I don't own the walking dead
Epilogue: The beginning of a lifetime together and consequences
Carlton Richard Grimes feels sick, and he does not know why his daddy forces him to wear that thing around his throat. Carl does not like it, and he cannot breathe. Consequently, Carl attempts to remove it. He pulls until the little thing is crooked. The toddler continues to drag the bow tie, but Carl remains unsuccessful. His dad glances in his direction, and he looks unhappy.
" Carlton Richard Grimes, leave your bow tie alone." His dad sternly says.
Carl's eyes redden, and tears pool in the rim of his lower eyelids. Frustrated, he crosses his arms, and he furiously glares at his father. He hasn't been naughty. Why does his father feel the need to use that name? Carl cannot hold them, and the tears fall. He cannot wait to tell his mom how his dad was mean to him. Carl glares at his father between tears, and he imitates his mother's stern look.
"Oh…no…no… your mother will kill me. Carl, I'm sorry. Hey, don't cry, buddy. I didn't mean it," Rick abandons his task and run to his crying three years old son.
"daddy is mean," Carl says in frustration, and now, he wants his mother. " I want my mommy..." The tears continue to poor while Rick fusses around Carl.
Carl wanted to be around the big boys, and last week, Rick said that Carl was a big boy. He wants to look like his daddy, but Carl does not like the thing around his throat. He cannot breathe, and he is the only one wearing it. The big boys are wearing the long ones.
Carl attempts to pull on his bowtie, but Rick stops him. Rick sighs, and he wonders why Carl chose today to be grumpy. Rick sits his son on the hotel's bed, and he rubs Carl's back to calm him.
" I'm sorry, and I didn't mean to call you Carlton. What is wrong, buddy?" Rick tries to soothe his son.
Rick looks at his complex and capricious son, and he regrets not taking Michonne's offer. He does not need the extra stress, which Carl brings with his many tantrums. Rick has never felt so stressed in his life, and an extremely cranky Carl does not help the situation.
"I can't breathe." Carl dramatically pulls at his bowtie, "I'm dying, daddy." He finishes with his usual slurred speech.
First of all, Rick needs to know where he learned the word dying. If Michonne has read him those crime novels again, he would have a long conversation with her. Rick is not ready to share his bed with Carl for another time.
"Carl, don't pull on your bowtie. I will fix it," Rick gently says, and he starts to adjust his son's bowtie, "Is it better now?" He demands when he finishes loosening the bowtie.
" I don't like it," Carl says between a new outburst of tears. "I want daddy's one." He starts to pull on Rick's tie.
Rick closes his eyes, and he says a quiet prayer. Carl and his antics will not give him an aneurysm. He really should have let Michonne handle it. Rick thought it was a great day to have a father and son's bonding time but didn't think about his son's tantrum. Rick is so used to quiet and polite Carl that he forgets his son's age. On the biggest day of Rick's life, Carl reminds him how difficult a three-year-old can be.
" Daddy's one is for when it is your turn to be married." Rick runs with the first excuse that he can find.
Carl sceptically stares at his father. He doesn't know what to be married means, but his daddy is always right. Somehow comforted with the thought that he will one day have a thing around the neck like his daddy's one, Carl regains his jolliness.
"Okay…"
….
….
…..
Carl hasn't seen his mommy the entire morning, and he is tired of hanging around the big boys. He looks at his father, and he looks so beautiful or handsome as his mother will say. Beautiful is for the mommy.
Carl thinks his daddy is beautiful like his mommy.
Carl cannot wait for his turn to be married. He will have a tie like his daddy and a black suit with pants. Carl will look just like his daddy, handsome. Now, he has that choking bow around his neck and shorts. However, his daddy told him that he looked dapper. Carl doesn't know what dapper means, but his daddy was happy. It must mean beautiful for big boys.
Rick turns to look at his son, and he offers him a gentle smile. Carl smiles back, and he pulls on his shorts. Carl sits on the hotel's bed and dangles his feet. He looks around the room, and his uncles Tyrese and Shane have a grown-up argument.
Carl misses his mother, but he loves his daddy.
" Daddy, I look like you when it's my turn to be married." He asks with a hopeful tone.
" You will look better." Rick answers his son, and he places a kiss on the crown of Carl's head, " You will look ten times better."
Carl is so excited. His mother told him about weddings, and he has an important job to do. Carl has to carry the rings. Carl looks at his father, and he is tired of waiting. He wants the wedding to start, and he wants to dance with his mommy.
