Thank you all for the follows, favorites, and especially the comments, and reviews. I appreciate it so much!
For those that said Rick was a dick…nooooooo! Lol! I'm sorry Rick came off as a dick, I wrote him as a very naïve, traumatized kid who, after hearing Michonne's own father seemingly confirm Richard's story, lashed out because he was not emotionally equipped to handle his pain. The poor boy was so traumatized he shut down for eight years!
This chapter is much lighter than the last. It's Carl centric. I would love to know what you think of Carl! Let me know in the comments!
Chapter 2—Carl-Alt-Delete
Rick was beside himself as he staggered out of the hospital and Ella eyed her son anxiously. Rick's eyes were glazed replaying what his father revealed inside his head over and over and the confession was interspersed with flashes of the despicable way he treated Michonne the last day he saw her. The new knowledge layered with the old memory was making Rick physically ill. Rick abruptly stopped just outside of the hospital's sliding exit doors.
"Rick! Are you ok?' Ella inquired watching a bent over Rick hyperventilate.
"I think I need to throw up mama," Rick heaved and ran to the bushes and did just that.
Ella walked Rick back inside the hospital and sat him down in one of the lobby chairs and modeled how to take deep calming deep breaths. While Rick was trying to inhale and exhale between his wheezing, Ella walked across to the gift shop and bought a small bottle of mouthwash and when she returned, Rick was gone. Ella scanned the area and eyed the men's restroom door, pursed her lips, and marched over to the lavatory with purpose.
"Rick, are you in there?" Ella called as she cracked the door open about an inch or so wide.
Ella reckoned her son was puking again and when Rick confirmed that he was, she stepped back and leaned against the hallway wall contemplating how to best handle her twenty-five-year-old son who seemed to be in the middle of a nervous breakdown. Ella chose to be firm and direct when Rick finally ambled out.
"Rick, listen to me. I need you to focus. You need to put what happened in the past on the backburner for now and get yourself together. I need you here with me Rick because we have work to do. But we can't do one damn single solitary thing if you keep getting sick every five minutes. We need to find Carl. Do you understand me?" Ella commanded and Rick nodded and blew out a long and very foul breath.
"Yes ma'am," Rick rasped and wiped the sweat from his pasty forehead.
Ella scrunched her nose at Rick and held out the spearmint flavored mouth rinse.
"Here, go rinse your mouth and splash some water on your face. Then we need to get moving to the Sherriff's station," Ella directed and flipped her fingers indicating for Rick to hurry up.
Rick grabbed the bottle, and noticed it was the brand he always avoided buying. That particular one was Michonne's favorite. Rick shook the recollection from his head, did as his mother bade, and cleaned himself up. When Rick stared at himself in the mirror, he was appalled at how he was handling thangs: fainting, hyperventilating, throwing up. Ella was right. He needed to get his shit together and find Carl and Michonne.
On their way to the sheriff's station, Rick called Herschel and was disappointed to learn there was no sign of Carl anywhere in King County. Rick decided he wanted to look around town himself in case the deputies missed something, and Ella asked Rick to drop her at the station. While Rick released his pent-up energy, Ella planned to fill her brother in on all the terribleness she learned. Once Rick dropped off his mother, he frantically searched the town asking if any and everybody saw a boy that fit Carl's description. Some residents did but had no clue where the little fella went afterwards, but one thing was for certain, Carl made a lasting impression wherever he went.
"I did! A deputy came by, and I told him the same thing. I sold that cutie a cookies and cream ice cream cone. Gave him a free double scoop because he was so darn adorable. But I have no clue which way he went. I assumed his parents were waiting for him outside. Why? Is he in trouble? Was he lost? Is he missing? Oh Lord if I let that boy go out alone and he is missing I will never forgive myself!" Francine exclaimed with worry plastered across her entire face.
"No, not missing per say. I just have some questions for him," Rick answered vaguely enough to try and calm her nerves, it did not, and instead she pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at Rick, and he held up his hand and re-reassured Francine again, "He ain't in trouble either. I promise."
The explanation did the trick and he watched Francine exhale a sigh of relief.
"If I see him, I will personally walk him your way Rick. But you better not by lying about him being in trouble," Francine warned, and Rick was touched that she cared about Carl after only meeting him once and for less than five minutes.
"Thank you, Francine. I appreciate that," Rick expressed and turned to leave the shop.
"You know, that boy kinda looks like you Rick," Francine shouted and watched Rick pause for a quick second before resuming his exit from the shop without acknowledging her notion.
A nosey Francine eyed Rick and sucked her teeth at his lack of communication. Francine was there when all the mess went down with Michonne, and she now wondered just who Carl actually was and why Rick seemed desperate to find him. Rick went from store to store searching, but only ran into one dead end after another. He reluctantly went back to the station and Ella was at the tail end of filling her brother in on Richard's horrific deeds. To say Sherriff Herschel was shocked was putting it mildly. He gazed at Ella then up at Rick with his mouth gaped open speechless.
"Yeah, it's a lot," Rick panted exhausted from running around King County with nothing to show for it.
"That little boy is your son, Rick? Jesus Ella, I see why you are moving back to the farm. You leaving that damn devil for good?" Herschel asked to make certain, and Ella nodded in affirmation, "I will help you move. We might can get most of your things before that rat bastard leaves the hospital."
"I will help too. Neither of us have the stomach for Richard after this. We are both done with him," Rick responded flopping into the chair next to his mother in front of Herschel's desk.
