Chapter 3-Intermezzo
As Darryl anxiously drove his best friend to King County, back to a place he and Michonne ran from eight years ago, the town neither he nor Michonne ever stepped foot in again since their initial departure at the age of seventeen, the song playing on the radio had him reflecting on the last time he was there.
The harsh beat of the tune took Darryl back to all the chaos just before he and Michonne left King County. The toiling lyrics seemed to tell the story of their struggle soon after they left, and Darryl thought it peculiar how a song could mimic what he was thinking in that exact moment. Listening to the grinding melody, Darryl felt sandwiched somewhere between the chorus and the bridge of a song that could have easily been called The Ballad of Darryl and Michonne. He looked over at Michonne and recalled the day she came frantically knocking on the door of his trailer home.
"What's wrong Chonne?" Darryl rattled worriedly as he pulled Michonne away from the trailer and out to a patch of woods nearby.
As much as Darryl's poor ass family loved drugs and criminal activity, they hated black and brown people more. It was not safe for Michonne to be anywhere near his house, and she knew that. Darryl was exceptionally worried because only desperation would have brought her to his neck of the woods.
"Darryl, I need to go. I came to tell you that I'm leaving King County!" Michonne cried to her best friend in a frenzy of tears.
"What? You and your father are moving?" Darryl panicked, afraid that he was losing his only friend in the world.
"No, I'm running away from Rick, my father, from everybody. I can't stay here anymore. I can't go home!" Michonne sobbed in hysterics and Darryl placed his jacket on the cold ground then carefully sat his pregnant friend on top.
Darryl did not know what to think. It took a while to calm Michonne down enough for her to finally tell him what happened, and he was livid. Darryl was ready to kill Rick. Kill him dead. Shane too. Then step over Shane's rotting corpse and give Michonne's father the same treatment. She held Darryl back. Michonne just wanted to leave King County and everybody in it and disappear for good.
"You can't go alone Chonne," Darryl grunted and tried to convince her to stay at least until the baby was born.
"I am leaving Darryl. That is final. I just came to tell you goodbye and that I will miss you," Michonne sniffled then grumbled when she struggled to stand without help.
"If you can't even get up off the ground by yourself Michonne, how are you going to make it out there alone," Darryl barked using Michonne's whole name because he was angry, and he wanted her to understand how dangerous it would be for her and the baby.
To Darryl, Michonne was like a sister that he never had. He wanted to protect her. Keep her safe. She was seventeen, six months pregnant and currently, had no family to count on outside of him. As always, Darryl managed to come through for her. He had one ace up his sleeve, but first he needed a Hail Mary Card, and those miracles did not come easy in Darryl's rather difficult life.
"Well, I AM leaving. I just won't sit on the ground again Darryl!" Michonne hollered in annoyance as he pulled her to a standing position.
"I have an idea Chonne. Hold tight, okay?" Darryl pleaded and Michonne eyed Darryl unwillingly, "please," Darryl added to try and convince her.
"Okay, but not for long Darryl. I can't go home," Michonne responded wondering where she would lay her head that evening.
Outside of Rick and her father, Darryl was who she trusted the most. Then Michonne supposed that Rick was cleared from her most trusted list, and it hurt her to admit that. Even more devastating was knocking her father from that list too.
"It involves my shitty ass brother," Darryl admitted and Michonne scrunched her nose at the possibility of Merle helping her with anything.
Merle was eight years older than Darryl. By the time Darryl was seventeen, and Merle twenty-five, Darryl's degenerate brother had already served multiple jail sentences. Merle had just gotten out on parole and robbed another liquor store. The Sherriff at the time suspected Merle and got a search warrant for his shit hole of a home on the outskirts of town, but the shifty crook already passed the money off to Darryl to conceal. After Darryl hid the measly three thousand dollars where nobody could find it, Merle threatened Darryl within an inch of his life if any of his money went missing. Merle watched Daryl like a hawk.
"Little Brother, what you doing here with this Nubian queen? Weren't you that got her pregnant, was it?" Merle asked amused as he leaned on the front door of Darryl's trailer in a dirty wife beater drinking a warm beer.
"Mind your business, Merle. What are you even doing here? You don't live here anymore," Darryl spat and before Merle could make a move to beat his brother's ass for back-talking him, they heard a man furiously yelling in their direction.
"Don't you say nothing little brother, you hear me?" Merle demanded never taking his eyes of the fuming man stomping towards them.
Darryl moved Michonne far from the scene and they both watched from a distance as Merle argued with the grungy looking man. Next thing Darryl knew, the man grabbed the axe from the side of the trailer and chopped Merle's hand clean off. The neighbors came out annoyed at the disruption, but when they saw Merle's hand detached from his body, their anger turned to shock and called 911.
"I want my share!" The man demanded while standing over a screaming Merle who was bleeding profusely and yelling for help.
Sirens were heard in the distance and Darryl grabbed Michonne's hand, stopping only once to pick up a neighbor's shovel before taking off towards the woods. Darryl got his Hail Mary and was relieved it was not harder than it was. He figured it would at least be a few difficult days before he could sneak that money from his brother.
"Where are we going?" Asked Michonne, who was huffing and puffing, struggling to run but Darryl managed to keep her by his side.
"I buried some of Merle's money. We are gonna take it and leave here Chonne. Buy us a bus ticket and get far away from this hell hole. With Merle needing medical attention, he won't be able to follow us. Now we can disappear like you wanted," Darryl informed and slowed down for Michonne's sake as they headed to the spot where the money was buried.
By the time Merle was out of the hospital, his money had long since been dug up. Merle ran to the shack of a home where his brother lived and banged on the flimsy front door. His shitty mother informed him she had not seen Darryl in a while and was more upset at all the bothersome people looking for him than the fact her son was missing.
