Forever the Taylors?

7

Zac stood in shock as did Fatima. Then out of nowhere, Fatima pounced on Veronica from across the kitchen island. Before Zac could even process what was happening Fatima had her hands around Veronica's neck falling to the ground with Fatima on top. Fatima started hitting Veronica with blows that would make Adrien Bronner proud.

Zac put down the car seat he was carrying and rushed over to separate the women. "Yo! Yo! Fatima stop!" but she couldn't hear him. He carried Fatima off veronica by her waist

"Put me Down Zac!" She screamed flailing her arms trying to break free to proceed with whopping her mama's ass.

"Not till you calm down!"

Fatima continued to wrestle with Zac while Veronica collected herself from the floor.

"Fatima Stop!" He yelled.

"Zac if you don't let me go right now imma fuck all this shit up!"

"Let her go," Veronica said finally standing, and adjusting her clothes."

Zac looked back and forth between the women. Fatima stopped fighting against him and just stood there while he held her back. "Fuck it" he said letting her go.

Everyone just stood there for a moment before Fatima stormed off. She returned shortly after dragging Veronica's luggage. She picked it up and flung it out the front door. "There are three seconds between me and the reading of your will. She said staring her mother down."

Veronica returning her stare." As I said, When Fatima Latrice gets back.. let me know." And with that, she walked out the door slamming it behind her startling Zane to tears.

"Really?" Zac walked over to where he was seated in the car seat by the door and removed him from it. "Hey man its ok, its ok" he reassured him rocking him gently. "Daddy got you." he eyed Fatima as her walked towards the nursery trying to calm Zane.

Fatima looked around at the mess they made it in the kitchen and began cleaning. An hour passes and Zac emerges from the nursery after getting Zane to sleep.

"Fatima. Sit down please." He asked trying to be gentle.

"Zac, I'm really not in the mood. I'm sorry about earlier."

"No, Fatima. What was that about?"

"Zac, please. I said I'm not in the mood to talk." Fatima set the dish towel down. "You know what, ill just go. I need some air."

"Fatima it is 11pm. You're not leaving this house."

"Didn't you just come back in? who are you to tell me when I can come and go?" Fatima challenged.

"I'm your husband! Clearly that doesn't matter. You know what. Whatever Fatima run. Its what you do. But let me tell you this. It's getting real fucking old" Zac said stomping back up the stairs and into his bedroom.

Fatima put on her sneakers and jacket and went to her car. She sat in the car contemplating going to her father's house but decided against it. She decided to go talk to Zac. She sat in the car for five more minutes before heading back into the house. She walked upstairs to his bedroom and knocked on the door. When he didn't answer she figured he was pissed at her. So she turned to head to her bedroom when he appeared in Zane's doorway.

"Wassup?" he said clearly agitated.

"You are right. I was running. Can we talk?"

He took is the sight of his disheveled wife in front of him "Yea. Meet me in the backyard. Ill be there in 5 minutes."

They arrived to the backyard at the same time. Zac tossed a bag to Fatima. You crush, Ill roll."

Dear Journal,

That night we talked for hours. We yelled a lot too. I told him everything that transpired with my mother up until he got there and how I felt about everything she said to me. That night while talking to Zac, I realized my mother might have been a bit right about one thing. I wasn't going to get back to myself If I stayed there. I was under so much pressure at home. Everyone was always so worried about me or not upsetting me or something that I really was hiding in a shell of my former self trying my damnest to appear fine. I needed to know my husband to know I wasn't running tho. I need him to know that everything I wanted to do was for the sole purpose of getting my family back. We talked about a wellness retreat that my father told me about a few days prior. It was called Crystal Springs Oasis and they specialized in treating post-partum care and mild to moderate depression. There were licensed clinicians and nurses on staff. Yoga and fitness instructors, chefs, Parenting classes and board-certified therapists are all on the premises 24 hours daily. There are no cell phones allowed and very limited internet access for the residents. The idea was to block out all the stressors of the outside world in the beginning and gradually work your way back into them as a healed individual. I know, I know. It sounds like a vacation and that's exactly what my husband said but it was anything but that. I really wanted to give it a try. I need to give it a try. Zac flipped when I told him that I was considering committing to the 90 day program. There were 30, 60, 90, and, 180-day programs to choose from. The longer your stay, the more likely the program is to be successful. In the end, I want to believe he understood what I was trying to do and wouldn't hold it as a strike against me. I just knew he was keeping score of my fuckups by now. I sure was.

Fatima left three days after their talk in the backyard. Zac went on with business as usual. He couldn't stop. He didn't have time to. The first thirty days after Fatima left were hectic. Zane was going through sleep regression and Zac had less help with him now that Jake and Phoenix's relationship had grown stronger. He didn't fault her. Zane was his responsibility. Fatima's father was always willing to help but Zan knew he was up there in age and didn't want to burden him too much with an infant. He ended up hiring a live-in nanny to help with the load. The daycare at the office was still under construction and would d be for a few more weeks. All the employees that used the childcare service were given stipends to cover the cost of their childcare in the meantime. Zac was always a generous person and his staff loved that about him. Samira, or Sam as everyone called her, was referred to Zac by his assistant. His Younger sister had just moved to town and was looking for work. Jeff vouched for his sister, she loved children and previously worked in a daycare \center for college credits. He also needed her off his couch sooner than later. Zac and Sam met for coffee, and he instantly got a good feeling about her. He told her that he would pay for her to take CPR classes and other First aid training, they went over her responsibilities, her pay, and benefits and offered her the job on the spot. Sam accepted with the condition that she also received a company car so she would not be trapped indoors, especially in the event of an emergency. Zac agreed and Sam moved in a week later after her background check cleared and Zac supervised a day with her and Zane to see her in action. He was impressed. Zane instantly took to her and she was a natural.

At her request, Zac did not visit Fatima while she was there until after her 60th day there. It was awkward. She looks happy. She had regained some of the weight she'd lost and there was a glimmer of light in her eyes that used to reside there. It wasn't as bright but it was there. And even with all of that Zac felt so disconnected from the woman before him and they could both feel it. She sat beside her husband looking at pictures of Zane on Zac's phone when she came across a picture of Sam holding Zane on her lap at the bottom of a slide. His toothless smile was so bright but for some reason Fatima couldn't take her eyes off the strange woman in the picture.

"Who is this?" She asked showing Zac his phone.

"Oh that's Sam." Is all he offered. Realizing that her wheels were turning in her head, he followed up with "That's Zane's nanny."

"His nanny? I thought he went to the daycare at your office." Fatima said cluelessly.

"Right before you left, a pipe burst at the office and the entire daycare floor was flooded. I told you this."

"Right. Right" Fatima didn't really remember what he was talking about but she didn't want to sound like she didn't trust him. After all, he'd never given her a reason to distrust him before. But something about this girl wasn't sitting well with her spirit.