CarribeanQueen closes this story with chapter 7, as Rick holds Michonne to the pledge they made 20 years ago. Will she make good on it, or will she end up breaking more than just the promise?

Please be sure to check out her other works on her FF page.

-We're The Ones Who Write


Chapter 7: The Wedding

"Michonne, where the hell are you? Call or text us!" Sasha had lost count of the many unanswered calls and text messages she had left for her friend.

"What do you think happened?" Maggie asked no one in particular, their monthly girl's night had taken a downward turn. Both Rick and Michonne had been off the grid. They knew the reason why Rick was incommunicado, at least so they thought. Michonne on the other hand, they figured Olivier had put a ring on it and was giving her a good dick down, so much so, they both missed two days of work.

"Andrea, what's Shane got to say about Rick?"

"Really, Sasha? You give a shit about Rick now? You know he's probably crawled into to some fucking hole somewhere feeling sorry for himself. Shane hasn't seen or heard from him since."

"Woah… bitch, don't you come at me like that. If it wasn't for me he'd have no damn clue that Michonne was about to make the biggest mistake of her life. Instead of sabotaging her relationships… he ought to have told her how he felt a long time ago. If he had, she wouldn't be about to uproot her damn life to fly off into the sunset with his French counterpart."

"Sasha, you've lost your damn mind, that guy is nothing like Pretty Richie. Michonne seems truly happy for once. Why couldn't you just let her have that? Did you do it for Rick or for your own selfish reasons," Andrea countered.

Three sets of eyes stared in wonder, the ladies all looked at Andrea wondering whether she was for real. They eventually, however, decided to cut her some slack because she hadn't known Rick and Michonne like they did, she only came on the scene because Shane brought her into the group during their college years; unlike his other catch and releases, he couldn't seem to shake Andrea, which was probably because she was the female version of himself.

"What are you saying exactly, Andrea?" Sasha asked after draining her Cosmopolitan and signalling the waiter to keep them coming.

"I dunno, Sash… didn't you start this shit when they were what fifteen, when she got stood up for the very first time because of your meddling? They aren't kids anymore, just maybe this guy is for real and can give her what Captain Save A Bestie can't… like something serious."

"Andrea you don't know shit. We know Michonne and Rick, and those two been glued to each other since they could walk. They love one another, but until one of them is about to step out of their comfort zone and take that step, it'll forever be: WASH. RINSE. REPEAT for them. They're both searching for something that's been right in front of them their whole adult lives, but too stupid to try it," Rosita added.

"So, y'all decide to become their very own Andy Cohen and try to get them to make that love connection? What if it doesn't work? Then what… do they lose a perfectly good friendship over a one night stand? If ever there was a time… ten years ago the group started settling down… Maggie got engaged, Daryl and Sasha followed suit then you and Abe and finally, fucking Shane put a ring on it. Imagine that, we all have kids for crying out loud, but nothing's changed for those two. If Michonne really wanted Rick all she had to do was say anything and he'd jump on her. I'm telling y'all, she's just not that into her best friend."

"So, you're accusing me of sabotaging one of my best friend's future with a man that's all wrong for her because I don't want her to pack up and leave?"

The conversation at the terrace table was getting heated, and Maggie being the most level-headed one amongst them decided enough was enough and weighed in.

"Ladies, I think we should all call it a night and get back home to our families. This ain't much of a girl's night without Michonne anyway. I'm sure she'll call once Olivier is bone dry, which may be never… at least our girl is getting her back blown out. We should follow her lead."


A day later...

Across town, Rick pulled up in front of Michonne's townhouse and parked.

"Michonne, it's been almost five days and you haven't given me an answer yet," he said placing his hand on her thigh and waiting for a response; she had been uncharacteristically quiet throughout the ride home.

"What's the rush, Rick? Can't we just enjoy the moment? We haven't exactly talked much in the past five days either. I just got out of a relationship, remember?"