"Fuck!" Merle shouted out loud, already planning to skin Darryl alive next time he saw him.
Darryl had taken Michonne to an abandoned cabin where they stayed overnight to discuss their next steps. Michonne wanted to go to Savannah, a place she was familiar with. Darryl convinced her that would be the first place anybody would look for her and if she wanted to vanish without a trace, Savannah should be avoided. Darryl suggested they leave the state of Georgia completely. They landed in Alexandria Virginia. It was difficult and most definitely scary those first two months as they struggled to survive. They stayed in cheap, fleabag motels surrounded by some very shifty people and eating even cheaper and suspect food as they damn near froze death. Virginia winters were not the same as Georgia winters and they were relieved when the weather finally began to warm. Their money was quickly dwindling and they did not find a better situation soon, they would be on the streets homeless and starving.
Darryl tried not to show it, but he was terrified. He never could have imagined that living in the real world could be more distressing than what he experienced in his home. They were two clueless, naïve kids who thought living on their own with three-thousand dollars in their pockets was going to be a breeze. They believed the world was going to be their oyster. They were going to get an apartment, enroll in the nearest high school, and give the baby a good life. They quickly realized what they thought was going to be enough money, was, in reality, laughable. On top of their monetary issues, Michonne was now eight months pregnant, they had no way to make decent money, and both struggling high school dropouts were at a loss as to what to do next.
"Should we go back Chonne?" Darryl asked as he eyed Michonne's growing belly then the mattress where they kept their rapidly depleting funds.
"You can go if you want Darryl. I already told you, I am never going back," Michonne reminded as she rubbed her aching lower back pretending to appear stronger than she actually was.
Michonne was scared too, and it took real effort for her not to cry twenty-four hours a day.
"You know I ain't never leaving you Chonne," Darryl insisted and moved behind her to massage the soreness away.
As Darryl dug deep into her muscles, images of being homeless with a real live baby to take of overwhelmed his mind. He was desperate to find a way, but first he needed to get Michonne to eat something healthier than their daily ration of ramen noodles. By the grace of God, while standing in a food line that was at least serving some sort of green vegetable, they met a friendly pastor who took pity on their predicament.
Father Gabriel took them in, and eventually fostered the two teens, which was a timely blessing because Michonne went into early labor. The pastor was literally a Godsend as he made sure Michonne had quality healthcare. Gabriel thought it would be a temporary situation, a couple weeks at most, before sending the trio to a good family shelter. The next thing Father Gabriel knew, several months had passed, Carl was a chubby three-month old baby, and Michonne and Darryl had gotten their GED through a service run by the church. Father Gabriel encouraged Michonne to apply to local community colleges and universities and when she got accepted to the University of Virginia, she was excited. Then Michonne was fraught when she thought about actually paying for UV. Michonne and Darryl got a sentimental surprise when the parishioners took a liking to Michonne and her cute little baby boy and tithed enough money to pay for her first full of college. Michonne and Darryl were so thankful, they hugged just about everybody in the church.
Michonne was fortunate enough to be able to move into on-campus family housing and fibbed that Darryl was her husband so that he could live there too. For an extra fee, they offered daycare and Michonne quickly found a job to utilize that very necessary service and to also pay for year two of college. The congregation made no mention of any more money outside of what they had already blessed her and Darryl with for her freshman year. Michonne sat on the bed in her two-room dorm and stared lovingly down at a four-month-old Carl.
"We just might make it," Michonne cooed, and Carl gave her a little giggle or gas, Michonne was not sure which.
As she eyed Carl, she knew they were extremely lucky, but relying on luck was foolish. She needed a solid plan if she wanted to give her son a good life and it was going to be a lot of hard work ahead. Carl was Michonne's main motivation to keep moving forward.
"Chonne, I'm headed out to check on that automotive school, you good here?" Darryl inquired already hustling for his, Michonne, Carl's futures also.
"Yeah, go do your thing," Michonne grinned confident that everything was going to work out well for her and Darryl.
Between Darryl's school courses and working on cars in one capacity or another since he was ten, Darryl probably knew more about fixing cars than the people instructing him. Darryl could refurbish a carburetor to run almost like new with his eyes closed and one hand behind his back. Nine months later, Darryl was ecstatic as he handed his letter over to Michonne.
"How in the hell did you get certified so fast?" Michonne asked as she looked at Darryl's credentials in awe.
"It's not a certification yet, but I took auto mechanics all four years of high school, so I already had most of the requirements completed, but dropped out before I could finish the last one and take my test. That letter says I can work as a PAID trainee until I can get my full certification. I can help you pay for Carl and college now," Darryl grinned and Michonne gave him a celebratory hug.
"We need to celebrate both of our good news! Let's eat at a restaurant that's not the University cafeteria!" Michonne suggested and Darryl looked perplexed.
"What good news you got Chonne?" Darryl asked curiously as he smiled at the newly one year old Carl.
At the beginning of Michonne's second semester of college, a professor saw her potential and helped her with the financial aid process. Because she was a young mother, and very smart, the professor found many scholarships and grants that she qualified for and Michonne applied for all of them. Over the last week, her own letters began to arrive and Michonne got blessing after blessing. She managed to gather enough scholarships and grant money to most likely get her to undergraduate graduation. Michonne, Darryl and Carl celebrated and indulged at a local restaurant along with two new friends. Sitting there watching Carl greedily grab his mashed potatoes with his hands, Michonne was relived college was paid for, but worried about earning enough money to fully care for her son.
