Chapter 3

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OK onward toward the barbecue.

As we pulled up to the house, I could hear the crickets that come out at night as the sun sets, the smell of meat cooking on a grill and the chatter and laughter filling the night air. Back when I was younger I longed for nights like these to live and be young again be among people my own age, but instead my stomach twists in discomfort at being in a place full of people, people that I have know since I was a little girl staring, whispering gossiping about my broken marriage and broken family. Maybe I'm being paranoid an just imagining these thoughts in my head.

My confidence that I once had has been squashed over time with loneliness, bitterness, sadness, anger and regret. I know his trying to make it work trying to keep the family afloat but I can see the hesitance in those baby blues of eyes of his. I tried to talk about it but he recoils each time I bring it up as if I have physically hit him, I know that I am to blame and he has every right to hate me. The guilt of what I did is eating at me and I don't know what to do, I can't force him to speak so I must give him time and try for our sake's.

Rick knocks on the door and we wait for a few seconds before our host opens the door wide open and invites us in. Daryl greets me with a kiss on the cheek and a pat on the shoulder to Rick as a greeting. Daryl offers me a drink before we are lead out to the back yard, I ask politely if I can have a juice Daryl nods and wonders off leaving me and Rick to wander off to a table to sit. It's a full house of different people chatting among each other, I look around and see the teenagers gather in the far back near an old oak tree sitting and chatting among themselves away from the adults. I see Carl take off towards Enid his school friend but I notice that a little boy sitting in her lap laughing and chatting away, his smile is contagious and full of joy. I smile as he greets Carl chatting away at a mile a minute, I cannot hear the conversation but looking at the smiles of the two teenagers and the little boy I can see that it is a happy one.

Daryl returns to me and Rick as he places my drink on the table, I zone out to the quiet chatter of Rick and Daryl and focus on the people around me. That's when I notice her, a beauty with a smile similar to the young boy in Enid's lap. Her skin is dark, her dreads are tied up into a low bun the yellow tank top and dark blue jeans she wears enhances her curves. She is smiling and chatting with Sasha laughing at something she said that's when our eyes meet, she breaks our eye contact an grabs Sasha's hand and motions her to wait as she wonders over to a table to grab something. I turn my head towards the oak tree for a moment to see that Carl, Enid and the young boy still chatting way, I turn around again and shes standing there right in front of me smiling. I jump a little being startled at her sudden appearance.

"Hello you must be Mrs Grimes, I'm your new neighbor Michonne Lawrence sorry I haven't introduce myself sooner." She says to me with her hand out stretched for a hand shake, that smile on her face in a warm greeting. I return it with reluctance not being comfortable touching her, but I'm trying aren't I?

"Nice to meet you Mic-honne, is that how I say it right? Please call me Lori, Mrs Grimes a little to formal." I return casually I smile back at her, I can feel those blue eyes watching me.

"That's right not many people try to pronounce it, thank you. I actually wanted to give you something for your son Carl as a thank you for being so kind to my son Andre when we first moved here." She points to the little boy in Enid's lap. "With your permission of course, I didn't want to give this to him without his parents consent." Michonne pulls out a stack of comics from her bag as she sits down next to me and gives them to me for inspection. The cover looks normal enough Watchmen is on the cover with a man wearing a mask looking like a detective, I don't bother flipping through the comics losing interest fast.

"That's fine Michonne, is it OK if I give them to him now so he can say his thanks?" I ask her, her smile is warm and genuine as she nods her head. I turn around and call out to Carl signaling him to come over. The little boy looks as well his smile widens as he sees his mom sitting next to me and waves big and silly. Michonne laughs an waves back, Andre goes back to chatting with Enid as Carl makes his way over to our table.

"Hello Ms Lawrence." Carl greets, Michonne smiles and greets back.

"Michonne has a gift for you for being such a nice boy and making Andre feel welcome." I say and hand him the comics, I watch as his eyes widen at the stack of comics he looks at both of us before wrapping his arms around me saying thank you before remembering his manners and thanking Michonne.

"Thank you Ms Lawrence, you didn't have to get me these."

"Nonsense I have been meaning to give them to you for awhile but I've just been busy but I wanted to check with your mom first if its OK." They chatted back in forth like old friends, it was weird that these two could flow so easy when sometimes it was a struggle to get a conversation out of him. I excused myself from the conversation as it turned into superhero's and comics. I walked back into Daryl's empty house majority of the people are outside, I slump into the couch allowing the quiet of the house and chattering of the back yard disappear, I close my eyes breathing in and out drifting into a sleep as I allow my thought to drift off into a dream.

