Ch 7 - Look Who's Back - The Greenes
The tantalizing smell of fried bacon and sausage, scrambled eggs, homemade biscuits, and grits filled the house, rousing Hershel from his sleep. He sat up in his bed and looked around at his bedroom, which he hadn't slept in in several years. Hershel moved to the side of the bed and put his feet down on the cold wood floor. He looked down at his feet in wonder, relishing the feel of the coldness on his two bare feet. 'Lord, thank you for this opportunity. Help me to save my family and friends from what is coming. Guide me to make the right moves. Amen.' Hershel prayed, before getting up and getting dressed.
Knock knock. Hershel walked over to the bedroom door and opened it. Hershel looked into the teary eyes of his oldest daughter, Maggie, and youngest child, Beth. He opened his arms wide and both girls rushed into his hug.
"We missed you so much after the Governor killed you." Beth said. "How are we alive again?"
"What is the plan? How do we prepare? And how do we protect the others?" Maggie asked as she pulled back and stared up at her father, searching for answers.
"We can't discuss this here yet. Let's go down and have breakfast. I'll send Shawn and Otis out to the pasture today. Then we will go to town for supplies and talk things over as we shop. Bethy, bring a notebook and some pens with you. We will take the pickup to town and plan out what to do to secure and stock the farm. I will NOT lose my family farm this time, now that I know what we are facing. And I'll fill you two in on what the group has already planned before we time jumped. Maggie, I want you to put a shotgun and shells in the truck. I will be buying weapons and ammo for you both. Always keep at least a knife on you for now until it gets more dangerous. Do you know where Glenn was before the end happened?"
Maggie smiled as she thought of her husband. "Yes sir, he was working at Papa Giornio Pizzaria in Forest Park. He said it was a small family owned place, so it should be the only one there."
"Forest Park. Hmmm. That's about a 45-minute ride. Why don't we make a day of it. We can go there for supplies instead of Senoia. And if we just happen to run into my son-in-law on the way, so be it. I'll tell Annette I want to spend some time with you girls before you go off to college for the semester, Maggie. Just the three of us." Hershel said as he motioned them to go ahead of him out of the door. They walked down to the kitchen and sat down at the table, which was already piled high with plates of biscuits, bacon, sausage, and eggs.
Hershel walked over to his wife and gave her a kiss on the lips. "It smells lovely, dear. Thank you for fixing breakfast. I love you." He told her, then sat down at the head of the table.
Maggie and Beth sat down to his right. Shawn, Otis, and Patricia sat down to his left. And his wife, Annette, sat down across from Hershel. They all joined hands and bowed their heads. "Lord, thank you for waking us up this morning. Thank you for giving us another day to spend with those we love. Help us to never take a moment for granted again. Direct our steps as we prepare ourselves for anything that we may face in the coming days. Amen." Hershel prayed.
Hershel filled his plate with eggs, sausage, bacon, grits, and biscuits, and began to eat. The others took this as a cue and started to fill their plates as well. Hershel, Maggie and Beth ate slowly, relishing in being able to sit down with their lost family members once again for a meal after so long. A comfortable silence washed over the family as they ate. Once everyone head eaten, Hershel spoke.
"Maggie, Beth. I've got some errands to run in Forest Park today. I would like it if you girls would come with me. I'd like to spend some time with you both before Maggie goes back to campus. What do you say?" Both girls smiled at him.
"Of course we will, dad." Maggie said from her spot between Beth and Hershel. "In fact, there are some things I need to get as well. So this is perfect timing. I'll just run upstairs and get my bag. Then we can go. I'll meet you at the truck." Maggie pushed back from the table and went upstairs.
"I'll wash up the dishes. Then, I'll meet you outside as well. I've already taken care of the chickens and pigs. And Maggie fed the horses and cows this morning." Beth gathered up the dirty dishes and went to the kitchen sink to wash them.
"Otis, Annette, Shawn, can you three look after things here at the farm for me today? I have some things that I need to take care of that I've been putting off for awhile. And Patricia, could you look after the clinic for me? You have assisted me with a lot of the animals before. You should be able to handle most things without me." Hershel asked as he rose from the table and looked over those assembled at his table. He throat tightened as he remembered the last time he had seen each one in the previous life. 'You will all survive this time. I'll make sure of it.'
"Yes, dear. We will be fine. What time should I expect you back?" Annette asked him as she got up and walked over to him, wrapping an arm around his side.
"It may be 6 or later. I'll have Maggie call you when I know for sure." Hershel pecked Annette on the check, before going into his home office for his keys and heading outside. The others left to get started on their days.
--TWD--
Glenn Rhee blinked as he looked out the front windshield of the blue 1998 Ford Explorer that he used to deliver pizzas in from before the apocalypse started. He was parked outside of the little pizza parlor that he had worked for. Glenn watched as people came and went from the strip mall without a care in the world, no concern for any dangers that may lurk around the corner.
"Maggie." Glenn said as he started his car and backed out of the parking lot. Tires squeeled as he peeled off down the street, heading for the highway that led to Hershel's farm.
--TWD--
Maggie placed the shotgun and four boxes of shells in the back seat of the grey pickup parked in the driveway. There were four black leather backpacks in the floorboard that she hadn't ever seen before. There were names and symbols on each, but Maggie's eyes zeroed in on the backpacks that had the names Maggie Greene Rhee and Glenn Rhee on them. She pulled the two packs out and looked them over. Both had silver angel wings and their names in silver. Hers had a horse and Glenn had a baseball cap embroidered in silver. Maggie opened hers and her eyes widened at the contents.
