Georgia was smiling when she finally opened her eyes. The darkness that loomed over Rick like a wayward cloud dissipated with the brightness displayed by the simplicity of his mother's greeting.
"You look so much like your father right now." Her voice was raspy from disuse having been out of it for the past three hours but Rick was grateful she was alive to speak.
He sat up in his chair and clutched her hand when she reached for him.
Michonne had taken over when they arrived at Oakland Memorial, demanding updates and visitation, calling his brother and cousin and filling them in on what happened, her presence strengthening him in his time of need.
The details were still sketchy, Olivia was the only person at Sweethearts at the time when Georgia collapsed. According to her, Georgia had been on the phone when everything occurred. Even though he wasn't going to assume the worst Rick was in no state to function, getting the call took him right back to six months ago when he had gotten a similar call about his dad and every tragic moment that followed. It all stayed imprinted on his brain. The memory left him in a haze, knowing he couldn't witness his mother suffer the same fate.
He knew he wore the tough guy persona well but he wasn't over the death of the man he admired more than anything despite the many times they had butt heads. For now he struggled moment by moment to not dwell on the possibility of losing his mother too. He already had to wrestle over knowing he may not have Michonne in his life for much longer; losing the two women he loved more than his own life would be unbearable.
Michonne made his dark days brighter, she was his island in the flood, she made him laugh at the silliest of things, she challenged him, always demanding better of him. It wasn't that he couldn't live without her it was that he didn't even want to try.
He felt his mother soothe his cheek, he brought the visitor's chair as close to the bed as possible in a desperate urge to be in her proximity. Georgia witnessed the abject dejection on her son's face and saw the pain uncertainty was making him wear like a second skin. She knew he wasn't over George's death yet, nobody was. She could only imagine the kind of trepidation that took hold of Rick when he had been summoned. Despite her body being heavy with pain she needed to bring her son some comfort.
"I'm okay. I promise."
"The doctor said you had a mild heart attack. Said you have to take it easy for a while." He saw her lips tighten at his words, somehow the women in his life didn't comprehend what rest meant. It was almost like a curse to their souls but it was his responsibility to take care of them.
"Heart attack huh?" She gazed at the wall as she listened to her diagnosis.
"Tell me what happened."
"I was on the phone and then I don't know...the pain just grew intense at that moment…" She didn't want to disclose how much the conversation she was having at the time got to her but what she suffered through was scary enough to listen to her body.
"Who were you talking to? What were you talking about? Did you get bad news?" He was ready to launch an inquiry, needing to know if it was a situation he could fix, to somehow help him feel he was still in control of some things.
"I don't want you worrying son. You look like you have enough on your plate." She raised her head of the bed, looking around the small hospital room. There was a single chair in the corner and three beeping machines monitoring her heart, pulse and blood pressure that took up a corner in the eggshell painted room.
"Where's Michonne? You two are usually joined at the hip." She said as Rick poured her a glass of water from the pink plastic mug.
"She went to get me a coffee. She insisted I needed something in my stomach." He shook his head and handed his mother the cup, lingering in case she needed assistance. "Sometimes she reminds me of you." They had the same type of tenacity.
He stood at the side of her bed and watched her face, her parlor was pale, her blue eyes looked dull compared to their normal vibrancy and there were fine wrinkles on her cheeks, but there was also a kind of youthful exuberance that rolled off her in waves.
He knew he should go get Shane and Dwight who were outside waiting, just as worried as he was but he cherished the rare private time with his mother.
Georgia held Rick's hand, "I'm so glad you have her Rick. Michonne loves you." The conviction in her tone sent a slice through his gut. He wanted her words to be real but love was a tease to him, giving him only a preview of the power it yielded.
"I love her Mom." He said it on a sigh and closed his eyes, giving his truth and his emotions a small display in a window of release.
"I know you do son. You two make a good team."
"Things started off shaky between us" His confession was unplanned but his mother was always able to pull things out of him that he never intended on sharing.
