"Love making is much more than physical expression, it is a soulful dance of sensual wonder and euphoric amazement."
― T.F. Hodge, From Within I Rise: Spiritual Triumph Over Death and Conscious Encounters with "The Divine Presence"

...

"What in thee hell are you doing at my door?"

"I was told Carol is here."

"Who told you that?"

"Is Carol here or not?"

"You on my porch, at my front door, demanding answers? I'd be damned. You can reel that fishing line right on up and get on where you came from. Go on now."

"Look here lady."

"No you look a here. I've been called a lot of things but a Lady isn't one of them. I'd be damned if you think you going to come here as if you can intimidate me with your chest all puffed, face all red like it is. I don't take ass whoopins. I would very likely stomp and drag you up and down the street if it were me and God knows he put you with the right one baby. He put you with the right one. You would have only one time before I would more than likely rise up and kill you dead. Hear me good and I am telling you this by looking you directly in your eyes as you are looking into mine-rethink everything that you conjured up in your mind thinking that you were going to achieve today. Re-think it all. I want you to back up off my porch just like so. I want you to never comeback here again looking for Carol, asking for Carol, calling for Carol. You may have heard I don't ever leave my house but for you I would make an exception. I will come to you like a thief in the night and I will slit your throat, releasing you to the pits of hell that has been a waiting for you. You hear me?"

"Bigmama, everything ok? You need me to do something?"

"Get the fuck on now. Naw, Daryl. Carol's sorry excuse of a husband is using the little bit of commonsense he has and leaving. Him and me got an understanding. He knows he's barking up the wrong tree. He will be dead by morning that is for sure. Audacity to stare me in the eye like that. Yes indeed he will be dead by dawn. Here put this a way for me. It goes in my bedroom in the closet in a hidden door. You will find it open. I am giving you permission to go in my room to do only that, you hear me? Took almost all my energy to pull it out. I felt in my bones that rat red face bastard was going to make an appearance today and today it was."

"What you doing owning a shotgun, Bigmama?"

"Hurry and put it away before the kids get here and know of it's existence. My ears won't surely rest if I know they busying about with more information than they need to know. My shotgun is on a need to know basis. You didn't need to know but you know just like that no count husband of Carol's."

"Why did you let her comeback here?"

"She came back begging for me to take her in. Likely dropped to her knees if I let her. No dropping to your knees unless you praying to the man above or if he standing before you. I figured if anyone was going to get her mind right it would be me. Only place she would be safe would be here until she became confident and all of that takes time. I ain't got nothing but time."

"I figure it would be you. You the only one Bigmama. If it wasn't for you all of us would be in a very bad way. You-"

"What the hell you want Daryl?"

"Well, I was just wondering about the room out back."

"What about it, Daryl?"

"Looks to me there is a monopoly going on. It's always occupied at 9:30pm til-"

"You telling on grown folks handling grown folks business now?"

"I was just saying that-"

"My only suggestion on the subject is you and Sasha need to get there earlier. The early bird always catches the worm. That is all I am going to say on the subject. Don't give me that look like you frustrated. There is such a thing as motel rooms and I am quite sure you know about that or if you really want to forge ahead there is some nice apartments you can think about for you and Sasha."

"Are you putting us out now? I wasn't trying-"

"Well one day you going to have to think about flying and you can't stay here forever trying to hedge discontent. Peace is here and if you find problems with the living arrangements then you have to make decisions on how to ease your mind. A calm mind is a soul at peace."

"Does this same talk apply to Grimes?"

"It applies to all who want to live here. What are you truly going on about Daryl? Spit it out."

"I'm just overthinking things is all."

"You ain't never been with no woman like Sasha if you been with any at all. Don't give me that look like I just shocked you with something. I won't tell you to let your guard down Daryl. I won't tell you that. I will tell you to be always vigilant. Drugs has the handprint of Satan just as Slavery and the Holocaust. The kind of drugs Sasha was on wasn't like Marijuana and I am quite sure I ain't telling you anything you don't know."

"Crack is no joke."

"You come from a family that abuse and use. I knew Pattybelle, your Mama from way back in the day when she wasn't a crazed minion. Makes me shudder just thinking about your Mama and don't forget your no good brother Meryl."

"I've heard the stories about my mama winning beauty contests and her love of the confederate flag. I know my family sordid history, lived it, surviving it. Not much to speak on."

We in agreement there. You have experience, Daryl. If anyone should know, you should know. If you ain't listening to your gut ain't nothing going to stop you from doing what you in the end want to do. You have no idea what would trigger a relapse or when Sasha will go back to using if she goes back at all. That is the risk you take."

"Okay. I get it. Okay. Let me go on and put this shotgun where you told me, Bigmama."

"You wait one second here! Listen to me real good now Daryl. No one can make that decision for you. What I will say to you again, never let your guard down and be forever vigilant. Take each day at a time. Nothing more you can do but love her in the moment. Every chance GOD gives you love. Your type of loving just has to come with restrictions, conditions. You will not allow her to cause you to use. That is when you know it just ain't going to work between the two of you. Don't get sucked into it. We can still quickly lose our way even when we have a path carved out for us in stone. Now go put my shotgun away."

"Yes, Bigmama...Thank you Bigmama."

"Don't start hugging on me now, Daryl. I said peace lives here. Not hugs."

