Zatima: What if?

Black and Blue

⚠️DISCLAIMER ⚠️

This chapter along with the next few ones will contain descriptions of domestic violence. Please keep in mind that this is a fictional story and the writing isn't in anyway meant to offend, trigger or harm anyone. With that being said, to all my sensitive bookies- I suggest you sit these next few chapters out❣️

⚠️DISCLAIMER ⚠️

|Belinda's house|

Jeremiah: (yells) didn't you hear me talking to you!
Belinda: (terrified) I...I...didn't
Jeremiah: what were you doing in here anyway
Belinda: I was uhh.. getting ready to take a shower

Jeremiah aggressively grabs by her the neck and forcefully kisses her

Jeremiah: aight hurry up and do that, I'm hungry
Belinda: (forced smile) ok

Jeremiah leaves the bathroom as Belinda gets undress and steps into the shower. She takes a deep breath as the soothing hot water lathers against her skin. After 20min she steps out and stares at her naked body in the mirror and smiles while touching her belly whispering "I know daddy will be a changed man for you".

She puts on her robe, brushes her teeth and turns off the tap. As soon as she turns around she feels a hard slap across her face which causes her to drop to the floor

Belinda: (pleading) baby please don't do this

Jeremiah ignores her and proceeds to drag her across the cold floor by her hair causing her robe to open, he aggressively begins to punch and smack her while continuously kicking her back and abdomen. In the midst of this horror she cries silently and covers up her face because the world can never know what he does to her. The beating lasts for what seems like an eternity until he snaps out of his psychotic episode. After realizing what he has done he goes to the bar down the road leaving a battered and bruised Belinda laying on the cold bathroom floor.

Belinda slowly pulls herself to stand up. She finds herself in that same mirror only this time bruised and her nose is bleeding, even though her didn't touch her face, strange.

She wipes the blood off her nose and limps to the bedroom, she puts on a pair of her favorite pyjamas and looks on her side table to see that he left a box of aspirin and a glass of water with a note that says "I'm sorry".
She cries herself to sleep as she reminisces on the good times...

《TWO DAYS LATER》

|Taylor residence|

Fatima is going back to work this week so Ms Anita landed in ATL yesterday. Her and Yanah get along so she shouldn't have any issues babysitting her while the parents are at work. Fatima comes downstairs dressed in loungewear

Zac: morning beautiful, I thought you were going to work
Fatima: I was supposed to but I gotta take Yanah to the Dr for her monthly vaccine shots, so imma just go in tomorrow
Zac: (finishes up his coffee) aight let me know how it goes, I gotta bounce we've got an early meeting with an international client
Fatima: (sulking) aht aht, not you leaving with my kiss
Zac: (kisses her) sorry baby I'm just super stressed and I'm already running late, love you
Anita: (holding Yanah) aht aht what about the baby's kiss son
Zac: (chuckles) ohh lawd yall finna make me late (kisses Yanah's chubby cheek and leaves)
Anita: I already bathed her and her bag is ready
Fatima: (hugs her) you're a life saver!! I was still so jet lagged from the trip that I almost forgot about her appointment
Anita: don't beat yourself up baby, motherhood is all about learning

Fatima finishes up her breakfast, takes Yanah and heads to the car, she carefully straps her up to the car seat and gives her binky so she won't cry on the way to the Dr.

|Greenside hospital|

Fatima arrives to her appointment right on time, the Dr weighs Yanah and fills in her birth chart. Lastly, she gives her the shot in her chunky thigh as she immediately starts crying her lungs out.

Fatima: (comforting her) I'm sorry baby
Dr: aww she'll be fine she a big girl. Everything seems to be fine with baby Yanah, see you at her next appointment
Fatima: (grabs her bag) thank you doc

As she's still trying to get Yanah to quiet down she bumps into Lori who has taken her daughter to the Dr because she has developed a cold. They sit by the pharmacy waiting area catching up...

Meanwhile also in one of the Dr's office on that same floor is Belinda...

Dr Tom: good day miss Woods, what brings you by today
Belinda: uhmm I need you to check me
Dr Tom: for what exactly

Belinda proceeds to take off her hoodie and Dr Tom damn near cries when he sees the bruises all over her body. He instantly realizes that this is a domestic violence case

Dr Tom: do you need me to call the poli-
Belinda: (yells) No! No police! I just need you to check me and give me meds to ease the pain
Dr Tom: (examining her bruises and swollen abdomen) do you atleast wanna talk about it
Belinda: (sighs) not really... just that 2 nights ago I took a pregnancy test and it came back positive, I just wanna know if my baby survived
Dr Tom: did you experience any bleeding when this horrible incident occurred
Belinda: my nose bled and uhm... oh... I also got my period that night, strange right
Dr Tom: (pitying her) not strange at all miss Woods, I'm sorry but the symptoms you're describing sound to me like you unfortunately experienced a miscarriage, that was not period blood
Belinda: (crying) whaaaat
Dr Tom: I'm sorry mam, I will prescribe you some painkillers and I'd also like to suggest that you make an appointment with our therapist, she's dealt with similar cases
Belinda: (wiping her tears and putting on a fake smile) thanks but I'll be fine

Fatima and Lori just finished collecting their prescriptions. Belinda makes her way to the queue, there's one person in front of her. She's wearing her usual disguise oversized hoodie and shades hoping to not be recognized until...

Fatima: (walking towards her) Belinda?
Belinda: (looks up) hey
Fatima: (worried) what are you doing here
Belinda: (holding back tears) just a routine checkup, hbu
Fatima: I bought Yanah for her shots and then we ran into my friend, Lori. Yall have met right?
Belinda: sorta, hey
Lori: (smiles) hey

The pharmacist yells for the next person in line to approach the window. Belinda slowly walks to window and collects her pain medication while Fatima and Lori stand there looking worried

Lori: is that the same Belinda we saw at the restaurant
Fatima: yeaa
Lori: (shocked) what?! She looks...
Fatima: different, I know! I think something going on with her, I've had a gut feeling for some time now
Belinda: well go talk to her, I'll stay with the baby

Belinda collects her meds and waves goodbye as she slowly starts walking towards the door trying hard not to show the amount of pain she's in

Fatima: (walks up to her) B we might've fell out but I still care about you and I think there's something you're going through! Are you okay

Belinda can't even speak, Fatima is literally the first person to ask her how she's doing ever since the nightmare of the life she's living began. She simply falls into her arms and starts to weep hysterically. Fatima's eyes get teary too as she consoles her friend.

Fatima: B what happened
Belinda: (continues crying)
Fatima: (hugging her) look there's a coffee shop down the road, how bout we go there and talk
Belinda: (catching her breath) okay