Rumor Has It

Saturday

Gideon Wallace beams with pride. He turned a stop for dinner into a front page story with a full byline. His editor requested two follow up pieces. The headline reads: 'To Protect & Serve'. He stood in line impatiently for 20 minutes when he noticed the conversations and the people having them. Deputies he interviewed at crime scenes, attorneys he questioned on courthouse steps and investigators he quoted on background. Gideon stepped out of line and engaged the patrons packing the establishment. He recorded the compliments and appreciation from the citizens, families and children whose lives were better because these individuals showed up and did their jobs every day. He snapped pictures and recorded videos of colleagues and co-workers enjoying a night on the town. The story could easily become a human interest fluff piece but the more he probed, recorded and photographed the more transparent their sense of duty and purpose became. The work they did made a difference to them and the community they served.

11:00 am-time for her weekend alarm. Jeffrey kisses his wife's nose, cheek and the delicious spot on her neck. Jolene hummed in delight. That man can still make my toes curl. "Guess whose son is on the front page of 'The Gazette'?"

Her eyes shot open as she pushes up to a seated position. She scans the descriptive caption quickly. There he was. His handsome face with a wide smile that created those wonderful laugh lines highlighting his crystal blue eyes leapt off the page for the whole town to see. But what really had her attention was his arm draped around Michonne and her smile as radiant as his; her delicate hand placed on his chest over his heart. They were surrounded by other couples for a festive night out. "Look at them Jeffrey could they be more in love," she wonders rhetorically.

"I have to admit. They do look good," he peers over her shoulder.

Jolene snuggles down into her pillows and read the article. She reaches the halfway point when her phone rings. She answers on speaker setting. "Have you read the quote from her assistant yet?" Ida B. asks without greeting.

"What about the little girls who play basketball with Rick when he is on patrol?" Patti furthers the discussion.

"All I know is I was promised Jeffrey Grimes famous cookies for proof. They are on the front page of the newspaper-give me my cookies," Eva crows.

Jeffrey side-eyes his wife but responds dutifully, "I will drop off the cookies this afternoon…after our round of golf." I might as well leverage this to me and my Boys advantage. Silent acceptance from all of them; he bounds off the bed to share the good news. Once he leaves the room the real conversation begins.

"Girl, you know desperate 1 and desperate 2 are on suicide watch," Patti laughs.

"All jokes aside they have to move on now." Ida B. shares.

"What I know is that he has never been this happy and that is all that matters." Jolene confirms.

Lori gulps more water and swallows the last aspirin. Her hang over and the morning paper only made things worse. The death of all of her hopes and dreams on the front page of the town newspaper. Rick Grimes and ADA Anthony. She could fight a Jessie, but this woman had power. She could have anyone she wanted. What now? Not to mention Shane and Jessie. What did that mean? Was it real? Was Shane an option? Did she want Shane to be an option?

She pulls a folded, faded, tattered high school newspaper clipping from her nightstand drawer opening it with care. She stares at the image of her young self with a radiant smile. Her eyes roam over the plastic crowns, the blue dress she spent weeks searching for and the bouquet of flowers in her arms. She looks at Rick in the tuxedo with the matching bow tie.

In a brief moment of clarity she compares his polite smile that does not light his eyes then with the megawatt smile currently on the front page; the current twinkle in his eyes surrounded by laugh lines. Lori shakes her head violently. She needs a Plan B but she doesn't know where to start.

Mike takes a drag from his second blunt for the day. He drank most of the night. Not only had Michonne rebuked his advances but her date for the evening threatened him with physical harm. He has yet to determine a way to meet Judge Blake's demand. Her work was impeccable. What would make her compromise? Where was she vulnerable? Who could benefit from her downfall? He needed an ally.

The Squad, Noah and Carl stand in front of the high school cafeteria doors adorned in their matching 'Team America' t-shirts waiting for the doors to open. Each participant was assigned a booth that included a table to set up a display board with materials and a small area for demonstrations. The entrants prepared their booth for one hour before being locked out to allow the judges time to evaluate based on a rubric. America stands amongst the crowd a trembling, nervous wreck. Noah stood behind her gliding his hands up and down her arms, affirming all her hard work. "Your programming is flawless…the use of the 3-D printer is inspired…your concept exceeds previous work in this area of robotics." She nods silently and stills herself with a deep breath.

