A Hard Lesson to Learn

Chapter 12

"We didn't kill Kali. It was the saviors. When they came over the hill, we lost her and a couple others. Your people killed her."

"No. No," Negan whispered. "She was smarter than that. Kali," he had to stop to compose himself, "Kali was different. This world didn't deserve her. She didn't deserve to die like that Rick."

Rick stayed silent listening to the man. He thought about the woman sleeping just down the road in the infirmary. How she reacted when he told her. He should have known Negan would react similarly. "Kali was going to be the change in the world. Proof that people can change. She had a chance to kill me, but she didn't."

"Shame," Negan replied.

Rick shook his head as he stood to his feet. "It's a hard lesson to learn Negan. I'll be back soon. Take care of yourself. Live your life for her. Kali wouldn't want you to hurt yourself more."

"You don't get to talk about her like you knew her," Negan bit back. "Don't try to tell me what she would want, you didn't know her. You're the reason she's dead."

Rick leaned forward and grabbed the tray with the bowl on it. "I'll be back soon," he told the man one last time making his way to the stairs. He stopped and turned back to look at Negan, who was still clutching the bars. He shook his head one last time before climbing the stairs.

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The sun was just peeking over the trees when Rick was already on his way to the infirmary. The mornings were chiller, but the evenings were pleasant, so the weather had Alexandria residents preparing for the winter. Rick had a stack of clothes in his hands consisting of a pair of sweatpants, a loose-fitting long sleeve shirt, a pair of socks, and a pair of slippers for Kali to put on.

He wasn't surprised when he walked into Kali's room to see her still asleep. He set the clothes down the table beside her bed. He walked quietly to the other side of the bed, so he could gently shake her without hurting her wound. "Kali," he whispered to receive no answer. "Kali," he called again. He tried one last time to wake her without shaking her.

Just as his hands were about to touch her shoulder, Kali stopped him. "You touch me, and you'll lose the hand. I promise you that," she said with her eyes still closed.

"Well good morning to you too," Rick played a smile on his face.

"What do you want," she asked yawning, stretching her good arm.

"You need to get up and put those clothes on."

Kali looked at him through squinted eyes. "Who do you think you are? Do you think you're my dad?"

Rick's laugh echoed in the small room. "Only if you want me to be," he quipped.

Instantly, Kali rolled her eyes. "Get out," she demanded.

Siddiq cleared his throat from the doorway causing the pair to focus their attention on him. "You are here early," he said to Rick pushing off the door. "You could have waited."

"Big day Doc. Couldn't contain my excitement," he said looking towards the doctor. Rick walked towards the door. "You," he said pointing back to Kali, "get up. Put those on. We have stuff and things to do today," he said walking out the door with Siddiq down the hall letting the woman change.

The morning passed quickly. Kali was resistant to Rick's help all through the morning session with Siddiq. She was getting stronger each day. It wouldn't be long till Rick had to have the talk about her leaving and honestly, he was avoiding it.

It was around midday when the pair started towards Rick's house. When Rick brought the wheelchair into view on the porch, Kali tried to turn around and walk back inside the infirmary, but Siddiq stopped her. "I'm not sitting in that and letting you roll me down the street," she said when Rick looked at her with a smile on his face.