Richonne (Short Love Stories) How Many Drinks Part III (Chapter 6)
The next morning, Michonne is at Andrea's door, waiting patiently to be let in. She made an effort to connect with her friend via text after she left the club with Rick, letting her know she'd be at her place with breakfast bright and early. She is relieved when the door opens to reveal a sleepy and grumpy looking Andrea. She steps in and closes the door behind her.
"Sasha's on her way with coffee. Are you ok?" Michonne inquires.
"Yes and no. Tell Rick I'm sorry for giving him a hard time, I…" she stops as Michonne interrupts.
"You're going to tell him yourself," she states.
Andrea groans as she recognizes the tenacity in Michonne's voice. There's no arguing with her now.
"So, why didn't you tell me about Shane?" Michonne wants to know just as the doorbell chimes.
Andrea pops up quickly, anything to avoid a talk about Shane however inevitable. She allows Sasha in, grabbing one of the coffees as she passes by.
Michonne and Sasha greet each other, exchanging cups and pastries as the three of them get settled in the living room for a talk. It doesn't take long for the three of them to conclude that Shane is an asshole and Andrea is better off without him.
"Rick thinks you should give him a taste of his own medicine, but I say forget about him and move on," Michonne tells her.
"Yeah, it's not like you don't have options, Andrea," Sasha chimes in.
Andrea contemplates their advice and vows to herself to try and forget about Shane.
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Another week has passed and Rick and Michonne are attending an art showing at a local gallery. He surprised her with the tickets a couple of days ago, reminding her that she used to attend shows all the time and he wanted to share the experience with her.
Michonne found it endearing and she truly has a love for art. It was something she had in common with Mike, thus the reason she hadn't attended a show in a while. She is admiring a beautiful piece by a familiar local artist when she hears a deep yet soft, "Hello." She turns to come face to face with her ex-boyfriend, Mike. You have got to be kidding me. I haven't seen this man in over a year and he's here…tonight. Great.
"Hello. How are you?" She greets.
"Fine. I see you're still as gorgeous as ever," he returns with a smile.
"Thank you. Enjoying the show?" She asks.
"As a matter of fact, I am. Jonathan, you remember him, don't you? He actually sold a couple of paintings tonight," he informs her.
She gives him a genuine smile. "Yes, Jonathan Snyder, I remember him. I saw his name on the roster. That's great."
Rick returns at that moment, offering her a flute of champagne as he nods at Mike.
Michonne accepts the champagne with a quiet thank you. "Rick, this is Mike. Mike, this is my boyfriend, Rick." She watches with interest as Mike's eyes pop just slightly. He recovers quickly and offers Rick a handshake.
Rick obliges him. "Nice to meet you. So, you enjoying the show?"
"Yeah, I was just telling Michonne that a friend of mine sold a couple of pieces tonight," Mike informs him.
"That's great," Rick states.
"Well, I'd better be going. It was great to see you again, Michonne," Mike looks to her with a smile, then turns to Rick. "She's a good one. I wouldn't let her get away if I were you."
"Thanks," Rick voices with some hesitancy. He watches as Mike walks away, then turns to Michonne with a smirk. "So, was that ex-boyfriend Mike and did he just give me advice about you?"
She scoffs as she takes his hand, leading him to peruse some of the other art pieces. "Come on, I want to show you something."
Rick is impressed by how knowledgeable and detailed Michonne is when it comes to art. He relishes in seeing the way she enjoys and appreciates the art. Some of the displays he doesn't understand at all, but she informs him that is part of the beauty of the creation….the complexity. He is just happy to be sharing something with her that she has such a love for.
Later that night, after a hot and heavy love session, they are wrapped in each other's arms, exhausted and welcoming the relaxation that slumber will bring.
"Can I ask you something?" Rick inquires.
Michonne gets even more comfortable, resting her head in the crook of his arm. "Shoot."
"Do you still have feelings for Mike?"
She lifts her head to look at him. "No. It took me a while to get over him, but I did…eventually."
"How did you feel about seeing him tonight?"
