Forever the Taylors?

17

Five years later

"Daddy you said a bad word! I'm telling!!!" Zane squealed into the camera.

"Hush man! Daddy didn't say a bad word." He said laughing at his son

"mommy daddy said Fuck! Right that's a bad word??" Fatima looked into the phone using her eyes to cuss at her ex.

"Yes, and you know that you shouldn't repeat the bad words right? "Fatima reminded him shaking her head at Zac. 

"I'm sorry" Zac mouthed silently 

"Yes ma'am. But daddy did say it so he owes ten pushups."

"Man y'all ain't right! I hit my toe! Anyway. I'm getting in the car now. I should be there in fifteen minutes." Zac Reminded them. "T, did you have a chance to pick his uniform up from the cleaners? Or do you need me to run by there?" Zac and Fatima worked extremely hard to mend their relationship as friends so they could co-parent Zane with as much love as he deserved. "Yes. They're still in my truck tho. So when you get here remind me to give them to you."

"IIght, be there in a minute."

"Byeeee Daddy! Zane yelled running back into the camera's view for a spilt second.

Zane still lived with Zac primarily but he spent almost just as much time with Fatima as he did with Zac. At first, they were worried that switching back and forth between houses might be too much for him, but Zane loved it. He bragged about how cool it was to have a spaceship bedroom at his mom's house and a playground bedroom at his dad's. Zane was growing up to be a perfect combination of his parents. Sharp and stubborn like Fatima, a jokester and charming like Zac. Zane lives a full life. He plays soccer and trains in Ju-Jitsu; he is also one of the top performing students in his kindergarten class. Recently he became obsessed with having a sibling after his best friend gained a baby brother.

Zachary had not only expanded to Miami as he planned but he was now the owner of one of America's top Black Real Estate and Brokerage firms. Taylor Made Homes and Brokerage was Zac's baby. He and Jake were doing exceptionally well on the business front. Personally, was a different story. Jake and Phoenix had just welcomed a baby girl 2 years ago named Seven and were expecting another child in a few short weeks. Phoenix became a stay at home mom and influencer and the role fit her better than any other. Although Working with Gary made Jake a lot of money, after Gary sued Karen for custody of their son , he parted ways because Jake did not approve of his actions. With the expansion of he and Zac's company, the financial difference benefitted Jake tremendously. Jake was planning to propose to Phoenix, he was forced to wait until after her pregnancy so that her ring could fit her hand. He was so anxious about proposing that he had to hide the ring in a safety deposit box so that he would not ruin the surprise and the wait was killing him.

Zac on the other hand had no luck in love. He wasn't really looking either. He went on a few dates and had a few hookups but he never found a woman that spoke to his heart. And He was also super cautious about the people he introduced into Zane's life. He didn't want to have a revolving door of women around him giving off the wrong idea. Zac wasn't lonely tho. He really enjoyed his life and felt love would come for him when it was time. In the meantime, he'd continue to do the things that made him happy and be with the people he loved. He took a liking to traveling and spent as much time taking Zane on trips around the world. Fatima has even joined them a few times.

