LINE BEFORE THE HOOK-053
Matilda sat on the couch with her feet curled up early the next morning. Judith was in front of her playing with toys while her father getting ready upstairs.
She was reading pride and prejudice before a knock on the door startled her. Tilly marked the page before she got up and walked over to the door. She opened the door to see a blonde-haired woman standing on the other side.
"Hello." The woman started, holding a basket. "I'm Jessie. I work in the pantry. Deanna asked me to bring these over for you and your friends."
"Thank you, that's very kind," Matilda said, taking the basket from her hands.
Her father came up behind her, watching Jessie closely. "You know, I used to be a stylist. And twelve other things. I could give both a cut if you want." Jessie says, shifting on her feet.
"We would love that." Matilda nodded before looking at her father. "Dad?"
"You don't even know us." Rick deadpans.
Matilda placed the basket on her hip as she opened the door wider and invited Jessie in. "Come in. We can do it in the kitchen."
Jessie smiled and enters, she walked passed the father and daughter and into the kitchen.
"Who's going first?"
Matilda nudged her father forwards. "He will. I'm going to get the scissors."
She makes her way up the stairs as her husband and son came down. "Hey, there's someone here to give us haircuts. Max, let's get you one."
"Okay, mom." Max signed before looking up at his father. "Dad? Are you going to?"
Daryl looked down at his son before shaking his head. "Nah, buddy. But ya need one."
Tilly ruffles her son's blonde hair before grabbing the scissors and walked back downstairs to her father and Jessie.
Jessie smiled taking the scissors and started cutting her father's hair. Matilda sits nearby with Max on her lap, watching the pair.
"I have two boys, Ron and Sam." Jessie started. "Ron's my oldest boy. He's about your sons' age. I could introduce them. If that's okay with you and your daughter."
"That'd be great," Matilda replied, making Jessie look at her. "Carl, Lee, Max, and Violet need someone their age."
"Electricity, showers, haircuts—I never thought I'd see those again." Rick spoke as the woman finished his haircut.
"Come on," Jessie replied. "Haircuts were never going away."
Rick began to smile as he motioned for his grandson to sit on the chair. Jessie began to cut the boy's hair. "It's okay if you guys aren't okay with this yet. That's better, buddy,"
Max signed a thanks the woman, jumping off the chair and hurried out the door to find his dad. Rick smiled at the blonde woman before walking into the living room.
"Your turn, uh?" Jessie says as Matilda sat in the seat.
"Matilda Dixon." The dark haired woman said.
"That's a pretty name," Jessie spoke, cleaning the scissors. "So how short do you want your hair cut?"
Her dark hair rested on her waist, she hadn't it cut since the beginning.
"Mid-back." Matilda finally said as Jessie started cutting.
"So how long have you and your husband been married?" Jessie asked, cutting large chunks of course and thick dark brown hair.
"A few months, but we've been together about a year or two. What about you? Got a husband?" She questioned.
"Uh, his name is Pete. He's a very sweet man." Jessie said, forced.
Matilda felt her head get a little lighter before they know it the haircut was done. Jessie set down the scissors and hands her the mirror.
"Thank you, Jessie. It's beautiful." Matilda says, standing.
"No problem," Jessie said. "Welcome to Alexandria."
With that Jessie says goodbye and leaves the house. Matilda walked out after her and stepped onto the porch where her family was. She took a seat next to her son as they watched Daryl gut the possum.
***
That night, Rick decided everyone was going to stay in the same house. Everyone was getting settled when there was a knock on the door.
Rick placed Judith in his oldest daughter's arms before walking over to the door. He opened the door to be greeted by Deanna who stared at him in awe.
"Rick—I—Wow." Deanna said, making Rick smile sarcastically. "I didn't know what was under there. Listen, I don't mean to interrupt. I just wanted to stop by and see how you were all settling. Oh, my. Staying together. Smart."
"No one said we couldn't," Rick replied.
"You said you're a family. That's what you said." Deanna said as the whole group stared at her. "Absolutely amazing to me how people with completely different backgrounds and nothing in common can become that. Don't you think?"
"Everybody said you gave them jobs," Rick says.
Deanna nodded. "Mm-hmm. Yeah. Part of this place. Looks like the communists won after all."
"Well, you didn't give me one."
"I have," Deanna replied, looking at Rick. Everyone was assigned jobs, Lola and Kelly assigned pantry with Jessie. Matilda, Glenn, and Maggie were assigned supply runners. Abraham, Rosita, and Eugene were assigned construction. Carol was assigned to be a teacher.
"I just haven't told you yet. Same with Michonne. I'm closing in on something for Sasha. I'm trying to figure Mr. Dixon out, but I will." Deanna explained before looking Rick up and down. "You look good."