"Sometimes the strongest of relationships starts off on the rockiest of grounds." She offered in an effort to soothe whatever it was that was ailing him.
"Sometimes I wonder if I'll be enough for her."
"You're such a sap Rick, why can't you just be happy?" He was like his father that way, making contingency plans for possible disappointments rather than embracing the power of now and all the good that came with it. Rick always bore the weight of the world on his shoulders, she thought Michonne was helping him carry that weight, but now he looked even more bogged down than before.
"I'm not sure I deserve that." He wanted happiness but only with Michonne at his side. He was selfish when it came to her, all he wanted was her love.
"Oh Rick happiness doesn't come with conditions. It's given unmerited, even when we think we don't deserve it."
"I hope that's true." He had gotten a taste of it with Michonne and it was a paradise for a man like him who had made a commitment to being content with a solitary life in Oakland. She had given him a glimpse of the goodness of coming home to someone. When the stress of the day was tiring and had waged war on his body and his mind, she was his peace. She ate toast upside down, hogged the covers and couldn't make breakfast to save their lives but he could no longer imagine his life without her in it.
"It is if you believe it. What's going on? Did something happen?" It was her turn to fire a rounds of questions at him.
He contemplated telling her everything right then but she was stressed enough and he didn't want to add to it. The person he needed to talk to was Michonne but he wasn't sure if now was the right time.
"We just aren't communicating as we should." He shouldered some of the blame on that. He was playing the hero role in her life when at the time she needed a confidante. Someone she knew she could trust, someone to keep her safe. There was no fine print on their agreement that alluded she would have immunity from her past with their union. Their marriage was supposed to be a loveless one so could he really blame her for keeping everything from him? He went above her head and paid off her debt and waited for her to come to him. When she didn't share her worries with him he projected hurt because in some way her silence meant she didn't trust him, but could he be trusted?
He didn't ask her, he made the choice for her and he didn't think he had that kind of autonomy on her life. He had to apologize for that.
"Well I'll tell you this son marriage is hard work."
"You and dad made it look easy." He would be lucky if he got to grow old with Michonne.
At the mention of her beloved George her face softened and the pain that was tingling her insides dissipated a bit.
"Your father and I argued." She said it with a smile.
This was news to Rick, he had never seen nothing but love between the pair. "What? You think because you love someone you don't argue? Or disagree? Sometimes a disagreement tests the stability of your relationship. Your dad and I had a policy; say what you mean but don't say it mean. Even when we disagreed on things he always told me he loved me even if he wasn't feeling that way at the time."
"Sounds like dad."
"If he were still here we'd be arguing about this baby race he concocted for you boys." As glad as she about gaining three beautiful daughters and expecting two grandchildren she didn't like the antics involved getting their boys hitched. George could've given them their justly inheritance like a normal father would but her husband was not a normal man and the legacy of a successful Ranch and a strong family was important to him, still there were other ways to go about marrying their boys off and carrying on the Grimes name.
"I'm sorry he forced your hand but I don't think marrying Michonne was a mistake Rick. I'm still unsure of Andrea and Sherry's motives but Michonne seems different." It wasn't solely because she was from the city but it was her caring spirit and her kind smile that had latched onto Georgia from the first day they met.
"This is different." He admitted.
"Good, even if you two are disagreeing on something let her know you love her still." He had to admit he loved her first for it to be in a continuous tense but would she be receptive to his revelation?
"I'm not sure if that love is being reciprocated." It was a hard thing to confess to his mother. The vulnerability in his blue eyes couldn't be hidden.
"What? Michonne loves you Rick. Of course she does. She mentions your name in every other sentence Rick. She's carrying your baby." Georgia said, even though he didn't need the reminder.
"Believe it or not mama we didn't really plan that baby."
"Planned or not, a baby is always a blessing."
A nurse entered the room and checked Georgia's chart advising them both that Dr. Grant would be in to check on her shortly. While the nurse fiddled with the machines and asked Georgia a few questions he was left to lament on how best he could fix things.