I feel something touching my shoulder arousing me from my sleep. I blink my eyes a few times before opening them and see a towering figure looking down at me. I look up and stare at Sasha's brother Tyreese who is looking at me with concern, I gasp and jump up from the couch moving quickly away from him.

"Sorry Lori, I was calling out to you before. I just wanted to make sure that you are alright." Tyreese puts his hands up and speaking softly.

"That's fine have I been asleep long?" I reply trying not to show my nervousness.

"Not really, I was just finished using the bathroom when I noticed you on the couch. I thought something was wrong shouldn't have woken you up." He replies sheepishly. I shake my head to clear it before putting on a fake smile.

"No, I shouldn't have dozed off. Rick outside?" I question him, he nods his head yes and I nod back to him before walking back outside. I'm greeted by Rick, Michonne, Sasha and a few other people as I step outside. Rick moves his hand around my waist asking me softly if I'm alright. I nod to him and I get a smile in response. I lean into him and for just a moment it feels like everything is alright.

"So Lori what do you do?" Michonne ask, as the conversation turns to me.

"Well I don't do anything, I'm a stay at home mom." I respond to Michonne, who nods at me before responding.

"Don't you get bored while Carl goes to school?" I look at her and my mind immediately goes, 'what is she getting at?' then I remember its just an innocent question.

"No, I... I mean we have another child a little girl named Judith." I say as I gesture to me and Rick. I feel him tense and relax for just a second at the mention of 'our child'.

"Aww she must be precious. How old is she? She must have those beautiful blue eyes like Carl?" Michonne says with a big smile.

"No, she takes after her mother she's our brown eyed girl and she's about six months." Rick replies. Michonne smiles at the pair of us.

"My little Andre is about to have his birthday soon his turning six this year, if its alright with you two your more than welcome to bring your family along to the birthday party." Michonne says as she smiles at us.

"Sorry to bother you Ms Lawrence but someone is a little sleepy." Carl says next to Michonne. We turn to look at the pair standing there. Andre is rubbing his eyes and yawning, Michonne leans down to pick him up as he leans his head against her shoulder.

"My little peanut is tired huh?" Michonne asks Andre as his little head shakes his head up and down on her shoulder.

"OK, I think its time for us to go. Lori it was nice to meet you. Rick and Carl it was nice to see you again. Thanks for looking after him Carl." Michonne nods her at us as she turns to walk off before turning to us again.

"Oh have any of you seen Daryl? I just wanted to thank him for the barbecue." She asks, Sasha responds and in turn says her thanks and farewells before walking off to fins the host.

As the evening comes to an end people start to leave Daryl's home. We are the last to leave the home, we say our thanks and farewells before he shuts the door behind us. We arrive home tired, I look towards Michonne's home and see a car that must be hers in the driveway. We filter into the house and make ourselves ready for bed. After getting ready in comfortable silence and laying in our spaces on the bed, I turn away like always but am pleasantly surprise to feel a tone arm wrap around me and pull me into his chest.

"Thank you." He whispers into my ear and kisses my shoulder I turn to him an look into his eyes and see happiness for the first time in months. He leans down and kisses my lips softly at first testing the waters. I return it gently our kisses are soft just getting used to each other again, it doesn't take long for our kisses to become heated in our passion. Hairs are tugged, lips are bitten, gasps in the darkness turned into moans. I gasp in pleasure as we are connected it feels so good, he thrusts gently in and out in a steady pace. We are both panting as he thrusts harder making me moan louder, I grip his hair hard with my right hand and scratch his back with my right. His close and I moan his name, he thrusts once, twice but stops and stares at me with wide eyes.

I stare back in confusion as he stops. "What is it?" I ask as in a breath.

"Shane." Just one word he whispers and I feel everything shatter's around me, he pulls away and grabs his boxers and pants, sliding his boots on pulling them in a rush. I get out of bed quickly wrapping my robe around as he puts on a shirt slipping out the door.

"Rick wait, please I didn't mean it!" I grab his arm as he tries to go down the stairs, he shrugs me off easily and continues grabbing his keys and walking out to his car. I run after him pleading him to stop, tears are streaming down my face as I beg him to stay. He says nothing, doesn't look at me as he gets in his car.

"Please wait don't go!" He stops for a second and turn his head looking at me with tears in his eyes.

"I thought we were getting better but its not Lori... I have to go let me go right now, we need to talk in the morning." Its speaks his words so softly, it doesn't feel real at all. I open my mouth to speak but he starts his car up and pulls away into the cool evening. I am crying hard, tears streaming down my face.

That took a turn for the worst, nearly blow your load an BAM! someone else's name haha.

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