There is a knock at the door, and Carl stops thinking about weddings. He looks at the door, and his aunty enters the room. His aunt is the prettiest aunty in the world.
She is wearing a baby pink dress.
Carl helped his mommy pick the colour of the dresses.
" Sasha?" Rick greets Sasha as she comes to sit by Carl's side.
Carl looks at his aunt Sasha, and she is so beautiful. Carl blushes, and he has a little crush on his aunt Sasha. She is always so sweet with him, and she calls him her favourite nephew. Sasha is Carl's favourite aunt. Carl leans to rest his head against Sasha's arm.
"My little man is bored." Sasha asks Carl, and he nods, " Don't worry, it is about to get fun." She drags Carl in a small hug.
She frees him, and she glances at the rest of the people in the room.
" Now, you know why I'm here, boys." His aunt Sasha says with her serious voice. "Give me a minute with the man of the hour," Sasha finishes with a sweet smile.
Carl watches the room empty itself, but he does not leave. His uncle Shane kisses his aunty Sasha on the lips. Disgusting, his dad also does that to his mommy. Carl does not understand the adults. They are so naughty for kissing each other. His uncle Tyrese kisses his aunt Sasha's on the cheeks, and he ruffles Carl's hair. Carl prefers uncle Tyrese because he does not kiss his aunty Sasha on the mouth. Carl likes uncle Shane too. His dad told him that Uncle Shane was the reason why his father met his mother
"I'm all yours, Sasha," Rick says with a small smile to hide his stress.
" Relax, Grimes. We're no longer on hostile terms, but I have to play my bestie role to the fullest extent," Sasha stands from her spot on the bed, and she cleans the invisible dust on Rick's shoulders.
Carl watches his aunt and father interact. He intensely stares at the pair. His aunt has a small satisfied smile, and his father is slightly sweating. Carl knows his father finds his aunty Sasha scary, but his aunty Sasha is the sweetest.
" I don't think I have to make threats or issue warnings. You know everything that I'm willing to do for Michonne, and burying you alive is hardly a fit. Therefore, I will settle for giving some advice. I will need you to continue doing what You're doing now, which is to keep her happy. I need you to keep her as happy as you have done for the last three years. No one deserves happiness like Michonne does. Grimes, you are lucky enough to be the love of her life, and I hope you are smart enough to be grateful for it. Now, you're doing a great job, and I'm proud of you." His aunty Sasha tells his father, and she kisses his father's cheek.
" I can manage to do that," Rick replies.
Rick is less afraid, and he hugs Sasha. They had a rocky relationship, but Rick can never fault her for watching Michonne's back. In his fourth years of sobriety, having Sasha's blessing shows how far they have come.
" Now, let's go, my little man. I heard you have the most important job today." Sasha says to Carl, and she extends her hand for him to take.
Carl proudly stands, and he takes Sasha's hand. He glances the last time. Carl gives Rick a bright smile.
" You look beautiful, daddy." Carl genuinely says in awe.
Beautiful is the highest compliment anyone can receive from Carl. Only two people so far have been graced by that compliment, Sasha and Michonne. Coming from the highest achievement of his life, Rick feels a swell of pride. He is speechless, and so he hugs his son tightly.
" Bye, daddy," Carl says as he leaves with Sasha.
Carl stares at his father in confusion. The entire crowd is quiet, and his mother is walking down the aisle at the arm of his father's papa. Carl's grandpa also has an important job to do at the wedding. He is giving away Michonne. Carl doesn't know why they need to give his mommy away, but it is necessary for a marriage.
Therefore, Carl concentrates on his mother and his grandpa. His mother is so beautiful. She looks like a princess, and he can't wait to tell her that she is the most beautiful mommy in the world. Carl looks at his mommy walk, and he feels so happy.
Michonne's white dress grazes the soft path of white orchids. Her trail follows behind her, and she has to tell herself not to run to Rick. At the sight of him standing at the altar, nervous, she feels her heart swell with happiness. The break-up, which started this sinuous path to joy, seems so far.
"I'm glad we can finally make it official. My little girl is taking our name. You look gorgeous, and he is lucky to have you." Rick's father tells Michonne when they finally reach the altar.
" You take good care of her, son." He shakes Rick's hand.
Michonne's fingers graze Rick's one, and she smiles from ear to ear under her French lace veil. Rick's hand covers Michonne's one, and he intertwines their fingers. He has been waiting for this moment since she said yes.
