Chapter 6— Movements and Breaks

"Is that all that happened at the park?" Rosita inquired with a sly grin on a group FaceTime chat with Sasha and Michonne.

"Pretty much," Michonne lied and wondered why her two friends were staring at her incredulously.

"Did you give Rick a little goodbye kiss? Kiss his boo boo?" Sasha chortled and Michonne was about to respond to Rosita and Sasha's teasing when Darryl's face came on the screen next to his wife.

"Everything ok?" Darryl asked with slight concern.

"It actually went well. And no Rosita, it is purely platonic between Rick and I," Michonne finally answered wondering how it would have felt to put her lips on Rick again.

The thought both excited and disturbed Michonne.

"Ok, no kiss, just tell us what happened at the park again," Rosita laughed, "And don't leave out a single detail this time. I saw it Michonne."

"Me too," laughed Sasha and Michonne furrowed her brow then realization hit.

"How, it just happened a few hours ago!" Michonne chuckled in surprise.

"The Matthews, my neighbors down the hall, were at the park with their kids. They showed me a video of Rick, and one of you too. I sent both to Rosita. So tell the story again Michonne and DON'T LEAVE OUT THE DETAILS THIS TIME!"

"That shit was funny," Darryl grunted bending down to place his face in the camera.

"I knew I recognized them!" Michonne spat with dismay, "I shouldn't tell you anything! You two were supposed to be here in person!"

"For the last time Michonne, my husband is an idiot and went wild on the carbs and sugar today, and now his stomach is all twisted up. It's foul and I deal with dead bodies, so you know for me to say something is foul, the gross factor must be pretty high! I have to stay here and help him with his bodily issues," Rosita huffed and looked at her closed bedroom door with a sneer.

"Yuck," Sasha muttered with a scrunched nose.

"You need to let that man eat some damn carbs Rosita," Darryl laughed standing behind his wife.

"Just tell the story again. And tell us the long version this time! And it better match the videos. Carl is a damn savage," Rosita laughed, and Sasha enthusiastically nodded in agreement.

Michonne blew out a breath and told the story of the tomfoolery that happened after leaving the burger joint. Rick had two hours before he absolutely had to get back on the road and he was not about to waste the precious moments he had left with Carl and Michonne. Since the day was perfect, they decided to spend their remaining time at the park across from Michonne's condo. Michonne initially wanted to end the outing after lunch and go home and process her feelings, the proximity to Rick was suffocating at times and welcoming at others and her conflicting emotions had her mind jumbled. She could barely concentrate. But when Michonne saw the joy on her son's face and the loving interactions between Rick and Carl, Michonne did not have the heart to cut their time short. Ella and Carl ran off to the swings while Rick and Michonne watched as one pushed the other.

"Higher G…" Carl stopped and drug his foot through the sand underneath to halt the swing, "Grandma, Grandmother, Grannie, I never asked, which do you prefer?"

Ella thought for a second and Rick and Michonne both wondered what they were chatting about. Both looked to be in serious contemplation.

"Hmmm, Granny is out because I'm forty-eight not eighty-eight, but I'm good with Grams or Nana. Which do you like?" Ella asked with a huge smile.

Carl looked up to the sky in thought and Ella chuckled at her adorable grandson who seemed to be giving her name choice careful consideration.

"Push me, Grams. Push me Nana," Carl tested both names as he looked Ella up and down and smiled once he decided on his preference, "Push me, Grams!"

Michonne and Rick were grinning listening to Carl shout Ella's new moniker and Rick turned to say something to Michonne, but he became speechless. There was that bright smile again, and it figuratively knocked him on his knees. After sitting quietly for a few more minutes, Rick suggested they join in on the fun.

"I am not sliding down that slide Rick!" Michonne giggled nervously as she looked around at all the people who were now starting to fill the park.

There were not as many people as usual, but enough to make Michonne a little self-conscience about getting her grown ass on kid's playground equipment. Rick stood in front of Michonne and took both of her hands and pulled her up from the bench.

"Come on! It'll be fun!" Rick persuaded with a smile and when Carl noticed what they were doing, he ran over to his parents to seal the deal.

Carl grabbed Michonne's other hand and both he and Rick were tugging a giggling Michonne towards the iconic piece of playground equipment that terrified toddlers everywhere. Michonne anxiously glanced around at the other adults, and thought she recognized a pair from her building, but Carl quickly refocused Michonne back to the task before she could identify who they were.

Rick and Carl were amused as they watched Michonne slowly climb the seven-rung ladder. Carl was watching his whole mother. Rick was watching her ass. Ella was watching Rick watch Michonne's ass and Ella prayed her son did not try to touch it. Rick was ready for an instant family that he had not quite earned yet. Ella would need to have a talk with her son and remind him that patience is a virtue.

"Wait, don't slide down until we come around front Mom!" Carl yelled and Michonne waited until all three were standing in front of the slide.

"I don't know if I can fit," Michonne exclaimed suddenly hesitant after getting a closer look at the width of the slide.

"You will mom, maybe not your butt. But the rest of you might! Slide down on your stomach!" Carl yelled to a very embarrassed Michonne.

Michonne side-eyed her son then looked at the snickering parents who heard Carl's semi-encouraging suggestion. Michonne swore she saw one of the two she recognized earlier with their phone up. Michonne looked back at the ladder and calculated it would be more difficult to climb back down than it was to try and squeeze her plumpness down the slide. Michonne did the math and the width of the slide did not equal the width of her hips. Rick yelled his reassurance though a few chuckles.

"You will be fine, ass and all. I mean butt and all," Rick amended looking at his son but refusing to look at Ella who he knew was giving him the evil eye.

"Come on Mom! Just squeeze your butt tight like this!" Carl recommended and turned around to show Michonne how to crush her butt cheeks together tightly.

Michonne cut her eyes at Carl and managed to shuffle into the proper position on top of the slide and subtly took Carl's clinching suggestion. Gripping the sides, Michonne pushed herself down to give her a little momentum, but she immediately felt the drag, and eventually got stuck and stopped moving about hallway down the very short slide.

