The Charge – Chapter 10

Rick couldn't help himself smiling at seeing Michonne, especially outside of their normal setting and interaction. He chuckled slightly at her facial expression. It's as if she was seeing him for the first time….like really seeing him.~*~*~*~*~*~*

Michonne stared at Rick and his attire from head to toe. He was dressed differently. In fact, it seemed like he was trying to go unnoticed. She eventually smiled politely when she saw Mr Wilfred looking at them.

"You too know each other?"

Rick opened his mouth to answer but Michonne beat him to respond first.

"We are just acquaintances. That's all."

Mr Wilfred's face showed that he didn't entirely believe her story but he decided to leave to attend to other matters for the soup kitchen. Once they were alone, Michonne and Rick looked at each other.

"So.."

"So…"

"You bought the building."

Michonne squinted at him.

"Yes."

"Didn't know that you were into this kind of stuff. Real Estate."

"You are not supposed to know what I am into."

"Why?"

Michonne turned her back and continued tidying up the kitchen. Rick appeared at her side and began drying the dishes she had washed.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm volunteering." He moved closer to her but Michonne stood her ground. "You need volunteers, right?"

For the first time, Michonne realized how truly incredibly stubborn Rick was and if she was honest with herself, he reminded her of herself. She breathes a sigh of defeat and left the kitchen.

"Where are you going?!"

He didn't get any response but she came back later with two full garbage bag. She dropped it at his feet. When he opened it, it was filled with clothes that people had donated.

"You want to help? Go outside and give these out to the people who need them."

"Are you just doing this to get me out of your hair?"

Michonne smirked.

"Truthfully yes but I wouldn't stop you from helping out if you really want to do. The more hands we have is the more people we would help."

Rick picked up the garbage bag.

"Plus it will look good on your resume as the future mayor."

Rick smiled and wink at her and in response, Michonne sternly pointed to the door. Rick laughed walking out. She shook her head.~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Karen stood behind a large oak tree across the street from the house she once used to call home but there were some changes made to it. The most visible was the colour of the house which was changed from buttercup yellow to a mild peach.

Then there was a play area sectioned off in the front of the yard with three bicycles parked in it. Karen was taken back. 'Did Tyrese have another kid with Andrea? Is that the reason why they were pushing for the divorce?'

Jealously rapidly overwhelmed her. If Tyrese and Andrea do have a child it would mean that it would be that much harder to reclaim her position in Tyrese's life. Suddenly a black sedan drove down the street and pulled up in the drive way.

Tyrese got out of the driver's side, went around to the back seat and took out some bags. Suddenly the front door open and Chelsea and Ariel came rushing outside.

"Mummy! Daddy's home!"

Tears sprang to her eyes when she heard their words. They were calling someone else mummy. She felt like a dagger was plunged into her heart. She watched as the girls crowded around their father happily.

He handed them each a bag and they dug into them simultaneously. They squealed in delight and hugged him. They turned to rush inside as Andrea appeared by the door. They eagerly showed her what they were given. Andrea kissed them and they went inside.

She then walked up to Tyrese and put her hands around his neck embracing him. Tyrese pulled Andrea close and their lips locked passionately. Karen stood there livid and watched as her husband make out with another woman in the front of her home with her children close by.

She wondered how many times they kissed infront of her children. She wondered why they were calling her mom, instead of Aunty Andrea or something else. She wondered if they even talked about her. She wondered if her children even remembered her.

She wondered how long it took for Tyrese to replace her with Andrea. Standing there, Karen mind was racing. She was hurting. She was angry. She made a mistake but now she was back to correct it.

When Tyrese and Andrea went inside, Karen spent the next five minutes straightening her hair and her clothes to make herself more presentable. She fiddled with the two presents she bought for Chelsea and Ariel.

Taking a deep breath, Karen walked across the street, up the driveway raised her hand to knock on the door. After a couple of seconds, she regained her confidence and knocked on the door. The door swung open.~*~*~*~*~*~

"Yes? Can I help you?"

Karen heart fluttered on seeing Ariel. She looked so beautiful. She leaned in to touch her face but the young girl pulled back. Karen was crushed.

"Who is it?"

Tyrese called from inside. Ariel didn't respond, only stared at Karen suspiciously.

"Ariel! Who's at the door?"

"Some lady!" She finally called back.

"What?!"

Ariel gave her the once over.

