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It was a silent race against the clock to complete his tasks before the woman of the day woke up. With no accurate calendar systems that matched up from the end of the world as they knew it to the present, it was hard to tell exactly what month they were in. Weather and plants played the biggest parts in estimating the time of year. For days the skies were packed with thick dark clouds, and then at night those clouds would break and paint the pavement with heavy drops of rain. By morning hours the air was dense from the residual moisture, and glass-like pearls of dew dotted the blades of grass. It’d been two weeks of constant downpours followed by bright sunshine and singing birds. It was May.
With the constant rain, routine runs outside the walls had slowed down. They were thriving as a community and in no dire need of supplies, so most of the work was refocused inside the walls. For the first few days, when the rain was heaviest, most people lounged inside their homes and listened to the earth act as the skies drum set.
Michonne loved the rain. While most were ducking and dodging the drops as best as they could she basked in it. When Rick would make his way back home from his secret excursions he’d see her and the kids running in the street soaking up the skies offerings. He’d watch completely amused as Judith and Rj would be quick on her trail while she chased Andre and Carl. Though the boys were much older than the last two Grimes they still indulged in playtime, and probably enjoyed just as much as the younger two. Anything that Michonne wanted to do, most of the time her four shadows would fall right in line.
The sun was just starting to peek through the gray skies when Rick eased out of the house. Thankfully everyone inside slept like rocks, so there was no one up to miss him. A couple of years ago on a run, he found all kinds of flower seeds, but he was most excited about the rose seeds. He, Judith, and Rj planted them in the backyard of one of the vacant homes. Over time the kids lost interest in checking on the growth, they complained it took too long. Rick held steady and catered to them every chance he had. When they found someone to fill the house he carefully uprooted the young roses and moved them to a place just outside the walls, and out of Michonne’s sight.
Even though Alexandria wasn’t short on flowers, the plan was always to have a personal supply to keep fresh flowers in their home. Michonne loved color, and she always rambled about her love of plants and flowers before the turn. Rj insisted they wait for the roses to bloom before they could present her with any, as they were the last in the bunch that had yet to blossom. The last time Rick had checked on them, their color had just started peaking through the green buds. Now the silky red and pink petals sat high and full in the early morning sun. Dew drops rolled from the flowers and punctuated Rick's hand as he clipped the flowers from the bush and secured a dozen. He made quick work of the pesky thorns, freeing the stems of the pricks with his pocket knife.
By the time Rick made it back home, the sounds of life were quietly echoing throughout the house. The pitter patter accompanied by rhythmic humming from the bathroom signaled Andre’s presence; exercising his vocal cords in the shower was his favorite pastime that all in the house were privy to whether they liked it or not. It didn’t take long for Carl to put the one-man show to end with his incessant knocking on the door.
“Dre! Stop hogging the hot water!” He called.
“Go downstairs!” Andre answered.
“You’ve been in there forever! Get out!”
It was rare for the two of them to bicker… except when one needed to get into the bathroom. All bets were off then. Hearing them argue over mundane things such as getting into the bathroom always reminded Rick this is what they’d fought for. A home where their children could drive them insane with all of their antics.
“Quiet ‘for y’all wake your Mother!” Rick chastised the boys from the bottom of the stairs, effectively ending their meaningless feud. Only then did Carls knocking stop.
Judith was the next to make her presence known. Coming down the stairs, book in hand, a pencil behind her ear, and a small bag clutched under her arm. Rick peaked out from his spot in the kitchen and watched as she situated herself at the table. It took a moment before she saw them but when she did her eyes grew wide and her smile split her face in two. In the middle of the table sat the dozen of Roses complete in a teardrop shaped crystal vase. She looked past the arrangement and saw her father grinning just as wide as she.
“Why didn’t you wake me up?? I wanted to pick some!” She squealed, running over to hug him. “She’s gonna love 'em!”
“She is,” Rick punctuated his statement with a kiss on her head and he smoothed her hair lovingly. “Mornin’ sweetheart.”
“Mornin’ Dad,” she said stepping away from the embrace. “You think she’ll like my gift?”
“ ‘Course she is,” he said, resuming his task of slicing apples. “She loves anythang y’all give ‘er. Your brother still sleepin’?”
