"What's a bake-a-dozing mean?"
"I think what you mean is baker's dozen. It's the idea that a baker should give a patron ordering a dozen of something thirteen but still charge them for twelve. Throughout history there have been strict laws concerning whether or not bakers were fairly charging their customers. Some countries even went so far as to punish the bakers if they were found cheating their patrons."
Michonne watched as Judith spun around on the tall barstool, her blue eyes narrowing in on her older brother. They'd been at it all day and Michonne couldn't wait for Rick, or Carl for the matter, to get home and occupy those two. There was no way she was going to be able to finish baking three dozen cookies for Rick's precinct office holiday party with Tom and Jerry running around antagonizing each other. A scowl covered Judith's face before she began to speak and Michonne knew what was coming next. She'd have to think of a way to wrangle her two young ones in before a mushroom cloud went up in her kitchen.
"I wasn't asking you 'Dre," Judith quipped. "I was asking mom."
"It didn't seem like you were just addressing mom. Maybe next time you should say 'Mom, what's a baker's dozen' instead of just blurting questions out but that's just how I would handle it," Andre backed away from his baby sister in false surrender after his rebuttal.
That boy was too smart for his own good and Judith had the fuse of a black cat fire cracker and the stubbornness of a donkey to boot. They were her live action version of water and oil not mixing.
"You two settle down," Michonne commanded, while dropping her last cup of flour into the mixer. "Andre, I just bought you new Black Panther comics. Go read them and leave your sister and me alone so we can finish up these cookies."
"But," Andre interjected but decided to keep it to himself when Michonne shot him the look of death. It worked every time. As smart as her son was, it always amazed her that she was able to get over on him with her bark. She had absolutely no bite with any of the kids.
"Judy, you ready to crack those eggs?"
"Yep," the little one beamed as she plowed her hands into the bowl containing the room temperature eggs. Carefully, like Michonne had shown her, Judith cracked the first egg and dumped it into the mixing bowl. "No shells!"
"That's my girl," Michonne affirmed with a wink. "You're getting really good at this sous chef gig. Pretty soon, you'll be cooking all the meals."
"What's a sue shelf," Judith questioned as she carefully cracked another egg. Her bright blue eyes squinted and her brow furrowed, just like her dad. Judith's expression brought a smile to Michonne's face. It was uncanny, really. The little girl would often turn her head a certain way or even say a word and it would exude her father. It was like they were twins and Michonne just couldn't resist that face.
The two girls continued their domestic homemaker duties, whipping up the last batch of sugar cookies. Judith loved watching the paddle speed up and slow down and Michonne ensured her step daughter got the opportunity to work the mixer. Step daughter. The term felt so foreign and so distant to her. She'd been with Judith from the time she was a few months old. She really felt connected to the little girl and Carl too, even though she didn't actually birth them.
Spreading the cookie dough onto a wooden cutting board sheathed in a thick layer of flour, Michonne rolled it out until it was thin and flat enough for Judith to start using the cookie cutters. They were shaped like stars and snowmen. While Judith had her fun with the cutouts, Michonne mixed away the frosting for the cookies.
"Mom," Carl hollered busting through the front door, rushing towards the kitchen. "Mom, I need two more dozen cookies."
"Two… more… dozen," Michonne paused, processing Carl's request. "When do you need them?"
"With the other dozen," Carl answered sheepishly.
"Carl, I already have three dozen cookies that I have to have finished tonight and you want to add two more dozen to my plate," Michonne objected. "Really?"
"But I really need them for the banquet. And yours are the best. It's like people are addicted to them. And I didn't realize I signed up for three dozen cookies until this afternoon," he explained, his blue eyes pleading his case without words. How could she say no to that face?
"Fine," Michonne answered, "But you're gonna have to help m-"
Before she could even complete her thought, Carl tossed a kiss on her cheek and disappeared from the kitchen.
"Hey," Michonne called out. "Where are you going? I need your help if I'm going to pull this off."
But Carl was long gone. A bit overwhelmed with the extra work, Michonne sighed and locked eyes with Judith, running her fingers through the little one's blonde hair.
"I'll help you 'Chonne," Judith announced proudly. Every now and then Judith would slip and call her by her name but she didn't mind. She found it quite endearing actually. Sometimes Judy would sing Mama 'Chonne in her sweet little voice when she wanted to snuggle or just be around Michonne. She was her sweet girl.
"You think we can get Andre to help too," Michonne asked.
"He's really good at measuring and stuff. Andre is really smart. He can probably make us move faster."
"I think you may be right," Michonne smiled.
"But don't tell him I said he was smart, okay. I got a repatation to keep 'round here."
Michonne giggled. "Oh, really and what might this repatation be?"
"A-noy-an little sister," Judith said in quite a matter of fact way. "That's what Carl and Andre always call me, so it must be what I am."