"Daddy! I think you should come."

"Alright! I'm coming."

It was awkward, standing there infront of her own daughter and being viewed as a total stranger. Ariel eyed her and called out her father again.

"Daddy!"

Seconds later, Tyrese appeared behind Ariel. Karen smiled at him but Tyrese was stoned faced. Ariel looked between her and her father.

"Daddy…is everything ok?"

"Everything is fine. Go and meet your mother and sister."

Karen flinched as the use of the word mother and it not being in reference to her. She glanced at the side of Tyrese and watched as her daughter disappeared from sight. She now looked at Tyrese.

"She looks happy."

"Both she and Chelsea are."

"That's good."

There was silence for a couple of minutes.

"Look, I don't know if she told you but your girlfriend…"

Tyrese held up his hand.

"I know all about that. Is that why you came all the way here? To tattle on Andrea?"

"No. I came to see my girls."

Tyrese scoffed.

"Your girls? They haven't been your girls for five years."

"Tyrese please…"

"Please what? I am just standing here trying to figure out why you are on my doorstep."

"Did you atleast tell them about me?"

Karen saw a flash of anger rushed across Tyrese's face.

"Of course I told them about you! Weeks after they stopped crying! I had to tell my 4 year old and my 3 year old that their mother abandoned them! That she didn't want them anymore! That she choose herself over them and then I had to watch them cry some more!"

Tyrese's voice was low and shaking but very forceful at the same time. It was clear he was trying to keep his anger in check, since the girls were in close proximity.

"You told them I abandoned them?"

"Why wouldn't I?! Did you not abandoned them?! What?! You expected me to lie?! I wasn't going to lie to them for you! You didn't have the common decency to wait for me to come home from work and tell me you were leaving your family face to face. Instead you bundled them up like sacks of dirty linen and dropped them off by my mother!"

Tyrese took a menacing step towards her and immediately felt hands around his waist holding him back from going any further or doing something he would have regretted. It was Andrea. He felt her face buried in his back. He caressed her hands and slowly she let go. He took a deep breath.

"Tell me Karen! Did you even kiss them goodbye when you were leaving?! Did you tell them how much you loved them and that you were sorry for what you were about to do to them?! To your family?!"

Tears ran down Karen's face but that didn't stop Tyrese from continuing to rip into her.

"Then you did the most despicable thing of all! You left behind a two line scribble on a piece of paper like we never meant anything to you!"

Karen was full on crying now but Tyrese clearly didn't care. He looked back at Andrea who was just descending the stairs. The look she gave him conveyed that the children were still unaware of what was presently taking place downstairs.

"I want to see them Tyrese! Please!"

He cocked his head at her.

"Where is your son?"

She looked up at him shocked that he knew she had a son. Clearly Andrea had done her homework on her.

"I brought him here with me to meet his sisters but I left him at my mother's. Why?"

"Good! Take him and leave because that's the only child you have!"

Tyrese slammed the door in her face. When he turned around Andrea was standing directly behind hin. She hugged him.

"I'm sorry! This is all my fault! If it wasn't for me she wouldn't have been here."

"That's not true. It was a conversation that was bound to happen sooner than later."

He cupped Andrea's face in his hands.

"Did you have the divorce paper drawn up?"

Andrea shook her head.

"Ok. Don't. I will get an independent attorney to handle the divorce. I want you far away from this as possible. Focus on the girls."

"I don't think Ariel recognized her."

"No she didn't. She was only 3 when Karen left. She might eventually. Her and Chelsea and when that happens they would need someone to lean on. This will be a difficult time ahead for them."

"I love you Tyrese."

"I love you too."~*~*~*~*~*~

Michonne watched stealthily at Rick as he interacted with the last set of people to leave the soup kitchen. She had observed that he had done a lot more since she tasked him with giving out the clothes to the people who needed it.

He served out food and put the extra in boxes which he gave out so that they can be taken home to be eaten later by their visitors. He also helped clear and wash the late dishes sent to the kitchen.

She was shocked when she entered the kitchen and saw him at the kitchen sink. She just stood there, noticing him and didn't even realized that she was smiling until her cheeks started to hurt. She quietly backed away unnoticed still smiling to herself.~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Rick looked at Michonne several times during the day to see if she needed help with anything. Unlucky for him, she was quite capable and she handled all her tasks with efficiency and speed.

