Forbidden Fruit Part 4 – The Twist

It had been a week since Rick and Cherie's encounter in the barn. A week since they were naked, tasting one another, ready to devour each other. In addition, they would have done a lot more if Daryl hadn't of interrupted. To make matters worse, they haven't had a chance to talk about what happened either. They both wanted to, but they just could never seem to get a chance alone. Someone would inevitably be around every time thought they were alone even get a second. One day it was because Hershel needed to talk to Rick, another day it was that Carol needed Cherie's help with something. It seemed as though Rick and Cherie would never get a chance to talk in private, let alone to do something more.

Finally, it seemed luck would be on their side. Daryl brought up to Rick that he and Andrea spotted a town on the way back from their last run. It was about a day and a half's journey, but Daryl said it looked relatively undisturbed. Therefore, Rick took the opportunity to plan an outing. And as usual, Cherie would be Rick's partner. No one thought anything of it, since the two of them had been going on runs together for the last few months. But boy oh boy, did Cherie think about it. In fact, that was all she could think about.

After discussing the details with Daryl and Shane, Rick informed the group that that he and Cherie would be leaving the day after tomorrow. He wanted to leave the next morning, but Lori was throwing a hissy fit about Rick leaving again. Lori had been extra bitchy lately, and not just to Rick. She had been fussing at Carl a lot more, she lost her temper with Beth over something seemingly small, and she even threw a glass bottle against the shed the night before in the middle of a fight with Rick. Whatever was going on with Lori…. It seemed to be getting worse.

After the meeting, everyone seemed to be getting ready for bed. However, Cherie was too excited at the thought of a whole week alone with rick. So she decided to go for a walk before it got too dark. Cherie bummed a cigarette from Daryl and headed off on a leisurely stroll. She was way past the house and the rest of the living quarters when she heard strange noise. Worried that is could be a walker that somehow got through the fences; Cherie grabbed her knife from its secure spot on her leg. Cherie was rounding what seemed to be an old shack of some sort when she heard a groan of some sort… or was it a moan? Well, one thing was for sure, she was not expecting to see what she did…. Cherie's eyes grew wide with disbelief, because it wasn't a walker that she stumbled across in the dark. No! That would've been easier to handle. Without meaning to, Cherie had stumbled upon Lori and Shane…. having sex! Lori was pinned against the back of the old shed by Shane's body. Her legs were wrapped around his naked waist, while his pants sat around his ankles. Lori was naked except for a sleeveless top that was completely unbuttoned to expose her breasts, in which Shane had one of them in his mouth.

Cherie stood there, stunned. She tried to back away without being noticed, but it was too late. Lori saw her and tapped Shane on his back, while nodding in Cherie's direction. Before anyone could do or say anything, Cherie took off running towards the barn. When she passed the house and entered the barn, she saw Rick talking with Carl and Carol. Rick looked at her but Cherie avoided his gaze as she ran to her makeshift room. "What in the fuck just happened?" Cherie asked herself as she undressed and lay on her cot. Determined to avoid any contact with anyone, she closed her eyes and did her best to fall asleep. "Yeah ok… good luck with that!"

Cherie managed to avoid both Lori and Rick for most of the next day. But she knew that eventually she was going to have to talk to Rick. They were leaving tomorrow for a weeklong excursion, and now with what she'd stumbled upon the night before…. Cherie was actually unsure about what she was going to tell Rick. She went back and forth, with whether or not she should tell him about Lori and Shane, or just keep her mouth shut. Needless to say, Lori helped with Cherie make the final decision. It was just after three o'clock, (or at least that's what her wristwatch said), when Lori cornered her inside the large walk-in pantry of the farmhouse. Cherie was trying to get a few more nonperishables for the trip when Lori walked into the pantry and closed the door. Cherie wasn't stupid. She knew what Lori wanted, but instead decided to play dumb.

"Can I help you with something Lori?" Cherie asked in her nicest possible voice.

"Don't you act all innocent and stupid with me you little bitch!" Lori snapped, "I know that you saw me and Shane last night and I want to know if you've told Rick yet."

Ignoring the bitch comment, Cherie took a deep calming breath and looked at Lori right in her eyes, "I haven't told Rick anything. And to be honest, I'm not sure yet if I will. However…" she continued, "I think it's something that you and Rick should probably discuss. I mean it's not like you…"

But before Cherie could continue, Lori cut her off. "Just stop right there little miss twentysomething. You have no right to be telling me what Rick and I need to talk about! And don't give me that doe-eyed innocent look either! I know you would just love to get your hands on Rick. Hell, anyone with eyes can see that you've got a thing for him." Lori walked closer to Cherie, getting almost right in her face. "You," Lori practically spat the words, "had better stay the fuck out of my business. You'd better not tell Rick anything or so help me…

****SLAP!****

Cherie didn't even realize what she'd done until she saw the look of shock accompanied by a red mark across Lori's face; but by then it was too late. Cherie was not about to let Lori, of all people threaten her. Oh hell no! While Lori was still taken aback by both Cherie's slap, and her boldness, she pushed Lori back against the pantry door.

"First of all, Mrs. Grimes…" Cherie put an emphasis on the Mrs. part, "Don't You Ever threaten me again. Don't you think for one second that just because I'm "twenty-something" as you put it, that I won't knock your skinny Olive-Oil ass out! Second, I did not want to see what I did last night. Do you think it was easy for me to get the image of Shane fucking you against the damn woodshed out of my mind? Huh?! No. Christ, I'll probably have that image burned into my brain for months! And another thing, Yeah sure, I've had a crush on Rick. I mean he's fucking gorgeous! And you take him for granted. Hell, your fucking his best friend for God's sake! So I tell you what, you need to have a one on one conversation with your husband before we leave tomorrow. Because if you don't tell him about you and Shane…. I will."

And with that, Cherie pulled the pantry door open, forcing Lori aside. God it felt good to put her in her place. But as Cherie walked back into the kitchen, she was stopped by a familiar pair of icy-blue eyes. Now, instead of being face to face with Lori, Cherie was face to face with none other than Officer Friendly himself… "Uhh. Hi, Rick. Umm… How much of that little cat fight did you hear?"

Well, it was pretty obvious that Rick heard it all… or at least enough. And when Lori emerged from the pantry, all the air in the room seemed to have left. There you stood in the old farmhouse kitchen… You, Rick, and Lori. This really was your very own zombie apocalypse soap opera!