Rick

"I just don't understand. Please, help me understand." I looked my wife of 19 years in her eyes. "Rick, I just can't anymore. I loved you, and still do, but our time has run it's course. We'll keep in touch, for Carl's sake...Other than that, I just can't do this anymore." She had genuine sorrow in her eyes, but I couldn't tell if it was for me or from me. "Lori, what can I do to make this up to you? Anything, I'll do it for you." By now, I felt tears forming in my eyes. "I'm sorry, Rick. It's too late now." She sighed. "I'll pack my things tonight and be out by tomorrow," she started making her way out of the room, but before exiting she looked back at me one last time, "Please don't make this any harder on us than it already is."

Us? Shane.

She was gone. And there was nothing I could do to stop her. Carl was at school, but I knew he'd be back with my car sooner than later, so I figured I could just wait for him to get home before I finally had a chance to take a breath alone. Less than thirty minutes passed by before he finally arrived with my silver Ford pickup, freshly washed and vacuumed out.

"Hey, dad. I took her for a car wash, if that's alright." he joked, smiling at me. "Thanks, Carl. I'm gonna go to the bar for a few. You can invite one friend over, and don't make me regret those words." He smiled again. "Cool. Is Mom in there?" I shook my head, before speaking again. "She'll be back to pack up some more stuff, though, so be expecting her sometime soon." He nodded.

A brief silence swept over the room before he spoke, "Dad, I know this is hard for you, but you know I'm always here if you need to talk. Well, if you want to. She's not worthy of you anyways." I looked at him, and grinned. "Thanks, Carl. I appreciate it. I'll be back in a few. Behave yourself." He nodded at me before tossing me the keys to the truck and going upstairs to his room. I walked out of the house, locking the door behind me, before hopping into my truck. I didn't start it, instead I sat and closed my eyes.

Carl has always loved his mother, up until he caught her and Shane attached at the lips at a family friend's party we went to about a year back. And a few months after that is when she filed for divorce. And a week after that is when Shane and I lost our friendship of over 20 years, and he won my wife's heart. Stuff like this makes me wonder: how long have they been doing this behind my back?

And of course I still love Lori. I wanted things with us to work. I'm disappointed in myself for not seeing it coming, with the way Shane is and all. It was just that I never, in a million years, would've expected this from these two people I held so close to my heart, my soulmate and my brother.

But this is real. Its happening. And now I just have to deal with it.

I finally started the truck after what seemed like hours, pulling out and heading in the direction of the local bar. When I arrived, I sighed. "Alright, Rick," I told myself, "A few drinks is all. You still have a son to go back home to." At this point, Carl was my only voice of reasoning for anything I did. And I truly appreciate that from him. I got out and entered the bar, and was greeted by a few pleasant faces asking how Sheriff Grimes was doing and why he hadn't been seen in so long.

I chuckled a bit and said, "I've been around." I sat on a stool at the bar and didn't even need to say anything to the bartender because he knew what I'd come for. "Hey, Grimes, how ya doing?" he asked, getting my drink together. "Hey, Mr. B. I'm doing good. How about yourself?" He nodded at me. "How's little Carl?" I looked at him with a glint of doubt in my eyes. "When was the last time you saw Carl?" I laughed, and he joined me as he set my beer on the counter. "I know, I know. He's getting old now. We're getting old, Grimes."

"Hey, speak for yourself," I chuckled before drinking a bit of my beer. About an hour and a half passed by before I decided that it was probably a good time for me to start heading out. "Alright, Mr. B. It was good seeing you," I said before getting up and making my way to the door. He smiled at me. "Tell Carl I said hello there, and give him this." He slid me two hundred dollar bills. "One of em's for you." I shook my head. "I appreciate it, I really do, but we can't take this, Mr. B." I eyed him, slightly nervous that he wouldn't take it back. "I've got enough of it to go around. Go on, take it," he insisted. I gave him a hug before I made my way to the door. "Thank you, Mr. B. I'll see you soon."

He's always been like a father figure for me. My dad was away in the service for a large portion of my life, and Mr. B was a neighbor before I moved into my own home with Lori. And he's always been there for my mom and I when my dad was away, and for that I will be forever grateful to him. He's always looked at Carl as a grandson, too. He's virtually family.

As I made my way home, I realized that the gas tank was almost empty. I laughed to myself, thinking, why would he get the car washed and not put any gas in it? I stopped at the nearest gas station, which seemed relatively empty, and cheap, so it was a plus I guess. The first thing that caught my eye when I entered the gas station was a beautiful dark skinned woman with dreads. There was a little boy by her side, maybe 4 or 5, with a juice in his hand. She looked up at me when I walked in, and flashed a very small smile, that didn't even show her teeth. She grabbed her bags from the spinner, and told the cashier, "Thank you," before her and the little boy walked past me, hand in hand, and got into their car.