"You know, I vaguely remember you and that pretty girl of yours," Herschel smiled and leaned far back in his chair, "both of you always walking around town, holding hands and giggling, with her pregnant belly leading way."
"I don't giggle Herschel," Rick admonished and gave his uncle some side-eye.
"No son, you just faint," Ella teased and laughed when Rick narrowed his eyes at her.
Rick lightly elbowed his mother with a huge grin on his face and Ella almost got emotional when she saw some of the old Rick start to return. His big, bright, charming smile was always her favorite.
"One day she was just gone, and you never mentioned her again," Herschel pondered thinking back to that time all those years ago, "I was so wrapped up in my own depression that I never reached out to you Rick. I'm sorry for that."
"It was probably for the best. I was so angry, and it hurt too much to talk about her back then anyway. But I thought about her every day. I'm ashamed to say that when I was married to Lori, I wished she was Michonne. There were days that I pretended that she was. I closed my eyes, and it was Michonne that had my ring on her finger and was carrying my baby. Thinking about her was hard enough. Talking about her would have killed me," Rick whispered more to himself, and Herschel saw the pain all over his face.
"I can't believe that asshole put you through all that. Just evil. Alright Rick, let me put my guys on it. See what we can find. Does Michonne have any family left here? Or anywhere?" Asked Herschel, hoping for an easy lead.
"No, her father drank himself to death a couple years after she left. I guess MY father might have had a hand in killing HERS," Rick shook his head and ran his hand down his face, "I went to the burial. Plain pine box. Only one man showed but I didn't get his name. Didn't recognize him either."
Rick was torn up remembering that sad, sparce funeral.
"Why did you go?" Asked a curious Herschel, breaking Rick from his recollection.
"I told myself it was closure. But deep down I was hoping to see Michonne again. Hoping she would be there. She wasn't. I don't even know if she knows her father is dead," Rick uttered even more angry with his father's low down dirty tactics.
"Ok, I am gonna send George down to the bus station. I'm thinking that Carl's mama doesn't know he came here Rick. But somehow, Carl found out about you and took a bus from wherever he lives to King County by himself to look for you. Might explain why people only saw Carl, but no adults with him," Herschel theorized correctly.
Rick's eyes grew big with concern that his eight-year-old son would take an interstate bus alone, traveling from God knows where without parents or guardians. Bus stations were full of sketchy people and that fact had Rick even more on edge.
"Forget George. I will go down to the bus station and check myself," Rick hollered over his shoulder pissed that he did not think of checking the bus depot himself.
Rick raced out of the Sherriff's office to his patrol car. He wanted to flip the sirens on and move everybody in his path out of the way, but he managed to control himself to get to the bus station that sat a few miles outside of King County between it and Manville in record time. Rick wondered how in the hell his son got from the bus station to the sheriff's office and back again on his own. If that boy hitched a ride with a stranger, he was gonna kill him!
When Rick got to the depot, he winced. Rick scrutinized the homeless drunks sat outside the building who were essentially criminally trespassing. Any other time, he would have walked right past with barely warning that they could not camp there. Now, Rick wanted to arrest every one of the vagrants and vagabonds that he considered a potential danger to his son. Rick sneered at the sketchy types who walked in and out of the bus station doors. Some were clearly drug addicts looking to score, others were less obvious suspects like the woman who was walking around in a pair of ugly, furry house boots that looked large enough to hide all sorts of illegal stuff and thangs. Rick narrowed his eyes and looked at the ugly boots repugnantly and the woman subtly shot the finger at Rick in retaliation.
Rick however did smile at those he thought were normal people, then he cut his eyes wondering if normal was just their bus station cover when in fact they were up to some nefarious shenanigans. Rick drew in a deep breath and focused calming down his crazy as he looked around the waiting area. As Rick searched the premises, his formally numb system was starting to jolt, to spark, and it was like someone was hitting the control alt delete buttons to reboot his system. Rick felt and heard the Thump, Thump, Thump of his heart as he hurriedly jogged over to the ticket desk.
"Have you seen an African American kid, so high," Rick asked as he placed his hand near his hip, "lighter complexion, blue eyes and wearing a green t-shirt with some sort of superhero on it and dark blue jeans come through here today?"
"Well hello to you too Deputy Grimes," Marleen the bus station ticketer responded with a smirk.
"Sorry Marleen, I apologize, but it's an emergency," Rick explained with pleading eyes.
"Yes, about three or four hours ago in fact. I didn't see him arrive, but I did see him depart. I asked him if he was alone, but the little cutie said his mother was waiting for him near the buses and then he said something adorable in another language and I was just blown away with his charm! Anyway, he took a bus to Atlanta from what I remember. I followed the little tyke to make sure he was accompanied, but by the time I saw him again, he was already walking down the aisle and taking a seat. I waved at him, and he smiled and waved back. He was just gorgeous. I assumed his mother was on the bus. You know Rick, he kinda looked like you," Marleen elevator gazed Rick wondering if the rumor Francine called her about a half hour previously was true.
Rick smiled that so many people mentioned how much Carl favored him, then took a deep breath of frustration.
"We do a lot of assuming in King County," Rick uttered before nodding to Marleen headed back to the station with new information.
Rick thought about all the assumptions made that day. Jessie, the sheriff's station secretary assumed Carl was with his parents even though he came in alone. Leon assumed he was with an adult when his son left the station. Francine assumed he was with a parent when she served his son ice cream, free extra scoop included. Marleen assumed Carl was with his mother who was already on the bus. Rick was going to have to do something about that little assuming problem, because it made a butt out of all of them, or something or rather like that. Rick could not quite remember how the saying went exactly.