The baby race was like a plague on his conscience now, he didn't consider them in the lead anymore. He had to continue as though the competition didn't exist and think of ways he could raise the income of the ranch without the marriage bonus as capital. He'd been sidetracked too long by the money, what he needed to focus on was the mission. The mission was making Serenity as successful as Sweethearts without his inheritance. His father gave him the sizable ranch for a reason, last resort he'd sell a piece of the substantial amount of land he owned. The land he grew up on was a part of him, it was the secure ground of home but to prove to Michonne he could be the man she needed, a man who could provide for his family he would sell it in a heartbeat. She had laid the groundwork with the implementation of her ideas, he would do his part and bring it all to fruition.
He would share his heart with her today and pray it wasn't too late. If she wanted him still, he wanted her to be proud of the man he was trying to be.
"Maybe you should get some rest. You're the one in the bed and here I am laying my worries on you." He was tinged by his insensitivity of his sharing but Georgia rested her arm on his and held his penitent gaze.
"I'll always be here for you Rick. Not even a mild heart attack can change that."
"I love you."
"I love you too. Go get your brothers. They can fuss over me for a few minutes but then I wanna rest. Maybe a few days here might be a mini vacation for me." She laughed.
"That might not be a bad idea. I'll go get 'em." He walked towards the door feeling lighter than when he had come in.
"Rick?" His mother called out. He turned, focusing his gaze on her again.
"Life is short, tell her how you feel." He nodded, planning to do just that.
…...
"Her color is good." Shane said as he and Rick looked on while Georgia was surrounded on the hospital bed by her daughters-in-law, deep in conversation.
"She's strong. We just gotta make sure she doesn't over do it." The brothers had a momentary respite from their tiff and it did Rick's heart good to know that in times of crisis he and Shane could pull together despite the sibling rivalry that had often separated them over the past couple of years.
Shane was always trying to gain his father's acceptance and Rick had it in droves. It wasn't so much that their father didn't have confidence in Shane it was he was opposite in the way he ran his life. Rick and George were calculated men, Shane ran on impulse, often times dragging a vulnerable Dwight along for the short ride to instant gratification. Shane was reactive, Rick tended to be on the proactive side of things. Shane had his mother's passion for life but his hot headedness often left him with remorse.
"We'll do what we have to. She's the only mother we got." Shane said, his tone somber. Everyone had been affected by Georgia's unexpected hospitalization. She was a powerhouse on her own but nothing was infallible. His eyes found Michonne who had already been staring at him, the wistfulness in her brown pools motivating him to make things clear between them.
Dwight walked in the room and after giving Georgia a kiss and exchanging a few hushed words he joined Shane and Rick. "Doc said she can leave in a few days. I'll head on over to Sweethearts and see what needs to be done."
"I'll come too, so will Shane." They had to work together to cover the Triple S successfully. Dwight nodded in approval of the teamwork.
"I won't lie, when Michonne called and told us what happened it scared the shit outta me." Georgia had been Dwight's second mother for the majority of his life, losing her would be a loss too large to bear.
"Think she scared all of us." Rick said, pleased that the women were laughing after something funny his mother said to them.
Sherry, Andrea and Michonne weren't chummy friends but they did respect each other, especially in Georgia's presence.
"Do you think we should call…?" Shane sentence dropped off, still bitter about calling a name he had written off.
"No, if he wanted to be here he would be." Rick answered, his tone giving the topic a finality.
"Before we leave I don't think it's right I hold onto this any longer. Sherry is pregnant. We heard about Michonne and Andrea expectin' too. Truth is Sherry was already pregnant when we eloped. This baby bonus just came up at the same time, I know how things are lookin' and even though I do want that money I love my wife and I'm kinda excited about this baby we're havin'." Hearing Dwight confess his love for Sherry in such a carefree manner leveled Rick's head a bit. He wanted to be just as free with his feelings. He should've known his cousin wasn't being hasty in his decisions, even Dwight had a perimeter for foolishness.
