And If All Our Days Are Numbered
"Still no sign of these so called jobs," Carol said from between gritted teeth, straightening her shirt collar, before turning to Rick who was holding Judith against his shoulder, his eyes distant, face pale against the backdrop of his denim shirt. "Rick?" she said, raising an eyebrow.
Rick started, startled. "What?" he said, brow creasing.
"She's just using you as her favourite scratching pole," Carol smiled sweetly, "so that means she'll come back to claw you some more."
Rick just looked at her, before reluctantly grinning, half turning away from her. He'd returned back to the house last night, only to find Carol in the kitchen, doing what he'd already done, carrying out an inventory of the knives they could use as weapons, and he'd told her what had happened him, almost talking her ear off. Carol still classed Alexis as one of 'them', but all the same, she had listened to Rick rant on, pouring him the rest of the bourbon as she did, before sending him off to bed like he was a little boy.
"Glenn, you need to tuck your shirt in!" she called as he passed the doorway, making him flap an uncharacteristically filthy hand at her, Carol shaking her head at him in turn, mockingly ruing the decline in his personal standards. "You got the flowers?" she then fired at Rick, making him brandish the bouquet she had put together. "Good. Well, I'll go and get the casserole, then," she said smartly, going into the kitchen, where Tara and Noah were washing the breakfast plates. Tara held up her hand, Carol high-fiving her, before nodding at Noah as she picked up the covered casserole dish.
When she went back into the hall, it was only to almost walk smack-bang into Abraham, who just grumbled an apology at her, Rosita following him into the kitchen, rolling her eyes at Carol as she passed her. Trailing at their heels, was Eugene and Father Gabriel, Carol never able to just call him Gabriel. She smiled at them both, concealing her contempt, before making her way back into the living room, holding the casserole dish aloft like it was the Holy Grail.
"That smells delicious," Maggie said, coming through the opposite doorway, "what's the occasion?"
"Just to thank Jessie for lunch, yesterday," Carol said, not disclosing the truth, Rick also having told her about what had transpired between him and Jessie after the lunch. The flowers and the casserole were a way of apologizing, Carol thinking it wise to try and pour oil onto troubled waters - for the time being anyways. Trouble was coming regardless, but it would be only to their advantage, not the Alexandrians.
"Have any of you seen Sasha?" Maggie then asked, making Rick and Carol shake their heads.
"I was just going to ask the same thing," Michonne said from the doorway, something in her face making Rick frown.
"Why?" he said, instantly on the alert, shifting Judith to his other arm.
"I'm just worried about Sasha's state of mind," Michonne said uneasily, coming over, smoothing back Judith's downy hair with a maternal hand, "she's acting erratically – you saw her that day back at the bridge – she went apeshit."
"I know," Rick said, exhaling sharply, "just – just keep an eye on her, then, yeah?"
Michonne nodded, before eying the bouquet and casserole, raising her eyebrows in silent question.
"For Jessie," Carol reiterated, "as a thank you for lunch yesterday."
"Still no signs of these jobs," Michonne then said, sitting down on the sofa, casting her eye around for Carl. "Where's the boy?" she asked, pulling out a can of Crazy Cheese, the sight making Rick do a double-take.
"He's gone out," Rick said, "and where the hell did you get that?" He jerked his head at the Crazy Cheese, remembering Carl's impromptu impersonation of Michonne consuming it, uncannily reminding him of a Walker eating entrails.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Michonne said coolly, before spraying it into her mouth, much to Judith's wide-eyed interest.
"I was wondering what the score was with these jobs as well," Carol said, patting her hair into place, "Deanna's up to something, methinks."
"Obviously," Rick said scornfully, making Maggie glance at him, "she's got us under observation, watchin' our every move. She needs us for somethin' – why else is she sendin' out scouts to bring people back? If she's gonna make Wonderland work, she needs muscle, people who have been out there, who know what it's like" -
- "Okay, we get the point," Michonne said through a mouthful of Crazy Cheese, "don't make me come over there and knock you out with this can."
Rick rolled his eyes, Carol clipping him round the back of the head. "C'mon, kid," she said, bustling him through the door, "time to make tracks." They went out onto the porch, Daryl glancing up from where he was wrestling with his crossbow, eyes scrunching up at the sight of Carol's suddenly preppy dress-sense.
"You look ridiculous," he said, eyeing her snazzy jumper and smart grey slacks with disdain.
"Have you taken a shower yet, muffin?" Carol said, tilting her head to the side.
"Mmm," Daryl said noncommittally, returning his attention back to the crossbow, reminding Rick of a little boy trying to avoid a bath.
Carol narrowed her eyes. "Take a shower and I'll wash that vest," she said abruptly, "we need to keep up appearances, even you."
Daryl just grunted, Carol rolling her eyes, before setting off down the porch steps, Rick trailing after her, carrying Judith and the bouquet.
"I was becoming rather fond of that casserole dish he broke," Carol said more to herself than Rick, "but what else can I expect? The man wouldn't know good crockery if it did a strip-tease in front of him."
"He wrecked Jessie's best carpet," Rick reminded her, casually glancing around him, pretending not to be looking for Alexis.
"Talking of strip-teases, I missed Abraham's rendition," Carol said, "was it any good?"
"Why, thinkin' of stealin' him from Rosita?"
"No, but I've heard it was show-stopping," Carol said, "it's all Olivia and the others can talk about."
"You makin' friends, then?" Rick asked, both of them knowing what he really meant by that.
"The biggest bunch of prattling mortals I ever had the misfortune to come across," Carol said smartly, craning her neck, "but that will play to our advantage."
Rick nodded, jaw tightening. "What's on your schedule today?" he said quietly, slowing down at seeing Jessie and her youngest son on the porch up ahead.
"Cooking for the older people," Carol said, forcing a smile onto her face as she waved at Jessie, who came down the porch steps towards them, her son running back into the house, "moms that need a break, people that can't cook and - oh, I love your shirt!" she gushed, enclosing Jessie in a one-armed embrace. "The colour goes so well with your eyes!"
Rick watched the pantomime play out, having to concede that Carol played her part very well. Without words, they'd reached the understanding she would be their eyes in Alexandria, acting the den mother, oh so harmless and homely, the type of woman who took pride in having a homecooked meal on the table for her husband when he came home from work.
"Rick," Jessie said shortly, folding her arms across her chest, the sun glinting off her gold hair as she stood on the sidewalk in front of him, Carol glancing at them over her shoulder as she went into the house, taking the casserole into the kitchen.
"I owe you an apology," he said abruptly, holding out the flowers to her, "for everythin' – and for your carpet as well."
Jessie hesitated, before taking the flowers. "It's... okay," she said, avoiding his eyes, "and – and for what it's worth, I'm sorry too. I... I said some harsh things, true but harsh."
Rick nodded, before exhaling sharply. "The situation with Pete" - he began, only for Jessie half turn away from him, not wanting to have this conversation.
"Look, you seem like a decent guy, Rick," Jessie said, struggling to keep her temper under control, "and I know you're a friend of Alex's, but my marriage is none of your business. Me and Pete have been talking and... and I have it under control." She looked at him, almost daring him to contradict her, but Rick schooled his face into blank lines, hiding his bitter amusement at her delusions.
"Good," he said, "glad to hear it." Jessie nodded, before turning and heading back into the house, Rick standing there, watching her go, his mouth curling downwards.
If I only knew the answer
And if all our days are numbered
Then why do I keep counting...