Forever the Taylors?

3

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Fatima got off the bed and grabbed her gun from her purse. Someone was knocking on her door at 8 pm. She hadn't ordered any food, and no one knew where she was. She walked slowly to the door. Staying out of its direct path. "Who is it?" She called out

"Your husband." Fatima dropped her head and her gun to her side. She took a deep breath and opened the door. They stared each other down, both trying to read the other's thoughts.

"Fatima, move." He said exposing his anger.

Fatima stepped to the side and let him in. She walked in behind him lingering by the closed door. He paced slowly back and forth trying to decide how he wanted to start the conversation.

"How did you find me?"

Zac stopped pacing. "That's really the first thing you say after disappearing for days? Really Fatima?"

"Zac I.." Fatima's voice trailed off and she began crying hysterically. Zac just stood there looking at her. He wanted to hold her but he was too angry in the moment.

"You do not get to do that! You do not get to just disappear like you don't have a husband and a child! Do you know how scared I was? You just left!" Zac shouted. He took Fatima into his arms and held her as they cried. He was relieved that she was ok but also saw that she was anything but okay.

"Look. If you need space. I'll give you that. but please come home."

"Zac, no. I can't come home right now."

"Why not Fatima?"

"Because. I just can't. I just need a moment to get back to me."

"I'm trying to help you do that! I've been trying to help! What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to leave me alone! You keep throwing it in my face every chance you get that I need help. I don't need a reminder! You think I like not being able to bond with my own child? You think I like feeling like a stranger in my body? I see how he is with you and phoenix, even If y'all aren't sleeping together y'all clearly don't need me. He doesn't even know who I am. I can't even begin to tell you how it feels to not even be seen by my husband. No. I'm not coming home."

"Fatima, I see you. I've been seeing you and I have been trying like hell to get you out of this place you're in but you won't let me help you. I need you, he needs you."

"I need time. I can't be there like this. Look at me! I've lost thirty pounds in three months. I'm pale as a ghost. This isn't me. Please Zac. Just go." Fatima said feeling defeated

"So you're going to stay here in Bumblefuck Alabama?" Zac asked looking around the room.

"Honestly I don't know where I'll be. And please, don't look for me. I'll let you know where I am when I get wherever there is."

"Fatima you sound crazy as hell right now! How are you going to tell me that you're not coming home and not to look for you? Do that even sound right to you? You are my wife! I get that you're trying to find yourself again, I do! But we took vows, Fatima. It is my job to protect you! and then you tell me that you want a divorce! Like what?"

"Zac, I can't be your wife right now. I haven't been your wife in a while and we both know it."

"Fatima get in the car. I'm no longer asking. We will have 8 hours in the car to talk about this." Zac was trying to remain calm.

"I said I'm staying."

"Fatima Taylor you are really trying my patience right now. Get your shit and get in the fucking car!" Zac lost his temper. He knew it didn't help that he was yelling at her but he couldn't believe what she was saying to him. He was tired, frustrated, confused, and hungry. He just needed her to get in the car. He would apologize later. He spotted her car keys and picked them up.

Fatima has never seen him like this and although he didn't scare her, she knew to get in the car. Five minutes later Fatima was exiting her motel room and getting into the car where Zac was waiting. Zac was glad he took a car service to the hotel. He decided at the last minute not to because how would he have gotten the rental back once he retrieved his wife.

"Look T, I am sorry for talking to you like that. There's just a lot going on right now." Zac apologized. "I need you to know that I love you very much and I understand that your world is upside down right now and you're doing you best. But your best cannot be this." He said pointing at the motel. "You cannot run."

Fatima sat silently for a few minutes as Zac pulled away from the motel. She was trying to figure out exactly how to talk to her husband. "Zac. It's late. Can we maybe stay here til the morning and then drive back."

"I'm not staying in that motel." Zac said flatly.

"We can get a hotel. I just think we should sleep for a few hours. Tensions are high and I don't think we should be on the road like this." Fatima defended.

Zac thought about it for a moment. He was tired and the drive was going to be long. "You're right. We can grab some food and find a spot for the night." Zac and Fatima drove for minutes before they found a diner and grabbed a bite to eat. They sat across from each other eating quietly in the empty diner. When Zac's phone rang. He hesitated to answer it.

"Hey. Is everything ok? Its late. ....Yea, I did. Ok. I have some at the house. Let me make a call. It'll be on the way shortly. Thank you again. Ok. Call me when it gets there." Zac ended his call and immediately dialed another number.

"Hey, yes she's fine. We are going to stay tonight and I'm gonna get on the road around 5am. But pop I need you to go over to my house and grab the baby formula from the pantry and take it to Phoenix's house please. Yea. She ran out and I don't want her to have to go out this late with him. Thanks Pop.

Fatima stared at Zac as he handled business. She figured that he was talking to her father and Phoenix but she didn't know that Zane was on Formula and that made her sad because she realized that she hadn't been pumping since she left and he probably ran out of breast milk. Before she decided to leave, she was still pumping regularly. In her mind it was the least she could do.

Zac looks up from his phone and sees her watching him. "You've barely touched your food." He said not making any mention of the calls her just made.

"I'm not really hungry." Fatima thought about it before asking her next question. "Do you think its too late for him to know me. I know he's only three months old but..." her voice trailed off.

Zac didn't really know the answer to the question. But he was hopeful. "Of course not. The sooner we figure out how to help. The sooner things can get on the right track." He said reachinga cross the table for her hand.

She looked down at his waiting hand and then back in his face. Before getting up from the table and walking towards the exit. Zac was confused but chased after her throwing two twenty dollar bills on the table. "Fatima where are you going?" he said catching up to her in the parking lot.

"I asked you not to do that!" Fatima shouted at him as she looked though her purse for her keys. It dawned on her that Zac still had them since he was the one driving.

Zac stood there confused still. "Do what Fatima?"

"Remind me that I need help! Like shit Zac!"

"Fatima I am sorry. That's not what I was tryna do." Zac was trying to apologize but Fatima cut him off. "Whatever Zac. Can we just go?" Fortunately for Fatima, Zac being close to the car unlocked the doors and she was able to get in slamming the door behind her. Leaving him standing there trying to cool off. He was trying to control his emotions but she was picking at a wound that was bound to bleed. Zac got quietly into the car and sped off. He decided to drive as far as he could before stopping. He hoped to make it the entire way home