Speaking of Fatima, a lot was different in her world. To start, Fatima began speaking publicly on social media about her journey through post-partum after learning about how many black women were ignorant to the dangers, warning signs and treatment of the disease. One of her videos went viral and it launched her platform into the stratosphere. She's been invited to speak on panels all around the US telling her story. Fatima fell in love with being able to help women overcome one of the darkest moments of their lives. Fatima and Phoenix's relationship never fully recovered but they were still close friends. Shockingly enough, Fatima took an unlikely liking to Samantha. Samantha confided in Fatima one day how much she admired her after watching her overcome so much. She told Fatima that she was the reason that she was studying to become a licensed therapist. Fatima took Samantha under her wing and she and Zac paid for her education until She was awarded a full ride to Georgia state university for academic excellence. When she graduated, Fatima hired her as her over paid assistant so that Samantha could work closely beside her and soak up every bit of information she needed to learn from and grow on her own one day. Although she no longer worked for Zac, she remained part f the family as Zane's Aunty Sam. Fatima's love life was not a bland as Zac's though. In the beginning Fatima didn't even see other men. She was literally Ray Charles to them. That is until she met Richard. Fatima ran into CVS to pick up some tampons when she encountered a man in the aisle with the most confused look on his face staring at the selection of pads. She wasn't intentionally listening to his call but hearing him damn near have a panic attack into the phone intrigued her. Rich was on a three-way facetime call with his brother and best friend trying to figure out what size pads he was supposed to buy for his daughter who got her period for the first time. The three men turned out to be hilarious as well as clueless and Fatima decided to take pity on the daughter and help her dad. They spoke for a few minutes about what other products may help his daughter through her time of the month. He thanked Fatima and asked if it would be ok if he called her if his daughter had any questions that he could not answer. Fatima agreed after learning that her mother abandoned her a few weeks after her birth and it was just the two of them. two days later Fatima was invited to lunch by Richard and his daughter Amaya so they could have "girl talk." Not before long Fatima and Richard began dating and now they'd been together 11 months. Fatima loved Richard and adored Amaya and they all adored Zane but Fatima could feel that even though she did truly love him, he loved her more and that did not sit well with her.

++

Zac knocked on Fatima's door. They still had the key to the other's home but they never used it unless it were truly an emergency. They were very good about respecting each other's privacy and boundaries.

"Hey baby daddy." Fatima smiled to Zac as she let him inside.

"Hey baby mama." He said smiling back.

"DADDDDDDDDDY!!!!" Zane came bursting through his bedroom door and leaping into Zac's arms.

"Wassup man! I missed you!" Zac exclaimed throwing Zane into the air. "Dang man. What mommy been feeding you?" Zac said putting Zane back down on his feet.

"Daddy you owe pushups!" Zane was not playing with his father.

"Little snitch I swear!" Zac faked an attitude and assumed the push up position. "Happy?" he asked after completing the task.

"Zac do you mind getting the uniforms. My keys are right there."

"I haven't even been here two minutes and y'all are already putting me to work! Yea. I'll get it."

Zac ran down to Fatima's car and retrieved the uniforms throwing them into his backseat on the way back up. When he got back inside Fatima was on the phone. So he sat at the counter and waited for her call to end.

"Ok. Baby round-up time" she announced putting down her cellphone. that's what they called it when they filled each other in on Zane's time with them and shared any important information. "his inhaler is running low so I refilled the prescription, you can pick it up tomorrow. I paid the deposit for his class pictures. Oh, and please don't forget we have that school interview Wednesday. I really want him to get into this school. Zac don't let the late spirit get you that day please. I mean it!"

"Yes Fatima I remember. Its on the calendar I got the email reminder you sent. My alarm is already set for the day and my pants are already pressed." Zac said sarcastically.

"Last thing. Do you have plans for him on the 24th? Rich wants to take us all to some indoor waterpark for the weekend."

"Nope, He's all yours." Zac said. Zac didn't like Rich but he also didn't dislike him. It was just weird seeing another man with Fatima and their son. Fatima made sure Zac met Rich before Zane did and it was only with Zac's blessing that he meet their son. As much as it crushed Zac to see Fatima move on, he really did want happiness for her.

"Ok. Cool. Alright well let me go get some kisses from my perfect baby before y'all go." Fatima said heading to Zane's room.

"He's not a baby Fatima! That boy got armpit hair! You gotta stop spoiling him." Zac protested lightly.

"Save it Zac. He's always gonna be my baby." She said disappearing into his room. Zac could hear the loud dramatic kisses she was planting on him and him laughing trying to escape his mother's grasp.

"Ok You two. Come on Z. We gonna grab some food on the way in. What you have a taste for?"

He pondered the question. "Chuck E. Cheese!" he said with excitement.

"Not happening bro. try again." Zac said shutting him down immediately.

"Ok fine, McDonald's." Zane said defeated.

"Ok let's go." Zac said scooping up his bookbag off the floor. Zane didn't pack clothes at his parents' houses. At both of their homes Zane had full wardrobes. It was easier and felt less transactional that way. "Later T." He said and gave a quick hug before darting down the stairs.