Something To Tell You

“Why are you so nervous? Carl loves you.”

“I know he does,” Michonne said. 

She was tapping her foot and literally wringing her hands while she watched Rick get dressed. Normally the sight of him dripping wet from a river or stream was enough to distract her from anything major they had to deal with. Today it wasn’t working. 

“Michonne,” Rick said, “if you’re not ready to tell him we don’t have to.”

“It’s just…”

“He’s slipped up and called you Mom three times now,” Rick pointed out. “He’s already there.”

“It’s one thing to think you’re ready for your father to have his first relationship after your mother. It’s another thing when it actually happens. I remember when my mom died. Dad waited a year to start dating. I thought I was okay with it but when I met his first date I was angry.”

“How old were you?”

“Twelve.”

Rick came to her and put his arms over her shoulders. 

“I know my boy. Carl is ready. We’ll sit down with him and talk it out.”

“I’d rather talk to him by myself if you don’t mind.”

He nodded. “Okay. I’m just a stone’s throw away if you need me.”

He kissed her lightly on the lips and stroked her face. 

“It’ll be fine.”

Michonne found Carl sitting by the fire, sharpening his knife. Beth had given him a haircut and he kept running his hand over his head, trying to adjust to it. She took a seat on the fallen log next to him and watched the water for the coffee steam as it neared boiling.

“I need to talk to you,” she said. 

“Something wrong?”

She shook her head. “No. I have something to tell you and I don’t know how you’re going to feel about it.”

Carl shrugged. “I won’t know unless you tell me.”

“I’m…I’m in love with your father. He loves me, too.”

Carl smiled slightly and went back to sharpening his knife. “I know.”

“You did?”

Michonne wasn’t prepared for that answer. 

“Yeah. It’s pretty obvious you guys are into each other.”

“How do you feel about it?”

“I don’t mind.”

Michonne put her hand over Carl’s. “It’s okay if you’re not.”

“Michonne, I’m good.”

“He loves your Mom. He always will. I’m not trying to take her place. I’d never do that.”

Carl considered her for a few moments. She wished she could divine what was behind his eyes. She had the sense, though, that he really was okay with it.

“I know,” he finally said. “Mom’s gone. She’s not coming back, I get that. I don’t want Dad to be alone and I can’t think of a better girlfriend for him than you. So…welcome to the family.”

She relaxed, knowing he was sincere and not just telling her what she wanted, or needed, to hear. 

“I love you and Judith.”

Carl went back to sharpening his knife, another smile on his face, and said, “We love you, too.”

She ruffled his hair and took out her katana. It was in need of some attention, too. She began to wipe the blade down, and as she did, her eyes found their way to Rick. She winked and he gave her a nod in return. They didn’t need words to communicate. They never really had.

Welcome to the family, Michonne thought. She had a family again. She had a place with good people, a man to love, and children to care for again. Life was hard. They lived in dark and dangerous times, especially on the road to D.C., but she no longer feared facing the future.

She had a family now, after all. There was nothing she couldn’t face now.