"Marry me." It was developing into a thing now; asking but already anticipating Michonne's montone no's to Rick's recurring proposals. Rick kept at it. Since their taco truck tryst he was even more adamant that he and Michonne could defy the odds against them and be a real family. He already knew he was in love with her. She was stubborn, defiant and liked her own way but that's what was painted on the surface. That's what everybody else saw, not him. What he was now privileged to witness below her tough armor was an unrivaled tenderness when she discussed the baby growing under her heart. In the rare quiet moments she told him things about her life that no one else was privy to. She wanted to pretend she was a loner, but Rick knew better; she craved the love of a family, craved giving back that love in the holistic way she believed she couldn't. What stumped him was how far she went to hide how she truly felt about him. She was running away to protect him, even though they were together on everything, almost everything. He wanted to show her they could find a way together.
"No," Michonne sighed, gathering her locks to one side of her neck. "Did you bring the right pillow this time?" Their hands were laced together walking down the narrow hall of Coach Carol's Birthing Center. Their hot make out session days before was still heavy on her mind and her body. Undeniable feelings were staking a claim on her. She craved Rick's touch, pregnancy hormones had her dreaming of rubbing up on him like a cat. Whatever she thought was dormant between them, had gotten a resurgence. To her chagrin Rick started calling her baby again at the oddest most inopportune times, but her response was always the same; turned on, longing for everything to be real. He was evil like that, he knew the endearment gave her a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. Rick was plugging into her heart, creating the thing she had been dreading the most; a connection. He was doing it on purpose too.
Michonne wanted to go back to remaining untethered, Rick was using their bold entanglement once again to plunge them forward into something more stable, more promising than just roommates. She was looking for the escape door, the one where people exited in the event of a fire or earthquake.
She needed to conduct a few Rick drills before she discovered she was in too deep.
It might already be too late.
"You've asked this three times Michonne." Rick shook his head. "Yes. I have two of the thousand bed pillows we bought on Monday. Plus the extra padded birthin' pillow you demanded." He was smirking although he never thought twice about giving into her demands. The birthing classes had been recommended by his mother who referred them to Carol King; one of the top birthing instructors on the outskirts of the County. Rick was on board right off the bat, as he was with anything that concerned Michonne. He wanted to be Michonne's partner during labor and not just a bystander. He planned to be right on the frontline with her providing his unwavering support from contractions to cursing him out as she brought their child into the world.
"It was necessary, there's no guarantee I'll be able to get up once I'm down on the floor. Don't you remember last week?" Her hand flitted over the circumference of her belly as they walked. Rick held the door open for her shaking his head as she went in ahead of him. She was all belly and too adorable for words.
Six of their acquaintances in their varying stages of pregnancy were already sitting on their yoga mats next to their partners, much to Michonne's surprise. She thought they were early.
"Evenin'," Rick said, finding their cozy spot in the far left corner of the room, spreading Michonne's bright pink yoga mat on the shiny hardwood floor.
"Well if it isn't Lucy and Ricky."
They earned the moniker from day one of the birthing class. After their old married couple bickering over the necessity of Michonne's main accessory on the first day of class; a pillow in the shape of a doughnut, complete with pink sprinkles on the fabric. She made her case after Rick advised against it, insighting it was going to serve no purpose. Michonne announced if she couldn't eat it she might as well sit on it.
Rick turned out to be right. She only admitted it because they had made a spectacle of themselves.
The class deduced quickly that Michonne had a good dose of pregnancy brain and Rick had a special knack for defusing most Michonne situations. Their antics were hilarious and a hit.
Heather, a brown eyed brunette brought along her sister as her support this week. She had been curious about the couple from day one. Michonne waved at her before she started her trek to the floor. Michonne felt thankful Rick remained at her side. She didn't think she'd be comfortable buddying up with a stranger. Placing her bottled water on the floor beside the mat, Rick ensured the body pillow was strategically placed to Michonne's singular brand of comfort. He offered up her first snack of the evening; a pack of dried fruit, Rick reached for Michonne's hands to guide her to the floor. The other hormone driven women in the class were blown away by the sheer simplicity of Rick's catering, how natural it looked when it was directed at Michonne. Michonne knew some of them were envious of what they saw, she couldn't say she blamed them. Rick was attentive, supportive and affectionate. That's why he was popular in their birthing class.
He was also the main reason she was feeling so much better. Her blood pressure was now down to normal, she had no choice but to thrive under Rick's care.
Michonne's admiration came from her always on fleek eyebrows and her ability to make the class laugh.
"That's how you do it!" Shivonne, an African American lady with short hair jabbed her husband in his side, earning Rick another undeserving side eye from Lenny for showing the men up in class. Again.
