The Grimes, A New Beginning
A/N This ask was long overdue, so I figured posting it today would make me feel a little better. This is for you, Richonnelover1941. Thanks for being so patient.
This story is a part of the series which began with"The Client" it picks up about six years after "The Do Over" and we saw a brief glimpse of the family dynamics in "Princess Mia".
The Tale of Two Mrs. Grimes
Michonne Grimes
Alex: I really enjoyed our weekend. Let's do it again soon.
James: So did I. We have to be very careful about this, but I'll let you know as soon as I can slip away again.
Six weeks later…
Alex: Small emergency at home. ETA much later than previewed. I'm on the last flight out barring any unforeseen delays. I'm not sure whether that'll work for you now. Plus, I have an early start.
James: Anything serious? Can't say that I'm not disappointed, but stick to the plan as much as possible.
Alex: No. I will.
...
Michonne was running late. This was not how her evening was supposed to unfold. In a perfect world, she would have fed and bathed her children and leaving them with their nanny. She would also be landing in DC around 9:35 p.m., but instead, her mother-in-law was due at any moment and she would no doubt have a ton of questions on top of everything else. This was one of the times she really wished her father was in town, but beggars can't also be choosers. This was the hand she was dealt, so she rolled with it.
The kids were now in bed a bit earlier than their usual bedtime, which was largely due to cash bribes. It was worth it though because this way at least Mary didn't have to deal with three young kids at bedtime, she could just relax for the rest of the evening given that she had to travel from Savannah on such short notice.
The doorbell rang as Michonne zipped her jeans and pulled on her top. "Shit!" she said, her phone was downstairs, so she couldn't call her. She hoped desperately that Mary would give her time enough to respond before ringing the bell again.
Michonne hurried down the hall and down the stairway to the front door. She opened it as Mary's finger was poised to ring the bell again.
Mary Grimes
"Michonne, sweetheart, I came as soon as I could," Mary said as she stepped inside the foyer pulling her suitcase behind her and looking a little fatigued.
"Thanks for coming on such short notice, Ma," Michonne said as she embraced the older woman.
"Are you sure everything's okay?"
"Yes," Michonne replied taking a minute to allow her breathing to steady itself, "Francine has an unforeseen family emergency."
"Have you had any news from Richard?"
"I haven't heard from him, Ma," Michonne replied turning slightly away from her mother-in-law to take her suitcase.
"Where are you going off to?" Mary Grimes asks firing questions at her daughter-in-law barely allowing her time to answer. Michonne had called in the middle of the day asking her to come to Atlanta to watch the children. The request was an unusual one which caused the little hairs on the back of Mary's neck to stand on end; she had long had suspicions about the state of her son's marriage. They were so in love at first, but now he was rarely ever home.
It had been six weeks since she had any news whatsoever from her son, Richard and even less news from his wife. This wasn't the son she raised. They both claimed his absence was due to work, but she couldn't shake the gnawing feeling in her gut that it went deeper than that. She never understood why Richard felt the need to be so far away from his family. He never did with his first wife and love was definitely not a part of that relationship. He loved Michonne that was clear, but now he was never around. The only question was, did his wife still feel the same way about him? It's not like they needed money, so working for the FBI going all over the damn place made no sense to her.
Mary, however, knew she had to tread lightly where her son was concerned because she could not bear to be exiled from his life again. Her son and her grandchildren were all she had left. He placed her on notice once before for interfering in his divorce, so she had to be extremely careful this time around. Michonne wasn't at all like Lori because unlike the latter, Richard would definitely be willing to cut family ties for Michonne and his family.
"I'm going to Alexandria to take a deposition. Andrea's on vacation and Aaron is sick, I couldn't cancel this meeting on such short notice." In fact, the meeting coincided with her plans perfectly, it was a perfect cover, so there was no way in hell she would cancel it.
"How long will you be gone?"
I'll be gone for three days, but Francine should be back day after tomorrow. Michonne replied as she flitted around putting documents into her briefcase and taking the boys police cars and sheriff deputies out of it. Ordinarily, her office was off limits to the kids, but when Francine received the call, she dropped everything and left in a hurry. Everything was turned upside down.
As a result, Michonne was then forced to reschedule her flight, rushed out to pick up the kids from school, prepare supper and bathe them all before she left. In the turmoil, she forgot to lock her office, so the children took advantage of a new place to play.
"That's fine, dear, but isn't it a little unusual for you to be going down to Alexandria?"
"Yes, but the party I'm deposing has mobility issues, however, the deposition was scheduled before he got hurt, so we're bringing the deposition to him instead of having him come to Atlanta, which would delay everything else if we were to wait. I really appreciate this, Ma." Michonne added as she hugged her mother-in-law once more. "There's lasagna for dinner and salad. I wasn't sure if you'd be hungry, then again you can just have soup, or whatever you decide." She said glancing at her watch.
