"You okay? You just got real quiet." Zac was looking at her and she wasn't talking, blinking or anything just a blank stare.
"Fatima?" Zac called out to her.
"Huh?" She answered him.
"What was that? You good? You just froze." He said with concern.
"Um yeah I'm fine, let me call you right back." She hung up without awaiting his response. She needed to rationalize this situation and calm down before speaking with Zac so she wouldn't say anything she'd regret. She called Darcie immediately.
"Hey boss, what's going on?" Darcie answered.
"I just need to calm down. That was too much for one day. How are you? How are the kids?" Fatima asked her, trying to take her mind off what's going on.
"We're good, all ready for Christmas thanks to you." Darcie answered. "Are you okay?"
"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" Fatima asked.
"We'll all that stuff with Zac." Darcie said
"Oh girl that's noth- Wait, how do you know Zac?" Fatima asked.
"Him and Ricky been boys for years and Ricky told me about him one time he picked up Amir." Darcie said in a slick tone.
"And how come I've never heard of them being friends? I'm the only one being blind sided here." Fatima rolled her eyes. "What else do you know?"
"Oh that's all I know ma'am, if I see or hear anything else, I'll let you know. The streets talk a lot. Especially about dudes like him." Darcie added.
"Mhm, Darc, let me call you back." Fatima said before they ended the call. In this moment she didn't trust anyone. Not even Darcie. She thought about how everything happened with her and Zac and it didn't make sense to what the blogs and Darcie was saying but she also knew how slick and vindictive Ricky was so she was in between on what to believe.
"Amir!" Fatima called for him but he was sleeping. She decided to call the nanny to sit in with him for a few while she went to Zac's. He was texting her but she wasn't replying because she wanted to see his face when he answered her questions. After about 15 mins the nanny arrived and she headed to Zac's.
..................
Over at Darcies house.... Phone call.
"You think she believed it?" Ricky asked her.
"Hell if I know, I did what you asked . So pay up." Darcie replied. "Aren't you supposed to be on vacation with your wife anyways? Why are you clicking Fatima?"
"Nobody worried about her! She just don't need to have no nigga in my son face." Ricky said.
"Maybe if you was in his face then you wouldn't have to worry about the next man, duh" Darcie said sarcastically.
"Whatever! I sent your money. Thanks for your help." Ricky hung up.
"You know you're foul for this, right?" Angel, Darcies best friend said.
"For what exactly?" Darcie asked.
"This! That woman did everything to help you and make sure you and your kids were good for all this time and the whole time you've been tbe one following them and sabotaging them and sending shit to the blogs about her and Ricky and now you taking his money to help him ruin this woman's life? It's fucked up Darc" Angel shook her head.
"Listen I have to do what I have to do. I don't want to end up back broke not affording to live the way I want to." Darcie shrugged. "The blogs want the tea? I'll provide it. I just call it my second job."
"You're sick." Angel rolled her eyes.
"What's it to you anyways? You don't even know them." Darcie was getting annoyed with Angel.
"I don't know them but I know if they knew you were the source of all their business being public, you'd be done." Angel told her. "One days they're going to catch your ass in the act and you ain't gonna have shit to say."
"Well that'll be that day but it's not today." Darcie said. "Anyways I'm going to bed. Let yourself out!"
....................
Fatima had just pulled up to Zac's apartment. She sat in the car and processed her thoughts before getting out. When she reached the door she hesitated on knocking but she did anyways. After a few seconds Zac opened the door.
"I been texting you," he said and he could tell from the look on Fatima's face she saw the same thing he saw on the blogs. Fatima walked in and sat down on the couch and Zac sat next to her. For a while they just stared at each other.
"Ask me whatever you want and I'll tell you." Zac said breaking the silence.
Fatima took a deep beeath, "no matter how bad it is?"
"No matter how bad it is." He repeats.
"Did he hire you to talk to me?" She asked bluntly.
"No." Zac answered. "We didn't even meet in no ordinary way Fatima."
"Ok, How long have you known him?" She asked him.
"I know of him from his movies, but I've only met him in person once and that was that night." Zac told her.
"So why did he give you the money? I know him, he's not the type to just do that." Fatima said, now a little confused.
"Now that, I can't tell you. But I will tell you it had absolutely nothing to do with you." Zac replied.
"You just said I could ask you anything and you'd tell me Zac," Fatima says.
"I know I said that, and I have answered you but this one thing I cannot tell you because I don't want to be the cause of your pain." Zac confessed.
"Pain? Zac, what are you talking about?" Fatima asked him.
"I just need you to trust me on this." Zac was fighting temptation to tell her but he knew that would break her especially because this same man abandoned her son for this. He cared about Fatima and Amir and didn't want them to be hurt by this situation.
"Zac, whatever it is, you can tell me." Fatima tried to crack him but he wasn't going for it.
"Fine, ima go." Fatima gets up from the couch and Zac gets up with her.
"Wait, please just don't leave mad at me. I swear I want to tell but I just can't do that to you." Zac told her. Fatima looked at him and as much as she wanted to stay she couldn't take him not being honest with her so she left.
"FUCK MAN!" Zac shouted at himself.