Darryl started his trainee position at an auto shop a few miles from the university, mostly sweeping and taking inventory as he learned under the master mechanic. A few months down the line, the owner was in a tizzy because a mechanic was out sick, and cars were lining up. The owner at first let Darryl do the oil changes and monitored the eighteen-year-old as he looked over Darryl's shoulder impressed. Before Darryl even officially obtained his mechanics license, he was already elbow deep under the hoods of most of the vehicles that came though the shop. What Darryl really loved was when the motorcycles came in and decided to make bikes his specialty.
By the end of Michonne's first year of college, both her and Darryl were beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Halfway through year two at the university, Darryl's official certification was granted, and his paycheck got a major boost since he was now accredited. Darryl was thrilled because it brought in more money, which he always gave to Michonne for anything her and Carl needed. Michonne tried to convince Darryl to keep his money, but he was living as her pretend husband rent free off her scholarships, and he felt needed to contribute. Although Michonne assured him that as much as he helped out with Carl and there was no debt owed, Darryl felt some type of way about keeping the money he earned for himself.
"I ain't doing that, but now that I'm about to start making some real money Chonne, why don't you stop working all those crazy ass jobs and focus on studying? Carl smelled like feet every day for a month from that bowling alley," Darryl uttered and scrunched his nose in revulsion.
"I was lucky to find that job Darryl! It was easy money, they let me bring my baby, and I used my free time studying between spraying those nasty ass shoes and those gross ass bowling ball holes. AND I ALSO earned enough money to start buying those expensive ass diapers you claim Carl needs," Michonne exclaimed rolling her eyes as as she looked at the pampers that cost twice as much as the generic brand she used to buy.
"We needed to splurge on the good one's Michonne. Carl was destroying those cheap ones," Darryl laughed and tickled his nephew's tummy, "you obliterated those cheap things didn't you lil ass kicker!"
"He did not," Michonne laughed and watched as Darryl picked up a seventeen-month-old Carl and turned his head in disgust.
"Dear God, he stinks. If he had on them old diapers, smelly shit would be running down his leg by now," Darryl uttered grossed out and handed Carl to his mama.
Despite her unwillingness to stop working, Michonne was still grateful for the offer, and convinced Darryl to open a bank account and stop keeping his money under his mattress. After some persuading, Darryl proudly opened his first account at the same bank Michonne used. After the first month, Darryl ended up moving half his paycheck to Michonne's account every month and still used his own leftover funds to help care for mother and son. Michonne laughed when Darryl used some of his funds to buy a toddler potty for his nephew.
"It's too early for that Darryl. He is only nineteen months old," Michonne chuckled holding the kiddy potty box.
"Chonne, that boy's poop stinks," Darryl laughed, "I almost threw up when I changed his funky ass diaper this morning. We need to alter Carl's diet! This dorm room can't contain that smell!"
"Just open the window when he poops! I guess these expensive diapers aren't so great now, huh?" Michonne chuckled and placed the potty in the back of her closet.
Darryl grunted his disapproval and helped get Carl dressed for Michonne's new job as a professional mourner. As a clandestine courtesy, the funeral home paid Michonne to dress in all black and attend sparce services for those who did not have a lot of family or friends to fill the seats. There was a little office Michonne used to study in between services and on a good weekend, she attended at least six and her employers did not mind if she brought Carl. They loved him to death (no pun intended), and they counted him as an official attendee.
The job Michonne had just before her funeral gig as a food taster also allowed her to bring Carl to work. Michonne thought she hit the jackpot with that one, until she found out they wanted her to taste fancy pet food they advertised tasted like human food. The smell was off putting, and a note of sourness tinged the inside of her nose and made her sneeze into the pet food. When they told her the snotty food should not make a difference in taste, Michonne grabbed her son and left immediately. Not all of Michonne's jobs were barrels of glamorous fun. But she never complained because everything was for Carl.
No one appreciated or enjoyed Michonne's weird and peculiar job antics more than her friends Sasha and Rosita. They met in freshman English, and they hit it off like they had known each other since childhood. When they met Carl, they were enamored with Michonne's blue-eyed baby boy and became his instant Aunts. When Michonne introduced the two to Darryl, the ladies raised their eyebrows and thought their relationship odd. However, after a few weeks of getting to know the quiet mechanic, they grew to love him just as much as Michonne did, one loving Darryl much more than the other. When Michonne first introduced Darryl to Sasha, it was love at first sight. At least for Darryl. Sasha was wary of the greasy biker, but the more she was around Darryl, the more he grew on her. And the more he grew on her, the more she fell in love with him too. Michonne would snicker when she saw them sneaking off from time to time.
"I SEE YOU TWO!" Michonne would yell when Sasha thought she was stealthily sneaking into his room.
"NO, YOU DON'T!" Sasha would giggle and shut Darryl's door behind her.
As for Michonne? She did not think romantic love was in the cards for herself and left that for Sasha and Darryl. For her, love hurt, so she put any hope of a relationship out of her mind and instead put all of her love into her son and his future. She needed to graduate and get accepted into the University of Virginia law school so she and Carl could have a good life. All three women were like-minded when it came to their focus on school, and it paid off. With summer classes, the trio ended up graduating in three years instead of four. Michonne and Sasha stayed for law school while Rosita left for Columbia Medical.
Michonne managed to receive a few grants here and there, but they were much harder to come by as a graduate student than an undergraduate. Michonne did what she did best and accepted odd jobs to cover expenses, allow her to take her son when needed, and gave her time to study. And, as always, Darryl was there to support her too. Darryl informed Sasha that campus family housing was not available for graduate students and he and Michonne were in search of a cheap apartment near the school.
"My baby is not going to live in any cheap apartment!" Sasha exclaimed and Darryl blushed.