The fact that Carl came from Atlanta to King County alone and not one person questioned it worried Rick, especially since his son announced that he would be back, which probably meant Carl would travel alone, again. Rick hoped to find his boy before he made that dangerous trip a second time. Rick left eager to get back to the sheriff's station with the new clue to where his son and lost love could possibly be living.
"I have my men on it looking for a Michonne or Carl Hawthorn. It may take a couple of days, especially if she is not in the system Rick. Be patient," Herschel assured after Rick ranted that he wanted them found with a quickness.
Rick was ready to run to Michonne and beg on his knees for forgiveness, and if she accepted, he would pull her and Carl into a tight embrace and never let them go. Rick frowned wondering if that forgiveness would even come from Michonne. Rick could not blame her a single bit if she did not, but he would never stop trying to make up for how cruel he was to her and missing eight years of his son's life. It devastated Rick as he stood there thinking about it all.
"Easier said than done Herschel. A big part of me wants to go to Atlanta and just drive around looking for em. All this time, they were less than two hours away from me. I hate myself for not believing her and confronting her like that. Leaving her alone while she was pregnant with my son. God knows what she went through," Rick exhaled in frustration ready to beat himself up again.
Or hyperventilate. Or faint. Or vomit. But Ella put a stop to that mess.
"Rick, what did we just talk about at the hospital?" Ella inquired firmly and watched with approval as Rick practiced the breathing techniques she taught him.
"Carl first. Me later," Rick uttered after he calmed down and started pacing the room.
"Ella!" Hershel scolded and shook his head at his sister.
In Ella's defense, she was ready to meet her grandson, but once she saw the pained look on her son's face, she calmed her ass down too. Herschel decided he needed to be the voice of support in the room.
"Rick, don't you blame yourself. None of this is on you. Your daddy is the only guilty party here. You were a seventeen-year-old kid and seventeen-year-olds ain't known for controlling their emotions. You were a teenager in complete mental distress, in the middle of a very traumatic episode, and had no clue how to process that trauma. And your despicable father encouraged it," Herschel tried to console his nephew.
Herschel side-eyed his sister and Ella rose to the occasion and put Carl on the backburner for a second to deal with her son who was in crisis right in front of her.
"He's right Rick. There are adults who would not have been able to handle what you went through," Ella paused, sick that Richard would put his own son through that, "Your father was supposed to be your moral compass, and he failed you."
"Rick, you believed Richard because it was unfathomable to you, hell to anybody, that a father would be that damn cruel to his own son and future grandson. That damn manipulating and evil," Herschel spat in irritation then stood and came around to stand in front of Rick and placed his hands on his nephew's shoulders, "At seventeen, you looked to Richard to do right by you, to show you the right path. This ain't on you."
Herschel glared at Rick with frustration when Rick immediately began blaming himself again.
"I know all that Herschel, but at the end of the day, the choice to believe him was mine. The choice to turn my back on Michonne and my son was mine. I don't even think I could ever forgive myself for that, so how can I expect her to?" Rick uttered with watery eyes as he sat down in front of the Sherriff's large desk.
"Rick, son. It was Richard that took all of your choices away from you. But from what I can remember of Michonne, she was as loving as she was smart, and I am sure she is still both. She will forgive you.," Ella assured, and wrapped her arms around her son and Rick leaned into the embrace, "I don't know how I never noticed what that man was?" Ella muttered, perplexed at how she could have been so blind to all the signs.
Ella thought back to that day with Letty Jones at the community center. When Richard walked up, her friend started shifting around uncomfortably and stopped talking altogether. Once Richard left, Letty was back to her joyful self. Ella was sad when her friend told her they were moving away from King County. Ella missed her and figured it might be time to reconnect.
"You saw what Richard wanted you to see Ella. We all did." Herschel figured, "I wish I could arrest Richard's ass and throw him under the jail for what he did, but unfortunately, he committed no crime other than a moral and ethical one. But it seems karma has caught up with him. A forty-nine-year-old, otherwise healthy man, to suddenly have a heart attack like that? And at the same exact time Carl entered King County? It's like the moment Carl entered town, Richard's heart stopped so that the truth could finally be revealed. That's powerful stuff Rick. Powerful enough to bring people together in forgiveness," Herschel sermonized amazed at how everything aligned.
"Yeah, it's like my heart started beating again when his froze," Rick thought out loud.
Ella was ready to stop talking about her awful husband and put the focus back on her grandchild, where it belonged.
"Was there anybody else who knew Michonne that might have information?" Asked Ella, looking for even the smallest of clues that would lead her to Carl.
A light bulb went off in Rick's head.
"Darryl. Darryl Dixon. He left town when Michonne did. For me it was proof that what my father said was right. I thought they left to be together. It made every lie my father told seem true," Rick admitted and ran his hand down his face, "Anyway, Darryl had a brother, Merle."
"Now THAT I can work with Rick. Darryl was a good boy from what I can remember, but his no-good brother has been in and out of jail. We find him, we might be able to locate Darryl and he may lead us to your son," Herschel smiled and called for one of his officers to run an APB for Merle Dixon and his current whereabouts.
Rick took a breath. He finally had a good lead, but he was restless. He needed to find Carl. He needed to find Michonne. NOW. Ella left to pack a few things before heading out to the Greene farm while Herschel and Rick waited for word on Merle. A few hours passed, but they had received no information and Rick was becoming aggravated.
