A Hard Lesson to Learn

Chapter 17

Being true to his word, Rick left about half a week later with a couple other members of Alexandria including Daryl for a short run to the Sanctuary and back. Rick had asked her the day before if she could watch Judith while he was gone because Michonne had gone to the Hilltop the evening before and she wouldn't be back until later that evening. Kali was quick to agree. She had been watching the young girl for the last couple days so it was not that big of a deal.

It was early morning when Rick knocked on her door with Judith, who was clinging to her father after falling back asleep on the venture over to Kali's house. Rick gave Judith to Kali. Kali felt her heart swell when Judith latched onto her and tucked her head between Kali's neck and shoulder. Rick mouthed her a 'thank you' before she shut the door. Kali took Judith to her room on the bottom floor and laid the girl down her bed letting her sleep for a little while longer.

It was a couple hours later when Judith woke up. Kali was sitting on the couch in the living room when she heard the sounds of Judith's small feet as she walked down the hallway. Kali smiled she finally peeked around the corner. Judith rubbed her eyes when she entered the living room still tired. When she saw Kali sitting on the couch that tiredness quickly disappeared as her eyes lit up with excitement. She squealed as she covered the short distance between them.

The grin never left Kali's face as the pulled the young girl into her lap. Judith laid her head on Kali's shoulder and the two sat in the silence watching a movie that Kali had slipped into the VCR. Kali tried her best to smooth the girl's hair out from where she slept before she pulled Judith's hair into a ponytail.

"Are you hungry," Kali asked the young girl looking down at her. Judith shook her head against her seeming still half asleep. "Okay," Kali said moving the girl off her lap and beside her on the couch. "Whatcha want?"

Judith shrugged her shoulders causing Kali to laugh. "Momma makes eggs and toast."

"Then eggs and toast are what we will eat. Come on," she said standing to her feet. She watched Judith sit on the couch for a moment longer before she hopped off the couch and trudged towards her and into the kitchen, they went to make breakfast.

Judith in the evening was nothing compared to the morning Judith that she saw that morning. She was running around all over the house. The quietness that was once in the house was long gone and replaced by questions about everything. It made Kali think about why she wanted to teach high schoolers instead of the younger kids.

"Do you believe in monsters," Judith asked from where she sat in the floor with her toys while they watched a movie.

Slightly, Kali scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. "Whatcha mean kiddo?"

"Daddy says that we have a monster in the basement."

Kali laughed. "Do you remember when I was in your basement?"

Judith nodded her head ecstatically 'yes'.

"Did you think I was a monster when your daddy came to talk to me?"

"No, I saw you."

"I think your daddy doesn't want you to go down there by yourself."

While Kali was talking Judith kept shaking her head 'no' quickly. "Daddy went down there the other day and talked to something. He sounded angry."

It was Kali's turn to shake her head. She knew Judith was imagining things. Little kids have the best imagination. "Jude, there isn't a monster in your basement."