"Scoot Mom! It happens to the bigger kids all the time!" Carl shouted and Rick tightened his mouth to control his laugh as he watched Michonne flounder.

Rick sauntered over and grabbed Michonne's ankles and gently pulled her the rest of the way down, then grabbed her hands and helped her to her feet. Both were standing chest to chest and breathing hard. Ella eyed the two closely. Rick looked like he was about to go in for a kiss and Michonne looked like she was absolutely not going to avoid it. Then, at the last second, Rick noticed Michonne wince and look away in slight aversion as if something suddenly crossed her mind. Rick shifted anxiously because he knew exactly what Michonne was thinking, and his heart fell.

"I'm sorry. I…that day…I" Rick started but had no clue what he was going to say next, and it got awkward again between the two until Carl refocused their attention.

"MOM!" Carl yelled snapping the two out of their awkward encounter, "Do it again so Grams can record it this time!"

Michonne rolled her eyes at Carl in annoyance and ignored his request. She quickly stepped away from Rick, paying no attention to the giggles of all the adults who witnessed her misadventure and Carl's mockery. Michonne held her head high anyway. Despite her heart-wrenching recollection, she was genuinely enjoying herself. She put the memory to the back of her mind because the day was for Carl. Michonne would need to sort her feelings later.

"You did good," Rick praised after noticing Michonne's joyful demeanor return.

"Mom, Dad, Grams! Let's all go through the clubhouse next!" Carl hollered excitedly and took off running to what looked like a house with a tunnel to the left that you had to crawl through to get inside the house.

The other side of the clubhouse had some sort of netting that a person had to crawl over to get to and from. Michonne immediately thought of the nets the military had to climb up in basic training, only it was not up, but rather to get inside the kiddie clubhouse, or exit it, you had to crawl on your hands and knees over the mesh ropes. There were only two ways in and out, and Michonne was not down to do either of them. It was Rick's turn to get laughed at.

"You go Rick. I'm gonna let you have this one," Michonne smiled, and Rick grinned back at Carl before turning back to Michonne.

Rick was ready to crawl on his hands and knees behind Michonne inside that tunnel nose to ass. Rick scrunched his nose just thinking about it. Then he thought it was for the best that Michonne stayed back. Purposefully groping Michonne's ass under the guise of pushing her along with his face might be frowned upon inside a public kiddie park.

"COME ON!" Carl yelled trying to hurry his parents along.

"You gonna be ok in that small space Rick?" Michonne smiled both in jest and in worry.

"I'll be fine. I'm young and flexible," Rick grinned then winked at Michonne while he did a bit of stretching.

Michonne had to close her eyes and focus. She remembered that sexy ass wink that always used to give her tingles when they were young. She took a deep breath and by the time she opened her eyes, Rick and Carl were already crawling through the tunnel.

"Thank you for this Michonne. This day was everything," Ella sniffled and Michonne linked her arm with Ella's.

"Carl and I are having fun too and I'm really glad you came with Rick today," Michonne smiled and apart from her sad recollection, Michonne was happy.

"I'm glad that I came too. I am not taking any of this for granted Michonne. And Neither is Rick. We are both all in and we both know we have some things to make up for. If at any time we become overwhelming, you let us know and we will follow your lead," Ella assured and before Michonne could share her appreciation, Rick started hollering.

Michonne noticed several men running over to the playhouse, stopping every so often when their laugher intensified before stumbling again towards the grown ass man tangled in the ropes. One of Rick's boots had torn though the mesh underneath the crisscross ropes and his leg was dangling through and touching the ground. Rick's other leg was intertwined in the ropes on top and bent at an odd angle.

"SHIT!" Rick yelped when Carl used Rick's body to his advantage and crawled over him to easily get to the solid deck on the other side.

"Thanks for the assist, Dad!" Carl cheered as he crawled over his father's body.

Carl's knee dug into his father's head smashing it deeper into the ropes. Carl doubled down on the torture when he used the side of Rick's face to help himself stand straight and get into a launching position.

"FUCK!" Rick hollered as Carl's foot pressed down hard on his cheek as he prepared to jump from his human launchpad to the wooden platform.

"RICK! STOP CUSSING! THERE ARE KIDS AROUND!" Ella yelled bent over laughing along with Michonne who was trying to take pictures though her heaving.

"It's fine ma'am. I would be cussing too!" Yelled one of the men who was challenged with trying to detangle Rick while laughing at the same time.

Michonne chuckled at Rick getting a taste what it was like parenting Carl. When they finally got Rick loose, he was disheveled. His shirt was half untucked and his curls were wild on top of his head. Rick looked confused for a minute, breathing hard, and looking around with wild eyes and red, swollen welts covering one side of his face. Michonne took the perfect picture. Ella did too.

"That was fun Dad! Let's do it again!" Carl hollered trying to pull Rick toward the tunnel again.

"Naw, I think I had enough Carl," Rick mumbled as he stumbled over to Michonne and Ella.

Rick should have been humiliated, but he was not, and he smiled though the stinging facial pain because his little misadventure made his son happy. And making Carl happy made Rick happy. Rick thought he could never be embarrassed about anything that that brought that much joy to his family. Rick thanked the two men who were still laughing with a tired wave and glanced at the other adults who were laughing their asses off too.

"You did good," Michonne praised through a chortle, and Rick bent over and placed his hands on his knees in an effort to catch his breath.

When Rick stood, Michonne unconsciously ran her fingers through Rick's hair to try and tame his do, and Rick closed his eyes relishing her touch. When Michonne realized what she was doing, she stopped abruptly.

"I'm gonna go viral with that shit and you know it," Rick laughed glancing at the people who still had their phones up obviously recording.

"Damn, I just took pictures," laughed Michonne who regretted not recording the hilarity.