However, an opportunity presented itself when he saw her struggling to take out the large bags of garbage. He appeared at her side and grabbed the heavy bag from her. Surprisingly, she didn't protest and he took it as a sign that she was letting her guard down…atleast for a little while.

Instead, she took up one of the other lighter garbage bags and followed him outside. After throwing in his he held the bin open so she could deposit hers in as well. they walked back to the building.

"Today was a good day."

"It was."

'This is good.' Rick said to himself. 'I just have to keep her talking.'

"So what are your plans for the place?"

"I don't know. Haven't thought about it as yet. Right now, my main focus is sourcing donations to keep the soup kitchen running."

"Maybe I can help."

Michonne glimpsed up at him but she continued walking, saying nothing.

"As someone who is running for mayor I have a lot of sponsors from various businesses. Instead of donating to me, I could arrange for them to give it to the soup kitchen in the form of cash and items like food stuff and other things that the kitchen needs to operate fully."

Michonne finally stopped…Rick words making its mark.

"Why are you doing this?"

"I am doing this to help out a friend…to help you."

Michonne folding her hands across her chest. She already spent $375,000 on the building alone plus almost $3,000 on food stuff and other items needed to have to restart the soup kitchen. To have the soup kitchen up and running daily, it will be extremely costly.

It is true that she saved a lot of money over the years but if she keeps this up, her bank account will be significantly depleted. Rick's offer could be a blessing in disguised. She decided to take up his offer.

"I will accept your offer on one condition."

"Name it."

"Have the sponsors donate whatever they can anonymously. Most of the people who come here just want to get a hot meal without all the media fanfare around them. I don't want the circus of politicians and business people standing on my door step smiling for the camera."

"A little advertising will be good to bring awareness to what you are trying to achieve here."

"I know but people are already aware that the soup kitchen has reopened. Besides, I have already arranged with Mr Wilfred to organise fliers to be printed and distributed around the neighbourhood."

Rick cocked his head appreciatively at her. If he wasn't sure about how he felt about her, this right here clears up any doubts he had. In addition to being beautiful, she was also smart and sensitive to other people's needs and feelings.

"Do we have a deal?"

Rick stretched out his hand eagerly.

"Deal."

They walked inside.~*~*~*~*~*~

Rick and Michonne were the last to leave. Mr Wilfred hugged Michonne tightly.

"Thank you for everything! All this wouldn't have been possible without you. I am more than convinced now that I made the right choice selling this place to you."

"It was a group effort."

Rick walked away and stood by Michonne's car. She eyed him before turning her attention back to Mr Wilfred.

"I'll be going back out to work tomorrow so I wouldn't be around but you have Andrea's and Sasha's numbers. Anything you need to help this place run efficiently just let them know and they will sort you out. We should be getting sponsors as well soon."

Mr Wilfred nodded and went into the building locking up. Michonne turned around and began walking to where Rick was standing next to her car. She looked over to where his protective detail was waiting by their car. They too were dressed to go unnoticed.

"So what else do you do in your spare time?"

Michonne rest her jacket on the top on her car.

"Why are you so interested in what I do outside of my duty to you?"

"Because I want to get to know you."

"I gather that much but why?"

"Why not? We could be friends."

"Friends?"

"Yes! Friends!"

They both looked at each other preoccupied in their own thoughts.~*~*~*~*~*~

'For f*ck sakes Rick! Just tell her that you like her!' An inner voice screamed in his head. 'JUST F*CKING TELL HER!' Rick's mouth felt parched all of a sudden and a lump formed on his throat. Beads of sweat began forming on his forehead so he took off his cap and welcomed the cool evening breeze that swept through his hair, instantly reducing his temperature down. His heart beat loudly between his ears and hammered in his chest when he saw Michonne looking at him.~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Michonne noticed how flustered Rick got all of a sudden…the beads of sweat on his forehead the most telling sign. He claims to want to be friends but he's all flustered around her. Then it clicked.~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Rick saw the realization of what he really wanted to say to Michonne on her face. The atmosphere between them suddenly changed and she turned away her face to lessen his embarrassment.

"Michonne…" His voice was strained and hoarse.

"I will see you tomorrow Mr Grimes." Her voice was quiet and calm.

"Call me Rick." She slowly looked at him. His eyes were glassy and pleading. "Please."

She said nothing as she got into her car and drove away.~*~*~*~*~*~*~