This will be a longer story than my other two. I'm very excited for it and I hope you'll enjoy it.
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Rick knows for a fact that he's older than just about every person waiting with him by a clear decade - if not more. The waiting room of Turner & Ezekiel Associates was entirely too serious and chic at the same time.
He smoothed down the flannel under his sports coat. With dark blue jeans and a tie that Carl gave him a few years ago for Father's Day - he felt wildly underdressed. All the Millenials in his presence were seemingly dressed for a fashion show. He was impressed at how many young folks were seemingly qualified security specialists.
He scratched his freshly shaved chin and checked his watch. He was expecting to go in for an interview anywhere between 11am to 1pm. He had to pick Carl up at 3:30, it was now 2:00 pm and he had to get back to King's Head from Atlanta.
He checked his watch one more time and stood up.
"A mister...Rick Grimes?" A blonde woman called from the large door of the office.
He stood up quickly, "Present!" he said then openly cringed at his own joke.
The blonde woman didn't seem to feel the same way, "Right this way!" she said after giggling.
He followed her into the kind of offices you see in movies. Large, floor to ceiling windows overlooking the financial district of Atlanta.
The sound of furious typing came from the long table in the center of the room.
"Please, sit down." The voice behind the large Apple desktop said softly yet distractedly.
Rick sat down on a low mid-century modern chair, fully unnerved by his faceless interviewer.
"Your resume please," the soft voice asked, a manicured hand reached out for it absentmindedly. An expensive bracelet hung from her delicate wrist.
She placed it down as quickly as she received it and continued to type.
Rick folded and unfolded his hands. He checked his watch again - he had to get on the road soon.
He cleared his throat as a hint to no avail; the clicking of the keyboard didn't cease.
"I'm sorry to interrupt," He stated quietly, the office felt like a mausoleum, his voice bounced off the large windows, "You seem very busy. But I do need to pick my son up from school."
The typing stopped abruptly.
The prettiest big eyes and highest cheekbones he'd ever seen in his life regarded him from the right side of the desktop monitor.
Rick blinked a few times and smoothed out his tie. He opened his mouth, then closed it. He was speechless.
"Excuse me?" She said, rolling her desk chair to the side so her body wasn't covered by her desk and monitor. Her white dress hugged her delicate curves elegantly.
"Ma'am-" Rick's southern drawl wrapped it's way nervously around the words.
"It's Michonne," she said matter-of-factly and crossed her arms and reclined back with her eyebrow arched.
"Mrs. Michonne-" he began.
"It's Miss," Michonne said tartly.
Rick nodded his head quickly, nervously, "Ma'am, I mean Miss, I beg your pardon. I'm a dad, my son Carl, he's getting out of soccer practice in an hour and I have to drive out of the city. And this Atlanta traffic. Well, you know."
"Why did you double book this interview?" Michonne asked evenly.
"The email said I would be interviewed at 11 am. It's nearly 2:30pm."
Michonne looked at the clock then back into his blue eyes.
"Then go," she said simply.
Rick's eyebrows knitted in confusion, "I didn't mean any offense."
Michonne wheeled back to her original spot behind the monitor and started typing again.
Rick was speechless at the silence.
He shook his head, stood up, and walked towards the large door he came in minutes earlier.
Before pulling the door handle he turned around, "I'm always going to be a father first. But that doesn't mean I can't do this job better than any of the kids you have out there."
The sound of typing was Michonne's only reply.
He doesn't even try to conceal a dejected sigh, "Well, have someone check into getting cameras near the hallway elevator. That's your blind spot. Have a good day ma'am."
Michonne didn't stop typing until he's cleared the door. She leaned her elbows on the table and let out a deep sigh.
Interviewing a new head of security was one of the many stipulations for this new case she was pursuing. She was on week two of this interview process while still taking on cases - She felt like pulling her locs out.
She looked down at the resume she grabbed a few minutes prior without looking.
Richard Grimes, King's County Chief Homicide Detective
Her eyes scanned down the resume. Graduated top of the academy, impressive start in narcotics before being promoted to chief homicide detective. Moonlights as a pro bono PI to find missing people.
I'm always going to be a father first.
She leaned back in her chair then picked up her phone and called Jessie at the front desk, "Hi Jessie. Can you cancel the rest of my interviews for today? And call the front desk, I need to see their camera footage"
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Be easy on Michonne, she'll warm up eventually. Reviews are always appreciated x