"You're not annoying," Michonne affirmed while picking Judith up and placing her on the countertop. "You just don't put up with the boys the way they want you to. You question them and don't do what they say and that bothers them but you keep doing what you do. It'll pay off as you get older."
Michonnne kissed Judith on the forehead before pulling out more ingredients to make two more dozen cookies. She must have misplaced the baking powder and ended up head first in the pantry, rummaging in the back. "How did I misplace it that qui-." She yelped as a heavy hand swiftly tapped her backside, causing her to jump up from where she stooped.
"Rick," she hollered. "Don't do that. That hurts and not in front of Judy, sir."
"I couldn't help myself," Rick grinned, wrapping his arms around her waist and planting a sweet kiss on her plump lips. "It was just begging to be touched."
"You better be glad I love you," Michonne confessed before returning the kiss. "How was your day?"
"Good," Rick answered making his way towards the tray of unfrosted cookies.
"Don't you dare touch those."
"One Michonne," he begged. "Can't I just have one?"
"No," she retorted. "Carl just came in and asked for two more dozen and I really don't have time for this. Your party's tonight at eight and I still have to frost and start the others and get dressed."
"Uh, speaking of," Rick eased. "Do you think you can make two more appetizers for tonight? The guys love your deviled eggs and that jalapeno bacon cheeseball you made for the Thanksgiving potluck was a bit hit."
"I cannot believe you two," Michonne stated stunned. "Why all the last minute requests? I could have made the apps yesterday."
"I know, I know but please can you do it babe," Rick coaxed. "It's just so good and the guys were going on and on about it today."
"Give it back 'Dre," Judith screeched at the top of her lungs, breaking Michonne and Rick's thoughts. Andre was holding the glass bowl full of frosting above his head, keeping it away from his sister. "I helped mama with the baking so I get to lick the bowl."
"Hey," Rick barked in an attempt to intervene. "Andre, you're supposed to be the older brother. Why are you antagonizing her?"
"She was sticking her fingers in the bowl. I don't think that's sanitary."
Carl entered the kitchen and stuck his finger in the bowl as he passed by on his way towards the garage.
"Hey," Rick hollered again, as Carl removed his car keys from the hook. "Where are you going? Why didn't you tell mom you needed more cookies before today?"
"I'm going to the library with Chelsea and I just realized that I signed up for three dozen cookies instead of one. What's the big deal?"
"The library," Rick questioned. "You really expect me to believe that lie?"
All the clamoring and fussing sent Michonne into the land of headaches and she desperately needed to escape. She swiftly and quietly slid out of the kitchen and made her way to the living room. Plopping her tired body on the sofa, she sat all alone in silence… and darkness. It was better that way, if only for a little while. She loved her family. Really she did but balancing her job at the law firm, motherhood and now domestic duties such as preparing dishes for Christmas parties and banquets was becoming a bit too much. This time of year was stressful enough without the demands of being Susie Homemaker. This blended family thing was tougher than she thought it would be, though she and Rick always managed to make things work.
"How on Earth did the Brady's handle six kids," Michonne mumbled to herself.
"They had Alice," Rick whispered as he entered the room and took a seat beside her.
"Sorry," Michonne apologized. "I just needed to get out of there for a minute. It was too much."
"I know," Rick acknowledged. "I'm sorry we've been taking all that you do for us for granted here lately but I got it under control… this time."
"You did," Michonne questioned. "How?"
"I gave Carl some money to go buy cookies and pick me up a potato salad and hot wings from the deli at the grocery store. And I gave Andre and Judy some popcorn and made them sit in the den to watch Home Alone."
"How'd you get them to succumb to your way," Michonne queried.
"I threatened to take Carl's truck away for a month, to not let Andre enter the spring science fair and to take away Judy's play dates with Amber if they didn't get their act together."
"You're really good a threatening," Michonne admitted.
"And even better at following through," Rick replied, she could sense the smile appearing across his face as he spoke. He draped his arm around Michonne's shoulder and pulled her closer to his body as she tucked her head under his chin. The sound of crunching interrupted the moment and she pulled away from him.
"I can't believe you took a cookie," Michonne accused.
"We'll keep these for the house since I sent Carl to the store to get all the cookies. Besides, they're fresh."
"It's alright, I always make a few extras for this very reason," Michonne confessed.
"I know," Rick stated before tossing the rest of the sugar cookie in his mouth. "Because I always eat the extras."
The two remained wrapped up in each other in the dark of their living room, sharing one of the extra cookies and each other's company.
A/N: This story was a response to Day 12 - "12 Cookies Baking" of the "12 Days of Richonne" Writing Challenge on the richonnefics tumblr blog. I had a TON of fun writing fluffy, domestic Richonne. Can't wait to see more domestic scenes of our two lovers on the show! They're CANON! I just LOVE saying that! :)