Chapter 3

Rick was watching Lori from the kitchen window as she chats excitedly on her phone in the garden when he heard the front door opened. He walked into the living room and saw that it was Maggie and Beth. He greeted them. Maggie saw the look on his face.

"What's wrong?! Is it dad?!"

Rick opened his mouth to speak but no words came out and it sent both Beth and Maggie into a panic as they began calling out to their parents name loudly.

"Mom!"

"Dad!"

"They're fine." Rick managed to croak out to the brief relieve of both sisters but the mood on his face still hadn't changed.

"So what is it Rick?! You're scaring us."

A sound of a door closed behind Rick and they looked in that direction.

"Mom?" Maggie called out. Rick saw when his sister's eyes widen and Maggie glared at Rick briefly before looking back at the woman standing confidently behind him.

"No Maggie. It's me…Lori."

Beth looked at Rick very confused and realized that Rick looked as confused and lost even more than her. The history with these two goes all the way back to high school with most of the heartache being suffered by her brother. She didn't like what Lori turns her brother into whenever she's around…none of them did but at the end of the day…Lori was Rick's choice. No matter what she did, he always chose her but she was praying in her heart their last break-up was for good.

Maggie scowled at Lori as she walked up and stood next to Rick putting her arms around him. Both ladies stared at each other for a minute and Beth stood by looking on.

"What are you doing here Lori?" Maggie asked tightly.

"I saw what happened on the news. I was worried about Rick and I came to check up on him."

"Well as you can see Rick is alive and well and has the love and support of all the people he needs around him…his friends and family. So there is no need for you to stick around."

"I'm family too…besides I don't see Rick complaining."

Lori moved closer to Rick which irked Maggie as she knew it would.

"My brother is a politician in training so he has to be polite...politically correct. I don't."

It is a known fact in the family that Maggie and Lori have always despised each other and they will have to hash-out their dislike for the other as grown women. The one time Rick did intervene, he received a severe tongue lashing from his father who told him to always let ladies deal with their matters themselves. Rick looked at both Maggie and Lori and excused himself. Beth followed him out.

"Look Maggie, Rick and my relationship is complicated. You know that. I admit we still have some things to work out and I am sure with time we will get it right. Hopefully we will make a more solid commitment to each other…in the near future perhaps."

"A more solid commitment?" Maggie chuckled sarcastically. "Oh…I get it now. You want to be the future Mrs Rick Grimes and mayor's wife? After everything that you did, you still think that's possible? That we will welcome you with open arms after breaking Rick's heart so many times?"

Lori's back stiffened at Maggie's tone.

"Rick and I were always going to get married! Everyone knows that. Everyone expected that since high school."

"Yes Lori but not everyone WANTS that. That's the big difference." Lori took a step forward to Maggie, invading her personal space and Maggie balled up her right fist ready to punch her lights out.

"Rick loves me Maggie. That's something you have never understood or accept and quite frankly I…don't…care. He loves ME! So no amount of complaining by you or anyone else will change that!"

Maggie smiled at her which took Lori slightly off guard.

"The only reason why you have this hold over my brother is because he hasn't met a real woman…someone who has morals, character, self-value and self-worth and is accomplished in her own right. Someone who doesn't need a man in power and position to have an identity. Rick fell for you hard in high school and he has never allowed himself to see what else is out there. I watched for years as you strung him along. You had a hold over him, something which for the life of me couldn't understand and you used it to make Rick your puppet. When Rick announced his candidacy for mayor all that is going to change. You never had completion in high school for Rick's affection but you will now. He will be moving in circles you could only dream of and meeting women of all kinds of calibre…other mayors, good will ambassadors, senators, ministers etc. I don't doubt my brother loves you Lori but he will finally realize that he doesn't have to settle...which we all know he is doing. He will have choices…choices from real women…accomplished women…women who have similar goals and ideals like him, women who have no desire to be trophy wives but actually want to make a difference in the world."