"Yeah, but we already established that love between us and anyone else could never be the same as it is between us, right?"

"True, but all the same, Rick, let's take our time. Plus, before we go any further I think you have some talking of your own to do, don't you think?"

Rick cringed knowing exactly what she meant. It wasn't a conversation he wasn't looking forward to having, but it had to be done.

"Do they know about him, or was I the only one left in the dark?"

"No, they don't. They were already out of the country when we started dating and I haven't introduced them as yet."

"Well, at least that's one less thing for your dad to hold against me."

"Daddy's really not that bad… plus, we're no longer kids. He was only looking out for me. In his defence, every time he saw you, there was a different girl hanging around you, but then you would show up at our door over and over. He often wondered why you didn't ask all your other 'friends' for help," Michonne countered using air quotes while looking at him with a raised brow.

Rick was not totally convinced by his girlfriend's assessment of things, but only time would tell whether her father's view of him had changed.

"We'll see whether twenty years has changed anythang. Come on," he said stealing a kiss, before he exited the vehicle and walked to the other side to open her door.


It was late when Michonne returned from court. She was worn out and exhausted from her turbocharged romance which had begun six days earlier and she could hardly walk. She was looking forward to dropping her files off and ducking out of the office at a reasonable hour. She had visions of a nice hot bath in the not too distant future with a nice glass of wine to take the edge off of her day. Tonight, her boyfriend would have to settle for spooning because she didn't have the energy for much more than that. She didn't even have the energy to entertain the idea of replying to the many texts and voicemails she had received during the time she fell off the grid and into Rick's bed.

Meanwhile, Sasha's assistant, Noah had already alerted her to Michonne's presence in the office. The girls were all scheduled to have an impromptu dinner to make up for their bombed girls night. Michonne's assistant, Cyndie had already added the appointment to her agenda first thing that morning as Sasha requested.

Michonne was sitting at her desk trying hard to summon the strength to move her lethargic limbs when her phone buzzed and there was a knock on the door. She slowly picked up the phone and responded, "Michonne Beauséjour."

"Salut Chérie!"

His voice was not at all what she was expecting to hear. It took her seconds to respond by hanging up the phone, and respond a distracted "come in" to whoever was on the other side of the door.

The door opened and Sasha stood in the doorway with her hand on the doorknob, "So what's keeping you? The others are waiting and we've been waiting for four whole days. By the way, you look well fucked," Sasha added as an aside, "We need details."

"Sasha, you can be so crude at times… but I'm sorry, I can't tonight, I'm exhausted and I need to sleep."

"Michonne, you can sleep when you're dead… shit's overrated anyway. Have yourself a couple kids and you'll see. You'll learn to function on less and less every day. You have to eat anyway, so no can do."

"Fine," she sighed knowing that arguing with a stubborn mule would require energy she didn't have to spare, "Alright, let me grab my stuff and I'll meet you in the parking lot."

Sasha accepted Michonne's surrender and turned to leave. Michonne sent a quick text to Rick about her change of plans and he quickly replied that he too was presently in the middle of an intervention, then asked whether they should just tell all to their collective friends tonight.

She replied that they might as well, but they should do it at the same time. As such, he would have to endure a few more lectures and a few more drinks before it could happen.

...

After dinner, the women learned the truth about Olivier and Michonne's disastrous date from hell. At which point, Sasha looked pointedly at Andrea. Michonne had no idea what the look was about but continued to explain how she bumped into Rick that night and why she fell off the grid. At this juncture, she sent Rick a text giving the all clear to end his torment.

The women were blown away by the revelation, not in a million years could any of them have predicted that night. They had all been secretly mourning her loss knowing that she was a heartbeat away from picking up her life to chase love, but they were pleasantly pleased that love found her instead.

"So where's the ring?" Maggie chimed in examining her hand.

"At my place… We're going to take it slow."

"Oh, Chica, if you think this is slow you're so screwed. Rick Grimes left his bachelor's bed behind for you and hasn't left your side since. Put the damn ring on your finger!"