Michonne runs her fingers over Rick's chest, fingering the sparse hair. "Honestly, I panicked at first because I just wasn't expecting him to be there. I was a little nervous, but then you came walking up with that smile of yours and you made it all ok. I have you now so I don't have to worry about what happened in the past."
"You have me now, huh? So, does that mean you want to keep me?" He asks with a silly smile.
She kisses his chest softly. "Of course I want to keep you. Don't ever doubt that."
Rick cups her face with his hands, searching her eyes, his heart pounding loudly. "You know I'm in love with you, right?"
Michonne gasps, her stomach mimicking the same flips she felt when she first laid eyes on him. She places a hand over one of his, recognizing the sincerity in his voice, in his eyes. She kisses him ever so lightly on the lips, pulling back to seek his eyes again. "I'm in love with you, too."
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The small get together is in full swing at Michonne's apartment. She is hosting a dinner party in honor of Rick landing another coveted contract with a housing development. His business is growing steadily and Michonne is very proud of him. Everyone is already in attendance, except for Shane. He has to make an entrance every time. She is in the kitchen with Sasha and Andrea, preparing to serve dinner.
"So, who is Mr. Blake again?" Andrea asks curiously.
"He owns the housing development company that Rick landed his first contract with. He was also essential in helping to land the other contract with Hershel Greene. And why are you asking about Mr. Blake?" Michonne smiles at her.
"Just curious," Andrea returns.
"Yeah, right," Sasha pipes in.
The doorbell chimes and seconds later, they hear Shane's booming voice as he moves through the apartment, coming their way. He greets the ladies with a smile, giving Michonne a hug. "Don't say it. I know I'm late, but I bought you the most expensive bottle of wine they had plus I brought flowers. Now, ain't you proud of me?"
"Thank you, Shane. You're forgiven. I won't let you go hungry tonight," Michonne says.
He nods as he looks over at Andrea.
She smiles nicely at him. "How've you been?"
"Fine. You?" Shane returns.
"I'm doing great," Andrea states.
Everyone enjoyed the dinner and they are now milling around, branching off into groups and couples, discussing interests, politics, and whatever comes up.
Rick is talking with Michonne, thanking her for a nice get together. She is about to respond when Shane walks over.
He looks over at Andrea who is conversing with Phillip Blake. "So, who is this dude?"
Rick and Michonne smile at each other knowingly as Rick answers, "Phillip Blake. I told you about him. He has the housing development company, remember?"
The two of them walk off and Michonne looks around to see who she can have a conversation with. She is pleasantly surprised to see Sasha seated on the couch, engrossed in whatever Daryl Dixon is talking about. Interesting.
Later that night, the dinner ends promptly at 10. Rick and Michonne thank their guests, attempting to get rid of their friends as well, but they insist on helping with the clean-up. It is so obvious that Daryl and Shane are hanging around because Sasha and Andrea are still there. The kitchen, dining, and living areas are spotless within a minimum amount of time with everyone's help.
"I told you guys you didn't have to stay. Rick and I would've done all this tomorrow, but thanks for the help. You know I always appreciate you," Michonne tells them.
"No problem. Thanks for inviting me," Daryl says. "I'll walk you to your car if you're ready, Sasha."
"Yeah, woman. Let me get you safely to your car. Come on," Shane jokes with Andrea.
Rick and Michonne bid their friends good night and as soon as the door is closed, they both start laughing.
"Oh my goodness. Shane was so jealous of Phillip," Michonne laughs.
"I told you all he needed was a taste of his own medicine. I knew as soon as someone else showed interest in Andrea, he'd take a second look," Rick responds.
"I don't know how I feel about this yet, but it sure was entertaining. Did you see Daryl and Sasha? I never would have put those two together," she says.
So, does that mean you never would've put us together either?" He inquires.
"Are you trying to ask me if I have dated a white guy before? The answer is no, but I have thought about it," she answers. "Have you dated a black woman before?"
"No. Guess I never really thought about it, but when I saw you that night, I just had to get to know you," he tells her.
"You got to know me all right," Michonne laughs. "I mostly remember locking eyes with you. You didn't look away, so I didn't look away, then you started walking towards me and it was all over then, especially when you started talking." She tries to mimic Rick's deep southern drawl. "Hi. I'm Rick. Can I buy you a drink?"
