Addiction [Rick Grimes]

Chapter 1

"Have you worked every day this week, Grimes?" Leon asked, as he entered the locker room, surprised to see Rick there and getting ready to go home.

Rick shook his head, looking exhausted and defeated. "Yeah, pretty much. Work, home, eat, sleep and repeat." Rick slumped back against his locker, sweat dripping from his forehead. "Finally time to go home, I've got a grand total of two days off, unless they need me here that is."

"Damn, take a break man," Leon said as he started putting his belongings in his locker. "All work and no play will not make a happy wife," he laughed.

Rick snorted. "Oh, don't I know it. She's been at me for weeks now to take time off, but doesn't realise that because she quit her job for absolutely no reason, that we can't afford the mortgage and all the other bills on my basic wage, so I need to work more," he sighed, defeated. "I have to work to keep a roof over our heads." Rick picked up his belongings. "See you soon, man," he called out to Leon as he made his way out of the room.

He drifted slowly along the corridors to the exit. His legs could barely carry his weight. He was exhausted and just wanted to go home, see his wife and son, eat and go to bed.

Rick could barely remember the car ride home, it was a blur of cars, trees, houses and long roads. He sighed a breath of relief when he parked in the driveway of his home. He was looking forward to getting inside and putting his feet up.

However, as Rick stepped out of his car he was hit with a heavy sense of dread. He tried to push it aside as he made his way towards the door, with his hand on the door handle he took a deep breath before stepping inside.

The house was quite. Eerily quiet.

"Lori," he called out.

He didn't receive a response so continued through the house, heading towards the kitchen. As he passed the lounge he briefly glanced around the room, his eyes stopping at the coffee table. Two wine glass. Two bottles of red wine.

He didn't think much of the scene at first, it was possible Lori had invited a friend round that afternoon and had yet to tidy it away.

Rick leant down to pick up the glasses to take to the kitchen when again his eyes fell on the glisten of a silver wrapper. He dropped the glasses down on the table unsteadily, one tipping on its side and picked up the silver wrapper. He knew what it was before his fingers touched the foil, but his mind refused to believe it.

His heart began to pound against his chest as he saw the confirmation that he held a condom wrapper in his hand.

It wasn't one they had used. They hadn't had sex in weeks, months even and certainly not in the lounge.

A thousand questions ran through his head as the wrapper fell from his fingertips to the floor. His eyes darted towards the bottom of the staircase and before his mind could recognise he was walking he was already half way up the stairs.

He stalled with his hand on the door handle of the master bedroom, he could hear light snores coming from inside.

"This can't be real.." he whispered to himself as complete disbelief washed over him.

In less than two seconds his fears were confirmed as he opened the bedroom door and laid eyes on his naked wife. Dishevelled and red faced, painstakingly obvious that she had not long since finished her act of infidelity, but who with remained a mystery as the other side of the bed was unoccupied.

Rick momentarily thought about waking his wife and confronting her, but his heart screamed no. He was already in too much pain and couldn't bare the inevitable lies and excuses that were to come.

He removed himself from the scene and made his way back down the stairs and stood in the kitchen, held up by the kitchen island as he tried to comprehend what had happened and what to do next.

For a moment he wondered if he should leave, take some time to calm down and return to act as if he had seen nothing. For his sons sake mostly.

However, a much larger part of himself wanted to run. He wanted, no - needed - to leave. He needed to accept what she had done, calm down and return prepared to get the truth from Lori.

He couldn't forgive her.

Rick wrote a brief note and left it upon the kitchen counter before leaving the house and not looking back.

You broke our vows.

I will be back in a few days to talk.

Tell Carl I love him and I will see him soon.

- Rick.

Upon the note lay his wedding band.

One moment, one unforgettable and unforgivable moment destroyed their marriage.

So many questions remained.

Who had she cheated with?

Why had she cheated at all?

What had he done so terribly wrong to deserve being cheated on?

He briefly wondered if he made a mistake, but he wasn't a stupid man. There was enough evidence and the only explanation was infidelity.