The girls have been home for exactly 3 days and they're both in bliss of their lives at the moment, with their other parent.
Zaylie loved having a mom more than anything, she felt a strong and special connection with Fatima even though Fatima assumed she was Zora.
The only thing that made her feel unwanted was going through the house seeing all the stuff of Zo and none of her.
Fatima even had a photo of her leaving the hospital up and it was just her and Zora, the photo was cut but Fatima said it was for aesthetic.
"Mama?" Fatima knelt to Zaylie's height. "Who's he?" She pointed behind Fatima to the dark skin man standing there.
He was on his phone with his shirt off, Fatima and Zay watched as he sat on one of the sun chairs that had an umbrella.
"Derek, he's my friend, come on so you can meet him." She grabbed Zay's hand and led her over to the handsome male.
"Oh hey kiddo, your mom has told me all about you." Derek smiled at Zaylie as she blankly stares at him, "Oh."
"That's funny because she hasn't mentioned anything about you, Mark is it?" She spoke purposefully switching the name.
Fatima held her hand a little tighter, "Ow." Zaylie mumbled pulling away. "Stop! Anywho she's hilarious she knows your name." Fatima laughed.
Zaylie folded her arms, "So Derek, what do you do for a living?" Zaylie asked him, "Well I'm a retired NFL player, I own a label now."
Zaylie nodded, she still wasn't feeling it. "I think it's nice that you're going to be signing my mom." She spoke.
Fatima and Derek looked at each other before chucking a bit, "Um not quite, baby Derek and I are getting married."
"WHAT?" Zaylie shouted shocked at her announcement, how was her and Zo's plan going to work now.
"How did this happen! You can't marry him mom, I don't even know him." Fatima sighed as her daughter went off.
She didn't expect this from Zora, but what she didn't know was she wasn't speaking with Zora at all.
"Listen sweetie, while you were away we met and we fell deeply in love, he proposed and we're getting married in the fall."
Zaylie stated at her, "Okay," she spoke, Fatima sent her away to process it and she ran inside and went straight to the phone.
She first thing she wanted to do was tell her twin sister, they had discussed so many things for their plan.
Nothing was going to work now if Fatima married Derek, Derek wasn't the man for her. Their dad is the man for her.
They don't know how to get them back together but they were pretty convinced it would be as easy as pie, now Zay's not so sure.
Derek seems like her mothers type and although she doesn't know her that well, Zora told her she likes industry men.
(Even those Zac is a Police Officer)
And that's exactly what Derek was
••
"Hello may I speak with Zora Taylor?" Zay disguised her voice so she wasn't recognized by the woman she missed dearly.
"One moment." Lauren voiced out before setting the phone down, all the way across the country Zora was as happy as Zaylie. (Before she found out)
Having a dad was like the key to life, she had done so many things in the 3 days of being with him that' you'd never expect.
She was loving it and was dreading going home but she missed her mom, her grandpa and most importantly her bestfriend, and butler Will.
"Hello?" She went to the phone and ducked off inside the closest, "Abort mission! We have to move this up!"
"Why what happened?" Zora spoke, worried about anything that could've possibly happened in 72 hours.
"Moms getting married," she informs her sister, "What? No my mom would never get married." Zora defended.
"Yes, she is and his name is Derek and he's not the one for her! Dad is!" The two said the last part at the exact same time.
They stayed on the phone for almost a whole hour until Zora ended it, she left the closest trying to be unnoticed.
It didn't work out that way because Marmalade barked at her. "I can't handle this, I'm in way over my head."
"I'm just a kid," Lauren moved out of the doorway and stepped by the front. "You've got something you
want to get off your chest Lee?"
"Oh Lauren you scared me," Zora placed her hand over her chest as she was startled by Lauren's presence.
"What's going on Marmalade, that's Le, you love Le!" Lauren spoke towards the dog who growled at Zora, knowing she wasn't her owner.
Marmalade ran off as Zora just stood there, "Zaylie, did something happen at camp? You've been off ever since." Lauren spoke.
Zora shook her head as she stared at the young, beautiful girl. She looked different and Lauren felt different about her that she did before.
"You sure? Anything." Zora shook her head again, she was terrified of revealing herself too soon. But apart of her wanted to.
"Hmm let's see, why Marmalade never comes around you anymore, your appetites changed, and suddenly you're the messiest person ever."
"Nothing I've just changed over the summer that's all." Lauren shrugged, she decided to let it go. "Okay." She spoke.
"The way you behave it's almost as if you... nevermind forget it. It's impossible." Lauren murmured to herself turning away.
"Almost as if I were who Lauren?" Zora spoke up and Lauren turned back to her, "No one forget I said anything," she continued to walk
"Almost as if I were Zora?" Lauren stopped mid walk and turned back to face the little girl. "You know about Zora?"
"I am Zora," Laurens face dropped as her eyes began to water. "Zaylie could you come back for two seconds." Zachary stepped into the room.
Zora had run off from him earlier because she was too afraid to ride Zaylie's horse, Davy. "Lo, why are you looking at her like that?"
"Like what? I'm looking at her like I've looked at her for the past 12 years." Lauren's voice trembles as she stares at Zora.
"Since the day she was born and came home, 8 pounds, 11 ounces, 25 inches long, this is how I see her."
"Can I hug her?" Lauren was now in full blown tears, Zora knew why but Zac just stood there wondering what he walked into.
"She's so beautiful, and so so big. I'm going to make you whatever you want, I love you." Lauren said as she backed out the room.
