AN
A big shout out to the awesome members of the WD group Walking Deadheads Rehab and All Things Richonne. My apologies for taking so long to update. This body of mine likes to go to war occasionally and it took a while for me to let it know who's boss around here. Please review and let me know what you think.
Chapter 5
Michonne sat behind the desk her mother had custom built for her father with a glass of bourbon in her hand glaring at the papers sitting before her. She leaned back in the high back leather chair and nervously swiveled from side to side contemplating the last two years of her life.
When she had left Sutter, her heart was shattered. Rick had high-handedly decided they should break up so she could experience life. Not once had he considered joining her or trying to make their relationship work from two continents. It was as if what they shared meant nothing to him, and he easily discarded her.
It had not been 3 months before she received word of his carousing with different women and the possibility that he even fathered a child with one of them. At the time, Michonne believed Rick insisting she go to Europe was just so he could party even though he had told her it was because he did not want her to have regrets for not going.
Two Years Before
"Chonne, are you okay?" Sasha asked, seeing the pain that was evident on her friend's face.
Michonne's hand shook uncontrollably, and she succumbed to her emotions. The taste of rage and heartache threatened to choke her if she did not get control of herself. "Sasha, I have to go." Without waiting for a response, she logged off their web chat. The tears poured from her soul. They had been everything to each other, and to hear that Rick had moved on from what they shared broke something inside of her that she did not think anyone could ever reach again.
Hearing the door to her flat open, Michonne quickly wiped at her tears hoping to hide the torment she was experiencing. "Miche, my brother agreed to meet with you tonight. You owe me for this. I hate that pig. If it…" Andrea walked into the flat and around the couch to find her roommate rubbing her fingers under her eyes swiping at her tears. "What's wrong?" she asked rushing to her friend's side.
Shaking her head, Michonne tried to dismiss her friend's concern. "I'm fine. Just homesick," she lied.
Andrea and Michonne had become fast friends when they met at a private art show. They spent the evening with some of the wealthiest art collectors in Europe who they both agreed had poor taste in clothes and were some form of pod people who shared the same arrogant personality and brain. Refusing to allow Michonne to decline, Andrea ushered her new friend to a nearby club so they could get away from the old horny goats who there at the party. After that, the two young American women spent time together exploring different parts of Europe, shopping, and partying, which eventually led to them becoming roommates.
"You're not fine," Andrea countered surveying the area for clues as to what could have upset her friend. "What happened?"
"Sasha, my friend back home, and I were just on a web chat. She told me Rick is screwing half of the women in our home town and may be a daddy."
"You know the best way to get over an ex is with a new ex," Andrea said, putting an arm around her friend, hoping to lighten her mood.
Michonne shook her head at Andrea, "something is seriously not right with you," she laughed through her tears.
Andrea smiled and sighed, "this is true."
"What am I going to do?" Michonne asked and her tears began to flow again.
"You're going to keep moving forward. If he let you go, it just shows how stupid he is, and it is better you find out now rather than after he had you barefoot and pregnant and stuck in a small town being the dutiful southern belle wife."
Considering Andrea's words for a moment, Michonne nodded and pushed up off the couch. "You're right," she replied half-heartedly. Sutter was home. She had been fortunate enough to travel all over the world with her parents as a kid during her summers, but there was nothing like the small town where the only thing you feared were your parents and the town gossip. Yes, Sutter was home. Rick was there and he was home to her too. "I think I'm going to lie down for a bit."
Andrea shot up to her feet. "Oh you can't!" she exclaimed. "My brother agreed to meet with you tonight. He wants to see if you know your stuff, so you have to accompany him to an auction tonight."
Michonne frowned and shifted gears. She had begged Andrea to introduce her to her brother in hopes of seeing his private art collection. "WHAT!" She hurried towards her bedroom. "What time do I need to be ready?"
"His driver will be here in an hour," Andrea mumble, bracing for Michonne's tirade.
Stopping in her tracks, Michonne turned around to face her friend. "Andie! Why didn't you call ahead?"
"I…umm… that's a good question. But I'm thinking it's best if my attention is focused on helping you pick out something to wear."
"Something is seriously wrong with you," Michonne spat.
Michonne loved the small Italian villages. She often mused to herself that she could feel the passion the in the air whenever she and Andrea would visit. Tonight the pain of Rick's whoring ways was preventing the heartbroken young woman from enjoying the beauty of her surroundings. The driver skillfully maneuvered the dark tinted SUV to the door of a villa. By the look of what she could see under the cover of darkness, the auction sat nestled on top of a hill overlooking a vineyard.
The driver pulled the car to a stop, and a valet opened the door and escorted Michonne out of the vehicle and into the opulent home. Her breath hitched when she caught a glance of one of the most handsome men she had ever seen other than Rick. He was taller and older. Where Rick was all cowboy and rugged sexy the man who had now locked his eyes with hers was debonair sexy. He lifted his champagne flute to her and headed towards Michonne. Was he gliding, she asked herself seeing how smoothly he moved?
She continued to watch him stopping only to pluck another flute from a tray as a server passed. Once he reached her, she stared up at him frustrated with how his presence robbed her of her ability to speak. "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on," he leaned down and whispered in her ear in Italian, handing her the glass of champagne. "I'm Negan, Andrea's brother. You come highly recommended," he added his eyes commanding her rich innocent brown eyes remain in their heated stare.
Today
"What's up with the bat call?" Andrea joked. She sauntered into the study to find a glaring Michonne behind her father's elaborate desk. Knowing that look, she stopped mid stride. "What happened?"