"Go home Rick. Or better yet, go to that dingy little apartment of yours and pack a bag, then head to the farm and take care of Ella. She keeps texting me because you have not been answering her. Who taught that old biddy how to text?" Herschel laughed.
Rick furrowed his brow and pulled out his phone. Six text messages and two missed calls. He laughed and texted Ella that he was on his way.
"Don't let my mama hear you call her old Herschel. She is only two years younger than you! Forty-eight ain't nowhere near old," Rick chuckled and watched as Herschel became a bit more serious.
"I think your daddy made my sister old before her time. Same as me losing my wife made me old before mine. Maybe this is the kick in the pants both me and my sister need to remind us that we are still young, and we need to start living like it. That rascally new grandson of hers is definitely gonna keep her sprite and on her toes," Herschel proclaimed while reflecting on his own life too.
"I don't see how Maggie don't keep you on yours!" Rick countered in amazement.
"She does, look at the gray in my hair Rick! I pray a lot for that one. She is fiery. I had hoped the further Maggie got in college that she would have calmed some, but she just seems to be getting more onery. She is just so passionate about everything," Herschel breathed out, "Beth is the complete opposite. Quiet and shy. I wish Maggie would give Beth some of her fire and Beth would give Maggie some of her serenity so they could balance each other out."
"Alright, let me go home and pack a bag then go keep my young mama company. I will see you at the farm Herschel, but if you got something before then, call me," Rick directed so firmly that it seemed like an order and Herschel chuckled, "Otherwise we can start again tomorrow morning."
"You will not Rick. Your shift starts tomorrow at noon. I will let you know if you need to come earlier. Go on and hightail it out to the farm. If I know Ella, she is probably wearing down my nice wood floors with all her pacing," The Sherriff commanded before softening a bit, "This will all take just a little time Rick, but we have a narrowed down location. We will find them. Don't worry."
Rick nodded and he thought he could almost feel Michonne and Carl in his bones. Rick walked out, stopped after something crossed his mind, and peeked his head back into Herschel's office.
"Hey, you think you can track down Shane too?" Inquired Rick who was ready to start repairing bridges.
Herschel smiled and nodded and anxiously watched Rick leave, then frowned at all the chaos that Richard caused. As soon as his no-good brother-in-law gets out of that hospital, Herschel was going to tear him a brand-new asshole and hopefully give the hateful bastard another heart attack. Maybe one for each life he helped ruin until Richard's heart gave out completely. Herschel picked up the phone and called his contact in the Atlanta Police Department.
It had been two days and Rick was stressed. So far nothing had come into the criminal database for Michonne Hawthorne, and Rick was not shocked, but he was still at a loss as to where to look next. Herschel tracked down Merle and found that he had been in prison for the last four years but was released about a month previously on good behavior, a full eight months shy of his original release date. Merle was in the wind, and Rick began asking around town if they had seen him out and about. Nothing.
On Friday morning, Herschel was walking into the station checking his messages and shook his head. Five already from Rick. Three from Ella. He texted his nephew and sister telling them to hold tight. Once he hit send and looked up from his phone, the sheriff nearly dropped his breakfast after noticing a young boy fitting Carl's description waiting in the foyer of the King County Sherriff's station. Herschel looked at his watch. It was barely 9:30am. Herschel wondered how long the tyke had been sitting there. Carl would have had to leave Atlanta no later than 7:30am to arrive there by then. Herschel got his first good look at the kid, and everyone was right, Carl was the spitting image of Rick. Not even that scheming Richard Sr. could deny that boy had strong Grimes genes. The blue eyes alone were a dead give-away.
"I take it you are Carl?" Herschel verified and once the kid affirmed, he texted Rick to hightail it to the station before giving Carl a huge smile.
"Yes, sir. Carl Hawthorne," Carl grinned and stuck out his hand for a shake.
Herschel shook the kid's hand and noticed Carl looking at his donut bag with interest.
"I'm Sherriff Greene, come on in my office son. We have been looking for you!" Herschel proclaimed with a grin putting the eight-year-old at ease, "I may even have an extra donut in here for you? Did you eat breakfast yet?"
Carl got up and followed behind the Sherriff.
"No Sir. I did not want to disturb my mother. I thought I would get something once I got here, but I got so excited I came straight to the station. Is Rick Grimes here today?" Carl answered then asked his own question.
"Not yet, but he is on his way. Come to my office and let's eat. Then I will show you around until he gets here," Herschel offered and chuckled when he saw the excitement stretch across Carl's face.
Before Herschel could even put his coffee down on his desk, his cell phone rang. Rick.
"You got something?" Rick questioned restlessly and Herschel could tell Rick was already on the road.
"I got your boy Rick, sitting right in my office eating a jelly donut, or rather the jelly donut is eating him. Got most of the insides of it all over his cheeks. He was waiting for you when I got here," answered Herschel after stepping outside his office.
Rick hung up the phone just as fast as he was racing to the station. Rick kicked himself for staying the night at the Greene farm and being so far away from town. It would take him an additional twenty minutes to get to the station on top of his normal ten-minute commute. Then he huffed a breath of frustration and turned his truck around to head back. Ella would kill him if he did not take her with him to meet Carl. Rick called his mother to tell her he was on his way back and to be ready to go.