"Ain't it funny that were all in this baby race. The next couple 'a months gonna be interesting alright." Shane said folding his arms. "Daddy is probably laughing at us right now, he always had a twisted sense of humor. The fact that we're all married with babies on the way was his master plan." Shane admired his father's reach from the grave, even in his absence George Grimes still controlled things.
"The baby bonus isn't important to me anymore. My focus is on turning Serenity around. And making sure mama gets better." Keeping Michonne in his life was his sole purpose too, he hoped she would take him the way he was.
"Well I guess the most we can do is wish each other luck." Shane closed out.
…..
"The doctor said Mama G would be discharged in a few more days." Michonne was fresh from the shower, she had raced upstairs when they returned home desperate for a bath.
It was midnight when Rick pulled into Serenity's driveway. She was exhausted and so was he but they had to ensure Georgia had everything she needed to settle down for the late night. They stopped by her house before they got to theirs to check on things, making sure Olivia was okay.
Michonne knew they had to pick up where they left off in the barn but first she needed a hot shower to wash away the ills of the day. Rick had gone for a bath of his own in one of the ensuite bedrooms down the hall.
She entered their bedroom on tip toe, wearing one of his oversized t-shirts since the night was cool. Rick was fluffing the myriad of pillows on her side of the bed, his caring ways gave her deep pause.
He turned to her, halting in his task to admire her supple form as she stood in the doorway, the light from the hallway filled the room, giving attention to her silhouette in his thin shirt.
"A few more days." He repeated.
"Yeah, good news right?" She saw what the news of his mother's heart attack had done to him, she had never seen him looking so vulnerable and in pain before, she would do anything to take that pain away from him.
Hearing the angelic tone of her smooth voice, he nodded. She had been a beacon in the midst of his torment, a watchtower light in the midst of the storm, a lifesaver in every sense of the word.
He sat back on the edge of the freshly made up bed courtesy Denise, spreading his arm toward her, she settled on his lap like they had done the pose a million times; with comfort and ease, like a practiced skill.
They sat there in silence their foreheads touching, creating a solace that was desperately needed by both. Michonne needed to bridge the gap that had widened between them, even if it meant allowing her heart to be the bridge.
"How did Gareth find me?" The question had been playing on loop in her head since she discovered Gareth had been at Serenity.
"I don't know. He showed up here a few weeks ago asking for you. Daryl and I had a...talk with him when he told me what he wanted from you."
"When you said you had a fight in the bar that day, it was really Gareth you fought with?" She put two and two together, Rick's bar fight story never made much sense to her.
"I had to make sure he never bothered you again Michonne. He got the money and we sent him on his way. You don't have to be afraid anymore."
"Rick I'm sorry for not telling you everything. The truth is I was so ashamed of that part of my life that I did my best to hide it from you." Her tone was contrite, her nerves buzzed with fear and she questioned it's authority to rule over her.
She took the reigns, somehow pivoted by being free with truth for once in her life.
At the onset of what he'd done she had been angry but for all the wrong reasons. She doubted Rick's intentions when all along he had put her above everything including the very ranch he married her to save.
"You can come to me with anything Michonne. I'm your husband. It's my job to protect you."
"That wasn't part of our arrangement." Falling in love with him wasn't part of their arrangement either but she did it anyways. "Now you don't have any money to help with the Ranch and it's all because of me."
"I don't care about the money anymore Michonne." The brevity of his words held impact.
"You don't?"
He shook his head, rubbing her arms up and down, treasuring the feel of her softness. "No. All I care about is you." His eyes shined with the depth of his words. His hand slipped under her nightwear and caressed her belly. Her roundness was taking form and the reality that his baby was growing under her heart filled him with a fierce protectiveness. "And this baby. That's all that matters to me now."
