Jessamine Dixon lives in the apocalypse

Who Are You Now?

There was crying and I pushed myself out of bed before it could wake up Anthony. I walked to the door and made sure it was tightly closed behind me.

RJ was standing in front of the door and he had a smile of excitement on his face.

"Did she wake you up?" I asked in a whisper.

"No." RJ told me and I opened the door. It was a grey and pink room with elephants painted on the walls.

I walked over to the crib and leaned over the side.

"Hello, baby girl!" I said and she erupted into a burst of laughing and smiles.

"Come on, RJ." I said and we walked out of the room after I picked Scarlet up out of the crib. RJ was walking in front of me down the stairs making sure it was like a game.

We were in the kitchen and I made the bottle while RJ walked around making me laugh every five seconds.

"Are you going to the Capital today?" RJ asked once we were sitting at the table and he had a bowl of oatmeal.

"I might, I'm not sure yet." I told him and looked around.

"Where's your sister?" I asked.

"I think she went out with the others." RJ told me and I had a moment of panic.

"Oh." I said and went back to feeding Scarlet.

"Auntie J, can I ask you a question?" RJ asked and I looked back up at him.

"Of course, RJ." I told him.

"Why didn't the brave man come back?" He asked and it was like a shot in the dark again.

"RJ, you ask this question a lot, you know that, right?" I asked him and he giggled for a second then look at me serious.

"Yeah, I was just wondering if it was a different answer." RJ said and I put on a brave smile.

"Well, RJ, it still is. But I hope that brave man is still out there, he might just be lost." I told him.

"Then how come we can't find him?" RJ asked.

"That is a good question...I might go, but I also might go to the Kingdom." I told him and now I was just talking out loud.

"Can I go?" RJ asked.

"You know your mom won't let you." I told him and he got sad.

"But momma actually listens to you." RJ said and I shrugged my shoulders.

"Sometimes. But you know how she feels about letting us go out of the walls. With new people and the other communities." I told him.

"Except the Capital." RJ insisted.

"That's because I run it, but I know your mom hates it." I told him and I heard somebody walking down stairs.

"Hey, guys." Anthony said and kissed my on the forehead.

"What did I miss?" He asked and I looked at RJ.

"You know I would love to bring you to the Kingdom--to see Aunt Carol, Uncle Ezekiel--but your mom is trying to protect you." I told him.

"He's bringing it up again?" Anthony asked in a whisper and I handed Scarlet to Anthony.

"Where are you going?" Anthony asked.

"I'm gonna go check on where the group is, and Michonne." I told him and stood up. Anthony took my place at the table and was feeding Scarlet.

"Uncle Ant, can I go to the Kingdom?" RJ asked as if we hadn't just been talking about it. I laughed and walked out the door.