RULE THE WORLD | D.DIXON

097

YOU AND ME FOREVER -097

JUNE OF 1990
Age 6

Six year old Matilda Mae Grimes watched as her mother, Lori Grimes stormed out of their house after a very heated agreement with her father. The twenty three year old woman didn't spare her daughter a glance before slamming the door slam.

The little girl hurried over to the window, tears welled up in her hazel eyes as her mother's car disappeared. The house became silent, except the sobbing that came from her parents' bedroom.

Sliding down the couch, her bare feet hitting the cold floor and the patter of her feet filled the air as Matilda climbed the stairs and headed towards her parents room.

Stopping at the door, the sound of her father crying bleed though before she open the door. Her father, Rick Grimes was sitting on his bed, hunched over with his head in his hands.

"Daddy?" She said, quietly.

Rick snapped his head up, his blue eyes widen as they landed on his daughter. He quickly composed himself, wiping away the stray tears.

"Hey, baby. C'here."

He tapped the space beside him, making his daughter climb onto the bed and sit next to him. Wrapping an arm around her, Matilda looked up at him with a sad expression.

"Why did mommy leave?" The little girl asked.

Twenty four year old Rick sniffed, running his hand through her dark hair. "Mommy needs some time alone. She'll be back. I promise, Tilly."

"I heard you two fighting again." Matilda says, looking down at her lap. "Was it about me again?"

Rick immediately shook his head. "No. It wasn't about you, it was about some adult stuff. Mommy and I sometimes don't agree on things, which leads us having an a talk."

"It was more than taking." The little girl countered. "I'm six, not stupid."

"I know. You're smarter than you look." Her father chuckled. "How about we go get ice cream?"

Matilda nodded, excitement filled her small body as she hopped off the bed. "Yes! Yes! Ice cream!"

Rick laughed as he watched his daughter race out of his room, shouting 'Ice Cream' over and over again. He looked at the engagement ring that sat on his bedside table, Lori had throw at him in her fit of rage.

Grabbing his keys and slipped in his shoes, the young father headed downstairs and saw his little butterfly standing by the door, bouncing on her feet and her stuff rabbit in her hand.

"Ready to go, Butterfly?" Rick asked, receiving a enthusiastic nod. He raised an brow. "Are you sure?"

His eyes locked on her pink light up sneakers that were on the wrong feet.  Matilda giggled as she sat on ground and her father bent down, fixing her shoes. Her father pulled her up, making their way out of the house and into his cop car.

Driving to the ice cream parlor, Rick and Matilda sang their song Everybody wants to rule the world by Tears for Tears at the top of their lungs. He looked in his rear view with a grin, watching as his daughter danced in her car seat.

Once they were at Sally's Ice Cream Parlor, Matilda climbed out of the car with help from her father and ran inside. The place was cool, families were enjoying ice cream. Her eyes lit up when they locked on a familiar older woman.

"Nana!" The little girl squealed, hurrying over to her Nana.

Sally Allen, the elderly woman who owned the ice cream parlor and the designated grandmother to little Grimes.

"Hello, my sweet Matilda." Sally grinned, picking up her granddaughter. "Hi, Rick."

"Hey, Sal." Rick greeted, smiling. "Could we get some ice cream?"

Sally nodded, placing Matilda on her feet. "Of course, hon. Tilly, what kind of ice cream would you like?"

Matilda looked up at her nana with bright eyes. "Superman!"

"Superman, it is! And you, Rick?" The older woman asked as she scooped Matilda's ice cream.

"Rocky road, please." Rick said, helping his daughter hold her ice cream cone correctly so it doesn't fall. "Where is Winnie?"

"Here." Winona Allen said as she came out from the back. She was Sally's youngest daughter.

"Winnie!" Matilda said, hugging the woman, careful of her ice cream.

"Hey, Tilly." Winnie said, ruffling the girl's hair. "Rick, how's everything?"

"Good, good."

"Daddy and Mommy were fighting again."

The father and daughter spoke together. Rick sent his daughter a look, which made Matilda giggle as she began to eat her sweet treat.
Winnie and Sally chuckled as Rick payed for their ice cream and made a quick exit.

The pair walked hand in hand down the sidewalk of their town as they finished their ice cream. Rick wiped his daughter's sticky mouth before continuing to walk. Their hands swung back and forth, Matilda sung their song.

Day turned into Dusk, Rick carried his daughter into their house and up to her bedroom. He lied her on the bed, covered her up and kneel down beside her.

"I love you, Daddy." She whispered, tiredly.

Rick planted a kiss on her forehead. "I love you too, baby."

"Never leave me."

"I will never leave you. We'll do everything together. I promise, little Butterfly. It's you and me forever."

"You and me forever."