Chapter Four:
"What on earth has gotten into you? Huh? You walk in there with a face like slapped ass and you call me out- what's the problem, son? Because I'm not following!"
Rick ran his hand down his face as he stood opposite his father in the parking lot, unable to control himself any further, "Help me understand what's going through your mind right now, because I'm the one that's lost"
"The hell are you talking about?", His father squinted his identical blue eyes at him, tilting his head as if it would help him see better.
"You took Michonne out last night? She stayed with you, right?"
His father's head jerked back, his face falling blank, "How the hell you hear about that?"
"I saw her. She told me. She had my hat on", Rick rested his hands on his sides as he eyed his father, "So who the hell is that in there? Less than twelve hours later?"
His father groaned as he leaned back, "Look, Sharon is my girlfriend-"
"Since when?"
"...It's happened recently-"
"And what's Michonne? Where does she fit into thangs?", Rick narrowed his angry eyes at the man, "Because I don't see how that works?"
"Michonne is a special girl! I can't say a bad thang about her; she's fun, she's sweet and I hope to remain friendly with her but- I don't know. God, I hate to say it buy last night I felt like I was out with my daughter or somethan'...", His father released a dry chuckle, "She was running around, dancing- I need someone who's moving at the same pace as me-"
"Ain't that what you wanted?", Rick challenged, "You seem to think you're younger than me on most days-"
"I wanted to have fun and a young woman wanted to spend some time with me! God dammit, is that so hard to understand? Does it make me a bad person for having some new company around? No one had to remind me about the differences between her and me because I already knew! I knew there was a chance that she and I wouldn't become anythan' serious but that doesn't mean I can't get to know her-"
"Does she know that? Does anyone else besides you, know what the hell you're doing?"
"Oh, stop it! She wasn't looking into this anymore than I was! The only person who's seeing it for more than it was is you!"
Rick raked his fingers through his hair, "That's beside the point! You can't be out with her one night then have a girlfriend the next- Does Sharon knows she stayed the night at your home?"
"No but I have no problem telling her because ain't nothing happened so don't go around insinuating thangs!" , His father's expression darkened, "It got late, she had drank a few and I let her stay over- She slept upstairs and I slept in the goddamn basement! What's so bad about that? Should I have let her drive back to Atlanta and maybe cause an accident? Why don't you tell me, Mr Man of the Law?"
"Then why doesn't Michonne know about her?! Why doesn't Sharon know about her? If it's all above board then why is everyone surprised to see you have a girlfriend?"
His father huffed as he shook his head, "You really need to calm down, you're ruining Lori's night"
Rick couldn't give his father a more incredulous look if he tried, "Take your friends and your girlfriend somewhere else. You're all drunk and you're being loud"
The older man immediately looked offended, "We aren't being loud"
"You are. You're being loud, you're drunk and it's unbearable to watch", Rick snapped, "Just go home or somethan'... I don't know, maybe figure out how to be a better person"
His father stood up straighter, puffing out his chest, "Why don't you figure out how to have fun? Huh? Why don't you find somethan' to do for yourself- You should take that goddamn stick out your ass so you can start to enjoy life, and stop sitting there watching it cruise by like you're the old man! Hell, it's like watching paint dry when it comes to you- Have you ever considered that that's why you haven't got a woman at home? Because you don't offer anythan' but judgement? Get off that pedestal of yours, then you can start worrying about your own love life and stop examining mine"
"I don't care about your love life", Rick almost spat, "But the problem with you is that you'll do some pretty inconsiderate thangs sometimes, like have a get together then leave the woman you're seeing to play with my kids for most of the afternoon while you and your friends drink yourself stupid, or you'll invite her up here and then bail on her so it's up to everyone else to look after your guest-"
"I apologised for that!", His father raised a finger to him in warning, "And it was Lori that suggested that she stayed with y'all by the lake, not me-"
"Because it was the least we can do after you ditched her! If you treated her with some kind of respect and decency-"
"Hey! I have been nothing but respectful of her! So you cut that out! You're making matters out to be a lot worse than they are and I won't stand for that", His father fixed his jacket as she began to turn around, "Now If you'll excuse me-"
"Take your friends and your girlfriend somewhere else", Rick repeated sternly, "You're not welcome in there"
His father froze, "Who the hell do you think you're talking to, boy?"
"I'm so glad my mother isn't around to see the kind of man you've become", Rick admitted bitterly, "She was worth ten of you-"
"You're damn right she was, and you better watch your mouth before I come over there", His father spat angrily, eyes glazing over, "That's the last I wanna' hear from you"
"Believe me. It will be", Rick marched past his father and towards the restaurant doors with balled fists, trying his best to contain his rage.