"Thank you, Sash, but I need to help Michonne and Carl, and right now, Michonne can't afford an," Darryl explained but was cut off by an incredulous Sasha.
"By my baby I meant Carl, not you Darryl! I mean yes, you are my baby too, but I was talking about Carl," Sasha laughed and kissed her boyfriend on the cheek when his face fell.
Sasha offered for the three to move into the apartment that her parents were paying for while she was attending law school. Michonne was not going to look a gift horse in the mouth, and after Sasha upgraded to a two-bedroom apartment, Carl and Michonne moved in. Darryl too.
"Are you rich Sasha?" Darryl finally had the nerve to ask his girlfriend while they moved their belongings into their new bedroom.
"I am going to tell you like my parents tell me. I, Sasha Williams, am broke. Poor, let my daddy tell it. My parents, however, are very well-off. My mother owns a popular bakery, my father is a renowned plastic surgeon, and my brother is a professional football player. So while I am in school, they pay my way," smiled Sasha and Darryl nodded impressed then thought a minute before shouting at her retreating figure.
"Wait, What? Who is your brother?" Darryl hollered running after Sasha.
Law school went by just as quickly as undergraduate and next thing Michonne knew, she was in her graduation robe stretching her neck to find where a recently married Sasha Dixon was seated. When Sasha introduced Darryl to her parents they gave their wild daughter a side-eye, but if she loved them, they would too. Darryl was emotional that her parents accepted him without question and loved him in a way his own parents never did. Sasha's parents did feel a little salty that the two eloped at the courthouse instead of having an actual ceremony, but they got over it quickly. Sasha was always independent and did her own thing and her parents chose to look forward to being present for the other big milestones of the young couple's marriage.
Sasha's parents did have one request. They wanted their daughter and new husband to move back to Atlanta and take the Georgia Bar. That was always the plan for Sasha anyway, and Darryl agreed to move with his wife. Darryl had a dilemma however, Michonne had planned to take the Virginia Bar and stay in the state. Michonne was going to be a hard sell. She always swore she would never step foot in Georgia again. The pain that state caused her was immeasurable. When Michonne began studying for the Virginia bar, Darryl knocked on her bedroom door and took a deep breath as he prepared for the Georgia conversation.
"Come in," Michonne hollered never taking her eyes off her study materials.
"Hey Chonne. Can I talk to you for a minute?" Darryl requested and noticed Michonne stayed focused on her books instead of him.
"Sure," Michonne muttered as she read case law then looked up when it got quiet expecting to see Darryl and her six-year-old son like usual, "Where's Carl?"
"He was getting restless, Sasha took him to the park," Darryl answered and Michonne looked confused.
"That boy is always restless. I would have taken him?" Michonne uttered never wanting to purposely put Carl off on anyone.
Carl was a damn handful.
"I wanted to talk to you about something," Darryl uttered and watched as Michonne nodded but went right back to reading her study materials.
Darryl moved to the bed and pulled the pencil from her hand and flicked it across the room.
"HEY!" Michonne yelped with a furrowed brow.
"I need to you focus Chonne," Darryl responded in a very firm and serious tone.
Michonne crossed her arms around her chest and noticed he was holding a bag of books. Darryl closed all of her study materials and pushed aside her notes before taking a seat next to a suddenly curious Michonne. Michonne heard a shuffle and when she glanced at her bedroom door, she saw a head of wild curls quickly move back and out of sight. Darryl took a glimpse too and shook his head at his wife.
"I thought you said they were at the park?" Michonne smiled in confusion.
"I thought so too," Darryl muttered and looked back at a now hidden Sasha.
Sasha wanted to make sure Darryl used all of her reasons for Michonne to move just in case her friend was adamant she was staying in Virginia. Michonne laughed when she heard her impatient six-year-old son holler from the living room for Sasha to hurry and take him to the park like she promised. Michonne already knew without stepping outside the room that Carl had on his little, red avenger backpack filled with his action figures and race cars, while standing with one hand on the knob of the front door. Michonne looked back at Darryl and lifted her chin towards the item her friend was holding on tightly to.
"What's in the bag Darryl?" Michonne asked curiously.
"That's what I want to talk to you about Chonne. I know you just started studying for the Virginia bar, but I need you to think about something for me, please," Darryl almost begged and Michonne sat up straighter realizing this was going to be a serious discussion.
"Sasha is studying for the Georgia Bar, and…and I want you to study for that one to. Sasha's parents, well they want us to move back to Atlanta and we told them we would, but I don't want to go without you and Carl. I got the same books Sasha got for herself in case you were willing so we can all move as a family. I really want you to come Michonne. I don't want to leave you here alone," Darryl finished with pleading eyes.
"AUNT SASHA!" Carl yelled impatiently.
"WAIT CARL!" Sasha hollered since her hiding spot was already blown.
Michonne chuckled that Sasha still did not come into the room after being busted twice.
"Georgia Darryl, I don't know if I…" Michonne started, and Darryl cut her off.
"Michonne, you are the strongest person I know. At seventeen you left with me with just a bus ticket, three thousand dollars, and a pregnant belly and look at you now? A damn law school graduate. Atlanta is just under two hours from King County. You will probably never run into a single person from that town. Will you just think about it?" Darryl requested handing the bag of books to Michonne.
"But," Michonne muttered but Darryl could see she was actually giving it serious thought.
Michonne did not want to be alone in Virginia. She did not want to be without her brother and her best friend.
"Please Michonne. I don't think I can leave you and Carl," Sasha begged as she took a step into the room followed by an impatient Carl who jumped on the bed with his mother.
Michonne chuckled. She was right about Carl's little backpack that was almost bigger than he was.
"I want to go with Aunt Sasha and Uncle Darryl," Carl pled and gathered in his mother's lap and gave her a hug and a kiss.