Stacks of hundreds filled the bag. Sitting on top of the money were leathers holsters for a handgun and knife with weapons inside. The gun holster also had additional holsters for extra ammo magazines, which were also present. She took the weapons out and strapped the gun holster around her waist and the knife holster around her thigh. Maggie went to zip up the backpack but noticed a letter sticking out from stacks of money. She pulled it out and read.
Maggie, the money is to help buy any supplies you may need. When you head to Forest Park, take the main highway and look out for a blue Ford Explorer. You will meet your husband on the highway. And yes, you too are still married in God's eyes. Glenn's backpack will have all the documents you need to prove it. But you can always have another ceremony with all your family there if you so wish.
Go back to college for the upcoming semester. Use it as a place to recruit others to help with the mission. True, you cannot tell just anyone about what is to come. But you will be guided to those that you can tell. There is an apartment already prepaid and furnished only a couple of blocks from campus waiting for you and Glenn. Think of it as your honeymoon. You two will be needed at headquarters until the semester starts in August. -Sam, AoD.
Tears flowed down her cheeks as she folded the paper up and put it back into the backpack. 'Does this mean he remembers? Am I going to get my Glenn back?' Maggie thought as she looked up and saw Beth and her dad walking to the truck, so she leaned the front seat forward and climbed into the back seat, letting her sister have the front seat. She wiped the tears away as they got into the truck.
Hershel looked at Maggie's tear stained face and patted her hand. "You'll see Glenn soon, sweetheart." He started thw truck and drove down the driveway to the hiighway.
Beth pulled out the notebook she brought with her and got it ready to write on. "Here, Beth. These were in the truck. They are from the Angel. There is one for me and Glenn too back here. I wonder if that means he was sent back too." Maggie said as she handed Hershel and Beth's backpacks to Beth.
Beth unzipped the backpack that had her name and a silver guitar on it. lnside were stacks of hundreds, a leather holster and handgun, a leather sheath and knife, and a notebook that had detailed sketches of people and events from the previous timeline with notes on dates, locations, and other information that they hadn't known before. There was a small note attached to it. Beth, inside you will find info that will help in planning. Use it well. -Sam, AoD.
Beth flipped through the pages until she came to the drawing of Michonne with her son, Andre. She looked at the address and phone number. It was close to the highway on the way to see Glenn. Beth showed the address to her dad and sister.
"We will have to stop by and see if she remembers. Good eye, Bethy. I never knew Michonne lived so close to us. But she was always a quiet one." Hershel said as he drove down the highway. "We will wait until we have Glenn and Michonne with us, if they remember, to make our plans."
Silence fell on the truck as they rode down the highway, meeting car after car. It was weird having to deal with traffic again after so long without it.
--TWD--
Michonne reached for her kitana that should've been across her back, but all she touched was air. Her eyes blinked as she focused in on the walls and pictures of a familiar room. 'This is my bedroom. What...how am I back here? And how is there power? The A/C is running. Lights are on. I forgot how noisy electric appliances are...Andre...please be alive.' Michonne bolted from the bed and down the short hall into her son's bedroom. Her baby boy was sitting up in his toddler bed playing with a stuffed tiger. He was alive! He raised his eyes and smiled when he saw his mom and started reaching for her.
"Momma. Up!" Andre said as she walked over. She picked him up and hugged him tightly to her chest as tears flowed down her cheeks. "I love you sweetheart. Momma missed you so much." Michonne told him. "I'm never gonna let anything happen to you again."
She put him down on his play rug to play with his toys. While he played, she went through his closet and packed all of his clothes, diapers, and other items into two extra large bags. She put the bags on his bed and went into her bedroom. She pulled out all of her clothes that would last; her t-shirts, jeans, sweatshirts, boots, sneakers, etc., and put them into her 4 piece purple luggage set. She left all her dressy clothes, jewelry, and high heel shoes behind.
Michonne took the luggage and placed it in the living room by the front door. Then she put all her son's bags there as well and went into the kitchen. She found some empty boxes at the back of the pantry and placed them on the counter. She went through the pantry and packed all of her son's baby food, all canned goods, boxed dinners, rice, beans, pasta, and everything she could find that didn't need to be refrigerated or eaten right away. She put those boxes with the other supplies at the front door. She turned around to walk back into the kitchen when the doorbell chimed through the apartment. She walked up to the door and looked through the peephole. Her hands started shaking as she unlocked the door and swung it open. She jumped across the doorway and grabbed her visitor in a bearhug.
Hershel held her tightly as she cried on his shoulder for a moment before she straightened herself up and pulled back, smiling as she looked at Hershel, Maggie, and Beth.
"I take it you remember the other life then?" Hershel asked as they walked into the apartment.
"I do. It is so good to see you alive, Hershel. I was just packing up supplies. My son Andre is alive, and I plan to keep him that way. We were fixing to head out and try to find a place to secure and stock up at. Maybe find Rick or you." She said as she ushered them into her apartment. They saw the luggage and supplies stacked next to the entry. "Would you like to meet Andre? I'll go get him."
Michonne walked to his bedroom and picked him up. She carried him out to the living room on her hip. Smiles graced the face of the Greenes as they saw that little boy in his momma's arms. Andre looked at the new people and giggled. He reached for Beth. Beth looked up to Michonne for the ok, who nodded with a bright smile, and Beth took the little boy in her arms.
"We will help you keep your boy safe, Michonne. Y'all are family. Now, let's load up your supplies and then we head off to meet Glenn." Maggie said before she picked up boxes and toted them out to the Greene's pickup.
--TWD--