After that, both Rick and Michonne stayed both their assess off the playground equipment for the rest of their time at the park. Rick started to giggle first as the two sat side-by-side on the park bench watching Ella run around with Carl. Michonne glanced at Rick and started to laugh too. When Ella glanced over at the duo, both were laughing hysterically. Carl was about to run over to his parents to join the fun, but he stopped when he heard the iconic music of the ice cream truck.

"Come on Grams! The ice cream man is here!" Carl shouted and ran off towards the colorful truck.

Michonne also heard the classic song and almost took off running herself. Rick laughed because Michonne was jogging like the truck was about to leave and Rick jolted from the bench a little too fast and winced. Rick swore he pulled a muscle in his thigh. Rick ran with more of a wobble trying to catch up to Michonne, and once he arrived at the truck, he pulled out his wallet ready to pay for his family's treat.

"I bet you are gonna get that bomb pop," Rick grinned remembering how much Michonne loved that chocolate and banana flavored treat.

Michonne smiled and nodded a bit stunned that Rick remembered such a small detail. Rick rattled off the order to the Ice Cream Man: Bomb Pop for Michonne, Orange Push Pop for himself, Classic Ice Cream Sandwich for Ella, and a SpongeBob monstrosity for Carl. For Rick, sitting on the park bench enjoying their ice cream was the perfect way to end the trip. For Michonne too.

Once they finished, Ella embraced Michonne and gave Carl an extra-long, and extra tight hug and a kiss to his forehead and both cheeks. Rick did the same and it took all of him to not kiss Michonne goodbye too and settled instead for a quick hug. Carl and Michonne waved goodbye, and had it not been for Carl, Michonne would have crawled under the covers and went straight to sleep. Instead, she looked in the refrigerator for something to cook for dinner but decided to use one of the many takeout options she had pinned to her refrigerator.

"Oh my God. I wish I was there!" Sasha yelped in glee and sent Michonne the two videos.

Michonne decided to send them to Rick too.

Rick: You looked good on that slide. I looked crazy. I would be embarrassed but it was all for Carl so I'm good. I had fun.

Michonne: you were embarrassed so stop. Your face was all red!

Rick: My face was red because I was thinking about how you would have been tangled up in that net with me had you kept your promise to come with us.

Michonne: Rick

Rick: Sorry

Michonne: Are the welts still on your face?

Rick: No. My ugly mug is back to normal.

Michonne was about to text that Rick was far from ugly, but that would send them both down a rabbit hole that she was not ready for, so she left it there.

"I don't see how you resisted kissing that man Michonne," Sasha declared, and they both watched Michonne try hard not to smile.

"I would have squeezed his butt pretending to help get his fine ass out of the that net," Rosita proclaimed, and Sasha concurred.

"There was no kiss. No opportunity for a kiss," Michonne paused on that little lie before continuing, "And certainly no ass squeezing."

"Missed opportunity you prude," Sasha laughed.

"She had a baby at seventeen. Michonne is definitely not a prude. Maybe an out of practice floozy?" Rosita corrected and burst out laughing.

"Whatever. I did what you both asked, and I was open. That was the best I could do. Rick was great. I was, and still am, a little overwhelmed with all the future plans he and his mother were making, but other than that, it went better than I thought it would, but…" Michonne paused trying to find the right words.

"But what?" Darryl grunted making sure Rick did not upset Michonne with anymore of his accusatory antics.

"Like I said, things were great, and we had fun, but a couple of times, when Rick was getting a little too close, that memory of him, of what he screamed at me back then, it flashed in my mind. I tried to shake it away, but it was there lurking. I don't know if I can get past what Rick did," Michonne uttered lowly and a bit sorrowful.

Michonne knew in her bones that she and Rick belonged together, but she could not figure out why she could not easily forgive Rick especially after finding out how Richard manipulated him.

"Michonne, you might get past it and move forward romantically with Rick, or you might not get past it and still move forward as two friends who happen to be Carl's parents. Or you might just end up as Carl's parents with no friendship at all. All those options are okay. You need to do what feels right to you. We are always going to support you wherever this leads," Sasha comforted and Michonne was irritated with her conflicted feelings.

"You and Rick just need time to figure it all out," Rosita assured after watching Michonne groan in frustration.

Michonne was ready to change the subject to other pressing matters.

"I talked to Mike. He was calling and texting all day. It was aggravating. I reminded him that I could not talk and yet, he just kept texting and calling and leaving voice messages," Michonne voiced in a huff pissed that Mike did not honor her wishes.

"Because he is an asshole Michonne. An asshole that does not like to be told NO! I tell you this all the time!" Sasha expressed with deep annoyance.

"Anyway, I wanted to give Rick, Ella, and Carl all of my focus. I wanted the day to go well for Carl, so I didn't respond again until after Rick and Ella left and I got Carl showered and put to bed. Well he is in bed reading his comic books, but close enough," Michonne uttered, "I called Mike right before I called you all."

"How did that go?" Asked a curious Rosita who wondered if Mike stood a chance with Rick back in her life.

"Mike was disappointed that I ignored him all day and concerned when I told him Carl's father was going to be around a lot more and upset when I informed him my weekends for the foreseeable future might be spent with Rick and Carl only," Michonne expounded and shook her head when she remembered Mike's crazy ass counter argument.

"What was his response to that?" Sasha asked curiously.

"Mike wants to be there on all the weekends when Rick is with us, and I told him absolutely not. I tried to convince him that there was nothing between Rick and me. I told him I needed to give Rick time to spend with this son, and I was not ready to send Carl alone with him yet," Michonne explained with weariness remembering Mike's insane attitude.

Michonne was not about to add Mike to the mix. Not yet. The situation was already complicated enough as it was.

"That's understandable. You, Carl, and Rick need time to get reacquainted without any distractions," added Rosita, "Expect us of course. We are not distractions."

Michonne smiled.

"Of course you are not. You are family. Remember that!" Michonne emphasized hoping her family would agree to tagging along with her and Carl to the nature center.

