Too Good to be Bad | Negan |

44 - Let me remind you

A couple of weeks later, Sherry comes to meet me at the laundry room when I just ended my shift. She looks troubled.

'What's wrong?' I ask her.

'Can we talk? Somewhere private?'

'Of course, let's go to my room', I say worriedly. She looks very uncomfortable. I wonder what could possibly be going on. She hardly says anything until we reach my room and the door closes behind us.

'Are you going to tell me what's going on?' I ask her urgently.

'It's Tina', she says as she walks around the room, hugging herself.

'What about Tina?'

'They're raising the price for her meds again.' She looks at me for just a second and I can see she's about to cry. 'We just can't afford it anymore.'

'Again?' I ask, shocked. All of us have already been pitching in, but we don't earn enough to spare much more. 'By how much?'

'Too much', she says, shaking her head.

'What are you going to do?'

Sherry stops walking and rubs her temple. She looks tired.

'We had a falling out with the doctor. I know he's not in charge of the prices, but we just... We're stressed. Negan must have heard about it, because he came to see us this morning.'

'Was he angry?' I ask worried. Fortunately, Sherry shakes her head.

'He wasn't angry. No, he came to offer us a solution.'

I raise my eyebrow suspiciously. I have a sinking feeling I know where this is going.

'What kind of solution?' I ask her quietly.

'He asked Tina to be his wife.'

My heart drops. I knew it. Once again he's giving a woman an impossible choice.

'What did she say?'

'She said she'd think about it. That she'll tell him tomorrow', Sherry says, her eyebrows furrowed together. Suddenly, she looks at me urgently. 'She doesn't want to be his wife. He scares the shit out of her. Out of all of us. And he's like 20 years older than her. Even the thought of her joining his creepy little harem makes me feel...'

She doesn't finish her sentence, but I get it. The whole thing is just sick.

'Of course she doesn't want to be his wife', I say. 'Look, we'll help you out. I'm sure all of us together can get it done. Derek's a Savior, he earns the most points out of all of us, I'm sure he can...'

'Negan forbade it.'

'What?'

'That's what he said this morning. Derek and Kieran can no longer help us. Negan says that workers shouldn't freeload on the hard work of the Saviors.'

'That's ridiculous.'

'He has his eyes set on Tina. And he's going to make sure he gets her.'

I shake my head while I try to think of a way out of it. But right now, I can't see it. God, he's such an unbelievable asshole.

'Lara?' Sherry says, drawing my attention. She looks at me a little uncomfortably. 'I know I have no right to ask you this but... will you talk to him?'

'What?' I ask, a little taken aback. 'To Negan?'

Sherry nods and walks my way. The desperation is clear in her eyes.

'There was something between you, wasn't there? He likes you. Maybe he'll listen to you.'

'Oh I don't know, Sherry...' I say doubtfully.