It was almost 7:30 p.m., her Uber would be there in fifteen minutes, so she ran upstairs to grab her purse and her jacket and kissed her sleeping children good night.
In her haste to be on time for the last flight out of Atlanta, Michonne hadn't realized she wasn't wearing her rings when she kissed her already suspicious mother-in-law goodbye and walked out of the front door with her carryon and her briefcase, and got into her waiting Uber.
...
Michonne was no sooner out the front door when Mary took out her cell phone and hit speed dial.
"Yes?"
"The Uber just left… you should pick them up in about five minutes at the lights"
"Gotcha!"
Merle Dixon didn't feel right following the junior Mrs. Grimes. He knew her husband had a temper, hell, he'd witnessed it first hand when he captured the Monroe asswipe for interrogation after he wrote an online article exposing Rick's divorce. The piece of shit was scared to death because of a beating Rick laid on him when they were back in high school. He was so triggered by it, he spilt his guts the moment he saw Grimes. Monroe was a yellow belly pussy, but the fact that he was afraid of another beat down was indication enough that the first one was a memorable event.
Dixon wasn't one to turn work away, but as Mrs. G. Sr. had him on retainer he couldn't very well refuse the job. He knew her son, Rick was a friendly enough type, but he saw the crazy behind the officer friendly facade, especially, where his family was concerned and he heard from his buddy, Rovia, there was a special brand of crazy where his woman was concerned. Dixon was not looking to poke a sleeping bear, but unfortunately for him, his client believed her daughter-in-law was stepping out on her absentee husband and she wanted proof of it.
It wasn't Dixon's place to question his client. Hell, he made a career in his younger years following old man Grimes and his Nubian Queen around. That same Nubian Queen was the mother of Mrs. Grimes Jr. and If Mrs. G. Sr. was right, it would seem the apple didn't fall far from the tree at all.
So, he tailed the Uber to the domestic drop-offs and he had a man inside the airport to pick up her trail to her destination.
Michonne Grimes
There was a knock on her hotel door. Michonne opened the door to the stranger. His red baseball cap sporting a cougar patch obscured his face that wasn't already covered in a full beard from which his pink lips peeked through. He wore a brown leather jacket over a blue denim shirt which covered a white tee shirt, black denim and brown cowboy boots and belt.
He quickly entered the room and closed the door behind him. His arms found her waist and pulled her to him.
Michonne removed his cap and tossed it across the room.
He lowered his lips to capture hers pulling her bottom lip between his teeth. Then she noticed the dried blood along his hairline and pulled away.
"What the hell? You're bleeding."
"It's not my blood. You had a tail on you when you left Atlanta. I took him out at the airport."
"If you were at the airport, why did I have to take an Uber?"
"Because I don't know who was following you, Alex. I told you we have to be careful."
"But I did everything you told me to do."
"I know, don't worry. I took care of it."
"Do I even what to know what that means?"
"It means, I'm going to take a shower and would love for you to join me." He adds taking her hand and kissing it as he looked up at her from under long straight lashes, with eyes the colour of sapphire.
Later as they lay together, his hand playing with her braids he asked, "What would your husband say if he could see you lying here in my arms?"
"He wouldn't say very much. He'd just kill you. He'd be disappointed with me of course, but you'd definitely be dead."
"Would you leave him for someone like me?" He asked his eyes fixed on her brown orbs as if waiting to detect an untruth.
"No. I love my husband and my family." She boldly replied to his strange line of questioning.
"Oh, is that so, then why am I in your bed? He asked suddenly intrigued to know her answer. His eyes taking all of her in as though he was a human lie detector.
"I needed a distraction. This isn't my bed… my bed is also my husband's bed. I'd never disrespect it."
"Is that what this is? Am I nothing than a distraction for you? I thought we meant more to one another. Why do you continue to meet me then?"
"James, I told you from the start that I'm a married woman with a family. Why do you feel the need to complicate what we have?"
"Does he make you cum as often as I do? This husband of yours, what's he like in bed?" His piercing blue eyes bore into her waiting for a response.
"I love my husband. It's just a bit complicated between us right now. Why do you keep asking about my husband while I'm in bed with you? I don't ask you about your wife. You're killing the mood, perhaps you should leave."
He quickly pulled her into his arms obviously he touched a nerve. He hadn't intended to upset her. He knew these stolen moments were what kept him going for as long as he had to be away from home. He longed for his assignment to be over. He took her left hand and kissed it, but as he did so he realized she had replaced her rings with a set he didn't recognize.
"What happened to your rings?"
"Nothing, they're at home in the safe. I never know where I'm meeting you, so I thought it was safer not to make myself a target any more than I have to be. What's with the Grizzly Adams look?"
"Really, is that what you think of my hipster look? I'll have you know most women do like it."
"Yeah, but I'm not most women now, am I?"
"No, you most certainly are not." He said pulling her on top of him and kissing her deeply.
Merry Christmas folks!