"But you are hugging me back, Bigmama."

"Because you obviously needed a hug. Now go on and do what I told you to do."

"Yes, Bigmama."

...

"That was good."

"That was really good."

"Lasted longer too."

"Are you patting yourself on the back, Mr. Grimes?"

"Yep."

"...I like being here with you like this. I am getting use to you touching me here."

"I am glad you are relaxing with me. Relaxing when I touch you."

"I trust that you won't hurt me."

"I want to connect with you Michonne. I want to touch you everywhere. I want you to want me to touch you everywhere and here...Like your holding my hand now to your chest. I understand if you don't want me to see but please, don't discourage me from wanting too. I love all of you. So very, very much. I do. I love you. I want to touch you and nothing better than you wanting me to touch you."

"Well, I am in remission. I have my hair growing back. I made an appointment to have breast again. I promise, you will be the first to see the unveiling. Until then I have to keep my top half covered. I have to or I wouldn't be able to be intimate with you, Rick."

"...Why are you getting up?"

"We have to leave. It is almost 6am and the kids will be waking up. Bigmama will be up soon getting breakfast started. I want to get a head start by removing these sheets and getting them in the washer. I brought replacements. Now come on and get up so you can help me make this bed look like nothing ever happened here."

"Can I just have a moment longer to watch you slide on your underwear? Can I just have a moment to watch you slip back on those-what are they called again?"

"Yoga pants. Now get up, Rick. We got to get this room in order or we will certainly be found out."

"Alright. I am getting dressed. Where's my underwear?"

"Right here in my hands. I am not going to throw them to you. You want them you need to come here and get them. Come on from around the bed and get these boxers, if you want them."

"Are you going to hand them to me or not? Or we going to stand here in front of each other smiling like we are...I love kissing you, Michonne...Wait... I thought you wanted to make the bed...Damn...Kissing you won't get the bed ma-"

"Rick...God..."

"Yes...I guess we aren't making the bed?"

"...Not right now."

...

"Good Morning Bigmama."

"Well, Good Morning to you Carl. What a pleasant surprise. Look at you trying not to smile this fine beautiful morning. You got room in your belly for breakfast this Saturday Morning too! How about that...You got a nice smile there young man. You should do more of it. Can't be depressed and smile at the same time. Depression can't exist if you smiling. No indeed. You got your mind on some oatmeal or an omelet?"

"Oatmeal is fine. Thank you Bigmama. I thought I would find my Dad down here. He wasn't in his room last night and he ain't there now."

"Either you really looking for your Daddy or you trying to understand what's taking place. You got to help me know where we going with this conversation. I just know you as a child ain't trying to tell on grown folks who's trying to handle grown folks business."

"I wanted to talk about what's taking place before Judith and the rest come down. Dad said he asked, Ms. Michonne, to marry him. He wanted to know how we felt about it. How I felt about it."

"And?"

"I am not sure why he is so concerned about how we feel about it when it matters how he feels about it."

"Here's your Oatmeal. The berries and sugar is in the covered dish in front of you."

"Thank you Bigmama."

"I have no idea why you would doubt your Daddy's concern for you. He let that Jessie woman go did he not?"

"Yes. I sometimes wonder if things had happened differently, if he would be with Jessie, eventually. I know it's different based on how things happened and with the fire. There was a point that my Dad couldn't see anything but the wrong direction and Jessie was the wrong direction. Anything she suggested he was listening. It made me angry. We didn't need just anyone to step in to mother us just because our own mother tried to k..."

"I have no idea what kind of demon y'all had to have witnessed in that moment."

"I know that Jessie and Ms. Michonne are different."

"How does Michonne make you feel? That is what you need to concentrate on and then you are able to answer your Daddy honestly since he is asking for opinions from impressionable children."

"You have a way of saying things Bigmama that have more than one meaning."

"And that makes you smile like that?"

"I am not sure if you just insulted me by calling me impressionable or you judging my Dad's ability to make his own decision."

"And me talking got you smiling like that? Well, I says we should be talking a whole lot more. You listening. I like to know someone is listening. Now that I got your attention listen real good. Your Daddy is trying to make Michonne a forever kind of situation even when you ain't going to be there with them forever. He is still looking out for your best interest in the right now. His life choice hinges upon 6 young people that will eventually move out and start living life. He wants to know your thoughts on the situation because it gives him an idea where your mind is and how peaceful his home life will be with all his children and Michonne. Nobody in their right frame of mind wants to knowingly go into a situation where they have to constantly fight to keep peace through Chaos. If you or your siblings got a problem with Michonne, voice it now. Your Daddy seem like one that will fight to keep Michonne, but not if he has to sacrifice y'all again. He did it with your Mama."

"I like Ms. Michonne. There is no choice in the matter."

"Tell your Daddy just that. I think he would appreciate hearing it but he standing right there looking like he just swallowed a few stones."

"Good Morning Bigmama. Good Morning Carl."

"Where were you Dad?"

"Handling grown folks business, Carl."

"Boy does that sound like you practiced saying it. Right response but next time make it sound natural, Richard. Carl is not too old to know which lane he must remain in. Never your lane. Remember that, Richard."

"So we have no problem with me and Ms. Michonne?"

"No problem."

"Thank you, Carl."