"Mama, Carl is at the station. I know mama, I was just so excited. But mama, I'm on my…I'm sorry mama, but I am on my way back to get you now. No mama just please get dressed…I apologize mama, I know you get up at the crack of dawn and get dressed before me. No mama we don't have time to fix him breakfast, he is eating a donut. I will be there shortly. I know a donut ain't breakfast mama, yes, he's got to eat mama; we can get him something after we get there. Ok mama. Just hurry mama. I will be there in five minutes mama," Rick uttered and was glad to finally hang up with her.
Rick thanked God that Ella was already on the porch when he arrived ready to go. She had a microwavable sandwich in her hand that Beth stashed in the freezer. Ella scrunched her face at what she believed to be a disgraceful meal and was glad she was going to be there to fix her niece some home cooked meals from now on. Maggie too when the spitfire was home from college. And hopefully Carl as well. But Ella did not want to show up empty handed in case her grandson was hungry, so the frozen breakfast sandwich was better than nothing.
After Ella jumped into the passenger seat, Rick stepped on the gas and was surprised when his mother did not demand that he slow down like she usually would. After Rick haphazardly parked across two parking spots, he almost full-blown ran into the department with his mother at his heels. When Rick entered the station, it was mass chaos and Rick panicked, then grinned when he found out what the commotion was all about. Carl was surrounded by most of the department who were thrilled to talk to the charming little boy. Rick held his breath as he maneuvered through the crowd and recognized his son who was wearing an oversized KCSD T-shirt which hung down almost to his knees.
"Hey, I found the matching cap!" A deputy yelled and became tickled pink when Carl said thank you in French.
When Herschel saw Rick, he cleared the area.
"Alright, Alright. Give my…Give Carl some room!" Herschel hollered almost calling Carl his nephew, "Come on Carl, Rick is here. Let's go to my office."
Everyone in the station watched as the two men, Ella and the boy who looked remarkably like Rick entered the office and shut the door. The chatter started almost immediately after.
"Anybody notice that boy looked just like Rick?" Asked Jessie Anderson and the rumor mill started with whispers and theories as they all looked at the closed Sheriff's office door.
"Hello again Officer Grimes. Are you ok? Last time I was here you fainted!" Carl exclaimed, which caused Herschel and Ella to smile widely.
"I blacked out Carl. Not fainted," Rick explained red-faced that he, a grown ass man, fainted in the first place and in front of his newly discovered son no less.
"Oh, what's the difference?" Carl asked curiously.
"Well…" Rick started with no clear answer except his opinion that one was manly, and the other was for women.
"There is no difference sweetheart," Ella stated and eyed her son to get to the point after looking annoyingly down at her empty hands.
In Ella's rush, she left the frozen sandwich in the car, but could not pull herself away to leave her new grandson. So, he hoped the donut would hold him over until she could get him a proper meal. Ella mean-mugged her brother, and Herschel furrowed his brows wondering why Ella was irritated with him that early in the morning. Ella looked at the donut bag, then back at Herschel. Herschel sucked his teeth and focused back on Carl and Rick. Ella was always trying to tell him what to do and how to eat.
"I'm sorry about that Carl. I was just a little shocked," Rick fessed up and watched as Carl dug into his backpack for the swab kit that he showed Rick the first time before the infamous blackout.
"Can you take a swab now? I want to check to see if you are my dad," Carl asked, handing the kit over to Rick.
"Carl, do your parents know that you're here?" Herschel asked and watched as the boy's blue-eyes lowered down at the floor, "where does your mother think you are?"
"School," the boy replied looking up with the cutest face Herschel had ever seen since his own kids at that age.
"How did you get here?" Asked Rick wondering if their theory of him traveling alone was correct.
"Bus. It was pretty easy, and it is really interesting that adults don't ask that many questions to kids traveling alone. My mom says I have way too many street smarts for my age, and I should put a little more effort into my schoolwork and less on DEM STREETS," chuckled Carl, "Then Ms. Marleen, the ticket taker saw me and drove me here instead of the bus driver letting me off early like last time."
Rick put it in his mind to go and personally thank Marleen later in the day.
"What do you mean early like last time?" Herschel asked curiously.
"Last time I came, I asked the bus driver if he could drop me off in town instead of taking me past the town to the next station, otherwise, I would have had to use my food money for a cab. I didn't think about cab money, but the driver said sure!" Carl grinned proud at his quick thinking so that he was able to buy and sandwich AND an ice cream cone, a double scoop, on his last trip.
"Why didn't you ask the driver to let you off this time?" Herschel asked in wonder.
"I feel asleep and missed the town, but Mrs. Marleen saved the day!" Carl stated with a huge grin.
Rick flinched. Carl could have woken up hundreds of miles away from King County lost. He tried to subtly perform his breathing exercises again and when Rick looked at Ella, she was practicing too.
"I heard you speaking another language with the officers, sounded like French?" Asked Rick who was shocked his son spoke more than one language.
"Yes, but just a few words. Enough to charm adults into not asking too many questions. It is amazing what a kid can get away with when they answer in a different language," Carl reflected, "I know some Spanish too, but mostly curse words mom won't let me say. Can you take the swab now, s'il vous plait?"
Rick chuckled at the guts of this kid. HIS kid. Herschel could have sworn Rick puffed out his chest in pride. Rick grabbed the swab and proceeded to brush the insides of his cheek.
"Alright kiddo, I am gonna have to call your mother. You have her number?" Herschel asked and watched amusedly as the wheels in Carl's head started spinning.
"I will make you a deal sir. If you don't call my mother, I swear I will never come here again on my own. Promise. I already got what I needed," Carl grinned and stuck out his hand for Herschel to shake.