"Ricky's got you spoiled huh," Trisha said from across the room, crossing her arms, giving her tall Asian husband a suspicious glance. She and Ken were newlyweds who got a special souvenir on their wedding night.
"You don't even know the half of it," Rick said, his tone full of mirth. Michonne turned around to glare at him, losing the wall of his chest as a prop.
"Spoiled?" she was all wide eyed, as though the observation wasn't an honest one.
"Honey, your husband is attentive. Enjoy it." Jewel - the newbie said again. Jewel's husband had given up trying to defend himself. In five minutes Rick had shown up all the men in the class with his effortless consideration to Michonne's needs. Of course it was easy to assume she and Rick were husband and wife, despite their lack of rings. Their synergy was hard to deny, even for her.
"We have our fair share of problems," she said, just as Rick took her scarf out the bag, asking her if she was feeling chilly.
Pink hair Jewel looked at Heather, her lips cocked to one side. Rick's actions were countering Michonne's previous sentence.
"Honey we should all have your problems."
Michonne could tell trauma nurse Heather was always outspoken. "He's not my husband. We're not married." Saying it saddened her, there was a tiny part of Michonne that revelled in believing Rick could be hers to keep.
"It isn't for lack of tryin'." Rick knew the ladies were on his side. He was playing the sympathy card up, relishing in the allies he had gained in the class.
"Remind me why you two aren't married again? You're living together. About to bring a life into the world. You've got mad chemistry…" Heather's words dropped off, too disappointed to speak.
"It's complicated."
Rick's was content to fold his arms, remaining silent, letting Michonne take the heat today. He had his fair share.
"What are you waiting for? You want someone else to come swoop his fine ass up?" Shivonne turned her body away from her scowling husband. Lenny was probably normalized to her nosy ways. Meddling seemed to be a hobby of hers.
Michonne couldn't help but laugh, their new acquaintances appeared too interested in Michonne's lack of commitment with Rick.
"It's not as easy as you think. We're just here to learn together about what to expect when the baby comes."
They were a unified front when it came to the baby, it was their division of what they could be that separated them.
"You obviously love each other." Jewel observed, her tone matter of fact. Michonne watched the few women in the class with agreement on their faces. Jewel had only known her and Rick for five minutes and she was already in cahoots with the rest of the meddlers.
"Marriage is a walk in the park," Shivonne shrugged, trying to convince the two.
"Jurassic Park," her husband Lenny added, causing Rick to chortle in his corner.
Michonne tried to smile too, she had no intentions to dive into a dissertation about why she couldn't marry Rick. She wasn't even sure her reasoning was making sense to her anymore. She was getting more attached to him as the days passed. The baby was a major part of their bond, but she knew the intense fondness she had for Rick had nothing to do with what was in her belly, but what was in her heart. She knew she couldn't trust it. Not when loving Rick meant he would put his trust in her. Michonne knew Rick, he didn't go half in on anything. He would be devoted to her one hundred percent. If he was ever in need of her and she failed him it would change her forever. She cared about him, too much now for her to risk it. She couldn't add him to the list of people she'd failed.
In light of everything coming to a head, she thought it was a good enough time to head back to her aunt's house, before she became too attached. She already anticipated leaving Rick again would feel like she was severing a limb.
She couldn't remember feeling so confused and giddy when she was with Mike. Loving him had always been a slow trickle of certainty that her heart belonged to Mike.
Rick was an all consuming rush that threatened to knock her off her feet. It only heightened her already strong constitution not to hurt him.
"Well I see our newbies are settling right in. I'm sure we're all up to date on the Richonne Chronicles? May we begin?" Carol King entered the room with her arms folded and an inconspicuous laugh on her face. She too had taken an instant affinity to the duo. She was rooting for them all the way.
Grateful for the interruption, Michonne felt relieved she didn't have to give a rebuttal.
Their session was about to begin. Carol preferred to start right on time. She was a no nonsense, take charge lady that was well versed in her field, especially with her being the mother of three girls and one boy.
Once the class had quieted down, Carol took out the fake baby from the drawer and began her tutorial on the do's and dont's of diaper wrapping which made Michonne feel instantly for tacos.
"Dodged that bullet huh?" Rick said, taking his position beside Michonne as instructed.
She couldn't miss the sarcasm in his tone, not by a mile.
She may have dodged a bullet, but Cupid had shot an arrow straight to her heart.
On the way home Rick and Michonne made a stop for dinner and some much needed, life and death- according to Michonne, Rocky Road ice cream. They finally walked through the door a little after nine. He rushed to close the door, fighting off the sharp coldness. A reminder the holidays would soon be upon them. He could already picture him and Michonne driving up to Big John's to select a tree of their own to decorate. He hoped his forecast wasn't too far off.