“Yeah. He was up late putting the finishing touches on his gift.”
In the kitchen, Rick zipped back and forth from the fridge to the counter and the stove. He had no real end goal for the meal he was making; he just knew what tasted good together. On the stove, he had fried apples caramelizing in sugar, cinnamon, and whatever oil they had. On another burner he had pancakes going. The sausages he got from one of the ladies a few homes down from them were going on the third eye. The last thing to be cooked were the eggs. It was rare for Rick to cook more than toast these days, but he dug into the recesses of his mind to pull out the few tricks he’d picked up from his mother's kitchen to spoil his family every now and then.
“Go wake up your brother and your Mother Jude, let em’ know breakfasts’ ready.” he said, turning off the burners.
Rj was the first to appear downstairs. Still warding off the sleep that’d held him captive he rubbed his tired eyes and ambled to the table. He sunk into his seat and dropped his head on the table; his body not yet ready to be alert.
“Mornin’ Junior,” Rick chuckled, placing the last of the breakfast spread on the table.
“Mmm.” Rj grunted his greeting.
Last year they’d attempted to give Michonne her breakfast in bed, but the kids didn’t subscribe to the concept of leaving the room once the food was delivered. Judith and Andre were on the bed while Carl and Rj sat on the floor. They ate breakfast together and Rick did everything in his power to put them all out once he was ready for some alone time with his wife. This year Rick decided to skip the cramped room and utilize the dining room table.
Carl and Andre were in the living room going back and forth about whether Storm was better with Wolverine or T’Challa. Rick had no clue who any of those folks were but it was clear Carl was losing the debate. Andre had his mother's gift of words and her calm yet persuasive nature. When Carl would get riled up Andre would sit back with an unbothered look as if he’d made his point and was done with the matter. Watching it play out in real time always amused Rick to no end. Michonne never claimed to see her attributes in the kids, but to Rick, her imprint was clear as day.
By the time Carl waved Andre off and made his way to the table Michonne was finally coming down the stairs.
“Morning Mama,” said a calm and collected Andre.
Michonne knew that smug ‘just won an argument’ look anywhere. “What did you say to your brother?”
“He said Storm and T’Challa should’ve been endgame, I just made my case that clearly, she belonged with Wolverine.” Andre shrugged, trailing behind his mother.
“Well… I don’t disagree.”
“See! Told you!” Andre piped up, laughing at Carl's loud groan from hearing his mother's betrayal.
“There’s no way you think Storm and Wolverine are better together!” Carl argued.
Michonne kissed each head seated at the table before she made her way into Rick’s awaiting arms, letting Carl sweat it out a bit before she answered.
“I could be biased, seeing as though I have my own Wolverine.” She punctuated her statement with a peck on —a very confused— Rick’s lips.
“Can we eat first before y’all start?” Andre grumbled and plopped in his seat next to Judith.
“If this Wolverine guy loves Storm s’much as I love your Mama, he sounds like an alright guy t’me,” Rick said while pulling out Michonne’s seat. “Anyway… anythang y’all wanna say?” He asked from behind her chair, his hands on her shoulders, and looked at the kids.
“Happy Mother’s Day!!”
“Aww thank you guys,” she beamed, barely able to contain her grin.
They all hopped out of their seats, even the newly rejuvenated Rj, and smothered her with hugs and kisses. In the midst of the love bomb, Rick was booted out of the way.
***
Breakfast went on without a hitch, as it always did. Now everyone was in the living room waiting for Rj to come back downstairs so they could give their gifts.
“I hope you like it Mom, Dad helped me pick it out,” Judith said from her spot on the couch.
“I’m sure I will, for the simple fact that you even thought to get me something,” Michonne put her arm around Judith's shoulder and then rubbed her arm reassuringly.
“Rj, hurry up!” Carl yelled up the steps.
“Calm down Man, Enid isn’t going anywhere.” Andre teased.
“Neither is Naya.” Carl retorted, knocking the smirk right off Andre’s face.
Andre’s eyes bulged and he stole a glance at his Mother. He hadn’t gotten around to telling her about the girl from The Kingdom he’d been flirting with. Before she could inquire further Rj came running down the stairs. He’d never been so happy to see his little brother before.