He didn't intend to lose his temper with his father, but he had been bottling up the way he felt towards the older man for so long that it all came spewing out via his mistreatment of Michonne. There was no doubt in his mind that he wanted his father to find something similar to what he had shared with Rick's mother, but it seemed as if his father had different ideas and Rick no longer wanted any part of it.
Lori watched him like a hawk when he approached the table once again, and before he could finally take a seat she hurriedly led him towards the back of the restaurant, where she proceeded to interrogate him, "I know I asked you to get rid of him but what the hell was all that about? I asked you to send him home, not attack him Rick-"
"I did not attack him", Rick frowned, resting his hands on his sides, "I asked him what he was doing with Sharon when I just saw Michonne earlier-"
"Yeah- we heard that", She ejected dryly, "You were both yelling at the top of your lungs, when all you had to say to him is-"
"I did tell him to leave. I just got caught up with the other stuff too", He confessed tiredly as he ran his hand over his face.
"There is a time and a place for these things, Rick"
"He was out dancing with Michonne last night, let her stay the night at his because she was a little drunk, then he all of a sudden has a girlfriend? But he hasn't even told either of them anythan'! He said that he felt as if Michonne was his daughter when he was out with her, but if that's the case then why not tell her about Sharon? It doesn't make any sense-"
"Oh my God", Lori declared with raised eyebrows, her head tilting to the side and her long brown waves falling forward, "You like her"
"What?", Rick narrowed his eyes at her, "What are you talking about?"
"You like Michonne", Lori said again, shaking her head while she looked at him incredulously, "It all makes sense now"
"What are you talking about Lori?", He repeated, his brows now knitting together at the top of his most bridge.
"What part of what I just said didn't make sense? You like her", His ex-wife pursed her lips as she rolled out the last word of her sentence.
For reasons Rick couldn't understand, He suddenly felt heat rising up his neck and to his cheeks, "She's a nice person and she got on great with the kids-"
"You know exactly what I mean. Yeah, she's a nice person and she did get on great with the kids but that's not the only reason you like her- how could I have missed it!", Lori chortled as she slapped her hand to her forehead, "It all makes perfect sense- you are so transparent sometimes"
"I like her as a person", He tried to clarify but his ex-wife had already turned around laughing, "And what you're saying is beside the point and not even true!"
Lori left him to stew in his own juices. He couldn't believe what she had said, and he couldn't believe that her accusation made him feel so uncomfortable. Of course he had begun to like Michonne; she was indeed a nice person, his children had enjoyed her company and she had a great sense of humour when she wasn't scolding him. He would be lying to himself if he said he didn't find her attractive because she was attractive. She was impeccably groomed and took care of herself, and she wouldn't be the first woman that Rick found attractive without romantic feelings involved.
Even if he did indeed like her for being more than just a nice person, it had no bearing on the fact that he didn't like the way his father treated her. Or so he believed.
It was suffice to say that he and his father's relationship had been affected by their argument. Rick had no interest in seeing the older, and so he didn't. Days went by and he didn't care. The weeks turned to months and he still didn't care. Lori would make arrangements for Carl and Judith to see their questionable grandfather but Rick had no part in it. In the event that he would see his father in town, Rick behaved as if he simply hadn't seen him at all.
In the meantime Rick focused purely on anything else. He hated to admit it but he had taken his father's words to heart, and shortly after they had stopped talking Rick had begun doing what he could to improve the quality of his own life. He had always had to be the mature person, the one that kept everyone else in line and played it safe, because that role came naturally to him. He always suspected that he might be considered boring to some, but to hear it come from the man he used to look up to, left him feeling a little devastated. After all, his father was the person Rick had always tried to emulate, and now the older man was living life differently, Rick hated to think he was destined to follow the same path.
He set out to do everything differently, starting with his own parenting. Although he had never questioned what kind of father he was previously, but as he was desperate to have a better relationship with his own kids he began putting a little more effort in the time he spent with them. He filled their days with tasks tailored to fit their interests, hoping to create lasting memories.
When he wasn't at work or with his children, he would go running or to the gym, having discovered that exercise helped clear his mind, as well as keep him fit. He wanted to be in better shape in every sense of the word, and what better way than completing gruelling workouts.