Michonne was not doing that Chattahoochee Nature Center mess alone. She was trying to figure out how to ease Rosita and Sasha, two people who hated hiking more than she did, into joining the trip.

"And you have only been dating for what? Three months? Are you two even exclusive yet?" Sasha asked with a bit of bite in her tone, "NO! The answer is NO, by the way!"

"If you knew, then why did you ask?" Michonne chuckled.

"Because Sasha wanted to make a point, which she did," Rosita cosigned and Michonne rolled her eyes, "Has Mike finally stopped avoiding having that conversation with you? The answer is NO, but now he wants to be all in? Nah Chica, put that puto in his place."

"I informed Mike, in no uncertain terms, that He will NOT be involved in any of our family plans. He WILL NOT meet Carl and he WILL leave me and my family alone on the weekends," Michonne enlightened and noted the smug smiles and raised brows on Sasha and Rosita.

Michonne would have noticed Darry's too if he was in frame. Sasha and Rosita heads reared back with Michonne's reference and were intrigued.

Sasha: you hear what I heard?

Rosita: the our family, my family part? Yup. Should we address it?

Sasha: Maybe lightly? Nothing too deep.

Rosita: yeah, she can't move forward if she stays in denial. Do your thing and make her aware.

"Family plans?" Sasha chuckled, "Tell me about THE FAMILY Michonne? What is the mother and father doing? Specifically at night once the child has gone to bed?"

"And don't be shy with your imaginary details Chica," Rosita laughed and Michonne shook her head and took a gulp of wine.

Darryl's ears perked up, as he stood in his kitchen drinking his beer.

"Whatever, you know what I meant," Michonne explained and watched as Sasha's head rear back again.

"No we don't!" That's why we are asking for FAMILY details Michonne!" Sasha teased.

"You should have come to wine night and maybe I would have," Michonne bit and took another sip of her wine.

"I CAN'T DRINK WINE MICHONNE! I miss drinking wine," Sasha exclaimed with irritation, "The baby is giving me a little nausea, and it's always late at night, and with your germaphobe ass, you would be mad if I threw up in your dainty guest bathroom," Sasha exclaimed as she eyed the Michonne's wine glass with envy.

"If what Sasha would have done was bad, let me bring Abe over there to show you how worse it could be. I told Abe to take his shitty ass to the gas station, but he refused," Rosita groaned and Michonne almost spit out her wine.

"Rosita!" Sasha hooted, "Ok, tell me about THE FAMILY Michonne."

Michonne was frazzled and after Darryl texted a picture of a gas station restroom to Abe, he came to Michonne's rescue.

"Chonne, so what did Mike say because I know it did not end there?" Darryl steered the conversation away and Sasha pinched him on the back of his arm.

"Damn Darryl, we were about to get the good stuff!" Sasha exclaimed and cut her eyes at her husband.

Abe: (GIF of a painter throwing a bucket of green paint against a white canvass)

"Eww," Darryl groaned with a foul look all over his face.

"So what was Mike's response to you putting your foot down?" Rosita probed a little more curious about what happened in reality versus Sasha's imaginary scenarios.

"After I reminded Mike of his words to me, 'We are just feeling each other out right now Michonne,' he had no comeback for that. I let him know inviting him would be inappropriate. Mike tried to argue, but I put my foot down and ended the conversation. Then I called you guys," Michonne answered with a shrug and noticed Sasha pursing her lips tightly.

Sasha balked. She could not stand Mike. She thought he was too cocky, too vain, too everything. Mike left a bad taste in Sasha's mouth.

"Drop him. Mike wants to be the center of attention. He wants your world to revolve around him. That's why he can't handle what you are doing with Rick right now," Sasha commented and Michonne shook her head, "He can't even be happy for your son."

Michonne always thought Sasha was too hard on Mike. Mike, like her, had to make it on his own. His family, although present and supportive, were poor and Mike had to work hard to get where he was and even harder to keep his station both at work and in life. Michonne did not think Mike as cocky, but rather confident. He had to be in order to succeed as a Black Man, as did herself and Sasha as Black women.

"I will not drop him just because the prodigal father has returned. Anyway. Rick and his mother are trying to turn me into a country girl. And Carl is all for it," Michonne huffed and rolled her eyes, "I need Mike to keep me citified."

"Country girls do not wear expensive, red-bottomed heels," Rosita laughed, "so I'm not sure it would work anyway."

Michonne paused and bit her lip. This was her opening to get Rosita and Sasha on board with attending the weekend adventure.

"Carl suggested that we all," Michonne started, and Sasha's eyes got big and interrupted.

"Please don't say it Michonne. Please," Sasha huffed knowing if Darryl heard what Michonne was about to say, she would be going to the place Carl has been begging to go for months.

"Yup, the Chattahoochee Nature Center, and Rick is already making plans for next weekend," Michonne huffed.

"We are going too Sasha," Darryl grunted excited to get out and do some outdoor activities, "the fresh air will do you good."

Darryl let out a grunt of excitement and Sasha let out a groan of disapproval. Sasha was a city girl but now with their toes about to be dipped into outdoors adventures, she knew camping and hunting were not too far behind. Sasha fought it for as long as she could, but now the reckoning was here and there was no way she could say no. Darryl was her rock and never denied her when she wanted to go shopping or to fancy restaurants, which Sasha thought was hilarious when he would wear his sleeveless leather jacket and baggy jeans while she was dressed to the nines. Sasha loved Darryl exactly how he was, and now it was time to prove it.

"Fine!" Sasha huffed and cut her eyes at Michonne, "I smell that little sly Carl all over this!"

"And you would be correct. So, be ready by 8:30am next Saturday morning. "And there is one more thing," Michonne uttered apprehensively.

"What?" Rosita asked, still laughing at Sasha until Abe yelled from the background that they were going too.

Rosita's whole face fell. Darryl texted Abe the plan, and he stumbled out of the bathroom to let his wife know they were going to the nature center too, before rushing back to the toilet. Now it was Michonne and Sasha's turn to laugh.

"Fine," Rosita exasperated.

