ZT
"Babe you have to know that I love you more than anything. Your struggles are mine okay?" Fatima assured Zachary.
Over the past 2 weeks they've grown closer than they could ever be, after what happened with then Taylors Zac did become distant.
He kept trying to force Fatima to think nothing was wrong but she knew her man all to well, so she worked with him at his pace.
Now they're in a place where they're happy, stable and comfortable. "I know Ti, and I love you much more than you know."
The two shared a kiss before letting go, they were at a cafe for brunch, the cafe they first met at. Jason's Cafe.
Zac still went to all his fathers places and got the best service, he didn't care about them no longer speaking, he was still a Taylor.
"You ready?" He asked knowing Fatima had to get to work, "Yep, let's go." She stood to her feet and grabbed her purse.
He left the money for a tip and the two started at the door, "You betta calm yourself boy!" Zac heard a familiar voice.
His head turned in the direction causing Fatima to do the same, it was Karen, a seeming to be 4 year old boy and another man Fatima didn't know.
But Zac knew him, he let out a chuckle and kept walking. "Is that him?" Fatima asked and Zac just nodded not wanting to dwell on it.
She noticed and didn't say anything else, he helped her in the car before hopping in himself. He drove into the direction of her job.
He pulled up and let her out before driving himself home. He hated being home alone. Not having anything to do.
"I hate moments like this." Zac awkwardly chuckled while talking to Danger, a pup him a Fatima shared.
Danger just barked in response, Zac took out his phone and FaceTimed Zane. "Wassup bro!" He greeted.
"Heyyy." Zane dragged, Zac just laughed. "Why you ain't um, come to the kickback?" Zane asked Zachary.
"Mom and dad was there and you know how that go." He explained, Zane nodded. "Y'all need to talk that shit out for real."
"Our family ain't never been divided like it is now." Zane spoke as he looked at himself through the FaceTime call.
Zac nodded, "I know that, it's yo damn parents, I try and try with them but they just don't like To and I don't know why."
"I mean I could see if it was truly about ole boy but it's not, it's like a growing hate for her that they both have."
Zane shook his head, "You need to figure that shit out, bombard they ass with questions. You know mom be guilty as hell."
"She gone eventually slip up and tell you." Zac nodded taking in what Zane was saying, they spoke for a little longer.
Zac hung up and went to take a nap, he woke up around 4 and decided to go speak with his parents.
He took a shower, got dressed, then drove to their house. He knocked but no one came to the door.
He rung the doorbell, waited and still no answer. He took a chance and twisted the knob, the door was unlocked.
He walked inside and closed the door behind him
wondering why it was open. He went to the kitchen then the living room.
Both were empty, he heard voices in the back so he made his way out by the pool. There he found his parents.
"Zac? Whyre you in our home unannounced!" His dad scolded him, "I want to talk, so please clean up and meet me in the living room."
After he said what he said he walked off, he went to sit in the living room and scrolled on his phone to kill time.
He got a text from Fatima just as his parents strolled into the living room with decent clothes on.
wifey ❤️💍
babe I'm hungry, order me chipotle 😤
did it, it should be there soon. dashers name is Ken.
—
He closed his phone and gave his parents his attention. "What is it that you two hate so much about Fatima?"
Jason smacked his teeth as he began to put himself a glass of scotch. "No, don't do that. Just tell me."
"She's not good for you Zac, she cheated on her husband with you. What makes you think she won't do the same to you?"
"She loves me!" Zac argued trying to defend her. "She loved him too!" Thelma argued back, "you're not getting it."
"It's not about me, nor is it about Marcel or anything that has to do with Fatima's past relationship. You two hate her!"
"You both have such a strong dislike towards her and not to mention Tiana, I saw the way you eyed her evilly mom."
Zac had been peeping everything lately, "I don't hate neither of the girls, I just don't think Fatima's a good match for you."
"Dad?" He looked over to his dad, "Same as your mom, the girl isn't to be trusted." Jason came to sit beside Thelma.
"So that's all you got? Y'all know that Fatima is a detective right? So if there's anything that I don't know about she can find out."
Jason shrugged carelessly but Thelma raised an eyebrow at the statement. "Zac you need to let it go, we both have."
He shook his head, "No the moment you invited Karen to our home was the moment I started, before that it had been let go."
"So now what? You expect something from us? We have no explanations nor excuses for you. Fatima is a horrid girl."
"Just like her mother." Thelma mumbled scoffing, Zac heard it. "Is it something with Denzel and Diana?"
Jason looked to Thelma, he gave her an angry glare. "Don't worry, I'll just have Fatima check it out for me."
Zac stood to leave just as Thelma spoke up, "Jason and Diana use to date, heavily." She admitted.
Zac turned around, "What?" He spoke surprised, How come Diana never said anything? But it does explain a lot.
Like why Diana didn't want to be near Jason during the "first" time Fatima and Zac gathered their parents together.
"It was a long time ago back in college, Jason and I were best friends and he was dating Diana. I envied her."
"I wanted to be with Jason but he never saw the signs, until he did. We began to mess around behind Diana back."
"Diana found out only after I gave birth to Ryder, she was clueless up until then. She snapped on the both of us and left."
"Diana knew she couldn't get to me though, she knew not one thing in the world could make me break down my facade."
Zac stood there listened as Jason stood there furious, he never wanted Zac to find that out. Let alone Fatima.
"Well no one except Denzel Wilson, he was my school sweetheart, the love of my life. We had grown up together, did everything together."
Thelma continued, "He was my everything until he moved to DC to go to college and left me heartbroken."
"We tried long distance but it didn't work, we cut contact completely when Jason and I started sneaking around."
"When Diana left Atlanta she came back 3 years later with Denzel and Tiana. I saw her before Jason did."
"We ran into each other at a supermarket, when I saw her with Denzel as he was holding Tiana it broke my heart."
"Ever since then the Wilsons and Taylor's have had this rivalry going on. That's why we don't want you with Fatima."
"There's too much history." Jason added at the end, "Wow." Zac spoke, he didn't even know what else to say.
"I have to go." He explained.