"Rosita, that's not how it works."

"No Michonne, Rosita's right, it took y'all twenty years to get here and Rick's gonna want babies. Hell, god knows with that dicking down, I wouldn't be too sure you're not already knocked up," Sasha informed her friend.

"Sasha you've got jokes," Michonne laughed.

"Congratulations, Michonne, I'm very happy for you," Andrea said finally breaking her silence.

"Thanks, Andrea! But truly ladies, in as much as I'd like to hang with y'all I need to drag my butt home and if I'm lucky, I'll get a few more hours of sleep tonight."

Shortly after the tabs were settled, the women dispersed back to their lives.


Two months later...

The men were sitting in their favorite watering hole in King's County, it felt like a throwback to old times. Every bachelor party over the past ten years had taken place at Dale's because it was the first place they all took their first legal drink, so it was only fitting that on a night as momentous as this, the last bachelor amongst them would be honored there.

Drinks had been flowing for several hours now, but no one knew the truth of how Rick and Michonne's engagement came to be. Nothing about their relationship had been traditional, but then again, none of them waited twenty years to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree. It seemed almost overnight they revealed they were a couple, a month later, the traditional engagement news came at some fancy restaurant. Two months later, here they were at Dale's putting a nail in the last coffin as Shane so eloquently puts it.

"I can't believe it… y'all are finally getting hitched." Shane slurred sitting down next to his best friend and draping his arm over Rick's shoulder.

"Jesus… it's about damn time those two did somethin' 'bout it don't yah think?' Daryl asked. "Been dodging it their whole lives… damn fools if you ask me."

Glenn shook his head and laughed. "At least he finally bit the bullet, now I don't have to take information my wife tells me in confidence and supply him with it so he can sabotage Michonne's love life and then not do shit about it."

Abe and the others all looked at one another, somehow, they were not surprised in the least to find out that their buddy had used each of them in one way or another in his quest to keep Michonne single.

"Can you imagine if she ever found that shit out? She'd friggin kill us all." Abe said gently pulling on his beard.

"C'mon fellas, I'd never rat on y'all, but I did tell her I ruined her dating life."

"Are you fucking serious? Why would you do a stupid thing like that?" Shane asked.

"I didn't want to start our lives together based on lies, so I came clean about all of it. She wasn't exactly happy about it, but I made a very compelling argument. Plus, she said yes or we wouldn't be here tonight," and with that remark the men all drank to their friend's good fortune with a hearty "Hear, hear!"

However, Shane's curiosity got the better of him. He could understand how his friend could win over the girl, but the father was another story completely. The old man never cared much for his buddy so he wondered just how it all went down. "Winning over Michonne would be easy. All you had to do was accept to live in the dog house for a while and blow her back out real good after that, but how the hell did you sweet talk her old man into getting his blessings. Did you send him a case of scotch?"

"Nah, but It certainly helped that he was in another country altogether, I did it over Skype." Rick laughed about it and took a drink of his beer but the morning it happened it wasn't a laughing matter.

He remembered the morning two months ago when he talked to Mr. Beauséjour.

Since the night he drove Michonne home after they hooked up, he had pretty much moved into her house. It was a little after six in the morning when the call came in and Michonne grabbed her laptop and told him to get dress and meet her in the living room because they were about to break the news to her parents about them being a couple.

Michonne had already been catching up with her folks, who were in Zimbabwe on a project delivering frontier medicine. It was something they did every ten years or so because this project was near and dear to their hearts. It was where it all began for them… their story and how Michonne came to be. A young African American girl meeting a young Frenchman who was born and raised in Paris but whose ancestors had immigrated there from the Continent; to hear Michonne tell the story of how her parents met and fell in love… it was the stuff chick flicks were made of.

That morning, Rick appeared in the living room wearing his brown t-shirt and blue jeans. He looked pretty respectable, given the hour of the day and the fact he had just rolled out of bed.