"Good! I was gonna make you go anyway heifer," Michonne cackled at an irritated Rosita.

"At the very least we can laugh at your scary ass out there with the critters," Rosita teased and watched a frightened look cross Michonne's face.

"What is the one other thing Chonne," Darryl asked curiously wanting to get all the pertinent information and critters were not pertinent.

"Rick wanted to know where Carl went to school. He wants to pick him up Friday afternoon and take him on Monday morning before he leaves back to King County. Spend Saturday at the nature center, then make Sunday morning pancakes. Rick wants to make a whole weekend of it. He asked me for a favor," Michonne admitted with a little hesitation.

"What? What's the damn favor!" Rosita asked eagerly.

"Rick wanted me to find him a nearby hotel, but I told him he could stay here in my guest room," Michonne admitted with her mouth stretched in an "Uh Oh" manner as she stared at the blank faces on her phone.

Sasha cackled.

"Awww sookie sookie now! I give you two a month before you are back together," Sasha proclaimed with surety.

"A month? I give it till end of the weekend!" Rosita countered with a wicked grin.

"Not happening. Carl is so excited and so is Rick. I want my son to be happy and having his father in his life makes him happy. Having Rick stay here is for Carl. It's easier and Carl and I do not have to go back and forth from a hotel. It will also let Rick just be with Carl without interruption," Michonne argued and blew out a hard breath when Rosita and Sasha laughed at her denial.

"You know we like to tease but Michonne, in all seriousness, we love you and want the best for you, don't let the past hold you back. You already think of you, Rick, and Carl as a family. Just give it time. Just be open and go with the flow," Sasha spoke softly and sincerely.

"The reason we are telling you to be open is you don't want to look back and have regrets at a missed opportunity or a second chance," Rosita looked back to see if Abe had gone back into the bedroom, and when it was all clear, she continued, "Abe was not my first choice, nor my type. I was actually dating another guy, Spencer. Rich, trust fund type, nice guy. But Abe never gave up asking me out, and he always made me laugh so one day I decided, why not. He seemed fun, but it was mostly to get it over with so Abe would finally leave me alone. And I was so glad I was open because he is the best. I can't imagine my life without him."

"I didn't know that," Michonne grinned.

"I think your circumstance is a little different, so you do need to be more careful with your heart when it comes to Rick, but you can be careful and open at the same time Chica," Rosita advised.

"The answer will come one way or the other," Sasha emphasized, "now let's get back to what mommy and daddy are doing in this little family of yours!"

Michonne disconnected the call without so much as a goodbye. Their observations had Michonne's mind whirling. She was conflicted. The pull towards a life with Rick was tugging at her heart with intensity, and it was not just nostalgia. But she was not ready. Michonne needed time.

Michonne put Rick out of mind and focused on her other male issue. Michonne needed to talk to Mike. She ended the conversation with Mike before she could tell him about Rick spending the weekend in her home. Michonne waffled back and forth because on one hand, Mike was not her boyfriend, and she did not owe him and explanation, but on the other, they have been dating for a few months and an explanation was the courteous thing to do under the circumstances.

Michonne decided to talk to Mike face-to-face outside of work so as to not cause a scene. She figured it would not be a problem since they rarely ran into each other at the office. Mike and Michonne worked for the same law firm, but in different departments that rarely crossed paths. They were on different floors of the building and focusing on two different types of law. Michonne's specialty was general and family law. Mike was a defense attorney. Sasha was a business lawyer who, at times, was forced to work with Mike on a handful of cases when a business they represented was being criminally litigated. Sasha hated working with the cocky SOB who pretended he knew business law when it was obvious that he did not.

On one particular case, Sasha taught Mike's dumb ass a lesson at a briefing in front of the junior partners. When Mike asked Sasha to explain the relevant business case law, Sasha faked a coughing fit and excused herself but, before she left the room, she managed to inform the partners that Mike said he already knew the relevant information. By the time she returned the partners were pissed, and Mike was sweating bullets. The partners were not pleased with their lead attorney's lack of preparation, then looked to Sasha to take over the briefing. Mike has not fucked with Sasha or her expertise since.

By Wednesday, Michonne still had not seen Mike outside of work, but at work, that was another damn story. All of a sudden, Mike seemed to be everywhere she was. Michonne did her best to keep their conversation at the law firm professional, but Mike was making that difficult.

"I have seen you more these last three days, than I have seen you all year Mike," Michonne stated with a bit of annoyance in her tone.

"You have a problem with me coming to visit my girl?" Mike grinned charmingly and the past three days was the first time Michonne saw the slyness that Sasha told her about.

Michonne eyed Mike from his expensive shoes, all the way up to his perfect haircut. His wide, cheesy grin that used to charm her now bothered her to no end. Michonne tried to reign in her irritation with Mike as she watched his cocky ass lean on the door to her small office with one hand casually in his pants pocket.

"Your girl?" Michonne asked perplexed and highly annoyed.

"Yeah, my girl," Mike beamed as if this should be a point of high pride for Michonne.

"I am not your girl Mike," Michonne amended, and Mike's grin got unbelievably wider.

"Of course you are Michy!" Mike corrected and watched Michonne's ire rise at her new nickname.

"Do not call me that. Do not ever call me that!" Michonne spat and Mike was offput but conceded with a small smile.

Only one person called her Michy and that was Rick when he used to try and convince her to do something crazy when they were young. Michy come on, you can skip school just this once, kissing under the clock will be romantic. Michy, come on, ain't noting in these woods that will eat you except me! Let's go camping. Michy, no farmhand has lived in the cabin for a year, we won't get caught! Michy, I have seen you naked on land, now we are just gonna be naked in the water, take your clothes off, we don't need swimsuits, ain't nobody coming around to bother us. Rick used to say Michy a lot when they were young. The last time was Marry me Michy. Michonne could not help but to smile at the memory and Mike thought she was being more amiable and smiling at him.