Rick laughs loudly. "Is that how I sound? Really?"
"As far as I could tell with all that bumping music," she remembers. "We got in a little conversation. What was it? Atlanta infrastructure and construction….things I had little to no interest in, but it was flowing so I went with it."
"Then it was 80's music because you commented on the rap song that was playing at the time and how 80's music was the best."
"It still is," she reiterates. "You may not think so, but I love it. You know what else I remember about that night?"
"Hmmm?" Rick pulls her into his arms, nuzzling her neck.
"The first time you touched me. We were practically shouting at each other over the music, so you suggested we move to the back of the club. When you put your hand on my back, I almost jumped out of my skin."
They both move to the couch where he lays back with one foot on the floor as she lounges against him, her back to his chest with his arms wrapped around her. They continue to reminisce about the night they met, their first touch, their first kiss, the first time they made love. All that talk only stirs up their passion for one another and they end up making love right there on the couch.
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Several weeks have passed and the couple has just come back from a business trip that Michonne had to take to Canada. She convinced Rick to accompany her and they made a mini vacation out of it. She is extremely busy in the office and only notices the time when her assistant walks in to inquire about lunch.
"Oh, thanks for offering, Jeanette, but I'm not hungry right now. I'll see you in an hour or so. Have a good lunch," Michonne suggests.
As Jeanette exits her office, she decides to reach out to Rick. They haven't talked since they parted ways earlier that morning and he has usually called or texted her by now. She dials his cell number and after a few rings, his voice mail picks up. She leaves him a brief message and continues to read over some documents. Two hours pass before she realizes that Rick hasn't returned her call or texted her. She grows a little concerned but acknowledges that he's just busy today.
The time is now 3:40 pm and Michonne is about to call Rick again, her concern a little more evident now. She picks up the phone only to put it back down when he comes waltzing through her door, a bouquet of lavender and red roses in his hand. She is so relieved to see him that she immediately forgets her anxiety as she stands behind her desk, greeting him.
He walks over to her and gives her a sound kiss as he hands her the bouquet.
She accepts with a smile and a thank you. "You had me worried there for a minute. I've been calling and texting you and you didn't answer me. I thought something might be wrong."
"No, I just had to take care of something. Sorry. I didn't mean to worry you," he apologizes.
"It's ok. I just missed talking to you. I'm glad you came to see me," she tells him. Rick doesn't respond and Michonne notices that he seems extremely distracted.
She giggles as Rick drops down to a knee in front of her. She tosses the bouquet on her desk, then plops down in her chair, spreading her legs and pulling Rick in between them. "Oh, I always had a fantasy about getting busy at work, but I don't think that's a good idea, babe."
Rick laughs as he drops his head to her chest, breathing heavily.
Michonne cups his face with her hands, lifting his eyes to hers. "Rick, are you ok? You're sweating."
He brings a hand up to wipe the sweat from his brow. "Yeah, I'm a little nervous right now. You see, I went to Columbus today. That's where I've been."
"Columbus. For what?" She asks.
"I went to see your parents. I needed their permission for something," he replies.
Michonne scoffs. "Permission for what?"
"To ask for your hand in marriage," Rick states.
Her mouth drops open completely and her hands drop to her lap as Rick produces a tiny, square black velvet box and opens it to reveal a sterling silver princess cut diamond engagement ring.
"Will you marry me?"
She is practically speechless as the tears start to stream down her face. She brings a hand up to cover her mouth as she has the sudden urge to scream.
"Baby?" Rick watches her closely, lifting his hand to wipe her tears.
Michonne throws her arms around his neck, hugging him fiercely. Her breath hitches as she whispers in his ear, "Yes."
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Epilogue
Five years later, Rick and Michonne are happily married with three children Carl, Andre, and Judith. They reside in Senoia where Michonne owns a private practice. Rick's security business is still thriving although Daryl manages it with little input. Shane is partnering with them now as he has given up the night club and will manage a second location on the outskirts of Atlanta. He is in a long term relationship with Andrea. As for Sasha, she has been Mrs. Daryl Dixon for approximately 3 months.