A Modern Love

A Hershel Speech

A Hershel Speech

After dinner, which went very well, everyone disperses to different parts of the house. Daryl his helping Annette clear the table as Shawn tortures Beth about naming the baby after him whether it's a boy or girl. Hershel just watches Daryl closely. He has a feeling there is something up with this boy. He just doesn't sit right with him. Daryl isn't like the others Beth has dated. He's more course and untamed in Hershel's eyes.

"Oh Daryl, you don't have to do that. I got it." Annette comes over as Daryl scrubs the sauce pan with a small sponge.

"I know Mrs. Greene, I want too. Always liked doin' dishes when I was a kid. Mostly cause I liked to play in the bubbles, but still." They both smile and Annette hangs on his arm. "How ya feelin'?"

"Ah, small headache, but I'm fine." She looks at him and he knows what she meant. "Oh. I'm good about it. I really care about her. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me. Sure this baby will be too."

"Does she know that?"

"Well, haven't exactly talked to her much about it, but we also jus' found out and it's still processin'." He places the pan on the towel to dry and Hershel steps in.

"Daryl, you mind I talk to ya outside?" Daryl looks uneasy at Beth and she stands. "Alone, if you don't mind." Beth sits back down and watches as Daryl walks outside with her dad.

Daryl follows him down the yard and to the horse barn. He swallows hard as he thinks of how far he is from screaming distance an how far he is from the truck. As Hershel steps into the stables, he turns on the light and pulls up two stools and grabs two beers from a box cooler. He hands Daryl one, who just looks at it.

"So I assume I'm gettin' a father's speech?" Daryl bravely says as he watches Hershel take a drink.

"No. Yer' getting a Hershel Speech. Which is almost the same except I'm given ya a chance." Hershel says in a snarky tone. He pulls his seat close to Daryl. "Ya kinda old for my Beth. What are you thirty-five or some?"

"Thirty actually." Daryl meekly says.

"So you've been alive eight more years longer than my Bethy. I assume you've had a few girls in yer' day." He can answer this honestly, which is he only fucked them. Or he could lie and say a few, like eight anything lower he's gonna be found out, anything higher he's a dead man.

"A few, none like yer' daughter though."

"And I take it, you have also had sexual relations with these women." Shit.

"A few of them, yes."

"Have you ever met their families?"

"No, I haven't. The relationships with them never lasted that long." This was true. When he did "date" it was for about a week, the longest, besides Beth was two weeks and two days: bitch never wanted to leave.

"Well, imagine if I wouldn't have found you out today. My Beth is pregnant and you want out. How do you think I'd take that being her Father?" Daryl wants to be shot already. This guy's an asshole.

"I'd imagine I'd be layin' in the morgue with a bullet in my head." Hershel takes a swig of beer and sits back.

"No."

"No?"

"No. I wouldn't shot ya. That's too easy of a way for you. I would take ya in my woods and torture ya. Then find the tallest tree I have. Make ya tie yer' own swinging rope, and string ya up. And as you kicked and dangled and gasped for air, I would be kicken back by another tree, drinking a beer and watching you suffer." Daryl watches Hershel and believes him to the fullest. Hershel takes a drink and throws the empty beer on the ground and grab another. "Now, what makes me believe, that I shouldn't do that right now? I have the supplies and the time."

"Because unlike the Daryl in yer story, I actually very much love Beth and that baby. Sure I didn't want to believe it yesterday when we found out, but ya know, I thought all night and day bout this. And ya know what I came too." He leans in and so does Hershel. "Is even if you don't like me. And you don't want me in Beth's life, I will do everything in my power to take care of her and my baby. And no disrespect to you Mr. Greene, but there's nothing you can do to allude me from being in your daughter's life. Cause I love her and I'd die before I let anyone hurt her." Hershel sits back and says nothing. Daryl finally opens his beer and takes a swig. Hershel smiles and stands. Daryl doesn't move.

"Ya got a lotta nerve comin on my property and sayin' them words." Daryl looks down and then back up as Hershel laughs. "But out of any man, Beth's ever been with and I remotely heard about, I wouldn't ask for a better man than you. Yer' alright by me, son." Hershel shook Daryl's hand and opened the barn door.

"That's it? That's a Hershel Speech?" Daryl walks after him as they shut off the light and shut the doors.

"That's it. Jus' wanted to hear what you'd say back to me. Most men who've tried to date my daughters, usually left, cussed, or simply didn't care. Besides you and Glenn, well you's the only ones who actually spoke right by my girls." He pats Daryl on the back and they walk up to the house. Beth, who was waiting on the porch, comes running down and stands in front of em. "He's alright Bethy. He's a good man."

Hershel walks past them and into the house. He and Annette watch them through the window. Beth runs up and Daryl pulls her into a hug. He kisses her and they stay like that for a few minutes in the moon light.

"How long before he drank?" Annette asks worriedly.

"After he gave his whole speech about how much he loves our daughter. Then we left." Hershel and Annette smile.

"So much, like Glenn."

"Yup. He's a good one. I jus' know it." Daryl and Beth make their way into the house and Annette greats em.

"You know, with yer hands hurt, Hershel and I would like you to take a day off on workin' the barn. We want ya to heal."

"It's okay. I can do it." Daryl says with an arm around Beth's waist.

"We insist. We'd also like it if y'all stayed the night. It's really late and we hate for ya to drive all the way back." Annette holds Daryl's free hand loosely so not to hurt him.

"Mama, we're fine." Beth says.

"Now come on. Ya can sleep in the guest room. Maggie and Glenn already opted for Maggie's room and Shawn's more than willing to sleep in yer's. Oh please it would make Hershel and I so happy if y'all joined us for breakfast tomorrow."

"It's up to you." Beth says to Daryl. He shakes his head and smiles.

"Well, if y'all don't mind us stayin'."

"Oh we'd love it! We hardly get ta see Beth as it is." Annette hugs em both and runs off to the spare room to make up the bed.

"Hon, we don't have to stay here really." Beth tucks her head on his chin and he holds her close.

"Sweetheart, I want too. And sides, I can get closer to ya family so they like me."

"They already like you. Not as much as I do, but they'll get there. I promise." She looks up at her and then kisses him. "Let's get to bed. I'm so exhausted."

They get into the spare room, say goodnight to Hershel and Annette, and strip into their undergarments. Beth throws on one of her father's shirts and snuggle into Daryl's naked side. She cuddles close to him and he kisses her head.

"You could've died today." She sheepishly says as she kisses his chest. "I could've lost you and I don't know what I would've done. I don't know if I could've had this baby."

She starts crying and he pulls her closer.

"Ssshh. Ssshh. It's okay though. I'm here. I ain't goin' anywhere, princess. I promise." She lets her tears run out and then kisses his lips a few times before tucking her head under his chin.

"I love you, Daryl. I love you so much."

"I love you more and you too." He kisses his hand and places it on her stomach and they fall into the darkness. Both sleeping and both holding each other close.