"I like it when you smile for me like that. You are stunning. You were just playing about Michy right?" Being shy and all for my benefit?" Mike grinned with a slickness that was gross.

Michonne furrowed her brows. She did not realize she was smiling at all. When she looked at Mike, he was grinning with every tooth that he had.

"No Mike. I was not playing. If you call me that, or say that name again, you will get your feelings hurt," Michonne corrected, and Mike's smile faltered for a quick second before he put back on his mask.

"Ok, calm down. I just thought it was cute. No need for all the attitude about it," Mike chuckled and Michonne narrowed her eyes at Mike.

Michonne liked Mike less and less the more they interacted over the last three days because his true colors were starting to hemorrhage uncontrollably.

"Well, YOUR GIRL," Michonne bit sarcastically, "is at work, so, if there is anything work related that you need from YOUR GIRL, then let me know, otherwise I am busy."

Mike saw the firmness in her request and nodded. Her smile was gone, and Mike wondered if her lack of interest had to do with her baby daddy being back in her life. Mike did not like to lose, and decided he needed to step up his game and their relationship status too.

"There is actually a work reason for me coming down here," Mike lied trying to steer the conversation back to less hostile subjects.

"And what's that Mike?" Michonne asked knowing there was nothing he needed from her floor, "the copy machine broken on you floor like it was yesterday? Or did you need to borrow a law book from our general library again like you did on Monday?"

"Neither," Mike sucked his teeth that Michonne caught on to his silly tomfoolery, but he still refused to admit he was down there to see her, "I came down to return the book from Monday."

"Oh, where is it?" Michonne asked as she looked at his empty hands.

"I dropped it off before I came to your office Michonne. I was not down here for you. But since I was here, I thought I would be nice and visit," Mike stated with minor irritation.

"Which book was it again?" Michonne asked but Mike waved her off.

"I already forgot because it did not have what I was looking for. Anyway, while I'm here. I want to have dinner with you tomorrow night. We have not been out since that man came back into your life," Mike requested almost begging.

And there it was. This was not about missing Michonne. It was about Rick. Mike acted like she was a prize to be won instead of being happy Carl's father was back in her son's life. Even though Sasha tried to convince Michonne of Mike's pompous and possessive attitude, she could not see it. Until now. It bothered her that she had blinders on with Mike all this time. Then she thought about Shelly, the lawyer Sasha said Mike was rumored to be dating, well not dating, rather fucking, but it was kept under the rug. Michonne tested Sasha's theory.

"You are sure it won't conflict with Shelly?" Michonne asked and watched to see if the gossip was true.

Michonne saw Mike flinch and she got her answer. Shelly was probably the reason Mike could not take her out that evening, and Michonne was correct. Mike thought about his plans to meet up with Shelly after work and almost smiled but managed to hide his excitement. Shelly was a damn freak. The shit Shelly would do to him had Mike's head spinning, but Mike knew Shelly was not the kind to marry. She was just an amazing fuck and Shelly was the reason Mike did not want to be exclusive Michonne. He was not ready to give that piece of good pussy up. Shelly turned Mike completely out.

"Shelly is just a friend. I am trying to get serious with you Michonne!" Mike redirected oozing charm and charisma.

Between Mike not directly denying the rumor, and his shaky mannerisms, Michonne knew for sure the gossip was true. Michonne eyed Mike with a cunning smile and Mike started fidgeting even more.

"Sure she is," Michonne uttered as she elevator eyed Mike which caused him to be even more uncomfortable.

"It's true. So tomorrow night? I want to wine and dine you. Talk about our future together, our next steps!" Mike proclaimed a little bitter that he might have to give up Shelly after their evening romp.

As Michonne stared at a grinning Mike, she sat back in her chair wishing Michael Anthony would just leave. Not just from her office, but from her life. Michonne was relieved she had yet to be intimate with Mike. It might have complicated matters, especially with him fucking other women. Michonne decided that she did not want to take any more steps with Mike. He already proved himself to be an asshole. Michonne's talk about her weekend plans suddenly turned into a breakup conversation. Michonne was done with Michael Anthony. But Michael was not done with her.

"Ok, tomorrow evening. We need to talk, anyway," Michonne agreed and Mike's face dropped at the implications.

Mike quickly regained his composure and left to go back to his office to make plans to win Michonne over. Shelly had to go. Mike was not about to lose Michonne.

The Thursday evening before the big Chattahoochee Nature Center adventure, and less than a day before Rick was due to stay in her home, Michonne was sitting in an exclusive French restaurant. As usual, Mike went all out more for appearance's sake rather than true enjoyment of the cuisine. Michonne liked a good French dish or two, or ten, but what was sat in front of her was not one of them. She made a concerted effort to not roll her eyes at the snobbish façade Mike was putting on for the sake of God's knows whom. Michonne was ready to get the break-up over and done with.

"You ever have snails?" Mike grinned watching her roll the little dead buggers around her plate, "Look, you pull the meat out like this."

Mike picked up the correct fork and demonstrated how to get to the edible part. Michonne observed Mike model the directions before placing the meat in his mouth with a smile. But she saw the slight wince of disgust that swept across his features and could not help but to roll her eyes at his feigned proficiency of French delicacies. The lengths that man went to appear bougie and high class was astounding. Michonne wondered why Mike thought she would be impressed. Then it quickly dawned on her, Mike did not actually care about what she liked, Mike just wanted to put on an elaborate show so Michonne would be impressed with him. Michonne's wants did not matter.

When Michonne suggested a burger joint, Mike would choose high-end restaurants with the best cuts of beef and the fanciest of buns, where the French Fries were cut at odd thicknesses and always tossed in a fancy truffle oil. If Michonne wanted to go to a fun bar, Mike would refuse and choose and upscale one instead with fancy furniture and overpriced drinks. Mike had the money and he wanted only the best for himself, and he believed that Michonne or any woman on his arm should be happy to live like a Remora, a sucker fish that lives off what the host whale can provide. Michonne was stupefied that she never really noticed it all before. And she sure as hell was no Remora.