Michonne side-eyed Sasha, then her son. They both knew exactly how to play her. Carl especially. Michonne thought for a minute and other than Father Gabriel, there was nothing keeping her in Virginia. Her brother was moving. One of her best friends in the whole world was moving. So, it seems she and Carl were moving too.
"Give me the bag! AND THIS BAR BETTER NOT BE HARD!" Michonne smiled knowing she could never leave people she considered family.
"My parents bought me a condo as a graduation gift Michonne, a nice one. There is plenty of room. We can all move, and you are more than welcome to stay for as long as you need to. We can study together," Sasha offered and walked over to hug Michonne who was in tears.
"Thank you, Sasha, I just…" Michonne blubbered, and Sasha reared her head back.
"You are family Michonne. My sister. There is no need for thanks. Besides, you can't have my nephew just living anywhere!" Sasha smiled and eyed Darryl who had relief spread all over his face.
The trio packed up and moved to Atlanta and spent the next few months studying the for the Georgia bar in the fanciest condo Michonne or Darryl had ever seen. Michonne focused. She would need to pass that bar if she wanted to live in a similar style that, it seemed, Carl was becoming accustomed to. Plus, Carl loved his school and had already made friends and Michonne did not have the heart to move him. The residential building was fairly new and there were still Condo's available. Once she passed the bar, and got a job, Michonne was going to buy one or her herself and Carl. Carl was excited to finally get his very own room and informed Michonne that six years of sharing with his mama was enough! Darryl got a job at a high-end cycle shop and spent a lot of time either working or keeping his little nephew company while the ladies studied and finally took the bar. Two months after taking the exam, they both stood in the middle of their fancy living room with unopened envelopes in their hands.
"Let's switch," suggested Sasha who was too fearful to read her own results.
Carl giggled watching the two anxious women in front of him.
"Your mama and your aunt are so silly Carl," Darryl laughed as he tickled his nephew.
"Very silly Uncle Darryl," Carl smirked which garnered a chuckle from Michonne and Sasha.
Michonne and Sasha opened their respective envelopes and pulled out the letter and Darryl and Carl watched their eyes flitter across the results.
"YOU PASSED!" Both screamed at the same time and hugged each other and then Carl and Darryl got in on the celebratory hug action too.
Michonne grabbed Carl and hugged him tightly and cried. Her son was going to have a good life. All of her hard work and sacrifice, and those crazy ass odd jobs, all of it paid off. Both ladies were immediately recruited to work at one of the most prestigious law firms in Atlanta. After three months, Michonne moved into her own Condo four floors down from Dixon's. Life was good. Carl was finishing the second grade at the top of his class and also at the top of his principal's naughty list too. His principal and teachers were highly impressed and of course charmed by Carl Hawthorne, and probably should have done a little more than shake their heads at the adorable boy's harmless shenanigans. The partners at Michonne's law firm were almost as impressed with her as Carl's principal was with him.
Rosita called over the summer and informed Michonne and Sasha that she was accepting residency with the Atlanta Medical Examiner, and was bringing her surprise, big hulking paramedic husband Abraham Ford and his weird cousin Eugene along with her. Carl was off to a great start at the beginning of his third-grade year promising to behave, and a month into starting the eight-year-old was successful. Everything was coming up roses, and each one of them were flourishing, until her son's broken promise and dangerous antics halted their easy-going lives.
"Carl," Michonne uttered as she looked out the car window shaking her head half frowning, half smiling at all the tomfoolery her son loved to get into.
Carl was her pride and joy, but he was also a pain in the rear at times, but this was completely out of control behavior. Michonne was thinking about locking him away in his room and never letting him see the light of day again. Darryl looked over to Michonne sitting in the passenger seat as he drove the familiar stretch of highway to King County, observing the worried yet amused look on her face.
"You alright?" Darryl asked, wondering how Michonne could smile and frown at the exact same time.
"No! I am gonna strangle that kid. I never thought I would ever have to go back there. I never thought I might ever to see Rick again. How in the hell did Carl know about that place?" Michonne pondered as she played with her new M pendant.
"He is sumthin else ain't he," Darryl grunted and Michonne breathed out a deep breath of annoyance at yet another of her son's shenanigans.
"He is," Michonne could not help but grin anytime she thought about her beautiful Carl.
"I was surprised too Chonne. But I guess we gonna find out soon enough," Darryl replied before going quiet again.
"I will say a part of me is glad so Carl will have closure and move on from a father that left him before he was even born. I hate to hurt my son like that, but I get so sad when he asks about him and I am tired of lying Darryl," Michonne informed as she leaned her head back restlessly on the headrest and gazed at the beautiful Georgia woods.
As Michonne sat reflecting on the past, she wondered where she would be had Rick not accused her of being a town whore and leaving her that day in the middle of the street crying. Was she better off? Did Rick do her a favor? She and Sasha were rising stars as junior associates at the law firm. Darryl was getting more and more attention for his motorcycle expertise and was building quite the clientele. Both had great friends like Rosita who moved to Atlanta and was excited about whatever she was doing to those dead bodies, which Michonne thought was gross. Michonne and Carl had a family, and most importantly, they were all successful and happy. When Michonne thought of Carl, at how well adjusted he was, minus his antics of course, how smart, and well-rounded he was, she could not shake the feeling that what happened was all for the best. That it all worked out in her favor. All except for the hole Rick left in her heart that no matter who she dated, or how hard she tried to move on, it always seemed to stay empty. She wondered if she would have accomplished all that she had if she had stayed in that town with Rick.
"You still with me Chonne?" Darryl asked, mentally preparing to discuss a few things with Michonne.