When his capable hands touched her there was a thrill that tickled her spine, with his hands on her pregnant belly she felt branded, like he was claiming her for himself.
"You gave up all your money for me Rick" If she didn't love him before the fact would move her in that direction.
"Because I love you." He was taken aback by the steady flow of the words that left his lips. Her eyes widened in disbelief, he loved her despite her secrets, despite being the reason he had no capital for his expenditure.
He wanted her to be free and happy. That's how he was sure he loved her, not even understanding the depth of his feelings at the time when he'd given his prize money to Gareth; love was when the other person's happiness became more important than your own.
She placed both her hands against his cheeks, locking eyes with the man she wanted to grow old with. "I love you too." She let loose a breath when she said it as though telling him she loved him was the only way she could breathe.
Rick's eyes closed at her words, under her touch and the sound of her voice professing her love him, nothing could've prepared him for the depth of feeling the knowledge engendered in him.
He tightened his hold on her, knowing now that nothing could take her away from him.
Michonne felt safe in Rick's arms, she didn't have to live looking over her shoulder anymore because of the sacrifices Rick made for her. In his arms nothing could pull her away from him.
"I want our marriage to be a real one Rick. I'm yours if you'll have me."
"I want that too Michonne. I think I fell in love with you the day you agreed to be my wife." Now she was his, he was reserving all rights.
"This thing we're doing here…" He gestured between them, "...you, me and this baby, I'm in. I'm all in." It was a refreshing feeling knowing that love implied that differences could be worked out and misunderstandings could be set straight.
It would be an evolving discipline but he made a promise to himself to share everything with her.
He was overtaken with sadness a few hours before, everything felt like the period of nightfall where darkness comes and covered everything but there was always darkness before the dawn. Michonne took his pain away and gave him pleasure, she traded his brokenness for love and he was staggered by how different his heart beat in his chest knowing his wife loved him.
"All in." she said too. "Rick?"
"Mmmm?" He was drawing lazy circles on her naked thigh, feeling the strains of his dick twitch inside his sweatpants. Her fresh shower scent infiltrated his nostrils.
"I can get a job in town. I'll make more jam. We'll find a way to make things work."
Rick never took it for granted how much of a partner she had been to him from inception. From the start sharing his load hadn't been part of their deal but she did. Her support made concessions like the fact they were no longer in the baby race, easier to bear.
"Things aren't so dire yet. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve. We're probably out of the baby race you know, Sherry's pregnant and I think she got pregnant before we did." He wasn't sure if she knew, they hadn't discussed the triple pregnancy before.
Aside from the severity of the situation the happenings would make for a good comedy show.
"We're still in it by default. We can't know until we know but we have to make contingencies. We need to put things in place." She traded her I's for we, he grasped the significance of it when she laced their hands together and kissed his lips.
He broke apart from the kiss and saw a matched reflection of desire in her mahogany eyes.
"Michonne, win or lose I'm already on top because I have you." No prize money could ever compare to the wealth she had bestowed upon him with her presence in his life.
He loved her more than the money, Rick was different from all the men who had entered and swiftly exited her life after they got what they wanted.
"Make love to me." Her plea sounded innocent in his ear but he wanted nothing more to pleasure her until their bodies were one again.
He answered her by lifting her in his arms, settling her in the middle of their bed. He helped her pull the white tee off, if there was something of this world more beautiful than the naked woman before him he didn't want to know about it.
Her breasts were the first thing his eyes rested on, they appeared rounder, swollen from the pregnancy, her nipples had pebbled with its first feel of the cool air and he reached out and touched it, rolling it between his fingers. Her breath hitched and she writhed on the bed. His fingers traced a path down towards her belly, his palm splayed over the not so slight swell of her abdomen and he kissed it in reverence to the sacred gift that lay below.
He hovered over her now and he bent and sprinkled kisses on her slender neck. Her skin was warm under his lips, he felt her plow her fingers through his messy curls still a little damp from his shower. Her panties were still on and he discarded it quickly making the trajectory to her diamond centre almost a need.