"No, I have never had snails Mike and I do not plan on starting now. You can have mine too," Michonne offered watching his face fall as she scraped the escargot from her plate to his.

Michonne almost laughed out loud when she saw the look of disgust flit across Mike's face. When the waiter came over eyeing the couple, Mike was not going to be embarrassed by sending any back to the kitchen uneaten. He assured the waiter that the snails were perfection as he reluctantly, and slowly placed another piece in his mouth. Mike did not know if chewing slowly, or rapidly would be better and chose both methods until he finally gagged down all eight of them. When the sweetbreads came to the table, it was a repeat of the snails, and Michonne sucked her teeth. Michonne was not eating pancreas, she hated organ meats.

"Was there something wrong with the sweetbreads mademoiselle?" The waiter asked as he looked at the untouched the plate from in front of her.

"No, of course not. The were delicious! My girlfriend is just a little full and wants to save her appetite for the main course," Mike lied, and the waiter quickly removed her sweetbreads from the table and replaced them with the last of the appetizers before the main meal.

"How many courses did you preorder Mike?" Michonne inquired looking at the frog legs drenched in some sort of sauce.

"The main entrée is next. Here try one!" Mike suggested and pushed the dish towards Michonne and Michonne pushed it right back.

"Mike, I am ordering my own entrée. I am starving and I want to eat something that I will like," Michonne demanded when Mike informed her that maybe she would like the main course.

When the waiter came, Michonne spoke first and ordered Beef Bourguignon, chunks of beef in a delicious red wine gravy with bits of onion, bacon, and carrots. Michonne licked her lips just thinking about the stew. Mike ordered the Bouillabaisse.

"Do you still want Andouillette as the main course sir?" The waiter asked perplexed concerning the change from the sausage made from pork intestines and wrapped in a pig's colon.

Michonne's phone buzzed and to Mike's chagrin, she pulled out her phone.

Rick: Hey

Michonne: Hey

"No, Just the Bouillabaisse please," Mike muttered with much less wind in his sails, "Who is that?"

"Who is my business Mike," Michonne uttered not taking her eyes off her phone.

Rick: Do you need anything? I have to stop at the store on my way to your condo to get the secret ingredients for my pancakes.

Michonne smiled and figured now was a perfect time to start the Rick Grimes conversation and placed her phone to the side. Michonne was still willing to give Mike a chance to redeem himself and maybe forge a platonic friendship, but his stunning response to her weekend plans ruined any chance of that. Michonne was now fully on board with Sasha in her extreme distaste for Mike. Mike was cocky, arrogant, and now Michonne thought she could add slightly delusional to Mike's personality traits.

"So, I was thinking, maybe we can go somewhere with Carl this weekend?" Mike offered and Michonne was immediately floored.

"Did I not just tell you that Rick was coming for the entire weekend? Are you listening?" Michonne asked bewilderedly and decided she needed a minute to deal with the fool in front of her, so she picked up her phone and quickly texted Rick back.

Michonne: Secret? It's vanilla and cinnamon, I have some at the house. They are the secret ingredients in my waffles. Carl loves them. Thank Ella for the tip all those years ago. Hey, I might be at work when you get to my condo. I will leave a key with security for you.

Rick: Well damn. My cover is blown. I'm ashamed to call myself a deputy! LOL! But I do have another secret ingredient up my sleeve. I should be there around 2pm, so thanks for the key. And thanks again for letting me stay at your home. I appreciate it. I'm looking forward to this weekend with Carl. And with you too. I already miss the both of you.

Now Michonne needed a minute to deal with the fool she was texting. How was she supposed to respond to that. The weekend was supposed to be about Carl and Rick, not her and Rick. Michonne refocused on Mike who was looking between her and her phone with agitation.

"Who are you texting Michonne? We are in the middle of a dinner date!" Mike exclaimed in a high-pitched tone.

"We are not exclusive Mike. We are not anything. I am not introducing you to my son. It's too late for that," answered Michonne who was preparing for an argument and thought about asking the waiter for her food to-go.

Mike caught the "too late" comment and started grasping at straws. He knew Michonne meant too late for their relationship to have any hopes of continuing and, for Mike, that was absolutely not an option.

"Then let's be exclusive!" Mike answered and wiped his mouth with the napkin that was on his lap.

Michonne furrowed her brow and looked at her buzzing phone again. Two fools in one night. That was a record for her.

Rick: I meant I missed the fun we had. Not that I missed you. I mean I miss you and Carl too! But I didn't mean to say I missed you. I meant I missed the fun.

Her phone buzzed two more times, and Mike reached for it and Michonne slapped his hand.

"Boy," Michonne threatened with one raised brow, and Mike decided not to humiliate himself and instead spread the napkin back across his lap.

Rick: Not just the fun, I don't want you to think I am in this for the fun! I am in this because I love Carl and I love you!

"Shit," Rick groaned wondering why he didn't reread and fix the text BEFORE sending it.

Rick decided to change subject.

Rick: I'm looking forward to the weekend with all of you! You think your friends will like me? I mean we will be hanging out all day together.

Michonne shook her head at Rick's text and chuckled when she imagined Rick stuttering to himself as he typed his responses. Rick was actually stuttering out loud and his partner wondered why Rick kept saying Bless His Heart over and over again.

"Just like that? After all this time you want to talk about being exclusive? Why now? What changed? I thought you we were just feeling each other out?" Michonne asked, wondering if Mike would admit that his exclusivity request was not sincere, but rather because of new circumstances in her life.

Mike did not like being second fiddle to anyone. Mike thought he was the most eligible bachelor in all of Georgia. Mike was spoiled and thought the world revolved around him, but he was not going to admit that to Michonne.

"I like you Michonne. You are a lawyer, and I'm a lawyer. I thought at first, we were too young to settle down, but I probably won't find anyone smarter and prettier and more ambitious than you!" Mike answered as if what he said was a genuine reason for a couple to come together.

