She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly
Off the coast and I'm headed nowhere
She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly
Ben Fold Five, Brick
The counselor who was assigned to Michonne, a perky young blonde named Jessie, wanted to talk to the woman and the man who sat beside her.
"My job is to talk you about how you feel about doing this, what the procedure will be like, and what you'll use for contraception from this point forward."
Although Jessie was calm and reassuring, Rick's nerves were on edge. He focused his attention on his wedding ring. He stood up and started to pace around the small private room, diverting his eyes when the perky blonde showed diagrams to Michonne of what to expect. At the end of the meeting, Jessie asked, "so, this is a mutual decision? You both want this?"
The moment of silence was painfully awkward.
"You've decided, Officer Grimes?"
"Deputy Sheriff." Rick said softly.
Jessie frowned at Rick before looking back at Michonne.
"So, you feel comfortable with this? You understand the procedure, and I'll be there the entire time."
Michonne nodded, and said she wanted it to be over.
"Well then, if there are no more questions…Deputy Sheriff Grimes, is there something you'd like to share? You seem very anxious."
Rick was quiet, not making eye contact with anybody, before saying "No. Nothing to share."
xxxxx
The two sat in the waiting room until Michonne's name was called. Rick's cell phone buzzed twice, indicating new messages from his wife, Lori.
His heart clenched when he saw the loving notes. "Hope you're having a good day." And "I love you. Stay safe."
xxxxx
The doctor's voice was raspy but kind. He used the same kind, sing-songy tone of voice a parent would say to a child while cleaning a small wound. Jessie, whose surgical shirt was stained with small drops of blood, held Michonne's hand tightly while the doctor injected the drug into the soft tissue near her cervix. She drifted off into a twilight sleep and didn't hear the motor of the vacuum.
She vaguely remembered the nurse…Katie? Kathy? Carol?...roll her over to her side to attach a large menstrual pad to her hip.
xxxxx
Hours later, when Michonne gathered her clothes to leave, she began to have sharp bolts of pain and could feel the strong flow of blood soak the pad. She gingerly walked to the waiting room to meet Shane, dressed in jeans and a tee shirt. His shift, with Rick, was over hours ago and he owed his friend a favor.
He let her hold onto his arm as he walked to the car, opened her door, and let her sit on the passenger seat, an old, stained towel waiting for her. They drove to her apartment wordlessly, and he asked if she wants him to walk her to her door.
Michonne was slightly annoyed when the raven haired man rolled his eyes before finding a parking spot.
xxxxx
He handed her the keys and a bottle of Vicodin after he opened the apartment door for her, and whispered a soft "good luck" before quickly walking down the hallway to the elevators.
xxxxx
When she was under the hot spray of the shower she didn't want to look at the bottom of the tub. She could feel the thick blood clots running down her legs, and the spasms of agony started again.
xxxxx
She was sitting on her couch with two thick pads between her legs. There was no word from Rick. He was in the restroom when it was her time, and said he'd be right out. He never did. She pictured the perky, clueless wife and two children he went home to. She saw the picture of Lori and the two kids, framed and on his desk, before she led him to the privacy of a conference room.
He said it was for the best.
xxxxx
Hours later, she knew something was wrong. She wanted the entire ordeal to be a nightmare. She wanted to wake up and have Rick lying next to her, in a state of bliss after a mind-blowing climax. Before he had to take a shower and go home to his family.
She was bleeding profusely. Something was wrong.