Maggie grinned and took great delight in seeing the colour drain from Lori's face as the prospects of her dream life seems to be fading fast away from her.

"You are only here and we only tolerate you because of Rick, nothing more."

She laughed at Lori.

"Good luck with getting that ring." Maggie spun on her heel and walked out.~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Michonne saw the text message on her phone. The Senator will be resuming his campaign and they are required to back out on duty soon. She slept most of the day, trying to block out the events that transpired during the divorce hearing three days ago. Andrea has been keeping her regularly informed as she and Jeremy's lawyer Mr Daniels hammer out an agreement.

She heard a car pull up in her driveway the same time a text message came through on her phone. It was from Andrea.

"Open the door. I'm outside."

Michonne pulled on some slacks and a vest and walked downstairs. She opened the door and Andrea walked in followed by Tyrese. She saw the look on their faces.

"Andrea?"

Andrea looked at Tyrese who gave Michonne a brown envelope.

"Open it."

"What is it?"

"Just open it!" Andrea said irritably.

"Babe!" Tyrese said as he placed his hand on her shoulder, pulling her close to him. "Calm down."

Michonne slowly opened the envelope and the first picture that greeted her was one of Jeremy at a park. She looked at Tyrese and then at Andrea bewildered.

"You had Jeremy followed?"

"Look at the other pictures Michonne."

She went through them one by one. From the pictures, she could tell that it was a play park for children and Jeremy was in some of them. However, it was the seventh picture that stopped Michonne's heart completely. There it was, Jeremy sitting on one of the park benches with a heavily pregnant woman feeding him what appears to be ice-cream. A young child was sitting between them. Michonne covered her mouth as her eyes began to fill with tears. Andrea rushed over and hugged her. Michonne groaned in pain.

"I'm so sorry Michonne!"

She finally burst into tears. Tyrese watched as Andrea hugged her best friend. When Michonne cries had tapered off, Andrea guided her to the sofa and Tyrese went into the kitchen and quickly returned with a choice of water and vodka. Michonne instinctively reached for the latter. Andrea reached for the pictures from Michonne's hand but she pulled away.

"No! I need to see this!"

Andrea looked at Tyrese, eyes saddened at the hurt of her friend. Michonne went to the next picture. There Jeremy was pushing the little girl on a swing. The next picture was of the woman feeding the child. The next picture was one of Jeremy standing beind the woman his hands resting protectively on her swollen belly. Michonne pushed the pictures at Andrea who took them and stuffed them in her bag. It was too much for her.

"How did you get these?"

"Tyrese offered to find dirt on the bastard, to help your case. He didn't expect to find this much dirt." She paused. "You didn't have any idea he was having an affair?"

"No! He was always home when I was. He always answered my phones etc. Nothing had changed. His routine remained the same until we separated two years ago. How could I have missed this?!" Michonne cried.

"This child looks like around three years old so he was having an affairs for atleast four years."

"Where were these pictures taken...and when?"

Andrea looked at Tyrese to fill in the answer.

"This was two days ago…in Florida."

"Florida?"

Michonne started laughing unconsciously, causing concern to flash across Andrea's and Tyrese's face.

"I paid for three writers conventions in Florida. Three!" She started crying again.

"Are you sure there were even any conferences there?"

"Yes Andrea!" Michonne snapped at her. "Yes! I may be stupid but I am not that stupid!"

"I'm not the enemy here Michonne!"Andrea said rising to her feet.

"Ok ladies!" Tyrese barked at them. Andrea slowly reclined back into the sofa and Michonne apologized softly.

"I know you're not. I'm sorry." Michonne started crying again. "How could he do this to me?! I gave him everything! I loved him! I wanted a family!" she sobbed. Andrea began crying to and hugged Michonne again. Tyrese inturn sat on the sofa next to Michonne and hugged both ladies. He said nothing as the friends cried their eyes out."~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Tyrese waited in the car while Andrea and Michonne spoke.