"You are something else ain't ya kid," Herschel mumbled, "No Deal. Now give me your mothers number right now young man."
Carl took a deep breath and was about to make the Sheriff a different deal but thought better of it when he saw Herschel raise both his brows. As he dug into his backpack for his mother's contact information, he noticed Rick had not taken his eyes off him once.
"You already know, don't you?" Carl asked Rick while still digging into his pack, "that you are my dad?"
"Yeah, I think I do. How did you know to come here?" Questioned Rick who searched Carl's face for every detail to memorize and cherish.
"It started with science and ended with a picture," Carl shrugged as if everyone in that room understood what he meant.
"Science?" Herschel asked, perplexed.
"Picture?" Ella followed and stared bewilderedly at her grandson.
Rick realized he needed to introduce Ella officially.
"Carl, this is my mother," Rick stated and wanted to add…your grandmother but refrained.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Carl Hawthorne," and Carl furrowed his brow when she started to cry, "that would make you, my grandmother! Well, if the test is positive that Rick is my dad that is."
"It will be," Rick assured his son.
Rick grinned and so did Ella through her tears.
"What were you saying about science and pictures?" Herschel asked as Carl handed over his mother's contact information.
Carl explained that his mother's eyes were brown and Michonne's big beautiful brown eyes flashed immediately in Rick's mind. Those same eyes that popped into his thoughts hundreds of times over the last eight years and recalling them almost always garnered the same response, hurt and sadness. But this time, there was hope and joy in Rick's bright blues. Carl went on to detail the odds of his brown-eyed mother and possible, brown-eyed father giving birth to a blue-eyed baby.
"I was sitting in class learning about hereditary traits and…" Carl continued and watched Rick's face turn sad.
"Ummm, your father you say?" Rick wondered who Carl thought his dad was and furrowed his brows in irritation waiting for the answer he knew might not want to hear.
Rick, however, softened. He could not be upset if Michonne moved on. Richard set all the malicious plans in motion, and Rick fell for it all. He was not surprised that Michonne moved on and found a good father for her son and a husband for herself. Rick would not blame Michonne one bit and would not fault the man for raising Carl as his own. Rick was angry with himself that another man had to step in and do what he refused to. And now he had to live with the foul consequences of choosing to turn his back on his little family. Ella saw her son's agitation and grabbed his hand. Rick was already playing scenarios in his head that he did not even know were real or not. Ella eyed Rick to stop his mental shenanigans and keep focused on Carl.
"I don't have a father," Carl uttered matter-of-factly, and Rick felt both saddened and relieved at the same time.
Sad because his kid grew up without him. Relieved because Carl was not calling another man daddy.
"So it was just you and your mother all this time?" Rick asked curiously.
"No, I have a lot of cool Uncles. Uncle Darryl. And Uncle Abe…" Carl started but was interrupted again.
"Uncle Darry? Darryl Dixon?" Rick asked a little uncomfortably wondering if Michonne and Darryl had some sort of romantic relationship.
"Yes, Uncle Darryl has been there all my life. He is like my dad, but not my dad," Carl explained, "but I always wanted a real dad and then in science class when I learned about…" Carl was just about to explain but then he heard the screams through the phone and the Sheriff wincing as he held the receiver away from his ear.
Carl winced too and refused to take the phone from Herschel which caused the Sherriff to giggle. Herschel relayed the nonverbal message to Carl's mother and after another few minutes of conversation, the Sheriff hung up the phone.
"Your mother is on her way," Herschel relayed, and Carl slunk in his seat, "And she is not happy."
Rick nervously shifted in his chair. Michonne was coming to King County. Rick had no clue exactly what he was going to say, but one thing was for sure, he would beg her to let him in his son's life. He was willing to do anything to make that happen. He would be patient before he begged Michonne to take him back too. Rick prayed she was not in a relationship. Darryl's presence, however, concerned him greatly.
"You were talking about science and pictures," Rick repeated a little apprehensively clearing his throat.
Rick looked at his mother sitting quietly in the corner taking her grandson in. Ella had to actively control herself from getting up and grabbing Carl into a firm hug.
Carl went on to explain that he learned the probability of his father being white was much higher since his eyes were blue. Then he remembered the picture he saw when they moved from Virginia to Georgia. While packing boxes, Carl ran across a photo of a man with a big smile and bright blue eyes. When he turned it over, it read Rick Grimes, 2013, King County, Ga. He didn't think much of it at the time and tossed it back into the box with his mother's old mementos. Fast forward to a year and a half later, while sitting in his third-grade class looking at different combinations of eye color, he remembered that old picture.
While is mother was busy working in the small kitchen nook, Carl snuck into her bedroom closet and pulled out the box and found the picture he was looking for. Carl studied it closely, staring into the man's eyes. They were the same color as his own. Carl walked into her bathroom and turned on his mother's vanity lights and held the picture next to his own face and found there were huge similarities. Carl turned the picture around and decided right then and there that he was going to find his real father and he was going to start with the man in the picture. Rick Grimes, 2013, King County, Ga.
"How did you know to come to the station?" Asked Rick wondering if Carl came because it was a logical first stop, or if he knew more about Rick than the picture shared.
"Internet. I typed in King County and Rick Grimes and there you were! Easy!" Replied a proud Carl, "Then I went online and priced the bus tickets round trip, plus a little extra for food. Then I called my Aunt Sasha who has a real hard time telling me no, but she only gave me half. Then I called my Uncle Darryl," Carl continued with his little devious but humorous story but was interrupted yet again.