“Gonna go ahead and give you mine 'cause I know you’ve been eyeing it,” Carl said, handing the basket to Michonne.
A woven wicker basket loaded with chocolates and other candies to fill her sweet tooth’s desire. There were 3 full-size Big Kat bars fanned out between the comic books that sat up in the back.
“I won’t even attempt hiding these, I have a feelin’ I’ll be sharing them sooner than later,” she snickered. “Thank you, Carl.”
“I get to read those when you’re done.”
“Always.”
“Dad and I had a bet going to see who could find you the most toothpaste since he lost that crate.” Andre smirked at Rick's groan and his muttering. “and since you’re still using plain peppermint toothpaste I’m gonna go ahead and assume I won.”
He sat back in his spot with a satisfied smile once he handed his mother the box. A simple wooden box that he’d painted black. In it were an assortment of body butter, oils, a few scrubs, and (one full-size tube with two travel-size tubes) the beloved spearmint and baking soda toothpaste.
“I’m tempted to go lock myself in the bathroom with these right now bu-“
“You can’t! We didn’t even give you our gifts yet!” Judith protested.
“Yeah!” Rj followed up with a scowl eerily similar to Rick's.
Michonne couldn’t stop the chuckle that escaped before she finished her sentence. “But, as I was saying, I can wait a while. Thank you Peanut.”
Rj looked at Judith and once she nodded for him to go first, he spoke up. “Here’s mine, it’s the next part of the Daito and Brave Boy series.”
Two years ago Rick bought Rj back an art set from a run and he’d been obsessed with creating his comics ever since. Everyone in the Grimes family had been featured in a copy, but his parents —Daito and The Brave Man— were the stars of the series. This copy had a picture of his character, Brave Boy, and Daito relaxing on the porch with two cups of lemonade. The title: “Daito and Brave Boy Take The Day Off.”
“I’m moving this to the top of my reading list, I can’t wait to see what they get up to this time around. Thank you, baby.” Michonne kissed his head and ruffled his hair before turning her attention to Judith, who was up from her seat and had disappeared from the couch.
Judith came back holding a picture that was about half her size.
“I hope you like it.” she smiled, almost bashfully.
When she turned the picture around Michonne gasped. “Oh Judy, it’s beautiful.”
One day about two weeks ago when Rick was making his secret runs to prepare for Mother’s Day, Judith snuck in the car and took the ride with him. In the hour that it took him to get to his destination he had no clue she was even in the car. By the time he found out he couldn’t even find it in himself to be upset with her because he was in awe of her stealth skills. Together they cleared out the home Rick had been eyeing, and in one of the rooms, Judith spotted the painting. Immediately she took it to her father and told him she had to have it. He thought it was a bit odd that she wanted a painting of a woman, a black woman with white flowers in her hair, in a white v-neck dress sitting in a chair, with her bare feet crossed at the ankles leisurely reading a book; but he didn’t question her on it. It wasn’t until much later that she told him the painting was for Michonne.
“It reminded me of you when you’d read to me and Rj.”
“I love it so so much, I love all my gifts from all my thoughtful babies. Thank you all.”
“Dad you didn’t get Mom anything?” Andre asked before he and Carl disappeared for the day.
“Yeah Dad, where's your gift?”
A smirk appeared on both his and Michonne’s faces as they made eye contact.
“I already gave your Mama the first part of her gift, but I guess I can give her the second now while we’re all here.’’
Everyone watched as he rose from his seat and took Michonnes hand to pull her up from the couch. He wrapped his arm around her waist, and brought her body closer to his, grinning at the giggles that fell from her knowing lips. He caught her chin with his free hand and pulled her smiling mouth to his. The kiss started chaste, but it didn’t take long for them to forget their audience. Though they were disgusted by the whole display, the unanimous groaning didn’t start til Rick’s hand slid down her back and settled on the curve of her ass. They broke the kiss laughing at the retreating grumbles and grunts. Even Rj cleared out, and he usually didn’t care about his parent's addiction to displaying their affection.
Unable to help himself, Rick stole another small kiss and rested his forehead against hers with a content smile. “Happy Mother’s Day, Mama.”