I wondered how I looked to her. Did I look like a mess? I hope not. You only get one first impression.

What am I even thinking? My first impression on her is most likely gonna be my last.

But then again, King County is smaller than most cities. I hope I see her again.

I got my gas and went to go pump it, and hopped into my pickup. When I finally got home, I was greeted by Carl and his best friend, Sophia, sitting on the couch eating pizza and watching TV.

"There's more in the kitchen," he said, never taking his eyes off of the TV. "Thanks," I said, taking my coat off and making my way to the kitchen. "Hey, Mr. Grimes," Sophia greeted me when she came in the kitchen for napkins. "What's up, Sophia? How's your mother?" She smiled. "Happy. Her and Mr. Dixon have been talking more and it seems like he's really taking a liking to her." I smiled and nodded, not only because I was happy that she finally got out of her toxic relationship with her abusive ex-husband, Ed, but because her and Daryl finally got together after so long just like everyone predicted. "How's everything with you going?"

I chuckled. "I'm sure Carl let you in on that whole story. But from my perspective, everything is fine...Its happening the way it had to, the way it was always going to." She shot me a small smile and said, "It'll be fine. Give everything time..its better now." I nodded as she walked away, allowing her words to sink into my mind.

I walked past the living room and up to my room, turned on my lamp and sat on the bed. It was nine o'clock, so not that late, but I had work in the morning so I knew if I wanted to be able to function properly, that I would have to settle into bed very soon. I got up and went into my bathroom, took off my button up and jeans and put my robe on.

Just one of those nights.

I went back into my room and sighed when I realized how hungry I was, and that I didn't grab any pizza before coming up to my room. Guess that was the universe's way of telling me I didn't need it anyways. I turned on my TV, followed by turning off my lamp and closed my eyes. It felt really weird without Lori next to me, but I honestly couldn't get the woman from the gas station out of my head. She was so beautiful, unlike any woman I've seen in a very long time. Seeing her gave me the same feeling I got when I first met Lori.

I felt myself get drowsier and drowsier as I continued to let my mind wander and eventually, I couldn't hold my eyes up any longer.

"Rick. Rick, wake up," I heard a semi-familiar voice call after me. I opened my eyes to see the woman from the gas station standing at my bedside. I looked at her and smiled, but then frowned. "What are you doing here? How did you get here?" She only smiled at me, and then vanished. Right into thin air.

I opened my eyes again, but this time was only greeted by the sun halfway blinding me. Carl peeked his head through my door. "Last day of school!" he yelled before he disappeared and I heard his footsteps linger down the stairs. I looked over at my clock. 6:41. I chuckled before sitting up and rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I had to take him to school today since I had to work, which meant I also had to pick him up, which I wasn't looking forward to at all.

I got up and made my way to my bathroom, so that I could take a shower and brush my teeth. Once I was finished doing both, I went back into my room and put on my uniform and grabbed my hat afterwards. I went downstairs and was greeted by the smell of bacon and toast, and fresh fruit. Somebody's excited about their last day of their sophomore year. I thought to myself, looking over what Carl made us for breakfast. Its rare to even wake him up this early let alone make breakfast too. "Bon appetít," he chuckled at me, getting a plate ready for himself.

"The last day of school's never excited you this much before," I looked at him, getting a plate for myself as well, "What's up?" He shrugged his shoulders. "After today, dad, I'm a junior. Then a senior? Then I'll be done with high school and on to being an adult." I chuckled. "Don't rush it, son. Take it from somebody who did." Lori and I got married right out of high school, and even though I thought it was what I wanted at the time, looking back on it makes me sort of regret it. "I know, dad." he said, stuffing food into his mouth as he spoke. "Oh, is it okay if I have a few friends over?" he gave me his most innocent smile. "Like pick all of us up after you get off work and bring us all here?" I sighed, knowing I'd be tired. But I also knew how hard he'd worked all schoolyear, and I knew I would be evil not to let him have his friends over. I nodded, which made him give me a tight hug. "Thanks so much, dad! I'll be in the car." He took the car keys and went outside, which left me to take the house keys -- after grabbing my phone -- to lock the house up and head to the car.

This is gonna be an interesting day.

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So wow. My first (published) Richonne fanfic & so far I feel good about it. If you made it this far, congrats, you read over two thousand words that I threw together to make this story. I hope you all enjoy. Typical chapters will only be about 1500-1800 words long; this was just for a bit of character & story development.

I can't wait to see what this story becomes, as I've dreamt about writing it for awhile now.
Love to all,
lolfanfiics