"Darryl," Rick uttered to himself as he wondered just how close Michonne and Darryl were.
Rick was simply reflecting on a name that he had not heard in years, but now for the third time in less than half an hour, fourth or fifth if you counted his name popping up three days ago. Carl however thought Rick wanted to know who the man was.
"Yeah, Uncle Darryl is married to my Aunt Sasha. He hardly ever tells me no either. Anyway, I got the money from them for my first trip," Carl explained and furrowed his brow at the relief that ran across Rick's face.
Rick blew out a breath and almost fist bumped the air.
"How much was the trip?" Herschel asked wondering just how much money was involved for the adults not to ask questions.
Herschel thought Carl and his story was riveting.
"It was seventy dollars round trip, plus I threw in an extra twenty dollars for food," Carl answered with a shrug of nonchalance that made Ella chuckle.
"How did you manage to get them to give you that much money without asking questions?" Asked a perplexed Herschel leaning forward in his desk mesmerized at the whole story.
Rick was trying to hold back a grin. Carl definitely had street smarts.
"I told Aunt Sasha that I needed the money for a gift for my mom because she works so hard. I told her I wanted to buy mom a necklace, which I did because I did not want to lie. I told my Uncle Darryl that I was buying my mom a necklace but needed money to buy her a charm with the letter M on it. It even had a diamond chip in it! And it was real gold!" Carl grinned at his thoughtful gift.
"So how much did the necklace cost? You only had $90 dollars? How did you afford a real gold necklace with a diamond chip pendent plus a seventy-dollar bus ticket and twenty extra dollars for food?" Rick asked trying to figure out how the math in his head.
"The necklace was free. You see there was this pawn shop," Carl started, and this time was interrupted by the person he assumed was his grandmother.
"PAWN SHOP!" Ella shouted nervously! "How did you get into a pawnshop!"
Carl chuckled at her excited exclamation.
"They will let anybody in there, but what works for me is I am a very confident person and very charming when I need to be," Carl beamed but that was absolutely NOT the reason, but Carl did not know that yet, "Anyway, I offered a valuable service in exchange for the goods that I needed. I learned that in school too," Carl grinned at the stunned looks of everyone in the room.
"What the hell kind of service does an eight-year-old kid offer a pawnshop?" Herschel belted in amazement.
"Herschel, language please!" Ella exclaimed and jutted her chin at Carl.
Herschel nodded, thinking the word hell was probably at the bottom of Carl's list of naughty terms, especially if they were in Spanish, but agreed to abide by his sister's rule anyway.
"So, the last time that I was there, the owner, Mr. Mohan, was complaining that his money was always short at the end of shifts at least once a week, so I made a deal with him. I gave him a way to figure out who was stealing the money, and he gives me the necklace and the pendant. Mr. Mohan accepted, with payment due once he caught the thief of course," Carl explained.
"How! What did you tell him to do?" Herschel almost hollered captivated by the story and standing up from his chair.
Rick was staring blankly at his son. Ella, and Herschel were dumbfounded as they quietly waited for the lad to continue.
"I basically sold him invisible ink and some good advice for the price of the necklace. I was into magic tricks when I was seven but lost interest, but I still have the kits my mom bought for me, which had invisible ink in them. I told Mr. Mohan to saturate the money in the register with the ink then let it dry. Then at the end of the shift, make his workers empty their pockets. Then hold the money under a heat lamp and when the ink appears there is your thief!" Carl explained to the group of wide-eyed adults.
"Amazing," Herschel whispered under his breath.
"Turns out it was his son," Carl shrugged.
"What the…" Rick started, and Carl chuckled and continued on.
"That was where I got the money for the first trip. AND I DIDN'T LIE ABOUT THE NECKLACE," Carl emphasized, "I just didn't tell them I was using the money for the bus ticket and trading invisible ink for the necklace. My mom loved the necklace by the way. I told her I got the money for it from Uncle Darryl and Aunt Sasha, and she didn't ask any further questions about it."
"Where did you learn all this?" Rick asked wondering what type of life his son lived for all these years.
Rick had a horrified look run across his face wondering what in the hell his immoral actions forced Michonne and his kid to go through for the last eight years. Carl had way too many street smarts for Rick's liking and again, he placed all the blame upon himself.
"DEM STREETS!" Carl chuckled and continued on, and when he saw the scared looks across their faces, he decided to give them some relief, "Just kidding, well kinda. I actually grew up in a church when I was a newborn, and then a college campus dorm for people with kids with my mom and Uncle Darryl, then in an apartment with my mom and Uncle Darryl and Aunt Sasha. But I learned some stuff and things from all the people and places that I lived. I watch and most adults don't take notice that a kid is listening and learning, so most times they forgot I was there."
"Well, I guess I feel a little better," chuckled Herschel.
"Now I live in a high-rise condo in Atlanta. My mom is a lawyer. She passed her bar almost two years ago. I had it pretty good growing up. I mean, my mom struggled trying to go to school, take care of me, hold down odd jobs, and stuff like that, but I guess I didn't think it was a bad life because I had fun living around all those different people. And I had my really cool Aunts and Uncles. My mom said I just naturally have really, really good street smarts. She says it's almost scary sometimes," Carl finished and looked around the room to see If they all felt better.
Rick thought listening to Carl's stories would make him scared MOST of the time.
"I knew that Michonne was one smart cookie," Ella exclaimed remembering the conversation she had with her soon to be ex-husband back right before all his asinine plans were laid.
