forever - [book two in the amorous series]

nine - reparations

Michonne

"I don't really know what to do, Sasha. I just miss the old him. I feel like he won't even talk to me anymore."

She shook her head. "When Abe was going through all of those things with his parents, I did the same thing you're doing. I just stepped back a little and let him go through it. Don't get me wrong; I always stood by him, but I stopped allowing myself to be so overbearing. I feel like if you do that, you two should be fine. You both are going through tough times right now and you guys need each other. That doesn't mean y'all have to be up under each other all the time. You two giving each other space may be the answer."

"Do I have to tell him that?" 

She shrugged her shoulders. "If you feel like it'll do you two good, go for it. If you don't feel like it's gonna make or break the situation right now, then don't worry about it." 

I nodded as she took the last bite of the bacon cheeseburger she'd ordered. 

"I got the bill. Don't worry about it." She looked at me and smiled. 

I shook my head. "Let me help you."

She chuckled. "You have more than enough on your hands right now. At least let me help you with the bill." 

**

"I wanted to talk to you about something I feel is important to us and how our relationship is going and how I know we would rather it be." 

I looked at Rick in his icy eyes as he looked into mine. 

"I'm listening."

I sighed as I began to speak. "I really, really miss you. And it's been hell not waking up to you or being around you. But I truly feel like we need to agree to disagree. We know we love each other. We know we're both going through things of our own. We need to be able to acknowledge and deal with it. I feel like we don't have to be so clung to each other. We're engaged, we have a family -- yes -- but I think that we've come to a point where we need our space. The honeymoon phase is over now."

His gaze never left me as he spoke. "You know, 'Chonne, for the past week, I've been trying to figure out how in the hell I was gonna say the exact same thing to you; you took the words right out of my mouth."

I nodded. "So what now?" 

"Well," he began, "I think we can start with you coming back to our room.. The bed's cold without you there." 

He paused before speaking again. "I'm sorry, Michonne. I really am. I love you so much and I put you through too much for you to have been here for me the way you have." 

I shook my head. "I haven't been the easiest person to be around, either. I'm sorry for the petty lies and the unnecessary stress. I know we've got enough to be worried about as is."

He nodded. "Speaking of enough to be worried about," he paused as he reached over to the side table that sat next to the couch and picked up a big, yellow envelope, "We've been approved to go through the adoption process for each respective child. I can adopt Dre and you can adopt Judith and Carl." 

I hadn't seen a smile on his face like this since Jada was born. I smiled back at him, as I was elated and unable to contain it. I threw my arms around his neck, tears now beginning to stream down my face. 

"The new lawyer came through, 'Chonne. She made things happen that I was afraid would never be possible." 

He kept his arms wrapped around me as we heard the front door open. Andre and Carl entered, speaking to each other about the movie they'd just gone to see before Andre stopped when he saw me in tears. 

"Mommy, mommy! What's the matter?" 

He rushed over to me and attempted to move Rick's arms from around me. 

"These are tears of joy, baby." 

Rick and I released each other from our embrace as I wiped my face. I picked Dre up and sat him on my lap. 

"Carl, come on in here and sit down," I motioned for him to join us. 

He came in and sat next to me and his father as I sighed. 

"Is everything okay?" Carl's concern seeped through his voice and into his words. 

"Everything is actually amazing," Rick assured him, "We've got big news."

"Is Michonne pregnant again?" Carl looked at his father and I. 

"Definitely not," I chuckled. "We just got the word that we're going to begin the adoption process very, very soon. Rick's gonna be Andre's legal guardian and I'm gonna be you and Judy's." 

As soon as I finished my sentence, Andre leaped into Rick's arms. 

"I can call you daddy all the time now?" His big brown eyes were wide with excitement as he spoke. 

Rick nodded and chuckled at him as they held on to each other. Carl stood and came over to hug me.

"There's no rush for you to call me Mom. I know how it could be weird for you." 

"I know. And you should know that I really love you like a mother. Like the mother I always should've had but never did. Thank you."

**

"Come on, baby," I picked a sleeping Jada up and took her to her room. Judith and Andre were also fast asleep. 

I made my way back to the room and plopped down on the empty bed. I turned onto my back, closed my eyes and sighed. 

What a day. 

I heard soft footsteps approaching the room. I heard the sound of the door gently being pushed closed.

"We good?" The bed shifted as I heard the rasp of his voice call out to me.

"We're good." 

I felt him lean down to me, leaving soft kisses on my neck. 

"I love you. And I promise, no more lies. No more sugarcoating. No more secrets. It's me and you, 'Chonne."

I opened my eyes to meet his. 

"I mean it," he spoke again, now pulling me closer to him as he laid beside me. 

"I know."