"Did you know, Andie?"
Andrea scowled, "know what?"
Michonne finished her drink in a single quaff. The aged liquor burned as it made its way down her dry throat. Slamming the glass down, she slid the faxed papers towards her friend. "You got something you wanna tell me?"
Not taking her eyes off Michonne until she picked up the documents, Andrea skimmed over the pages. "Oh, crap." She looked up and understood the other woman's demeanor. "Miche, I had no idea. You know I haven't had anything to do with him since…" her words faltered not wanting to throw the pain of the recent past in Michonne's face. What are you going to do?"
"I've been lying to everyone. If the truth comes out, Rick is going to lose his mind."
"He loves you. Talk to him."
"I don't know, Andie. Maybe it's just easier to do what he wants."
Andrea leaned over the desk a desperate look on her face, "are you crazy?" she practically yelled. "I won't let you. I swear, if you do, I'll tell Rick myself."
Michonne gasped at the threat. "You wouldn't?" she choked on her emotions.
"Miche, you're more family to me than he ever has been. I love you, and I will tell Rick everything if it keeps you from making the biggest mistake of your life." The decanter sitting on the desk shook as Michonne lifted it to pour another drink. "Don't." Andrea snapped grasping her hand and taking the glass away from her, knowing she needed to keep a level head.
Succumbing to her emotions, the distraught young woman sobbed, and her friend rushed around the desk and held her in her comforting arms not knowing how to fix this situation for her.
Shiloh Inn
Herschel sat on the bed waiting for Barbara to emerge from the bathroom. Since Michonne had returned home, Barbara insisted their private time together be spent two towns away from Sutter. Herschel, fed up with the situation, had been pondering whether he should take it upon himself to talk to Michonne, but he knew his love would rip him to shreds if he did.
All disdain for their clandestine meetings vanished, when the bathroom door opened, Herschel's breath hitched for a moment. He always had that reaction to Barbara even before they became a couple. His throat immediately went dry seeing her standing in the doorway wearing a silk nightgown that hugged her curves. How in the hell did she maintain her figure after all of these years? He had never known her to workout except when she was screaming his name. "How in the hell did I get you?"
"It was the cowboy hat," she mused elegantly walking over to the bed, stopping before him. "I've always thought you were the most handsome man I've ever seen…especially when you're all hot and sweaty after working the ranch."
Before either of them married, they had a brief fling, but times were different back then and Herschel loved her too much to put her through the pain of being ostracized by her family, so he let her go. When Rick fell in love with Michonne, he vowed he would move heaven and hell to make sure they knew they were loved and supported. Barbara straddled his lap tossing her loose curls out of her face with a slight sway of her head. Having her body positioned on him in such a manner drove Herschel insane, and before she knew what was happening he had stripped her of the flimsy garment and him of his clothes.
A few hours later Barbara rested in the crook of Herschel's arm gently gliding her hand across his chest. "We should be getting back," she whispered.
"No, darling. I miss waking up with you in my arms."
"The kids…"
"Are adults," he interrupted her. "Knowing them, they'll welcome our absence. Now take a nap. You're gonna need it," he teased kissing her on top of her head.
Shane looked at Andrea in disbelief and then at Michonne, He had known Michonne her entire life, and she was not a liar, but she had lied to them all. When Andrea called begging for his help, he never expected it was to convince Michonne to talk to Rick about anything remotely to what they had shared with him.
In her many tales about their childhood, Shane had always been the one to fix everything for them all. He was their anchor, and Andrea hoped he could come through for them again, so he was the first person she thought to call for help.
Seeing Michonne, who he loved like a sister broken, enraged him. He could only imagine how his brother would react to what she had gone through. "What do you think?" Andrea asked expectantly.
He gawked at her. His expression clearly conveying his words, "what the hell am I supposed to think?" He realized the harshness in his tone by the way Michonne bristled. He looked at Andrea, "this douche bag is your brother?" Shamefully she nodded her response. "Just so you know I'll kill him before I let him near her or my brother. Are we clear?"
"Crystal," Andrea replied. She knew her brother was ruthless but what he had done to Michonne went beyond his illegal business deals. It was heinous and she could not blame any of them for what they said or did to him.
Shane walked over to where Michonne sat on the couch and kneeled. He took her hands in his and kissed them before looking up into her frightened eyes. "Chonne, I need you to get it together. If Rick sees you like this, he'll lose his shit for sure and a pissed off Rick will only make things worse. You know this." She nodded biting her lower lip to push back another round of sobs. "You trust me?" she nodded again. "Ole' Shane has always taken care of things, right?" Another nod. "I'll take care of everything. You and the girls keep working on the wedding. Okay?"
Michonne wrapped her arms around Shane's neck. "Thank you."
"That better be a sibling like hug," Rick joked walking into the room. "Or so help me, Shane, I ship your balls to Indonesia."
Shane stood and looked down at Michonne trailing his finger down her nose. "Nope, I was trying to talk your wife to be into a threesome with this beautiful gal, but she won't go for it. She's telling lies that you're more man than she can handle."
"Asshole," Rick laughed sitting next to Michonne noticing her swollen eyes. "You alright?" he narrowed his eyes on her.
Michonne sniffled. "Allergies." Another lie, she thought.
Rick scowled, "I've never known you to have allergies."
Andrea grabbed Shane's hand to lead him out of the room. "Probably this idiot's cheap cologne," she joked.