Carl nodded excitedly in agreement about his intelligent mother.
"The second trip I called my Aunt Rosita and my Uncle Abe. Now those two always ask questions. So, I had to be smart about it. Especially Aunt Rosita. She is always suspicious of everything. She narrows her eyes at me and says, Carlito, que estas?" Carl laughed and shook his head thinking about his very street-smart aunt.
"She sounds like she would catch you most times?" Herschel asked and grinned thinking about Carl's savvy aunt.
"Very true, but her husband is the key. Uncle Abe sometimes can't control what he says around me, and I use that to my advantage," Carl stated proudly, "So right after I asked Uncle Abe for the money, I asked him what, boar's balls deep in a pigs ass meant."
"Oh my god," Rick, Ella, and Herschel all hollered at the same time and Carl chuckled.
"EXACTLY! After that Uncle Abe gave me ALL the money right then and there to keep me quiet. Sorry I said ass. Sorry I said ass again. Chale! DON'T TELL MY MOM I SAID ASS AND CHALE!" Carl exclaimed, eyes wide and pleading as he looked across all the adults in the room.
"Ok, calm down. I will let it slide this time," Rick smiled, "But I will have to tell her if you start cussing some more," Rick agreed, and Herschel just shook his head knowing full well Rick did not what that second word even was.
"Deal!" Carl accepted.
Herschel searched for it on his phone, then cut his eyes at Carl.
"Smart. Devious, but smart," Herschel chuckled and shook his head at Carl.
"Sometimes you gotta use what ya got sir," Carl reasoned which garnered a nervous laugh from everyone in the room.
"So, tell me Carl. Where are you going to take that DNA swab you got there?" Asked Rick, trying to figure out how his very street smart eight-year-old boy was going to get the results on his own.
"Dr. Siddiq. My mother dated him for a few months, now they are just friends. Now she is dating this lawyer she works with named Mike. I'm not supposed to know, but I overheard her on the phone with Aunt Rosita. Mom said Aunt Sasha doesn't like Mike at all. Aunt Rosita said mom should listen because Sasha is good at reading people."
Ella laughed at her gossiping grandson who was spilling all the tea.
"Hmm," Rick sounded breaking Ella's heart until she saw a slight smile cross Rick's face.
Rick saw a bright side to what Carl said about Mike and hoped Michonne listened to Aunt Sasha and Aunt Rosita and dump that loser.
"I told Dr. Siddiq that I was doing a science project comparing the DNA of a dog and a cat, but really it was of me and you Rick. I was gonna give him my samples. I told him NOT to open the results," Carl smiled.
Rick, Ella, And Herschel were amazed. Carl was a fricken genius. Maybe a bit of an evil genius, but a genius all the same.
"How about we take a break and get some real breakfast Carl. I am darn near exhausted," breathed Ella who stared at her grandson with adoration, "We can go to the diner down the street. They have the best waffles on this side of the mason Dixon line.
Carl's eye lit up and jumped up and gathered his backpack.
"I LOVE waffles. My mom makes the BEST ones from scratch!" Carl enthused but I'm willing to give the diner a try."
"Carl, you think I can get a hug?" Rick asked with hopeful eyes and Carl thought for a few seconds.
"Hmmm, I better not. My mom is already mad, and she would be really angry if she found out I was hugging a strange man," Carl declared then proceeded to grab another stranger's outstretched hand to take him away to eat waffles.
Herschel snorted and Ella was all smiles as she clasped her hand in Carl's. She turned to Rick and whispered.
"Rick, he is beautiful and looks just like you did when you were his age. But he is definitely much smarter than you were," Ella chuckled as she stared between her son and grandson.
"Yeah, he is perfect. Mom. Be back in an hour. Michonne will be here by then and I want Carl here when she gets here, ok?" Rick told his mother and waited for a nod from her.
"You aren't coming?" Ella asked, figuring Rick would want to tag along.
Rick was too nervous to eat, and he did not want to start throwing up any food that he ate in front of Michonne, so he declined. Besides, he did not want to overwhelm Carl with too many questions. Plus he wanted to be there when Michonne pulled up. Rick hoped maybe they could talk a little about what really happened in the past before she took Carl back to Atlanta.
"No mama, go ahead and take some one-on-one time to get to know him while you can," Rick offered.
"Ok son," Ella smiled and walked out of Herschel's office.
Rick watched his mother and son leave the Sherriff's station, then followed them to the street and watched them both until they disappeared. Rick did want to be there when Michonne arrived, but he also needed time to think about all that happened in the last three days because he was fretful.
After all the ugly things he said to Michonne the last time he saw her, and how he treated her, it made Rick uneasy. It made him tempted to run over to the hospital and take all of his anger, sorrow, and fear out on Richard as he lay helpless in that bed. To get all of those negative emotions out before Michonne got there. But Rick was done with Richard. He did not want any reason for the man to spew more lies, more apologies, more anything. Rick just sat at his desk and he waited and worried about what his first words to Michonne should be.
"Hi! Hello Michonne. What's up? Long time no see!" Rick practiced at this desk anxiously.
Rick also wondered if he should hug Michonne? Shaking her hand seemed so informal, and his palms felt clammy anyway. Rick rubbed his hands down his jean clad thighs to try and dry them a little bit. Rick sat and overanalyzed every aspect of their eight-year reunion, but there was, however, one thing that he was sure about. Rick vowed to never lose Michonne or Carl ever again.