He kissed her mound and her legs fell apart at his greeting. He looked at her, her top lip held her bottom lip in a vice grip as she tried to stay still under his burning touch and heated gaze.
He slid a finger inside her wetness, she was dripping for him and the sight of her pussy glistening with readiness set his loins on fire. He was fully erect in his pants but couldn't leave the sweetness of her core even if his life was being threatened.
He kissed her intimately, licking her lavishly as he felt her body tremble. She was a beautiful mess when she was like this. She was free in bed with him, she trusted him just like that first night when she gave him her virginity. He would never forget he was her first and the knowledge he'd be her last filled him with pride. He would love her until his dying breath.
"Rick please!" She said unable to wait for him to be inside her.
He gave her pussy a final kiss and slipped his pants off. He rested at her entrance after he'd stroked his dick, the head dripping on her.
He toyed with her, teasing her with just the tip but he was doing himself an injustice. Her body pushed against his, her fingers tightened the grasp on his arms. He bent to kiss her, settling himself more comfortably between her thighs. Her lips were cushy, and the taste of her toothpaste lingered on her breath. He thrusted his tongue into her mouth and she moaned against him. He continued to suck her tongue, his hands roaming over her breasts, hips and thighs. He just wanted more of her, she rendered him insatiable; he couldn't get enough.
"I need you inside Rick." The desperate need in her tone almost sent him over the edge.
He slipped into her, the tightness of her walls never failing him with their intense grip. A minute didn't past by when she began to move under him first. She was forceful as she gripped his ass, pushing into him as though she was trying to fuse their bodies together. He pushed into her with a little more force, a little more pleasure and she mewed in his ear. Her breathing hiked up a notch. They were unencumbered by their passion and while he didn't want to depend on anybody for anything he needed Michonne in his life. He was trying to show her how much with his body.
They were moving in tandem now, thrusting strongly against each other. Rick felt like he was ready to combust. He couldn't stop kissing her, her mouth was alluring, inviting his invasion and he continued to plunge into it like he was plunging into her pussy. He was losing control, feeling a tingling that started in his belly and his toes.
Michonne was on the verge of climax as Rick pummeled her, his lips sucking hers left her in a daze.
She wanted to savor the feeling only Rick evoked in her.
Knowing her tell by now he felt the convulsions begin in her body and he knew her climax was soon to follow. He slipped his hand between them and began to rub her bud, not losing much time between their brief separation.
"Yess! Rick!" She screamed.
"Tell me who I am." He said, looking into her eyes.
"You're my husband." She responded, her breaths were frenzied now. Her legs were trembling as the explosive feel cantered up to her.
"And you're my wife." His face grew taut and she knew his own release was impending.
When he dipped and kissed her breasts she let go and released on him, her juices coating his dick, giving him more nectar as he continued to stroke.
"I'm gonna come." He grunted, his eyes turning midnight in color.
"Michonne…" His cadence was drawn out from the intensity of his arousal. She felt him thrust one more time and spilled his seed inside her as he took her lips again.
"I love you so much baby." He said once his breathing had regulated.
She kissed his forehead, a sheen of sweat had settled over them both.
"I love you too Rick."
Now that he'd said it he wasn't sure if he could shut up about it.
He took his weight off from her and pulled her into his arms, satiated from their coupling, sleep was imminent. Peace flowed between them and they didn't take it for granted. Their predicament hadn't changed much but they would handle if together because they could only make it together.
They lay in silence waiting for sleep to take them. Rick lifted off the bed not wanting to disturb Michonne who he assumed had dozed off as her breathing grew even.
He adjusted the blanket over them, and settled down next to her. She was the little spoon to his big spoon, it was how they fell asleep most nights.
Their nakedness weren't new but their naked hearts was something he never wanted to cover up.
He let his hands settle over their baby feeling himself drifting off. His last coherent thought was he never felt this happy before.
