Zatima: What if?

73. Case closed

2 months later...

It's been 2 months since the incident, Fatima has been doing quite well and Dr Cox is happy with both hers and the twins progress. Zac has been super supportive and obsessive throughout...

|Taylor residence|

Fatima comes downstairs dressed in a black pant suit paired with YSL heels, her bump has also started showing.

Fatima: good morning baby
Zac: (glares) ikyfl
Fatima: (chuckles) what Zac?
Zac: those shoes are not Zachary Taylor approved!
Fatima: babe don't be ridiculous, they're just shoes
Zac: yeah aight, well when you come back with swollen feet ion wanna hear it
Fatima: (chuckles) whatever Zachary
Zac: so are you ready to be back in the office?
Fatima: (smiles) yep! I'm tired of working from home, it's time for me to get back to reality
Zac: speaking of reality... (turns up the TV)

New reporter: after conducting investigations on the death of IKT's CEO- Keith Hall. The police have officially decided to close the case and rule it as an electric house fire death. I have detective Thomas with me. Detective, why did it take so long to reach this conclusion?
Detective T: after working tirelessly with my team, we were unfortunately unable to obtain substantial evidence showing any foul play.
Reporter: speaking of your team, care to share what happened to detective Walker who was initially placed on this case?
Detective T: (chuckles) I'm not one to indulge in office gossip, but I will say this... he was let go. Something about putting his hands on a suspect- a pregnant woman at that! But that's all I can say...
Reporter: (chuckles) well there you have it folks! We at CWN continously send our condolences to the Hall family and we hope that he's resting in perfect peace

Fatima: (chuckles) baby when you said you'd handle it, I didn't think you'd make the nigga lose his job
Zac: shit he lucky he only lost his job! I had to talk my pops out making him lose his life
Fatima: (chuckles) lawwd not this family got gangsters on both sides, my poor babies
Zac: (kneels to touch her belly) they didn't choose this life- it chose them
Fatima: (feels a kick) not them agreeing with your shenanigans (chuckles) I gotta go babe, see you later

The two share in a soft kiss before Fatima kisses Yanah goodbye and leaves with Zac shortly following after...

|Law firm|

Knock knock knock

Fatima: come in
Andi: (smiles) looks who's finally back and glowing!
Fatima: (smiles) you're too kind! Girl I'm only 5 months but I already feel so big and heavy
Andi: (chuckles) that's because you're carrying twins, but you do it so effortlessly
Fatima: (sighs) barely, chile after I drop these two I'm out of the baby making business for good!
Andi: (laughs) girl please, the way you and Zac can't keep your hands off each other
Fatima: (rolls eyes) whatever, did you need something?
Andi: actually... I came to see if you wanna take on this case
Fatima: girl yes!! It's been a while since I been in the courtroom
Andi: pump your brakes miss thing, there's a catch
Fatima: okay...?
Andi: its risky, I'm talking drug cartels, the mafia, ruthless killings... you name it
Fatima: (smiles)
Andi: (scared) wtf you smiling for weirdo? Didn't you hear the risk involved
Fatima: Andi ofcourse I did! But that ain't nothing to me, I grew up around that lifestyle
Andi: (coughs) I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that... anyway, no pressure! I know this is a big decision especially with you being preg-
Fatima: (annoyed) there you go again treating my pregnancy like some kinda disease
Andi: Fatima that's not what I'm doing and you know it! I just care about you and your wellbeing. This case will require you to work overtime almost every other night, overseas trips, threats- all the works that come with the mafia lifestyle. I just wanna make sure you're sure
Fatima: (smiles) yes I'm sure! I can handle it
Andi: I'll give you until end of the week to make a decision and do me a favor... talk to Zac first, lawd knows I don't need him breathing down my neck about overworking his pregnant wife

Andi leaves Fafima with a file containing the case summary. Fatima reads through it to get acquainted with the Cortez family and let's just say, Andi's description of them was small water...

Later that day...

Fatima and Zac just finished showering and eating dinner. Anita also put Yanah to sleep, before going to sleep herself

|Taylor residence: Bedroom|

Fatima: (reading on her iPad)
Zac: baby what are you doing?
Fatima: just reading up on a case
Zac: (scoots closer) woahhh these Cortez people are sick! An 18 year old boy brutally murdered a man and claims it was self defense?
Fatima: yep! That's not even the worst of it, according to my research- the Cortez family has done much worse!
Zac: I think I heard on the news they harvest human organs?
Fatima: yep, I heard their looking for an attorney to handle his case
Zac: (disgusted) see now psychos like that deserve to rot in jail- no trial necessary!(Kisses her forehead) I'm just glad that cases like these are too complex for you
Fatima: (lowkey angry) what do you mean by that Zac? I'm a criminal attorney, I'm bound to encounter such cases eventually
Zac: I know baby, but not now! I mean you just got started and remember you're pregnant- the Dr said stress free! (Kisses her belly and then her) good night my love

Fatima's heart sank because she basically just got a response from Zac before even asking him about it... However, she just couldn't let the case go. Something about Mateo Cortez was enticing to her and it would definitely sky rocket her career, so she stayed up thinking "maybe I should just take the case behind Zac's back, what's the worst that could happen?"