***
The next morning, everyone spits into small groups and explored the small neighborhood. Matilda, her brothers, and Violet walked down the street with Judith in a stroller that Deanna gave to them.
"Oh, Bob, Look at that! A baby!" An elderly woman squealed.
They all stopped and look at the elderly woman and man sitting their porch. The woman waved them over, sitting on her chair. Matilda picked up her sister, climbing the pouch stairs and over to the couple.
"Hello," The woman greeted. "I'm Natalie Miller and this is my husband Bob. It's been quite some time since we saw a baby. What a beautiful baby. Is she's yours?"
Matilda shook her head. "No, she's my sister."
As the elderly coupe aimed her baby sister when a loud crash happened. They looked and saw Rick had tripped around some metal parts.
Matilda watched as Jessie came out from inside the garage. They spoke before the woman pointed towards them.
She saw her father's worried face melt into relief as he caught sight of them before he and Jessie started to walk down the street towards them.
Matilda turned back towards Natalie and Bob as the elderly woman spoke. "Bob, do you remember when we first met? Well, he tried so hard to get me to go on one date with him, but I wasn't having any of it." She grabbed his hand when Carl took back Judith who rubbed her eyes, tiredly. "He tried for a while until I said yes. And here, we are, living together until our time comes."
Matilda smiled at the story. "How long have you been married?"
"66 years," Bob spoke up, this time. "We got married in the fall of 49."
"How about you, Matilda? Are you married?" Natalie asked.
"Yeah, a few months. Together for over a year or two." Matilda answered, smiling.
Natalie nodded. "And where is this man?"
"Back at the house. With our son."
"Oh, that's lovely. Now, how about you three?" Natalie asked, looking between the teens. She pointed between Violet and Carl to Lee and Violet."Are you two together or are you two?"
Carl and Lee looked at the raven haired girl with a light blush as Violet looked between the brothers and the trio muttered. "No."
Violet turns away, blushing madly as Matilda snickered at her brothers and friend. The dark haired woman knew about the little love triangle that her brothers and Violet had.
"That's a shame." Natalie remarks with a knowing look. "Anywho, Carl, Lee, is it, have you met Enid? She's a pretty girl, smart too."
"Sweetheart, Enid is dating Ron," Bob warned. Violet looked relief.
Natalie sighed when Rick finally approached them. "Hey, guys. Carl, Violet, Lee, Jessie wanted to know if you two wanted to meet her son, Ron?"
"Uh, yeah, sure," Carl says. "Right now?"
Rick nodded. "Yeah."
Carl handed his older sister Judith, taking Violet's hand before his brother and walking down the steps.
"What a love triangle." Matilda muttered, before walking down the stair and setting Judith in the stroller.
***
"We're almost always here after school, so you two can come by any time," Ron said as Carl, Lee, and Violet walked down the hall with him.
"You go to school?" Carl asked.
"It's in a garage. Little kids go in the morning and then it's us in the afternoon. Probably all three of you too, right?"
The trio looked at each other before Lee answered. "Probably."
"No," Violet says making the boys look at her. "I'm not going to school. I haven't been to school since all this shit happened."
The boys didn't say anything as they got to the last room down the hall. Ron knocked on the door to get the other's attention. "Guys, this is Carl, Lee, and Violet. Carl, Lee, Violet, this is Mikey and Enid."
"Hey." Mikey greeted. He walked over and stood in front of them.
"Hi," Enid muttered, not looking up from her comic book.
Violet scanned over her. Enid was a very pretty girl. Her hair was dark brown meeting at her shoulder blades.
"Enid's from outside, too," Ron said, placing a hand on Enid's shoulder. "She just came eight months ago."
Carl pulled out a folded comic book. "Oh, um, is this yours?"
Ron sighed. "Sorry. We didn't know you guys got that house."
"We mostly just hang out there and listen to music. That's Enid's." Mikey spoke as Enid rudely snatched the comic out of Carl's hands. She went back to her comic without an apology, Violet furrowed her brows.
"Want to play some video games? Or Mikey's house has a pool table, but his dad's kind of strict about it." Ron says, moving passed to the three.
Violet saw Carl glanced at Enid a few times which made her feel a certain way but was relieved that Lee didn't spare the girl a glance.
She needs to talk with someone about her problem.
"It's okay. He's at work." Mikey says, sitting down on the beanbag.
"Um. . . " Carl started but Violet cut him off.
"Actually, I'm not feeling good. I'm gonna go back to the house." Violet says, making her boys look at her, concerned.
"Are you sure? Do you want us to come with you?" Carl said, looking at the girl.
Violet shook her head. "No, Car, Lee, you two can stay here. I'm just going to rest."
She glanced at each of the teens, before leaving. Lee and Carl watched her leave as Ron spoke.
"So. . . how about video games?"
***
Author's note:
A Baby Dixon?