It may have seemed like small changes to some, but they were momentous to Rick as he had never had a reason to put his needs or wants first. There was always somebody else to worry about, whether it was Lori, his mother, or his father. With neither of his parents no longer in the picture, and his marriage to Lori in the past, he was free for some self-care.
"Brian's out of town for a friend's bachelor party", Lori informed him as she took a seat in Rick's kitchen, opposite Sasha, who was flicking through a magazine while Rick prepared dinner. It was a Sunday evening, and she had brought Carl and Judith over for his week with the children, while Sasha just stopped by for the sake of it. Lori continued tiredly as she opened here bottle of water, "They're in Atlanta"
"Oh? That sounds like fun", Sasha chimed, reaching for her glass in front of her, "No strip clubs, I hope?"
Her eyes widened as she shook her head, the bottle hovering by her lips, "Oh no, Brian's completely against going places like that"
"I bet he is", Rick whispered to himself as he drained a lot of boiling pasta, before speaking up, "Sasha was just asking what to get Carl for his Birthday before you guys got here"
"Oh yeah, I was thinking about getting him one of those Nerf Guns?", Sasha suggested, "He hasn't got one already, has he? Or maybe like a little bow and arrow or something?"
Lori squirmed in her seat as she set her bottle back down, "That's sweet Sasha, but you know how I feel about guns- weapons of any kind, actually-"
"Daddy!", Judith called from the back door, "Carl ate a bug!"
Ricks cringed as he looked in his daughter's direction, "Tell Carl that I said he better spit it out"
"I'm just kidding, dad!", Carl called from somewhere in the backyard. Judith looked over her shoulder to see her brother, then at her father with the most concerned look he had ever seen on a child.
"Don't worry sweetie, he's just being silly. If he does it again then play the butt trumpet until he stops", Rick grinned, causing Judith to burst into a fit of giggles before she ran away.
"The butt trumpet?", Lori repeated dryly as she looked at him with scorn, "You're the reason that they say that now?"
"What? It's funny- you saw her laughing", He snickered, turning his attention to the homemade sauce on the stove.
Lori rolled her eyes as she waved a dismissive hand at him, as she spoke to Sasha again, "Yeah how about just an action figure or something? Or books?"
Sasha wrinkled her nose at the idea, "Okay, boring but fine"
Lori giggled at her, "Oh, I was meant to mention to you Rick that I ran into an old friend the other day. Well, She wasn't really an old friend…"
He peered at his ex-wife from over his shoulder, "Who?"
"Michonne", Lori all but sang her name, "I bet you remember her?"
Rick slowly turned back around to face the pot, even though he was still actively listening, "Go on"
"Well Brian's planning on redecorating his mother's home for her but since he doesn't have the time to help, he went online to look for local designers and he found Michonne…", Lori raised her eyebrows at Sasha, "She was there when I went by on Friday. She sends her love, by the way"
"That's great", Rick responded coolly, though his gaze darted one way or the other as he thought about the information Lori had just given him.
Michonne had crossed his mind here and there, but he hadn't seen her since they bumped into each other at the florist. He did wonder how things ended between her or his father, or if she had moved on and found someone more suitable.
"What happened with her and Richard?", Sasha enquired, inadvertently asking one of the questions that popped into Rick's mind, "I never even got to meet that one"
"He started seeing Sharon", Lori answered sourly, "And she said she tried to call him after she last saw him but never got an answer"
Sasha let out a little gasp, "No way!"
"Yes, but to be honest she didn't seem that bothered by it. I mean, I know it was ages ago but she just shrugged it off. She didn't have a bad word to say about him", Lori sighed as she sat back in her seat, "I told her she'll probably find herself someone better. She's beautiful, smart, funny- I'm sure someone out there wants to treat her right…Don't you agree, Rick?"
Rick rolled his eyes shut as he grew annoyed with his ex-wife's comments, but he still spoke casually, "Of course."
"That's the way it goes", Sasha huffed as she stood up from her seat, "Excuse me guys, I need the bathroom"
"Go on", Lori replied, watching the other woman leave before announcing to Rick, "...Well I invited her along to Carl's birthday. Told her she's welcome to come along since your father will be away with Sharon… she said she'd love to"
All the blood in Rick's body seemed to race to his head, causing his ears to throb. His ex-wife was no longer just teasing him, she had something else tucked away up her sleeve and Rick couldn't begin to guess what, but he refused to show her any kind of reaction. Instead, He simply turned off the stove and turned to face her with a tight smile as he leaned against, "Really? That's great".
"I know", Lori wore a gleeful smile back as she crossed one leg over the other, "I thought so, too".