The Taylor House...
"Here you go, friend" Fatima announced, walking on the patio to hand Danni a glass of lemonade.
"Thank you girly" Danni took a sip from her glass "I swear you and you and Mama Carol make the best lemonade"
"I made sure I mastered it before I went off to school. It gets better everytime" Fatima said, starting to rock in her chair. She smiled, listening to her favorite bird that had built a nest in the tree right outside to their bedroom window. She noticed it about a month ago.
"You know, I've been trying to book an appointment at the clinic since yesterday and the system has been down - literally all day?"
"Hm" Danni side eyed Fatima "Ya don't say?"
"Yeah and when I called the help desk, they said it was working but everytime I tried, no luck" Fatima shrugged.
"And you don't find that suspicious?"
"Danni What?" Fatima laughed "What do you mean?"
Danni smacked her teeth, sitting up in her chair. "Okay, maybe that isn't the right word..uh uh a coincidence maybe?"
Fatima scutched up her face and turned to her friend, she scoffed "Uh uh no maybe?" she laughed and took a sip of her drink "It's probably site maintenance" she waved her off.
"Okay Ti, if you say so" Danni said, her voice trailing off. "You starting to sound like Zac" Fatima eyed her friend making Danni throw her hands up.
"I mean maybe it's a sign Fatima.."
"A sign of what?" she scoffed "I've known about this baby for what? 48,49 hours? Ain't no sign, especially when Jhalen's ass doesn't give a fuck..not even enough to answer a text message" Fatima sipped her drink "I'm good on it, real good"
"Well, we know Zac can be very persuasive when using his fist..why don't you have him ask Jhalen for you?"
"Girl! No, why so he can go to prison? And you know Zac ain't scared of being behind bars" Danni nodded,
"Well true..where is he anyway?"
"He said he had some business to handle..I was tired from last night, I was barely listening" Fatima joked, with a naughty smirk
"You so fucking nasty" Danni laughed, shaking her head.
••••
Standfield Memorial :The Neurology wing...
Mr Barron looked at Zac confused. "You have an appointment with Dr Hartley? Everything okay, Zac? You know you can tell me"
Zac shook his head, placing a hand on Mr B's shoulder "No oh sir, everything is fine..everything is just fine"
"Okay well, I'm going to head out. Give my baby girl love for me" He said, hugging Zac and leaving through the double doors of the hallway.
By this time, Jhalen had made it closer to Zac but he hadn't raised his head as he walked down the hall. He brushed by Zac, still not looking up to see where he was going.
"My, would that be any way to greet a first time patient?" Zac asked, with a sarcastic tone right before Jhalen raised his hand to push the door open.
A monotone chuckled left his mouth as he turned to face Zac.
"You again"
"Yeah, nigga. Me again"
Jhalen smacked his lips "What you here for? You came to fight me again cause I said some shit you ain't like?"
"Nah, actually I have a question you should have the answer to and I wouldn't call me denting in your face a fight" Zac said coldly, taking a step closer. "I beat yo ass fr" Zac tilted his head to the side. "Hm, and the healing seems to be coming along good..too bad" he said before stealing off on him, hitting Jhalen square in the face.
"What the fuck!?" Jhalen yelled, grabbing the side of his face
"Damn, that felt so good" Zac said with a hint of excitement in his voice.
"I'm at work and-"
"Nigga do it appear to you that a give a fuck? Cause I don't. Now, answer this for me and I'm only gonna ask you once.." Zac gritted, "Did you sleep with Fatima?"
Jhalen looked up like he was trying to remember something. It only pissed Zac off more.
"Fatima? Hm.." he snapped his fingers, mimicking Zac from the night of the wedding "Ohh Tima" he chuckled and looked Zac up and down. He smirked and shook his head, "Yeah, a few times..her shit good too. Good as f-"
craccck!
was the sound that echoed through the hallway as Zac's fist connected with Jhalen's nose.
Zac's ears were hot to the touch. His fists were warm from their constant movements against Jhalen's face. He was only seeing red but for so long he had seen Fatima cry herself to sleep or pray until her voice was stained. He was close to killing this man and he didn't care. Once he was there, he was there and nobody had the power to calm him but the woman he was risking it all for.
craccck..craccck..craccck...
••••
12:24pm
"He's starting to piss me off" Fatima said checking her phone for the hundredth time. She plopped down on the sofa, tossing her home to the side.
"Girl, you know men! He probably at that office" Danni said, cracking open a can of Sprite
"Yeah, probably but that still doesn't give him a reason not to answer my fucking phone calls" Fatima rolled her eyes, folding her arms across her chest.
"Aht Tima! Don't start that pouting shit!" at the same moment, her phone rang.
"See! I told you" Danni said, turning her attention back to the tv.
Fatima's face lit up until she saw it was her father calling and not her daddy.
"Daddy? You okay?" she answered, clearly confused.
"Hey baby girl..uh" he chuckled a little "How fast can you get downtown? It's Zac"
"Downtown? What is he doing downtown? Wait..how do you know.." Fatima's voice tailed off.
"Oh shit" she thought she whispered.
"Mmhm, get down here Fatima" he said sternly before ending the call.
"Oooo" Danni taunted, "You in trouble now bitch"
