Learning to Live Again - Book One

Chapter 11

The next day Michonne, Carl and Rick left on a run to get guns, ammo and everything on a list the others of the group had written up of needs. Tamara let Daryl sort out most of what they wanted but added a few of her own requests like a few new shirts for both Daryl and Merle as well as a new pair of work pants for them both, she also took Michonne aside and gave her a separate list of things.

Raising her eyebrows at the shorter woman, Michonne glanced back down at the small piece of paper in her hand, "You sure I can find this in a convenience store?"

Tamara shrugged, "If yah can't don't worry about it but right now I wanna give this baby every possible helping hand, and pregnancy vitamins are gonna do that."

"And the other stuff?"

Looking at the list over Michonne's shoulder, Tamara read it over once more, "The chocolate is for Beth and Maggie, I heard them talkin' about how they miss it, if yah find some it'd be something good for them. The seeds are for Hershel, he wants ta plant a garden, it'll probably have ta wait until we find somewhere else safe but at least we'll have the seeds. The shirt is for Glenn, the new holsters are for Rick and Carl. Those books are for Daryl and Merle and the top's for Carol."

"And the soft cloth?" Michonne asked her.

A soft blush coloured the small brunettes cheeks as she answered, "Well, I don't know yah well enough yet and I know it's a bit stupid asking yah ta get yer own gift but I thought you'd know better than Carl or Rick what cloths are best ta polish yer sword, don't forget a whet stone too."

Michonne turned to look at her, "What about you?"

With a gentle smile Tamara shook her head and placed a hand over her belly, "I've got all I want right here and over there," she nodded over at Daryl and Merle who were standing talking together at the other side of the prison before she smiled at the dark skinned woman once more and turned to relieve Beth of Judith who was fussing more than normal.

The group said goodbye to Rick, Carl and Michonne before they left for their run, they were gone the whole day making it back to the prison just as darkness fell. What they brought back amazed everyone. Not only did they find a whole pile of ammunition and guns, they also brought back everything on the list as well as enough rations to last them at least two months, if not more.

Tamara let Michonne and Carl, who seemed to have bonded over their run, hand out the things she had asked for. Everyone loved their gifts and thanked Tamara, Michonne, Carl and Rick happily. Even Merle thanked them for the books and clothes. That night they shared a meal of noodles and some canned meat which Tamara tried not to think about what was in it so that she could force a few mouthfuls down and give the baby inside her the protein and iron it needed before she swallowed a prenatal vitamin and went to bed.

It was a month before they heard anything from the Governor. He sent a messenger and one back up to pin a message on the prison gate and then they waited for Rick's answer just outside the outer fence of the field.

"What's it say?" Glenn asked the former sheriff after the group had retreated inside to discuss the message.

Rick looked over the people he now considered family, "He wants to meet at an old abandoned feed mill an hour south of here two days from today."

"Who yah want with yah?" Daryl asked, his arm tightening around Tamara as she pressed herself closer to his side.

Rick pushed a hand through his hair and set his hands on his hips, "You 'nd Hershel."

"And the rest of us?" Glenn asked standing next to Maggie but Tamara saw that neither of them was touching the other and that there seemed to be a distance between them that had been there ever since they came back from Woodbury.