He could tell Michonne was beat, her waddle - she hated when he called it that, was slow and undetermined. After having a sip of water, he helped her up the stairs. While she was fiddling in his room getting ready for bed he took the initiative and lit a few scented candles in the bathroom and drew her a bath.
Once he ensured the water was not too hot, not too cold, but exactly right, he called out to Michonne. Her towel was already wrapped around her when she stepped into Rick's mint green ensuite bathroom. Flickering candlelight greeted her, its shadows bouncing off the large wall tiles creating an intimate hub as Michonne stepped on the tiled floor.
"I thought this might help."
Michonne's tired composure got a jolt, instantly relaxed by the aroma of lavender that had encapsulated the room. She couldn't remember a time while she recuperated at Rick's house when he didn't cater to her every whim and fancy, even the unspoken ones. It was like he knew what she was thinking before she even voiced it. Michonne melted inside at his thoughtfulness. All he wanted to do was make things easier for her. She knew she wasn't giving him a fair chance, but in moments like this when it was only the two of them, the possibilities of what they could have together played on her subconscious. Now that the discussion from birthing class rested like a weight on her chest, she knew she had a lot of thinking to do, decisions to make.
"Thank you," she smiled.
Rick rose from his crouching position, removing his fingers from the tepid feel of the water, wanting to leave her to it. He saw the disappointed on Michonne's face when he stood up.
Knowing this could be their last night like this, Michonne didn't want him to leave.
"I want you to stay." Her voice was low, but her words were unmistakable.
Rick could tell Michonne was happy by the soft smile that crept up her beautiful face. He likened the feeling growing in his heart like watching a warm sunset. He hadn't been expecting an invitation to the moment he had created solely for her.
Releasing her practical thinking, Michonne looked at Rick, their already heated gaze had nothing to do with the flame of the dozen or so candles encircling them. Resolute on what she wanted, even if it was just for the night she slipped the towel from her body. Rick caught it before it fell to the ground. His eyes hadn't left her naked, alluring frame, or the emboldened look in her eyes. He could see the depth of brown in them every time the flame flickered. It showcased her statuesque body for the goddess she was.
Ignoring the pool of arousal that started a wild dance in his belly, he held her hand, ushering her carefully into the porcelain tub. Michonne was a bronze goddess, she glowed from pregnancy. Her body was still a wonderland to him begging to be explored.
He needed to possess her again, his pants already felt tight. Michonne was giving him free range in his perusal of her body again. He hoped his aroused glare didn't water down his intentions. He wanted her to relax despite his sudden discomforts.
Michonne closed her eyes once her body was immersed in the perfect feel of the warm water. She leaned against the head of the tub, bliss possessing every inch of her tired body. Feeling Rick's penetrating blue eyes boring holes into her frame made her feel sexy. As she advanced to her eighth month of pregnancy her belly could be seen around corners, her walk was duck like - Rick said more than once he could watch her waddle all day.
She refused to claim she had a waddle, but a waddle it was. They laughed like best friends at the silliest things, had the best inside jokes. She would miss him when she moved back to her home.
"Tell me if you need anything." Rick tucked a stray loc into her hair band, loving when she opened up to him.
"Just your company."
She was giving into her desires. He was surprised she wasn't putting up any resistance to what she really wanted.
"I'm all yours."
The double entendre didn't slip by her.
"Your son is moving." Michonne placed her hands on her belly, "I think he knows when you're around." She took his hand, "here feel." Rick's Palm splayed across her belly, the top just peeking above the water.
"I'm thinkin he's gonna be into sports." Rick smiled at the projection, thinking of how he'd take his son to ball games where they would soak up the sun and eat too many hot dogs. His boy would never have to wait all day for him to show up to go catch a game, or wonder if this was the year he'd get a call on his birthday.
"You and your dad caught a lot of games together?" Michonne liked that Rick's hand remained on her belly as he adjusted himself into a sitting position beside the tub. Inside she was happy he was staying.
"One. He went off drinking with his friends and forgot all about me. Mom came to get me."
"I'm sorry Rick."
"I'll never do that to my son." He would never feel an ounce of pain, he would never experience not being wanted by his own father.
The residual pain in Rick's voice stung her.
"Whatever happens between us Rick, I'll never keep our son away from you. Tell me you know that."
"I do."
"Good."
"I want him to know he has a place here Michonne."
Rick's home was warm and inviting despite lacking that feminine touch she craved to unleash.
"It's a big house for a guy who said he had no interest in having a family."
Rick chuckled, the observation was ironic coming from the woman who had changed that very notion.
"When I was younger we lived in a small apartment. We didn't have much. I told myself when I got older I was going to make enough money to buy a big house."
"Well you accomplished that."
