𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐 | 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞.

Years before the outbreak.

"I don't know, man. Are you guys sure about this? I don't want to overstep, or outstay my welcome." Nate handed a box from the backseat over to his older brother. "I could just get a small storage unit nearby. Or I could see Shane would let me throw some stuff in his garage. Not like he's using all the space himself." He turned to grab another box for himself to carry.

"A storage unit?" Rick stepped back onto the sidewalk as his facial expression twisted.

"Yeah. I could put payments on monthly auto-renewal, give Lori the information, and keep a spare key here in the junk drawer in case you guys need it. More and more of those places are popping up around town."

Rick shook his head slightly as he gave a head tilt back towards the house. "The point of this was so you could stop paying for the apartment since you're gone most of the time."

Nate shrugged as he pulled another box out. Placing it on the larger one, he then closed the door.

"A decent-sized unit can't be that much."
Once he picked them back up, the two guys headed back inside the Grimes family home.

"You spend all of your time off here anyway. It makes the most sense, don't you think?" Rick replied. They both knew he had a valid point.

The youngest of the two brothers had been in the service for a few years now. With not being around much, he'd crash in the spare bedroom or the couch whenever home. It was more than okay with Rick, Lori, and Carl, who dreaded saying goodbye again.

"What happens when you make me a uncle for the second time?" Nate chuckled.

Rick put his mind at ease. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there. But I'd imagine you'd be bunking with Carl since he's been asking for a second bed in his room for you since he could talk."

The brothers headed up the staircase and down the hall towards the back bedroom. They were about done unloading the very minuscule amount of belongings he had. Having left right out of high school, Nate didn't see the point in much stuff sitting around collecting dust in his absence. What little he did care enough to bring, it all fit in just one carload, not including his bike. To prove Rick's point even more, it had already been there since Shane picked him up from the airport two days ago, took him back to the apartment to pick it up, and then came here to crash.

"Not to mention, once we told Carl the news about you moving in, it's all he's been able to talk about for the last couple weeks. You should've known there was no backing out after that." Rick sat the box down to join the rest of the collection in the corner of the room.

"It's because I'm his favorite." Nate never let an opportunity go to waste to mention what the boy said one day. Rubbing his brother's nose in it.

The foot of the bed sank in when Rick took a seat for a quick break. "Speaking of the competition, I can't help but notice Shane ain't here to help."