yvonne was walking out the door. Merle, with all the grace of a crack head rhinoceros, jumped out of the truck to let her sit up front with his brother. They stopped to pick up Michael and headed to Carol’s house. The ride was awkwardly quiet at times, but Merle soon filled the silence with his scratchy voice. “I remember seeing ya at the bar that night blondie. You sure did get some looks. If baby brother here hadn’t scooped you up, ole Merle would’ve grabbed ya.”

            “Shut up Merle! Not in front of the kid!” Daryl said, already frustrated.

            “Uh, thank you?” Yvonne said and looked at Daryl, who had an apologetic look on his face. Soon they turned into Carol’s driveway and Daryl helped Yvonne and Michael out of the truck. As they walked to the door, Daryl took her hand in his and tried to give her a reassuring look. He was just as nervous as she was and was hoping to reassure himself as well. As they approached the front steps, the door swung wide open. Sophia bolted out the door and flung herself at Daryl wrapping her arms around his waist. He let go of Yvonne’s hand to wrap his arms around the little girl. “Hey Soph! How ya doing?”