Stop Falling (Rick Grimes Romance)

Chapter 17

I was far from the only person to notice this distinction. After all normally everyone sat together. Instead now it was just us girls sitting at the centre table.

Looking about the room Carol started to laugh. "I feel like I'm in a war zone."

"You can say that again." Maggie nodded as she drank her tea. "Glen said it got pretty bad out there between Rick and Shane. He thought only one of them was coming home until Daryl managed to get in the middle of it."

Ok so I clearly didn't think about the fall out of what I had done. I was to busy feeling vindicated and well like the the superior bitch. "Ok guys could you make me feel any worse."

"I don't know about that," Sasha stretched her hands above her head as she sighed. "The truth always comes out one way or another no matter how hard you try to hide it." Dropping her hand to her lap Sasha leaned over glancing in Ricks direction. "If you ask me I think it bothered Rick a hell of a lot more that you kissed Shane more than the fact Shane screwed his wife."

Laurie and Carol began to nod in unison. "It was written all over his face that night in the cafeteria and every time Rick has looked at you since."

"Please don't guys," I leaned forward placing my head in my hands. "It's hard enough living here knowing Rick is with Laurie. The last thing I need is hope."

No one said another word. If there was one thing we all agreed on. Hope was an affliction none of us wanted to suffer from.

Day three rolled by with off handed remarks and quiet jabs at each other. Pot shots and indirect insults floated through the air on a spring breeze. The distension moving through the camp was making everyone miserable. Even those not involved were beginning to ride the wave of intolerance.

Trying to make piece Hershel took the matter into his own hands by tricking us all into the lab. Once he had us all cornered his well rehearsed speech began. Tugging on his beard he looked each one of us in the eye.

"We are to be a family. Now I don't mean husband and wife but sister...brother...friend. We need to love each other not beat each other down. We've struggled so hard to build a home and a life here. To keep all the bad out and offer safe harbour to all." Shaking his head Hershel waved his hand dismissingly. "We are all each other have and the four of you are so blinded by pride and anger you can't even see you are destroying it. That you are dividing the group, our community as they take sides and argue about your battle. This is not the life we struggled to build."

It was a nice talk. Eloquently worded as Hershel's speeches usually were. In this case however the beauty of it all was falling on deaf ears.

Day 4 was no better and no improvement or forgiveness was offered by anyone. The only notable difference was that Rick was missing since the we dawn hours. Jumping in the jeep he disappeared out the gates long before the first ray of light shawn.

Lori spent the day fuming because he didn't tell her. She was so mad in fact she nearly forgot to play the concerned loving wife roll. This simple fact alone brought me smug satisfaction. It shouldn't but it did.

My satisfaction grew even deeper for upon Ricks after dark return I was privy to the nights entertainment. Lori bounded across the courtyard her lips flapping for all to hear. I had to hand it to her she seemed to like public performances.

I listened to her while I leaned against the shed as ranted and raved about how Rick showed no respect for her feelings. That he left her worried and distraught all day because he could be bothered to tell her. That they never talked unless she cornered him. That this was turning into a sham of a marriage. That she wondered if he even loved her at all. Rick simply ignored her and without saying so much as a single word he unloaded the jeep.