For the Love of a Woman

Chapter 8

Magna and Negan were at her place sharing a bottle of liquor she had stolen from the food pantry a week ago. For the exception of her and few others, no one in Alexandria wanted anything to do with him. They wouldn't even let him earn his keep. Negan had tried several times to volunteer for the Hilltop rebuild and Aaron and Gabriel had stopped him each time. They had told him that he didn't need to be around Maggie.

From what Magna could gather and by Negan's own admission, he killed Maggie's husband and father of her child. She was pregnant at the time. Yet, Negan insisted that he's a changed man. Everyone, Magna included, believed he was but he couldn't escape the sins of his past because no one would let him.

She picked up the clear bottle and sloppily refilled Negan's glass.

Negan chuckled. "If I drink any more I won't be able to walk to the little domicile they let me live in at the back of the church."

"So? Spend the night here," Magna suggested.

"You wouldn't mind? What about your roommates?" he asked and picked up the glass.

"They . . . aren't here . . . so . . . ," she slurred.

"Well, I accept your invitation," Negan said.

They clinked their glasses together.

"Great. You can sleep in Lucas's old room," Magna slurred then she immediately realized her mistake. Shit. Maybe I should ease up on the liquor.

"Old room?" Negan inquired with confusion. "So you know he isn't coming back"

"I misspoke," she lied. "Last night, I was here by myself and I'm just not used to it. Ever since the . . . end, I've been in a group. Sleeping next to them, sharing space with them, eating with them..."

"I get it," Negan said, but he gave her the side eye

Magna nodded drunkenly. The news of Connie, Luke, and Kelly disappearing from Hilltop had spread like wildfire. She showed her face in town so people wouldn't get too suspicious of her. Before she retreated to her home for the evening, she invited Negan over to keep her company to take her mind off of all of her friends and trusted companions being gone. His obscene personality was humorous to her most of the time.

"God, honey, I wish you weren't gay," he blurted out loudly.

"Oh?"

He glared up and down her body as a smile spread across his lips. "Yeah. Hell, I'd fuck the hell outta that tight body of yours. Mmm mmm mmm."

She snorted. "And it's too bad you're not a woman. If you were, I'd show you what fucking was really about," she said with a smirk.

Negan laughed. "Well, looks like we have to settle on a beautiful friendship."

"I'll toast to that," she slurred and raised her glass.

They toasted for the second time.

They ate snacks, slowly sipped the high content liquor, laughing, joking, and telling each other stories as the sun went down.

An hour later, there was a knock at the door.

"Ah, man," Negan grumbled softly. "There's always someone around here to ruin a good time."

"Shh," she whispered. "There is only one light on. If we stay quiet, they'll go away. They'll think I turned in early"