A few minutes later, Pauletta and Taraji walked in the house. Fatima was upstairs, so she didn't know that they were there yet.
Taraji went upstairs and into the room.
Denzel and Pauletta were downstairs hugged up. Fatima came down the stairs.
"Oh my God" Fatima said jokingly, "all of that touching."
Pauletta laughed, "I know you ain't talking."
Fatima laughed. "yeah. I'm going to be quiet."
*2 hours later*
Zac, Fatima, and Denzel took a trip to Walmart to get them some snacks for their night. Brandee, Taraji, and Pauletta were in the house.
Pauletta walked into the room with Taraji and Brandee.
"Y'all got something to tell me?" Pauletta asked
They both looked up with a confused look. "Huh?" Taraji said
"Do y'all have something to tell me?" Pauletta repeated
"No. I don't think so" Brandee said confused
"Y'all like each other?"
"Yes. We're friends" Taraji said
"Nothing more than friends? Or y'all haven't figured it out?"
"Haven't figured it out, but it's something there." Brandee said
"Definitely something." Taraji said
"Okay. I was just asking." She left
"Your mom cool as hell" Brandee said
"Yeah. She is. As long as I'm honest, she'll be happy."
"Your mother needs to coach mine. She just be accusing instead of asking."
"She'll grow out of it. At some point, she'll have to let you be you."
*at Walmart*
Zac and Fatima were walking around the store. They grabbed everything that they wanted including snacks for everybody else. They turned around and Denzel started getting anxious. He didn't know what was happening.
They all turned around at the same time and seen a very familiar face. Denzel looked into the woman's eyes.
"Mom?" Fatima called up looking at her.
The woman looked at them both with guilt in her eyes. She grabbed a child's hand that was on the side of her and walked out.
"But-" Fatima said
"It's okay. If she doesn't want to be in your life, it's fine. She left when you were 8, and look at the shit that she just pulled. She has a whole damn kid. I'm not hurt about her leaving, but it's the shit that she just did."
They checked out. They walked to the car. Fatima didn't say a word the whole ride home. She didn't want anybody to touch her. She as hurt.
When they arrived to the house, Denzel and Zac went in. She told them that she just needed a moment. A few minutes later, Fatima left the car. She went right her room.
Pauletta was confused as to what happened. Denzel told her and Pauletta felt so bad for Fatima. She did check on Denzel and make sure he was alright. Then, she went upstairs and knocked on Fatima's door.
Fatima didn't answer. She ripped every last picture off of the wall of her mother. Baby pictures and art work that she did in remembrance of her mom. Pauletta opened the door. She seen everything on the floor.
"I'm fine. I don't want to talk about it."
"You don't have talk" Pauletta sat down on her bed
Fatima looked up at Pauletta.
"If you and my dad break up, will you leave me?" Fatima asked
"One, we won't be breaking up. Two, I would never leave you. You know that." Pauletta said standing up
Fatima started to break down and cry. Pauletta let Fatima cry in her arms.
"I feel like shit. I'm sorry for cursing, but that's how I feel. Everybody has been telling me that she loved me for the past 9 fucking years and it turned out to be the biggest lie of my life. She never loved me. She never cared. The least that she could've done was acknowledge me. She just walked away. You know how many times I prayed for her? She just treated me like trash. Fuck her. I'm tired. I don't even cry, but this is really hurting my heart and it feels like I'm dying." Fatima said
"I know. You prayed for her, and God showed you why you didn't need her. You have to see these things for yourself in order to believe it. Just because she treated you that way, doesn't mean that there aren't other people that love you. I know the feeling. Can't say that the feeling will go away soon, but you'll feel better as you heal. I've become the best mom that I can be because my mom was just like yours. It'll work out."
"She's not my mom. You are. It does hurt, but I'm so glad that I have you."
*30 minutes later*
Pauletta and Fatima ended up coming downstairs. She went and hugged Denzel.
"You okay?"
"Before you answer that, remember what I told you" Pauletta said
Fatima took a deep breath. "No. I'm working on it though. It won't be easy, but I'll make it. Mom taught me that."
Denzel smiled. "I really hate that y'all make me a little emotional."
Fatima laughed, "what do you guys do when you get angry? Y'all don't ever argue or get mad?"
Denzel laughed. "We argue and we get mad at each other. We either talk it out, or fu-"Pauletta interrupted him. "Don't say that."
"I know exactly what he was going to say. I'm going to make my exit now. Y'all are too grown." Fatima said walking out of the kitchen
She walked to the couch. She grabbed Zac's hand.
"You okay?"
"I don't want to talk about that. I want to talk about something else. Let's go upstairs."
Zac and Fatima walked upstairs. They decided to go check on Brandee and Taraji. They knocked on the door twice and nobody answered.
Fatima opened up the door and seen that they were in a whole make out session.
Zac and Fatima were shocked.
Fatima faked coughed really loud. "This is interesting"
They both finally pulled back from each other.
"How long y'all been standing there?" Taraji asked
"Long enough" Zac said, "when the hell y'all start doing this?"
"I keep telling y'all that she be sweet talking" Brandee said laughing
"Mhm. Y'all nasty" Fatima said, "come lock this door before mama or daddy come in here."
Fatima and Zac walked to her room.
"You took everything down?" Zac asked
"Yes. New start. I'm going to start my wall over. Anyway, how was your day today? I forgot to ask you."
"You asked me how my day was earlier. You just don't want to talk about how you feel. If you don't want to, that's fine. I just don't want you around here hiding your pain."
"I don't really have many words to say. It just feels like I'm going to just have to go through it all."
"You will, but it won't be alone. I love you. You know that."
"I love you too."
