Forever the Taylors?

6

Dear journal,

When I broke the news to Zac about having my mother visit, it was received much better than I thought it would be. I really believe that at this point he I just willing to do anything he thinks will help. Initially, he was skeptical but I promised to keep Veronica on her leash so he agreed. (If you don't remember Veronica, you haven't read my first book 😏) What I didn't tell him was that I had already reached out to her and she would be arriving that evening. I spent two days contemplating if I was making a mistake calling her. She and I have never had the traditional mother-daughter relationship. It wasn't until college that I even knew why. But I knew I grew up trying to constantly please her and always falling short. It wasn't until college that my father really sat me down and explained it to me. The knowledge didn't make it any easier not having a mother like the ones I saw my friends with but it did help me stop breaking my back trying to figure out ways to get her to love me and just accept her for who she was. To make matters worse, I am the reason her infidelity was uncovered and my father divorced her. ( read the first book 😩) It took me two days to actually decide that calling Veronica was the right thing to do. It took less time than that for everyone to regret me calling.

" Is there something wrong?" Zac asked as he watched Fatima peek out the front room window for the 12th time in the hour.

"Huh? No. Why do you ask that?" Fatima said trying to play dumb.

"You've been looking out the window like a peeping Tom." Suddenly it dawned on him. "Fatima NO!" He said hopping out of his seat at the realization that his mother-in-law was actually arriving at any moment. "Why wouldn't you tell me that she was coming today?"

"Well, because I knew you'd never go for it."

"So you lied to me? That's rich Fatima." Zac said as he stood to leave, taking Zane with him. He agreed to Veronica coming thinking that he would have time to gather his thoughts before she arrived. he was pissed that Fatima would spring her on him, especially knowing how much they despised one another. "Where are you going?" Fatima called out noticing he was heading towards the door.

"Out." He states simply closing the door behind him. As he pulled out of the driveway, a black car pulled up in front of the house.

***

Fatima came to the door and held it open or her mother as she watched the driver hand her the luggage from the trunk. "Perfect timing" she mumbled under her breath as Veronica made her way to the door.

"Hey." Fatima said trying to force a genuine looking smile.

"Hey. Was that Zac?" Veronica asked

"Yea. He had to run some errands." Fatima said making excuses for him not being there.

Fatima stepped aside and allowed her mother to enter. It was the first time they'd seen each other since Fatima told her parents she was pregnant. Her father was over the moon with excitement. Her mother on the other hand, gave a half-assed congratulations and and an awkward smile.

"So umm.. lemme show you where you'll be sleeping." Fatima said and headed towards thee guest rom where Phoenix usually slept. She had been spending a lot less time at Fatima's house. Most times when she babysat for Zac, Phoenix would keep Zane at her house whether it be for just the day or a few days.

Veronica scanned the room. "Are the sheets fresh?"

Fatima cut her eyes at her mother and left the room. "There's food on the way if you want. It's just Chinese."

Twenty minutes later Veronica emerged from the room. Now dressed in a black lounge set. Fatima was setting out plates and utensil for them. " So, I'm gonna assume the baby is with Zac." Veronica said

"He is. They'll be back sometime soon." Fatima said lying again. She had no idea where they were let alone when they'd be back.

"So you said that you needed to talk to me and that I needed to be here when you did it."

"Yea, ummm." Fatima hesitated. "Why don't we eat first and talk after?"

"Fatima, just talk. I'm sure this has something to do about why I cheated on your father." Veronica said in an absolute tone

"Actually its not. I spoke to Daddy ...

"Of course you have" Veronica said cutting her daughter off. Charles and Fatima have always had a beautiful relationship that was envied by Veronica.

ignoring her mother's remark, Fatima continues. "I spoke to daddy back when I was in college and he told me about the relationship you had with your mother and it helped me to understand our relationship better. I'm asking you here today because I see the kind of mother I want to be and then I look at the kind of mother I am. They're not the same. I was hoping that you could share some insight or something about what it was like for your hen I was first born. I don't know exactly what I'm looking for but I don't want he and I to have what you and I have. It isn't fair to him. He deserves much more than that." Fatima said hanging her head low thinking about how she left and literally ran out on her husband and son.

"When your father and I got married he promised to give me the world. And for the first six years we were dirt poor. We were both working crazy shifts and sometimes two jobs each just to make sure =we could afford the rent while he went around trying to get funding to start his company. When I got pregnant with you it was year four of our struggle and I told your father that it wasn't smart to have a baby. But he was so adamant about "keeping his baby" that he wouldn't hear anything I had to say. So I had you. And things got worse as I knew they would. I resented your father for making me have you and I resented you for making it harder for us. Things did eventually get better for us obviously but you and your father were inseparable and you didn't need me. You had him. I felt like an intruder in your lies so I left y'all to each other." Veronica said without any remorse.

Fatima could feel her chest tightening. Nothing her mother said was shocking to her, it was just that it was her first time hearing it from her mother. "Did you ever leave?"

"No, but I wanted to. I felt like your father lied and trapped me in a life that I didn't ding up for. by the time it did get better, It's like.. too late."

"I left." Fatima admitted "twice actually."

"Why?"

"I was feeling overwhelmed. And I needed to catch my breath"

"well I'm here, so that means you are still feeling overwhelmed. So why are you here?"

"What do you mean? I'm here because I have a child and a husband. I can't just leave cuz its hard." Fatima said defending herself. "Ok then, keep walking around being a shell of yourself if that's what you want."

Fatima looked at her mother with irritation. "If that's what I wanted then you really wouldn't be here."

"You're here because your husband told you to come home and you play the role of dutiful wife to a man who doesn't deserve you. The Fatima I raised had her own thoughts and dreams. But the woman standing in front of me is not Fatima Wilson. You're letting your ex-con of a husband tell you what's best for you. And now look at you. you're 23 pounds and your hair has never been this thin."

Fatima was devastated. They'd not even been together for a full hour and already she'd regretted her decision.

"let's get one thing straight. You didn't raise me! You don't know shit about me. I spent years trying to get you to love me. Hell, even to like me and it was exhausting. I finally gave up and my life has been better for it. My father raised me. My father made me the woman I am. So, if I am a dutiful wife that's because I saw my father be a dutiful husband to your ungrateful, cold, selfish ass. You would know all about being something someone doesn't deserve considering you were spreading ya legs all over town with your husband's best friend. You think I don't know that the reason you're really here is because ya ass is basically homeless? Yea. Dad put you out and Uncle Keith went ghost on you so now you're living at some two-star hotel in Athens. My husband deserves better and so does my child. Actually, get the fuck out.

Zac stepped through the door just as Veronica's hand made contact with Fatima's face.