"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Beauséjour," he greeted taking his seat next to his beautiful girlfriend and taking her hand in his. A subtle gesture which didn't escape her father's eagle eyes.

As usual, Mrs. Beauséjour's pleasant smile greeted him. Mr. Beauséjour, however, looked at his watch.

"Good morning, Richard it's nice to see you again, dear," her mother said with a warm smile that reached her eyes, happy that things finally fell into place for the two lovebirds sitting halfway around the world. She could immediately see the difference in her daughter, she positively glowed and she couldn't recall a time when she did that which didn't result from some kind of professional or academic achievement.

"It's a bit early to be visiting isn't, Richard?"

"Daddy, please stop it. Rick and I are a couple now and I would appreciate it if you would try to be a bit more cordial. After all, we're no longer fifteen daddy… then we were just friends nothing more." Michonne spoke up to diffuse what she felt was a fast devolving situation.

"Oh, is that so? How long have y'all been in a relationship?"

"Sir, our relationship it's relatively new, but Michonne and me, we've known each other our whole lives. I've loved Michonne my entire life, Sir, and I would be honored if you would give us your blessing, so that I could make an honest woman of her. I promise you, I will protect her and take care of her the way a husband should. I understand your reservations, but I'm no longer that boy you knew twenty years ago, but Michonne is and always has been my world, she's the beacon which always guided me home."

Mr. Beauséjour, however, was reluctant to place his stamp of approval on a relationship which seemed to have come out of nowhere. He always suspected that Richard had a soft spot for his daughter, even at a young age. Back then, however, he was more concerned that she'd become one of his flavors of the day, so he made sure to let the young man know just what was in store for him if he should hurt his daughter… his only child. He knew in his heart of hearts, this was strictly pro forma, one way or the other, with or without his blessings they would do what their hearts desired.

After asking for Michonne's hand in marriage, he distinctly remembered Mr. Beauséjour turning to his daughter and began speaking to her in French. He knew it was her father's way of assessing her side of things.

"Michonne, est ce que tu ressens la même chose pour Richard? Je ne veux pas voir mon bébé souffrir. Il t'a fait une déclaration d'amour, mais tu connais son tableau de chasse. Est ce que c'est quelqu'un à qui tu penses pouvoir faire confiance avec ton cœur? "

"Oui, papa, je le peux. C'est mon meilleur ami et je l'ai aimé toute ma vie aussi. En-dehors des parents bien sûr, je ne pense pas que il y aura quelqu'un qui me connaît aussi bien que lui "

"Très bien alors, si tu es sûre et certaine que tu peux lui faire confiance. Je vais essayer. Félicitations princesse!"

"Merci, papa!"

"De rien princesse!"

...

"Richard, basically, my daughter tells me she feels the same way about you. That she trusts you with her heart, notwithstanding your track record. That said, she believes in you, so I'm willing to try. I wish you both a lifetime of happiness but if you ever hurt my daughter, you won't have to wonder whether I still have that gun."

"Thank you, Sir." Rick said grateful to have his blessing and the fact that Mr. B was finally going to give him a chance to prove he was the right man for his daughter.

"Congratulations to you Richard and my darling baby girl! Michonne, darling, we'll talk later." Her mother added with happy tears spilling from her eyes.

"Thank you, ma'am".

"Thanks, Mom. Yes, we will," she promised her mother before ending the call.


On a late summer afternoon on Jekyll Island, backdropped by a huge tree, fallen long ago, but now ornamental driftwood for days such as this. It stood between them and waning blue waters of the Atlantic, a serene view, with not a cloud in the sky; a slight breeze came off the Atlantic bringing with it some comfort from the hot Georgian sun to the small party of family and friends gathered on Driftwood Beach.

It was a very casual affair to match the surroundings, the white folding chairs were on either side of the path leading the way to the centrepiece driftwood, where there the bride and groom stood before the priest.

