"How far should a person go in the name of true love?"
― Nicholas Sparks, The Choice

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Rick was preparing breakfast for Michonne who was sitting at the kitchen counter watching her shirtless Adonis pamper her with a fruit bowl and a vegetable omelet. Michonne just loved a shirtless Rick in her kitchen.

"I've cut your fruit just the way you like it."

"Thanks Bae."

"What?"

"What?"

"What did you say?"

"Thanks?"

"Thanks what?"

"Thanks Bae?"

Rick set her plate on the counter in front of her. "Yeah that. Bae."

"You want me to say Babe? Or do you prefer Baby?" Michonne put her fork down on to her plate.

"No. I like how Bae sound." Rick couldn't help the heat rising to his cheeks. "I've never had a pet name or a term of endearment other than by old ladies. I've always been 'Hey Rick'. Rick. Just Rick."

"No Honey? Sweetheart? Lover?" Rick shook his head embarassed that a term of endearment would mean so much to him. "Well, you are my Bae." She stood up from the bar stool and took two steps to be near him. To touch his face like she did at Andrea's house at the dinner table when she was admiring his clean shaven face. This touch was even more different. This touch fed not only his ego but his heart as she gazed in to his eyes and claimed him. "You are my Bae."

His lips was mere inches from kissing her, "Say it again." He commanded.

"You are my Bae." They began to kiss and soon they became so lost in each other they forgot where they were. He had her pressed up against the counter ready to have his way. She was warm and yielding. She was not denying him. Rick loved the fact that she was always ready and she wanted him just as much as he wanted her. She was like air to him. He needed her.

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"Rick said he didn't want to work on the marriage."

"Is that what you heard or what he actually said?"

"He wants to divorce."

"Did he say why?"

"Yes."

"What did he say?"

"He said he is in love with someone else."

"He said this. To you?"

"I heard him in the kitchen with his Dad. He told his Dad that he is in love with someone else."

"So this was a conversation that you over heard?"

Lori nodded.

"How did it make you feel knowing that he could be open to his father or someone outside of the marriage but not to you?"

Lori was silent. She contemplated the question but she could not formulate a response.

Deanna began again, "Let's start over. You heard a possible truth being told why do you think it has not been told to you?"

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"Son, you are a grown man. I can't force you to stay with your wife but your mother, God bless her soul, wanted me to attempt to have a conversation with you in hopes that I would have some type of influence."

"I understand Dad."

"When do you plan to tell Lori?"

"I was going to tell her today. Now. I want to move on but I don't want to hurt her more than I already have."

"If you don't plan to stop seeing the other lady than you need to tell her now and you need to be there for your kids to deal with this."

"Carl wants to come with me."

"What? He knows?"

Rick couldn't respond because the flashes of what happened less than 24 hours ago with his son discovering his infidelity made his neck and cheeks flush.

"Jesus Christ son! What the Sam hell biscuit!? You think Lori won't fight you over all of this? I would damn well be surprised if she don't."

Lori's heart was racing and she felt her body go cold. She couldn't believe her ears as her tears began to fall yet again. She grabbed her purse and slipped on her shoes and went out the front door. She was already down the driveway by the time Rick and her father in law opened the front door.

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Rick went to the hospital parking lot where he found a pacing Shane. He wanted to make things right and he had Michonne pushing him to smooth things over with Shane.

Shane noticed Rick walking up.

"You know I got a lot of shit in my head right now. When were you going to tell me about you and Michonne? Why did I have to hear about it from Lori who made a big ass scene at Daryls cook-out? I was embarassed for you. At least you could have prepared me for that shit."

"It just happened."

"Shit like that don't just happen. Try again."

"I love her. I'm in love with her. I love Michonne and I won't apologize for it."

"Not Jessie?" Shane was in total disbelief.

"What is it with you wanting me with Jessie? I don't want Jessie." Rick was exasperated.

"I know that now." Shane chuckled and stopped pacing to look at his friend. His best friend. "What are you going to do?"

"Trying to figure out how to tell Lori."

"What do you mean? She already knows you and Michonne messing around."

"She took off while I was talking to my Dad. I didn't get a chance to discuss ending it and I had to get over here to make sure if Michonne was ready-"

"You're pussy whipped already? What the hell? You don't go look for your damn wife? You shitting me right now. Right?"

Rick was silent.

"You drove the other woman's car to your wife's house? Rick. Are you on a suicide mission? That must be some damn good sex where you leave common sense in the drawer at work."

In the hospital waiting room Michonne sat next to Maggie waiting to hear that their friend was going to be okay.

"Do you want to tell me about you and Rick?

"This is about Sasha."

"I know but he's here, why?"

"He is friends with Daryl you know."

"I know. It is late. He has a wife and kids."

"What do you want to know Maggie?" Michonne patience was running thin.

"Are you sure?"

Michone was about to stand but sat back down when Maggie mentioned Negan.

"The reason I am asking is because I ran into Negan. He's in Atlanta. He came to the firm asking for you."

"Negan?"

"Yeah. Terry told him that you are out indefinitely. I suppose it was Mike who informed him."

"I wonder how that conversation went."

Maggie was truly concerned about Michonne and her wellbeing. "I just know how you felt about him before you married Mike. I just hate for a certain Sheriff to lose his family for nothing.

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"I drove a way. I drove far away." Lori's attention was out the window and on the vibrant garden.

Deanna closed her notebook, "Why would you run? Why do you think distance would help?"

"I needed time."

That was the only response that Lori would divulge to Deanna. She knew she could not tell her that she sat in her car for hours in front of a lake. How she wanted to put the car in drive and go right into the murky water. To sink to the bottom.