Instead of answering, Michonne asked her own question that got Darryl to wondering too.
"You think we would be where we are today had Rick not done what he did to me?" Michonne asked the thoughtful question and Darryl pursed his lips.
"I think you would have succeeded no matter what. You got that drive in you to be great Michonne, and it rubs off on people. It rubbed off on me. But had we stayed, I don't know that I would be where I am today. We definitely would not have met Sasha, and she was a big part of us being successful."
"No, we wouldn't. I planned on going to college in Savannah remember?" Michonne asked, recalling that day when they ran away.
"Glad I changed your mind," Darryl grunted thinking of Sasha, the love of his life.
"Me too. I would have never ended up in Virginia if given a choice," Michonne agreed and wondered just how different her life would have been had she went back to Savannah or stayed in King County.
"Think you would have stayed friends with me if we stayed in King County?" Darryl asked curiously.
"Always and absolutely!" Michonne smiled, "You were my bestie back then just like you are right now.
"Yeah, I think no matter the choice, life would have been really different for both of us," Darryl grunted and looked at Michonne who was deep in thought.
Darryl had also noticed the emptiness in his friend's heart over the last eight years. All the success and love Michonne had in her life, a part of her was perpetually melancholy and no matter how much fun they had, how much family was around her, he knew there was a part of best friend that would always be forlorn. Darryl took his eyes off Michonne and placed them back on the road. They needed to have a talk that Michonne had avoided for eight years, but it was time and she needed to finally listen.
"It was all for the best," Michonne whispered after a few moments of silence.
"Hmmm," Darryl grunted not quite hearing what Michonne uttered.
"I said leaving King County was the best thing that happened to the both of us," Michonne chuckled at Darryl grunt of agreement, "I have known you so long Darryl that I can tell the meaning of each of your grunts with ease."
Darryl grunted again and looked at Michonne.
"What did that one mean?" Darryl asked his eyes lit up with humor and watched Michonne give him some major side-eye.
"Watch yourself now Darryl, don't let your grunts get you in trouble!" Michonne responded, and Darryl laughed out loud and pressed to the gas to get to his nephew before Michonne made good on her threat.
The closer Michonne and Darryl got to King County, the quieter they both became for the same reason. Rick Grimes. While Michonne hoped to avoid him, Darryl hoped they did not. There was old business that needed to be set straight. Over the years, Darryl's feeling that something did not sit right with the whole situation grew stronger and stronger. He confided his intuition with Sasha, and as usual, his wife encouraged him to talk to Michonne and speak the past out loud and see if it rang right for either of them. Darryl knew Rick. Met him through Michonne, but he knew him well enough to know Rick was a good, stand-up guy. Rick never cared to listen to the fearmongering about his interracial relationship. Rick cared about Michonne and Michonne only and did not bother about the judgement of others. Michonne was his everything, and for him to just snap like that. It was strange and out of character. The more he reflected over the last eight years, the more his gut told him there was a more sinister story behind what happened that day. Carl gave him the opportunity to lay his feelings out and he hoped Michonne would listen.
"Say, I have a few things I want to run by you. I have been thinking about it and the older I get, the more I know I'm right. You willing to listen?" Darryl asked, turning his head to face Michonne.
"Sure," Michonne answered wondering what Darryl had been ruminating on for so long.
"It's about all the shit that went down in King County," Darryl stated and side eyed Michonne when she started shifting in her seat.
"No, that is the past. Old terrible memories that I want to forget," Michonne spat and looked out the passenger window.
"Well Michonne, memories don't work like that. They don't just disappear cuz you want them to. And looking at Carl, don't seem like you could ever forget. That boy is Rick's spitting image," Darryl counseled preparing Michonne for the difficult conversation.
Darryl had a captive audience with Michonne. There was nowhere for her to go. No running to another room, or out to take a walk, she was in a car going seventy miles per hour and still an hour between where they were and where they needed to be. Michonne would have no excuse this time to leave the conversation.
"Carl is nothing like Rick. He may look like him, but my baby will never be cruel like that man," Michonne spat.
"That man is his father, and Rick was a boy when all this happened, not a man. Hell, you and I ran away Michonne! It was stupid. We had no clue where we were headed or what we were going to do when we got there. We made a bad decision because we were two young kids, too dumb to know any better or think about the consequences. We actually thought we could live well on three thousand dollars. I would immediately get a job as a mechanic, and you would finish high school! Neither one of us had a bit of sense. AND you had a damn baby on the way! We were young and dumb just like Rick," Darryl pointed out and Michonne smacked her lips.
"It worked out for us Darryl," Michonne argued turning to face her friend ready for a fight.
"It did, but Michonne, you have to admit we got real lucky running into Father Gabriel. Our lives could have turned out much different had we not. You and I were close to living on the streets," Darryl countered and Michonne sucked her teeth because Darryl was right.
Michonne often thought about the day the pastor saved them, had he not, Michonne shuttered to think where she, Darryl, and Carl would have ended up.
"Yeah," Michonne agreed.
"But like I said. I got some stuff rattling around my head. Will you listen and try to stay calm and think through everything with me please," Darryl asked with a hint of pleading in his tone.
"How long have you been thinking about whatever you want to discuss?" Michonne asked curiously.
"Years, and each year things get clearer and clearer and blurrier and blurrier at the same time. The only person that I can really talk all this through with is you Michonne. I tried a few times, but you were never ready to hear it. Now is a good time, and maybe once we get there, we might finally have the right questions to ask to get the answers that we need," Darry convinced.
"Fine," Michonne uttered intrigued with where Darryl was going with his line of thinking.