"Remember, no matter what happens we are celebrating at 'The Dairy'," Enid encourages grateful to be forgiven.

The doors push open into the crowd and people surge in and over to the booths. 'Team America" jogs after her trying to keep up. They hear the outcome from her lips before they arrive at her booth, "Hell yeah-give mama her purple ribbon," she exclaims. America qualified for Regional competition. The Girls surround her with hugs and their traditional hip and chest bumps. Carl offers a high-five.

Noah takes a deep breath, moves forward with one giant stride, cups her face with both hands and delivers a deep, tender kiss to her mouth. He pulls back and speaks against her full lips, "Congratulations." America gazes up at him, "Thank you," she croaks. The rest of the group retreats leaving the couple alone.

T-Dog and Tyreese sit next to teach other on the outdoor bench lacing up for their regular game of 21. "Did you see our Boys in the paper," T-Dog gloats. "Daryl and Rick snatched them dime pieces up before anyone could take a shot," he laughs.

"Yeah…watched the live version of Rick and Michonne last weekend," Tyreese delivers with a weighted, exasperated sigh.

T wiggled his brows, "What's that like?"

"Intense…awkward," looking straight ahead he doesn't finish his thought.

T-Dog tilts his head, "I guess…we've never seen him with anyone he was serious about…that kind of woman makes you serious."

"Does it…I mean for us it's a no brainer, but…I hope this isn't some fetish or Southern white boy fantasy," his chest deflates. He has been holding in a world wind of toxic thoughts and those words for days.

"Who the fuck are you right now?" T-Dog spits out.

"Look…can we keep it 100 right now. Those are our women. What do they know about loving our women?" he spews.

"Keep it 100, he nods his head up and down slowly, okay…You didn't give a shit about our women when you were in the league. Now you out and you want your pick?"

"Wait…that was different," Tyreese rationalizes.

T-Dog cuts him off. "Nah mother fucker, you and Rick came up together. You saying he ain't a stand up dude. I have known Daryl for a minute and he can come through the cookout and take a damn plate. You being petty and selfish-that is why Sista's be kicking us to the curb. They hold up the world all damn day whether we show up or not and then bitch ass Brotha's…yes, I'm talking about your triflin' behind criticize when they find some happiness. Get your shit together." T snatches up the basketball and dribbles hard toward the court.

Quinn, Jesus and Xavier sit anxiously, mindlessly flipping the pages of old 'People' and 'Time' magazines. "Quinn, Dr. Bennett will see your family now in exam room 3," the receptionist calls softly. They enter through the lavender door taking nervous steps down the hallway. Once inside Quinn positions herself on the exam table.

"Today is only an ultrasound," Quinn explains. Xavier is a bundle of nerves. He doesn't know where to stand or what to do with his hands. She takes his hand, "They glide a device over my belly so we can see and hopefully hear our baby," she smiles when he actually takes a full breath.

Dr. Naomi Bennett enters the room a flourish of black hair and voluptuous curves. "Good afternoon…ooh welcome to the team," she extends her hand.

"I'm Xavier…new Papi-nervous wreck."

"Great, we specialize in wrecks, meltdowns and catastrophes," she laughs. "Ok, take your places…Xavier just do what Jesus does…lights and action," she announces. She applies the gel and glides the wand making adjustments until she flips a switch and the rapid rhythm of the fetal heartbeat consumes the room. Their collective gasps make her eyes smile. "Six months…only three to go."

Jesus takes Xavier's other hand and kisses the inside palm, "I'm glad you are here," he smiles lovingly.

Negan's angry stare reflects back at him in the bathroom mirror. The deep purple bruising around his eye is fading but he can still only eat through a straw. He slams his hand against the wall to flip off the light switch. He gingerly lowers himself onto the bed; the pain of his bruised ribs at the forefront of his mind.

He starts with Instagram before switching to Twitter. The mocking is still up and running. There are memes and gifs dedicated to his beat down. People added to the trend based on photos of his return to school. The worst part is the emergence of Carl as a superhero. Negan is about to log off when a new image of Carl and Justice sitting close together holding up drinks arrives. The caption reads: The hero always gets the girl! The comments trickle in: How cute! Lucky Guy! Lucky Girl! They look hot! Batman and Cat Woman take the night! Negan throws his phone across the room.