At each row, next to the aisle seats were huge rattan and somlig balls, of varying colours all natural to the surrounding environment, as well as items natural to the beach itself.

Three months after becoming a couple, Rick and Michonne stood before their family and friends ready to write a new chapter in their lives.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of two young lovers before God in holy matrimony. Today, Richard Oliver Grimes and Michonne Alexandra Beauséjour have chosen to say their own vows as they pledge themselves to each other."

As Father Gabriel stated his full name, Michonne tried hard not to laugh, she had known him her whole life, but never knew what the 'O' stood for until they filled out their marriage license. As she expected, her girlfriends were getting a kick out of it too. She could hear the snickerings behind them. Rick was not amused because he always hated the name, but even more so now.

"Rick," Father Gabriel said as he invited the young man to begin.

Rick took her hands into his and locked his sapphire blue eyes onto her chocolate coloured orbs. "Michonne Alexandra Beauséjour, I have waited for this day, ever since I kissed that boo-boo on your knee and realized that I was meant to protect you. At 15, when you cried not sure who you were, I saw you and I knew who you were. You were and always have been the most beautiful girl to me, but now, you are the most beautiful woman to me. There's a light within you which radiates and it draws me in, it's the beacon which guides me home. Michonne, you've always been home to me. Today, I stand before God and man and make good on the pledge we made at 15 because I knew then, you were the only one for me, but I had to wait for you to realize it too. I love you, Michonne. I always have and always will for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until the end of our days and even then…" His voice broke, then he said, "I will find you. I promise."

Hearing his words telling their life story like this... to those who knew most of it and to those to whom it was news, caused her tears which were already barely contained to finally spill. Rick being the true gentleman he was, extended his hand to cup her exquisite face and used his thumb pad to gently capture her errant tears as he mouthed the words, "You're absolutely beautiful," as he lowered his head. In that instant, reality fell away, they had forgotten where they were and drifted away into their own private bubble.

Father Gabriel seeing their reactions hastily cleared his throat and tried to redirect the couple's attention to the business at hand. From his observation of them, they had long forgotten the vows and were about to kiss and that just wouldn't do.

"Michonne," he said gently prompting the bride to make her pledge.

Hearing her name, broke the spell which Rick had cast upon her. They had been moments away from kissing. Unfortunately, their moment wasn't missed by the others because she could hear the tittering of the school girls parading around as her so-called friends once more. Her cheeks felt warm as she remembered where they were and the presence of both their parents. Rick didn't seem to care.

"Richard Oliver Grimes, I too remember the day I skinned my knee and you patching me up with the Pooh band-aid. Then you kissed it better saying that's what your mama would do to make it heal faster. I didn't understand it then, but over the years, you always seemed to be there whenever I needed you most, although it was mostly engineered by you to be my hero…"

Once again snickering could be heard from their close friends who knew the whole story.

Father Gabriel was not impressed, nothing about the couple or the ceremony was traditional. Yet again he cleared his throat, but this time he asked the audience to be respectful of the ceremony.

Michonne tried hard not to laugh herself and continued, "Even so, I tried to deny what has always been between us, but it grew stronger with each passing year. At 15, neither of us knew any better, nor are we the people we were then. The one thing that remained, however, was the love, only the love I had for you then has blossomed into so much more. That day, I recall how I felt whenever you were around and it's the reason I pledged to marry you. Today, I feel the very same way, I feel loved and protected and will be honored to be your wife, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health until the end of our days… I will always guide you home."

Father Gabriel blessed the rings, and said, "Today, we witnessed the union of Richard and Michonne. These rings are the symbol of their love for one another." Both Rick and Michonne exchanged rings and Father Gabriel pronounced them husband and wife.

The crowd was expecting them to do the typical thing, but instead, the couple looked at one another; Rick smiled and extended his right pinky. Michonne followed suit and bit her bottom lip. His left hand moved towards her cupping her face, his blue eyes held hers as he lowered his head to capture her lips.

THE END!