Garland closes the file folder and hands it to Carol on the opposite side of his desk in the office. "I just need you to double check my numbers."

Carol flicks it open and is beginning to run down the information when there's a knock on the closed door.

"Enter!" Garland calls.

Cyndie walks in, and Garland smiles and stands. "The boat's arrived?"

"Well, I didn't levitate," she tells him.

He walks around the desk and begins to extend his hand, but Cyndie goes in for a hug instead. Garland receives it awkwardly and pulls back quickly.

"Are we still on for that business dinner?" Cyndie asks. "At the tavern?"

"Uh…as I said in my letter, you're welcome to our cabin for dinner. My beautiful wife is a fantastic cook."

"Is it going to be hard to go over things with the kids around?" Cyndie asks.

"We'll kick them out onto the back porch. The weather's not so cold anymore, and I've screened it in. It's their playroom now. Besides, I'd like my wife to be there. She's not on the council anymore, but she's had some insights."

"Okay, then. Whatever works best for you." She glances at Carol and smiles. "You have a letter from Henry. Do you want the news now, or do you want to wait until you read it yourself?"

Carol stands up hastily and shoves the file folder in her satchel. "I want it from his mouth. Do you have it?"

"Michonne has all your and Daryl's letters. She went to your cabin looking for you."

"Michonne came?"

Cyndie nods. "And Raul and Enid, because I guess they're staying here for the next four months and then back to the Hilltop. So there will be a space on the speedboat for you to come back with us. I'm assuming you want to."

"Can we bring the boat back to Jamestown in a week for another mail run?" Carol asks. "I don't want to leave Sweetheart for two full weeks." Or Daryl for that matter. They could probably both go on the speedboat, with Sweetheart jammed between them, but Daryl's been eager to hunt lately. Things are just coming out of hibernation and hiding. And she's not sure about taking a restless, climbing toddler on a fast-moving speedboat.

Cyndie nods. "We can do that this one time." She smirks lightly at Garland. "It pays not to have to run every decision by a council."

Garland shrugs. "I still like our system better. Yours relies a bit too much on the tyrant being benign. Who else was on the boat?"

"Melissa, to see Seaman Reedus again. And Aaron, to see Mitch."

Garland raises an eyebrow. "Well, I hope Hilltop doesn't pilfer my second best hunter."

"Aaron's at Alexandria," Cyndie reminds him.

"Oh, yes, that's right. I get it all mixed up sometimes."

"In your defense," Carol says, "he used to be in the triumvirate at the Hilltop." She slings her satchel on her shoulder. "I'll check those numbers later at home."

"Yes, of course. Go see your friend and get your letter from your son."

Carol hastens from the office, leaving Cyndie and Garland talking.

[*]

Carol's halfway up the path toward the old fort when she spies Michonne, leaned back against the fence that cordons in the grazing cows, talking to Lieutenant Commander Alvarado. She slows her pace considerably to give them time to finish up their conversation in privacy. By the time she gets there, Alvarado is leaving. He murmurs a hello to Carol and walks on down the path toward the ships, one of which is getting ready to set sail for the first afternoon of fishing since the thaw.

"It's good to see you," she tells Michonne.

"I have letters for you."

"I know. Come on to my cabin. I'll make us tea."

They fall in step beside each other, Michonne with a hand resting casually on the hilt of her knife at her slender hip. Carol glances back at Alvarado. "So…" she says as she looks forward again. "How'd that conversation go?"

"Oh, he broke up with me back at the end of December. By letter. So no surprising news there. I mean, other than the news that Connie has moved in with him. I didn't expect it to move quite that fast. Though I guess two months is a long time in this world. It moved faster than that for me and Rick. I think we kissed and then the next day we were sharing a room."

"You're not upset?" Carol asks.

Michonne shrugs. "I gave him every reason to move on. I'm glad he's happy, but I did want to pave things over. He was a little bitter in his letter, and I'd like to stay friends. RJ's asked about him. Twice. He wants him to do the three-legged sack race with him at the next fair."

"And did Carlos say yes?" Carol asks.

"He said he'd ask Connie how she felt about it."

Carol laughs. "That's not something Connie's going to say no to. Why would she?"

Michonne shrugs. "I think he's just trying to show her he respects any concerns she might have about our past…dalliance."

They turn into the entrance of the old fort, passing through the worn, faded, original wood of the parted fence line. "So are you looking for a new dalliance?"

"Not this trip. Could I crash on your couch? We're staying two nights, I'm told, before the boat goes back."

Carol sighs. Two nights? She has to wait another two nights to see her grandbaby?

"Hey I can find another place to – "

"- No, of course you can stay with us. I just…I had hoped to get to Henry tomorrow."

"Ah." Michonne slides the tan pack on her shoulder forward and pats the outer pocket. "I can't wait to watch you read it."

"You already know, don't you?" Carol asks.

"I've already seen."

Carol frowns. "That feels unfair."

Michonne chuckles. "So," she asks after a few steps in silence, "what are the odds Rosita's coming back to Alexandria with me?"

"Zero. She became a citizen at the end of last month. And she married Earl. And she adopted Benji."

Michonne abruptly stops walking. "What?"

"This is what happens when we can't communicate for two and a half months."

"And I didn't get to go to the wedding?"

"They had it in the Tavern. Garland was best man for Earl. I was maid of honor for Rosita, because she knows me best of anyone in Jamestown." Carol laughs. "I never got to be a bridesmaid in my entire life in the Old World, and I've played maid of honor twice now in the past four months."

"She couldn't wait until I could come?" They start walking again. "Is she pregnant?"

"No, she's not pregnant. I don't think. I saw her drinking a week ago."

"Well, I guess Heath is no longer a temporary council member. Of course, we have elections again in May." Michonne shakes her head. "I was afraid this might happen, but I thought maybe we'd get Earl instead. Rosita kept saying there was no way she was leaving the luxury of Alexandria for a colonial town. I guess she really loves him?"

"I think she does. I think she has for a while. I think she just had some…trust issues. From Abraham. But so did Earl, from Ana. It seems they helped each other over them."

"It seems so. How was the bachelorette party?"

"She didn't have one. Maybe we can have a belated one tonight."

"Now you're talking!"

Carol stops at the door to the cabin, undoes the outer latch – which is more to keep it from swinging open a crack than to lock anyone out, because there's no key, just a click and a turn – and seizes the antler handle to pull it open.

The cabin's empty. Sweetheart is at the daycare – Carol already prepaid for two hours, and Daryl is supposed to get her when he comes back from hunting. She makes her way to the wooden stove and lights it, and then she puts the kettle on. Meanwhile, Michonne swings her knapsack onto the little kitchen table and pulls out a bundle of letters. She unties the brown twine that binds them, flips through, and hands Carol the one from Henry.

Carol tears it open eagerly.

[*]

March 14, 10 NE

Dear Mom,

Ezekiel Benjamin Walker was born on February 13. We weighed him in the food scale. Seven pounds nine ounces. He's 18 inches long, which I guess is kind of short but still normal. He's got white hair. Rachel says its blond. Looks white to me. I guess that was the color of my hair when I was little, but it changed by the time you met me. His eyes are blue, but Rachel says they may not stay blue. Anyway, the doc says he's healthy. I'm tired. Really tired.

You'll come to Oceanside on the speedboat that brings you this letter, won't you? You can stay at Cyndie's cabin if you don't want to listen to the baby crying half the night. Or you can stay on the couch and maybe do one of his feedings and let us sleep? Please? Rachel has a manual pump.

Love,

Henry