Darryl was not a talker, rather he was a thinker. He took in information and allowed time to process and make sense of it. If Darryl had questions, ideas, concerns, they would be well founded. Michonne was willing to be his sounding board no matter how hard it was to revisit the past. Darryl had literally saved her life. She would do anything for him. Even finally discussing Rick Grimes and that awful day a little over eight years ago.
"First. Shane loved Rick. They were brothers. For Shane to tell that lie, he knew it would destroy their bond. Why would he make up a story like that?" Asked Darryl and noticed the frown that ran across Michonne's face.
"Are you calling me a liar too? Are you implying that I slept with Shane?" Michonne barked.
"Hell no. You know better than that Chonne. I know what Rick said was a lie. What I want to know was WHY was the shit even said in the first place? Why would SHANE lie like that. What possible motive did he have? What could have gotten him to do Rick dirty like that? They were like brothers. When Rick was not with you, he was with Shane," Darryl probed eyeing Michonne then the road then back to Michonne who was letting what he asked sink in.
"I don't know. They were so close. Shane loved Rick, at least I thought he did," Michonne uttered as her eyes darted around trying to make sense of Darryl's inquiry.
"Was Shane jealous of Rick? Did Shane want you for himself? Telling that big ass lie, Shane had everything to lose and NOTHING to gain from it. Was Shane a racist prick like some others in King County and wanted to break you two up?" Darryl vomited out more questions and Michonne was trying to keep up with it all.
Michonne sat back and thought about all the questions prioritizing them in her mind.
"Hmmm," Michonne responded to no one in particular.
"For this to work, you gotta tell me what you're thinking. You gotta talk to me Chonne," Darryl implored.
"Well ain't that the pot calling the kettle black," Michonne chuckled at her friend that always had the fewest words to say.
"I only talk when it matters," Darryl grinned then waited for Michonne to answer his questions.
After a few seconds, Michonne responded.
"As far as being a racist. I never got that vibe from Shane. I never felt any hate from him. In fact, I thought we were friends. He always joked around with me, and we always hung out, remember?" Michonne answered then asked Darryl for verification if what she recalled was true.
"Yeah, I remember Shane never looked his nose up at either of us like some of the people did in that town. When your stubborn ass would pull me along to hang out with y'all, I used to hate it!" Darryl grinned.
"You loved it!" Michonne smiled and lightly hit Darryl on the arm.
"Did not," Darryl grunted.
Darryl did love it, for several reasons. First and foremost, Michonne never kicked him to curb when Rick was around. She stayed his tried-and-true loyal best friend and always included him in just about everything they did. Darryl was quiet though and did not talk much and often relegated himself to a quiet corner when they would all get together. He remembered Rick never gave him shit about it either. Not Once. Shane on the other hand, ran his mouth about it incessantly. Michonne told him it was because Shane was social. He loved talking and loved having an audience for all of his insane stories. Shane hated it when Rick and Michonne would go into their little trances because, until they snapped out of it, Shane had nobody to converse with because Darryl wouldn't participate. He only listened and watched. Shane thought it was weird that Darryl only grunted in the corner.
The other reason Darryl loved being dragged around by Michonne was because it got him out of his abusive household. He knew his mother was the way she was because of what his father put her though, but Darryl was always confused as to why she would take her anger out on him and Merle instead of where it belonged. School and hanging out with Michonne took him out of that negativity, if not for a little while. Michonne was Darryl's saving grace, and he showed Michonne just how much he appreciated her by always being there for her with whatever she needed.
"As far as jealousy, maybe. Not about me and Rick's relationship because, from what I can remember, I think he was dating someone from a different town, but Shane was tightlipped about her. Sometimes, I used to catch him looking at Rick and I, like he wanted what we had but maybe with that girl," Michonne remembered, "The only thing Shane might have been jealous of was Rick and his family. Shane's parents were…."
"Something else. They would walk around like they were better than us, look down on us, but his father was an undercover drug addict that wasn't good at being undercover. He always bought drugs from my brother," Darryl added, "his mother always seemed numb. Like she was a zombie or something. Maybe she did drugs too."
"Yeah, my father said they needed to look down on someone so they could feel better about themselves," Michonne uttered and an image of Andre Hawthorne popped into her mind.
Michonne had not thought of her father in years. After what Andre did to her, she had to let him go. It was difficult but she did not have time to dwell on her father. She needed to focus on those that loved her. She needed to focus on Carl, so she blocked her father out too. Now, she wondered how he held up over the years, and pondered if she should pay him a visit while she was there before deciding against it. Better to let sleeping dogs lie.
"Yeah," Darryl agreed thinking about his own circumstance back then, "What about Rick's parents?"
"Rick's father? I always thought he was fake with me. He would smile in my face, but it seemed disingenuous. Like he wanted me to say goodbye as soon as I said Hello," Michonne recalled. "But not Mrs. Ella. Rick's mother was always lovely to me."
"She was. Always made sure to feed us," Darryl grinned then his smile faltered when he remembered how his own mother would either forget or did not bother to make sure her children were fed.
"Food or not, it got to a point that I would just avoid going there and I really don't think Rick noticed one way or the other? But I felt a wave of hatred come off Richard towards me. But not his mother. I never felt that from her, or Shane for that matter," Michonne reflected and she tugged on her necklace and rubbed her fingers across the diamond chips on the pendant.
"You ever see that supposed incriminating picture Rick said he had of us?" Darryl inquired and looked over at Michonne.
"No," Michonne uttered and began to rub more furiously at her necklace wondering who would take an innocent picture and turn it into something dirty.
"And your father. He was a lot of things Chonne, but that man loved you something fierce. He was just so broken that he could not get himself together to fully do right by you, but he loved you. Better than my parents loved me, that's for sure. So why would Andre tell Rick that I was your boyfriend when he knew I wasn't. And why would he say I would sleep over implying that we were having sex?"