" I love you," They simultaneously whisper to each other.
Carl looks at his daddy, and he doesn't understand why Rick is in tears. His mommy told him weddings were happy events, but since his mother stood at the door in her magnificent white dress, Rick hasn't ceased to cry. Carl looks at his grandma for explanations.
"Those are happy tears. Your daddy is so happy that his body has to let it out in the purest form. When you love someone the way that your dad loves your mommy, you have to express it. " His grandma says, and Carl doesn't understand everything.
However, he is happy that his dad is happy. He is content that his daddy loves his mommy because his mommy is beautiful and wonderful. Carl looks at his mother, and he feels joyful too.
Michonne looks like an angel. The sun illuminates the crystals encrusted in the lace of her gown. She is glowing, and Carl believes that it is because his mother is magical. She creates people too. She is creating one right now in her stomach.
" Look, mommy is beautiful and magical." Carl points at his mother, and his grandmother agrees.
Finally, the time for his earnest job has come. His grandma straightens his bowtie, and she combs his hair. Carl peers through the door to see what is happening outside. The boring man is still talking to his mom and dad.
" Now, you're going to be careful with this." His grandma tells him as she puts a pillow in his hands.
The two shiny rings are in the middle, and Carl feels how important his job is. He straightens, and he concentrates on his task. Carl carefully walks to the altar while impressed sounds accompany him. He looks up to his mommy.
Michonne stares at Rick, and the priest's words sound so far. His smile and his tears are beautiful. Rick's sudden timidity when he starts to say his vows warms the hearts. This moment doesn't erase the heartaches, but it valorizes them.
" I'm quite not good with words, and you know it better than anyone does. It is unfortunate that I lack the eloquence to tell you how much I love you. Although I can't write a sonnet to your glory, I strive to show how much I love you. Chonne, I know how painful it feels to lose you. Chonne, I know how lucky I'm to love you. Therefore, I try to lean on these two experiences to keep me grounded because I never want to lose you. I never want to lose the happiness, which you bring. I don't want to miss your smile or that beautiful laugh. So I promise that I will work hard not to be an idiot. Although, I'm stupidly in love with you. I promise to cherish you in health and sickness. I promise to stay with you in wealth and poverty. I hope and know that only death will tear us apart." Rick finishes with a wide grin, and he picks the ring to put it on Michonne's hand.
Carl hears people clap around him, and he excitedly claps. His mother is holding tightly on his father's hand.
Michonne takes a deep breath, and she tries to put words on how she feels. She looks into Rick's eyes, and she knows what she wants her vow to mean.
" I love you, and I never want to unlearn how to love you. We have had our growth journey, and it is reassuring to know that I will age with you by my side. We're going to raise beautiful children. You're going to infuriate me beyond reason. Yet, every day I will be grateful to have my best friend by my side." She leans to take the ring from Carl, but her son has something to say.
Therefore, he demands that she stands at his level, and Michonne crouches, and the guests in attendance laugh. Carl stares at his mommy, and she is so beautiful.
" Daddy is happy that is why he is crying," Carl says, and Michonne has to hug her little angel.
She picks the ring and slides it to Rick's finger. Carl loves weddings, and people are happy. His mommy looks like an angel, and she glows. His daddy is beautiful or handsome. Although, adults are disgusting. His daddy is kissing his mommy on the mouth.
Carl loves the party which follows, and he likes to watch his mom and dad dance. Although, his mommy cannot dance for too long because of the monster growing in her tummy. Aunt Sasha told him that the monster in his mommy's tummy is a baby brother. Carl doesn't know what a baby brother is, but he likes the monster in Michonne's stomach.
Sometimes, he kicks in to say hello. Carl can't wait for the monster called baby brother to come out, and he hopes it is as happy as a wedding. His parents are being disgusting and kissing on the mouth. His dad makes her mom spin around the room. His mommy happily laughs each time.
Carl runs to his mom and dad. He wants to dance with his mommy. He pulls on the dress, and Rick gives away his place. Carl takes the hand, which Michonne extends for him. He follows her step on the dance floor, and he happily laughs when she spins him around.
Carlton Richard Grimes loves weddings, the monster growing in his mommy's stomach, and his happy parents. Although, he is glad that his dad has stopped crying. Rick joins his wife and son on the dance floor. He places Carl on his hip, and with his dad, he makes his mommy spin and laughs.
The end