Chapter 5

***Usual disclaimers. No TWD stuff do I own or profit from.***

"Michonne, you okay?" Selene, her co-worker, asked worriedly. "You don't look so well."

Michonne had to admit that she didn't feel so well. Her stomach was queasy and her breakfast was not sitting comfortably. She'd only had a banana smoothie and an English muffin. Inwardly, she cursed. This was the time of year that illness seemed to run rampant. Perhaps she'd picked something up around the office or from one of the kids.

"I-" She opened her mouth to respond to Selene but got no further. Quickly, she grabbed her waste basket from underneath her desk and without further ado immediately vomited into it. The smell of her regurgitated banana smoothie made her dizzy. The waste basket clattered from her hand to the floor and she rested her head against her desk, trying to orient herself.

"Michonne!" Selene exclaimed. "Oh honey...was it something you ate?" Her hand came to rest on Michonne's shoulder, warm and reassuring.

"I...don't think so," Michonne responded tentatively between deep breaths. "I didn't actually eat that much this morning. Maybe there's some kind of stomach bug going around?"

"Hmmmmm, none that I'm aware of," Selene said pensively. "This has actually been a good year for that, not much going around. I have four kids, so believe me, EVERY kind of bug floating around usually ends up in my house, sooner rather than later." Selene's hand patted her shoulder gently. "Maybe you should go home, in case it's something, though."

Slowly, Michonne raised her head. Throwing up had made her feel better...and she felt with a little clean up she'd be okay to work the rest of the day. "I don't feel bad, now that I've thrown up," she answered. "Maybe you're right...maybe it was something I ate."

"I'm sure that's probably it," Selene agreed. With one last pat, she removed her hand from Michonne's shoulder. Suddenly, she laughed. "You know what this reminds me of? When I was pregnant with Bryce, then Melanie. My morning sickness with those two was so bad! I swear, the only thing I could hold down in the mornings for a while were Saltines!"

At these words, Michonne's mind began to race. When was the last time she'd had a period? She started calculating backwards. Four-no, five...six weeks ago! And she was regular as a clock, every four weeks.

How had it happened? She'd put her diaphragm in faithfully...hadn't she? Stop it, she told herself. You don't know that there's anything to worry about yet. Go to the drugstore at lunch, grab a test and find out before you start thinking of yourself as...But her mind wouldn't complete the thought.

Selene was still chuckling, lost in her memories. "I love my kids...but gosh, am I glad I won't have to go through all that again!"

Michonne gave her a tremulous smile. "Guess I'd better go clean myself up," she noted.

"Oh, what can I be thinking of...Sorry, honey. Kinda got caught up in a blast from the past there. Of course you want to clean up. I've got some mouthwash, if you need it!"

Michonne took Selene up on her offer of mouthwash and hurried to the bathroom. A good, vigorous rinse had her mouth feeling (and tasting) much better. She studied her reflection in the mirror. You don't look pregnant, she thought. You can't be...can you?

There was only one way to find out.

She went to the Rite Aid that was a few blocks away on lunch and grabbed the test. Once she got back to work, she headed again to the bathroom. She couldn't wait til she got home...she had to know now.

It was the longest three minutes of her life, waiting for that result. A baby would change everything...wouldn't it? Rick had already come ready-made with kids...kids she loved a lot. Having her own just wasn't something that had occurred to her...not since she was twenty-three and had that scare with Santiago when the condom broke...and that relationship had ended pretty quickly after that, even though she had turned out not to be pregnant. It had been too much reality to face at that age.

It wasn't something her life needed at this point...was it? Of course, Mama would love having another grandchild. And her brothers would be excited...they'd always teased her about having one of her own. Andrea would love to throw her a baby shower. Carol would probably knit the cutest baby clothes anyone had ever seen. Maggie would be so excited.

And Rick...what would Rick think? Had the subject of a child of their own ever come up? She didn't think it had. How did she feel about it? Would she want a tall, lean girl that had his bow legs and cute Southern drawl? Would she prefer a boy with her dark skin and penchant for Japanese culture who spoke with her cultured enunciation?

Her eyes closed against the onslaught of possibilities. Better look at the stick first, she reminded herself. She had made a point not to watch it while waiting for it to yield its result.

The stick showed a plus. A plus. She would need to call her doctor to set up an appointment, of course, and formalize the result...but she knew the literature. When used correctly, home pregnancy tests were ninety-nine percent accurate. The likelihood of a false positive was very, very slim.

Shock stole over her. Being certain of something in your head was one thing...but confirmation was something else entirely. She, barring anything unforeseen, was pregnant. She was growing a little life that was part her, part Rick. It frightened her...but at the same time she could feel a warm glow spreading throughout her whole body.

She wrapped up the stick in thick wads of toilet paper and stuck it in her purse, in case the doctor needed to see it. Then she took out her cell and dialed Dr. Rutherford's office. She explained the situation to Dawn, his medical assistant, who told her to come in and they'd draw blood for the formal test.

She stopped by the office on the way home and had them draw the blood. That night, as she ate dinner with Rick and the kids, she pictured one more person at the table, a little boy or girl yet to be born...and was surprised at how right it felt. Still...she needed to know for sure.

A few days later Dawn called her as she was getting ready to leave for the office. "The results of your pregnancy test are positive, Michonne. Based on the information you provided and your HCG levels...you appear to be seven weeks. Congratulations! We'll set up an appointment with the doctor to get you prenatal vitamins and go over a few things."

"Thanks, Dawn," Michonne replied. They arranged the details and she hung up the phone.

For a minute, she stood there. Rick was gone to work already. The kids were already at school. Right at this moment, the only people who knew she was pregnant were Dawn, Dr Rutherford, herself...and the tiny bundle she was carrying.

She placed a hand over her belly and rubbed it tenderly. "Hello, little one," she whispered. "Now we just need to tell your daddy and make sure he's on board with everything." But somehow...she wasn't worried about it. They loved each other. It would be okay.

Suddenly, she began to laugh. Fate had taken care of Rick's Christmas present...again.

And he'd be getting it a bit early this year.

To Be Continued