"Is that what you have been doing Mike? Dating around and looking for someone better?" Michonne asked with disgust ready to get the hell out of that French restaurant and away from Mike Anthony for good.

Mike had unilaterally used up every strike in a nine-inning baseball game at this point.

"I'm sure you were too, even though you would not have found anybody better than me," Mike grinned widely and Michonne rolled her eyes at his false sense of grandeur.

Michonne smiled at the waiter who sat her dish in front of her and she took a few delicious bites and did a little dance before she continued the conversation exactly where they left off.

Another buzz.

Rick: Sorry for the weird texts

"On paper, yes. In real life," Michonne shrugged and smiled when she knocked that cocky grin off Mike's face, "Hold on Mike. Let me take care of this so I can focus."

Michonne: I am looking forward to the weekend also. It will be fine.

Rick was relieved his I love you text was ignored.

Rick: You sure you don't need anything? You know what? I'm going to make dinner Friday night too. My specialty.

Michonne: I will text you when I am on my way to get you from the condo before we pick up Carl afterschool tomorrow. I'm driving. There is a strict process to parent pickup!

Rick: Ok, I will just keep my eyes closed.

Michonne: Your specialty?

"MICHONNE!" Mike whisper-shouted and Michonne refocused on Mike after sending one last text.

Michonne: Can I text you later? I'm on a date.

Rick: Oh sorry. Yes. Of course. With Mike? You two serious?

Michonne: ….

Rick waited on pins and needles but eventually the dots disappeared and that was the end of the conversation. Rick put his phone away and tried to focus on what his partner was saying as they sat in the deputy cruiser, but his thoughts were all on Michonne and Mike. Rick took a breath and felt like he lost Michonne all over again, and it hurt even more this time around. Rick pulled out his phone and typed a final message.

Rick: I hope you have fun. Goodnight.

Michonne scoffed. Fun was that last thing she was having.

"Are you still talking to him right now? Right in front of me? On our date?" Mike asked incredulously.

"Yup," Michonne answered with such casualness that Mike sat there stunned.

Michonne looked at Mike and thought he had his nerve getting upset.

"Why is he coming again? He just came last weekend, right?" Mike uttered in a disbelieving tone.

"Yes, Mike. Again, because he is Carl's father and he has the right," Michonne answered with a menacing tone and took another bite of her meal before she cursed his ass out.

Michonne would have walked out on Mike, but her Beef Bourguignon was too delicious. She wanted to finish all of it.

"Why do you have to go with them?" Mike asked astoundingly, his tone almost like a child throwing a tantrum.

"Because this is new, and I am not comfortable with my son and Rick hanging out together without me just yet!" Michonne declared with more edge than she intended.

The moment Michonne uttered that statement out loud, she knew she was lying to herself. The real reason was Michonne WANTED to be there with Rick and Carl. She felt like one of the disembodied frog legs hopped up and dropped kicked her straight to the jaw with that epiphany. Michonne knew that the legs were not living limbs on the plate, but the awareness hit her so hard, she wanted to make sure, and she moved the leg around with her fork. Michonne was in deep thought as she ate the rest of her meal. Ole begging Mike shook her out from her thoughts.

"Well what about Sunday? Can we go out on Sunday? There is an upscale jazz club that I have been hearing is great," Mike suggested and Michonne began to eat faster.

"Rick is coming in Friday, and he is not leaving until Monday morning after he drops Carl at school," Michonne announced again, and Mike's eyes bugged out.

"Where is he staying Michonne," Mike inquired a little too loudly garnering looks from neighboring tables.

"In my guest room," Michonne explained with such directness that it threw Mike off.

There was no tentativeness. No stress. No fear in admitting her ex was going to be staying with her all weekend. Mike acted out.

"NO! I As your boyfriend I will NOT allow that Michonne!" Mike hollered loud enough for the waiter to come over to the table to calm him down.

"You have no say in what I do Mike, and you are not my boyfriend, and at this point, you are not even my friend. So calm down before I leave your ass sitting here alone," Michonne stated and smiled at the approaching waiter.

Michonne was glad for several things after that awful date. First, that she drove her own car and met Mike at the restaurant. She could not fathom arguing with Mike as he drove her home. Second, Michonne was glad she had security in her building because Mike would let the shit go. He followed Michonne home, and then inside the lobby of her Condo demanding to finish the conversation. When security approached, he put his hands up in the air.

"I'm her boyfriend," Mike informed the security, so they knew there was no threat of danger, "right Michonne?"

"Wrong, he is not my boyfriend, remember Mike? But he is also not a threat unless he refuses to leave. Do you refuse to leave Mike?" Michonne asked with her head tilted slightly to the left waiting for his answer.

Third, Michonne was glad Mike left without further argument. Fourth, she was glad Darryl and Sasha, her babysitters for the evening, lived in the same building only four floors above her. And lastly, she was glad that Carl was already fed, bathed, and in his black panther pajamas ready for bed. Michonne thanked God for Darryl and Sasha as she rode up the elevator to her apartment with her sleepy son.

Once Michonne got Carl into bed, she showered, changed into her pajamas, and got into bed herself. Her phone buzzed and she noticed Mike had texted her five times and called her twice since she left him in standing like a dumbass in the lobby. Michonne put her phone on silent and closed her eyes and prayed for a dreamless and restful sleep.

Her eyes popped open immediately when she thought of Rick and her last text to him.

"Shit," Michonne uttered and reached for her cell phone and typed a message.

Michonne: It was our final date. Needless to say no fun was had.

Michonne did not want to play any games. Enough of them were played courtesy of Richard to last a damn lifetime.

Rick: I would like to say I'm sorry, but I would be lying.

Rick wanted to make it known he was happy about her new situation. No reason to lie.

Michonne: Rick…smh

The rest of Rick's shift went much better. Mike was no longer part of the equation and Rick's partner noticed his sudden cheerful change. Rick was on cloud nine and he thought the Mike character was gone forever. That is, up until Friday evening when Rick was punching Mike into his afterlife.