Michonne sat up straight in her seat. All the years trying to block out that day, she avoided the obvious signs and questions. She wondered if she ran too soon, and maybe should have stayed and confronted Rick, Shane, and especially her father for answers before she left.
"Oh my God Darryl. Do you think somebody set all this up to break Rick and I up on purpose?" Michonne pondered in shock.
"Maybe. But don't the whole situation seem fishy now to you too?" Darryl asked and watched as Michonne slowly nodded her head in agreement, "so maybe we stay long enough to ask a few questions and not grab Carl and run out of King County like bats out of hell. If it turns out Rick was tricked just like the rest of us, you need to be open to that relationship. Maybe not a romantic one, but a parental one. Carl deserves to know his father," Darryl started by was interrupted by Michonne.
"Never. Even if he was tricked, the final decision was on him, Darryl. He chose not to trust me. He chose to say those mean and spiteful things to me. He chose to leave me pregnant and alone," Michonne spat, "I could never forgive him for that."
"You were not alone Chonne," Darryl gave her major side-eye, "And again, kids. We were kids. You can't keep leaving that part out of the equation. Had the table been reversed at that age, how would you have reacted?"
Michonne rolled her eyes because she knew at seventeen, she would have cussed Rick out and left him where he stood had someone told her he cheated on her and got another girl pregnant. She would have packed up and left for college and never looked back. But Michonne still thought her situation was a little different.
"I know that I was not alone Darryl, and I love you for coming with me and taking care of me, but Rick didn't know that. He knew I had no one but my father who turned his back on me. So in Rick's eyes, for all he knew, I was out there alone. Seventeen, pregnant and alone. I can't forgive him for that. I can't," Michonne bit adamantly, trying to hold the tears that were gathering in the corners of her eyes.
"Well, maybe not Chonne. I was missing too. And I was your best friend and one of the boys Rick accused you of sleeping with. Would not have been a stretch for Rick to think we ran away to be together," Darryl offered and watched as Michonne furrowed her brows.
"You think Rick thought we ran away together proved this baby was yours?" Michonne asked incredulously shaking her head at the ludicrous suggestion.
"I'm not saying that Chonne, I am just asking you to be open to all the possibilities. Carl wants a father, and as much as I do for him, as much as I love him, and I much as I am here for him, Carl knows I am just his Uncle. And…we were going to tell you this weekend before this mess with Carl happened, but Sasha is pregnant. I don't want Carl to feel like I'm choosing my child over him. That worries me to no end. I don't ever want that boy to feel like I don't consider him my own," Darryl uttered worried about how Carl was going to react.
"What? Oh my God Darryl! Congratulations!" Michonne nearly shouted and reached over to give Darryl a peck on the cheek.
"Thanks," Darryl grinned at her silly antics.
Michonne chuckled and then sat back in her seat and thought for a minute.
"Carl knows you love him, Darryl, that is one thing you never have to worry about," Michonne assured and heard Darryl grunt his agreement.
Michonne looked over at Darryl and gazed at him for a few long seconds. He was the best man she knew, and she so deeply appreciated his quiet support and his thoughtful advice.
"Oh, did I tell you that little stinker refused to talk to me on the phone when the sheriff called," Michonne stated incredulously.
"He was probably trying to delay the inevitable," laughed Darryl and noticed Michonne playing with her necklace again.
"Is that real gold?" Darryl chuckled, "I mean the whole set cost what seventy bucks? You better stop playing with it before your fingers turn green along with your neck!"
Michonne cackled because she thought the exact same thing when Carl presented the gift to her. She was weary of wearing what she assumed was a trinket every day around her neck and getting some sort of infection from it.
"It's actually real," Michonne stated in amazement, "It has 14k engraving on the clasp."
"Wait, where did he get the money for the real gold necklace and the bus ticket?" Darryl asked bewildered.
"I bet that little schemer conned Rosita too!" Michonne muttered, "I am going to kill that kid Darryl!"
Michonne: How much did you give Carl for my necklace.
Rosita: What necklace. Carl did not ask me for money. Hold on, let me ask Abe.
Michonne: Ok
"What did Rosita say?" Darryl inquired then heard another ding on Michonne's phone.
Rosita: Tell Carl I will be waiting for him when he gets home. I am going to kill him right after I kill Abe. Have you picked that little blackmailer up yet?
Michonne: OMG what did he do now.
Rosita: I will tell you when you get back. Tell Carlito, es un chico muerto.
Michonne squeezed her and shut and wondered why Carl was so crazy. Was it taking him to all the odd jobs? Michonne contemplated and before she continued down that What Did I Do Wrong, road, Darryl disrupted her thoughts.
"Are we in agreement? We find what happened back then?" Darryl asked making sure they were on the same page, "And If it turns out that Rick is just a major prick that was just trying to shirk his responsibility, well then, we leave King County and forget the name Rick Grimes for good?"
"Yes. Closure," Michonne replied and began playing with her ill-gotten gift again.
"Or new beginnings," Darryl added quietly reflecting on all that was discussed in the car.
Darryl turned up the music and noted the song playing sounded remarkably similar to the last tune and he could not tell if it was hopeful or sad. Darryl focused on the words as he and Michonne continued down the highway and he supposed it was a little of both. The singer was belting his soulful words about two distanced lovers fighting to find their way back to one another. The end of the song was ambiguous, and Darryl sucked his teeth and the uncertainty of both the song and their current situation. Darryl and Michonne traveled the rest of the way without another word spoken between them. Both Michonne and Darryl were listening intently to the music as they drove the last leg of their trip to their old stomping ground.