"Maybe we can pick a room upstairs for the nursery." Rick saw the alarm on her face as soon as his words ebbed into a complete sentence. He didn't mean to sound as though they were a normal couple planning for their first child, but it was difficult to separate his thoughts when she was under his touch, like if she belonged there.
"I want him to have his room here too."
He hated to think of being separated from Michonne and his son, but he had to ease her into what he had planned for them.
"It makes sense." She was trying to stay on the practical side of things. Being with Rick felt like home, leaving him felt like a criminal offense.
Rick ran away from the thought of having a family for most of his adult life. Fearing something he had no business fearing. Now that he knew he could take care of Michonne, now that he understood the joy of creating a life he realized he had spent his whole life getting it wrong. Michonne and his baby, that's what living was all about.
They had lulled into an intimate silence, Michonne's eyes were closed. She was humming an unfamiliar tune.
"I'm giving you ten more minutes in here and then we'll get you out," Rick said, thinking it was too much torture being this close to Michonne, not touching her in the way he wanted to.
Michonne's eyes flickered open, just as Rick bent over the tub to give her protruding belly a kiss.
She touched his beard, the salt and pepper sprinkles dotting it made her yearn for him more.
"Michonne…" His penetrating gaze was undeniably affecting.
"Kiss me." She was caught between not believing she said what she was thinking, and being happy she did.
Rick leaned in, gazing at her lips as he descended on them. Their kiss was warm, his tongue plunged into her wet mouth and she moaned. Her nipples pebbled, the jostling of the water and Rick's hand still on her belly turned her on immensely.
Unable to wait any longer, Rick's hand found her folds. Then his fingers found her lips, he plunged into them.
Their kissing didn't let up, it was greedy and fiery.
"Yes…," she said, feeling the electricity awaken her core while he fingered her.
"God Michonne, I can't get enough of you."
"I want to touch you Rick." She reached for him over the rim of the tub.
"Not yet."
In and out, in and out, his fingers took up a score of their own. He felt her body tighten under his devotions. She gripped the ledge of the basin, battling between letting her climax take her over the precipice, and keeping it at bay for a little while longer.
"You gonna come for me baby?"
"Yes Rick." She shuddered at the sound of his smooth voice, her climax the force of an earthquake.
"Let me touch you." Her voice was clouded, her arousal still just as intense.
Rick reached for the fluffy, towels neatly lined up. He helped her to stand, towel drying her off. Once she was dry and no longer cold Rick lifted Michonne in his arms. Despite her huge stomach she was light in his arms. He took her to his bed where he shed his clothes in one swoop unable to deny their reunion any further.
He joined her on the bed, pulling her glistening body against his. He lifted her legs slightly, swiftly entering her from behind.
He groaned when his dick slid into her heat. He was finally home.
He held onto her belly as he tried to control his thrusting.
"I missed this." He heard her say, her tone desperate. It spurred him on. He felt like he was on a merry go round that was going a thousand miles a minute. He palmed the firm roundness of her breast. Rick was tisic feeling her derriere bounce on him every time he plunged into her. Michonne was in a frenzy feeling another orgasm course its way through her. She was on the brink of madness, needing so much more from Rick, not wanting the moment to end.
"Michonne," he breathed out. "This is what you do to me." He kissed her glistening shoulder.
She took his hand in a bold gesture, allowing him to flick her bud in time with the heated symphony he was orchestrating inside her. It started like a blaze of fire for the both of them, where control slipped, words escaped them, and the world was spinning on its axis at a fast rate. Michonne gripped Rick's side as he continued to rub her button mindlessly.
She felt his seed shoot into her. She vibrated on his dick with a loud moan.
Their breathing grew labored, sweat dotted their skin despite the slight chill in the room.
"Michonne. I love you." Rick couldn't keep it in any longer, not when Michonne had taken up every inch of space inside him.
Michonne closed her eyes when she heard Rick's declaration. She couldn't speak. She couldn't breathe.
She felt Rick pull out of her, she caught his hand before he could leave the bed. "Stay." She needed their cocoon for a little while longer.
He heard the wistfulness in her voice before he turned and saw it in her eyes.
"That's what you want?" He wanted her to say the words, wanted her to admit to herself what he already knew.
"I want you to stare here with me. I want to fall asleep in your arms." She was more exhausted than she knew how to express, but she wanted to be in his company a little while longer.
Rick drew the blanket over their naked bodies, spooning her, his hand draped around their son. He wasn't expecting a boomerang response from Michonne. He wasn't expecting her to ignore his admission either.
Still high from her climax, but tired from the physical exertion she'd just displayed, Michonne's eyes were closing down. Her feeling of elation was gone. In her mind the worse had happened. She knew what Rick said, what it all meant. She was filled with dread now, fully aware she hadn't said it back.