"So what do you want me to do?"

"What do you think I should do? Advise me."

"As your attorney or as your friend?"

"Both."

Andrea laughed to lighten the mood.

"As your attorney I said f*ck Jeremy to the cross…ten ways to Sunday. He doesn't deserve you or to get your hard earned money! Not one red cent! Don't even give him the Manhattan condo. Let him find his own place to put his family. That's not your responsibility…it's not your family."

"And as my friend?"

"Have a good cry or a one-night stand with a trusted friend to ease all your pain and maybe sexual frustration. How long has it been?"

"Two years."

"Hmmm."

"Don't start on me. Since Jeremy and I separated I haven't had any time to date. Besides I'm still married whether my husband wants me or not. When I'm officially divorced maybe. So for now I will have a good cry.

"Ok. After the good cry, give him what he wants."

Michonne looked at her surprised.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I know you Michonne and we both know him. You value your career and your private life too much and Jeremy knows that. He knows that you wouldn't want your business spilled out in open court. He's banking on it."

Michonne closed her eyes.

"Don't think of it as throwing in the towel or giving up. Think of it as throwing out old furniture to maybe possible bringing in new one."

Michonne actually laughed out loud at the analogy.

"Ok. I'll think about it."

They hugged and Andrea got into the car.

"Give me the pictures."

"Michonne.."

"I just want to bless my eyes on the old furniture before throwing out in the garbage."

Andrea smiled and gave her the envelope. They left.~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lori was walking pass the agents quarters at the Senator's house when she overheard them talking.

"I hope the Senator and Rick are ready to address the hundreds of questions about the assassination attempt on their lives tomorrow."

"We don't even know for sure who the man was targeting…the Senator or our new mayor."

"He's not mayor yet"

"I know but he's already popular with the ladies…I should know. My sister is smitten with him."

"It's going to be a nightmare when he actually starts campaigning."

"I am sure glad I'm not Atwell. She's gonna have her hands full."

"I am not worried about Atwell. She could handle anything that comes her way. Rick is lucky. I'm worried for the ladies that pisses her off."

The men chuckled as Lori sneaked away.~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Michonne was dressing for the Senator's and Rick's news conference in the next three hours. She looked at the pictures of Jeremy and his now not so secret family that she had stuck up in the dressing table mirror as Andrea's words milled over in her head. She picked up her phone and dialled Andrea's number. From the way she breathlessly answered her phone she knew Tyrese was over there. She decided to make it quick.

"Give him what he wants...except my grandmother's house. I am not parting with it."

"Really?" Andrea asked surprised. "I was hoping you would have gone the full warrior route but I knew it would have been unlikely. Can I ask why?"

"Jeremy is a deadbeat and an idiot Andrea. It took me a long time to see it because I loved him but think about this. How long do you think he will be able to maintain those rentals for? Right now all he is thinking about is the money at the end of the month. He doesn't know anything about the cost of the actual upkeep of these building. He will let those apartments run down to nothing...become slums, the tenants will eventually move out and hopefully some of them will report him to the city housing and building management corporation. If that happens he will be forced to give up the apartments. I will ask Sasha to keep an eye out for when they are put up on the market again and when they do I will just buy them back. Problem solved."

Andrea laughed loudly in Michonne's ear.

"I love you so much right now! I knew we were friends for a reason! But what about the Manhattan condo?"

"He doesn't work and it was one of the more expensive apartments that I had bought so he wouldn't be able to maintain that either. He will be forced to give that up as well and I will buy it back too. Are you sure he can't get any share or interest in my grandmother's house?"

"I can assure you Michonne. Jeremy can't touch it."

"OK. Good."

"I'm going to call Daniels now. You are the baddest bitch everrrr!"

"Bye Andrea!"

"I'll call you with an update. Bye!"~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~