Dirt Road Diary (Daryl & Merle Dixon Pre-Apocalyptic Story)

Dirt Road Diary

Chapter 31- Love Is Stronger Than Me

Dear Diary:

After talking to Alli, I've decided to forgive Daryl. Derek may have broke me,  but Daryl's parents broke him too. I want to help fix him, not cause more damage or leave him like everyone else.  I just hope it's not too late.

-Josie

*Daryl's POV*

I step inside the backdoor,  the delicious smell of meatloaf fills my nose. I step into the clean kitchen,  setting the green metal lunchbox down on the shiny counter before opening the fridge and grabbing a beer.

"Aww...honey...look what you did", a sweet voice says from behind, startling me.

I close the fridge and turn around being met by those beautiful blue eyes. Her long dark hair is pulled in a messy bun,  her left hand placed on her tiny hip, while her right gently resting on the barely noticeable bump of her usually flat stomach.

"Wha' ", I ask.

"I didn't just mop this floor for you to track your muddy boots across it", she says smiling and shaking her head.

"Sorry", I mumble with a shrug, setting the open beer can on the counter.

"Daddy", a beautiful little girl with shoulder length dark brown hair and big blue eyes says, running up and wrapping her little arms around my leg.

"Hey munchkin", I smile picking her up.

"Guess what", the little 2 year old who is the spitting image of her mama, Josie exclaims,"Mommy's havin a baby!"

"I know sweetheart", I reply with enthusiasm.

"I hope it's a brodder", she whispers in my ear.

"Me too", I whisper in her ear.

"Dinner's almost done", Josie says taking our little girl out of my arms, "Go wash up."

"Yes ma'am", I reply with a smirk before removing my muddy work boots and dropping them by the back door. 

I walk over to the kitchen sink,  wash my hands, grab a dish towel that is laying beside the sink and dry my hands before turning around.  I watch as Josie dishes out meatloaf,  mashed potatoes,  and green beans onto 2 adult plates and a small plastic Barbie plate. She pours some milk into a large drinking glass and into a pink sippy cup then fills another drinking glass with sweet tea.  She sets the 2 drinking glasses on the table and hands the pink sippy cup to the small child sitting in a pink and brown highchair before grabbing the Barbie plate and one of the dinner plates while I grab the other plate and we sit down at the table across from each other. 

I bring my fork full of mashed potatoes to my mouth. 

"Daddy...we haven't blessed it yet", my daughter scolds me.

"Yeah daddy", Josie smiles.

"Sorry", I smirk, setting my fork back down on the plate.

"Go ahead Haley", Josie says.

"God our father, God our father, once again, once again, we bow our head 'n  thank yew, bow our head 'n thank yew, aamen, aamen", Haley sings, her tiny hands folded, her head bowed, and her eyes closed.

"Good job baby girl", Josie praises our lil girl with a smile.

"Where ya learn that", I ask.

"Mama", Haley beams, patting the back of Josie's hand.

My eyes look over and are met by a pair of beautiful blue eyes,  Josie flashes a big beautiful smile at me causing a smile to ghost across my face.  The feeling of love and warmth fills my heart.  I finally have something I always wanted but never got...a loving family.