Window Seat

10

An hour later, they went to go get Ayla from school. Zac went to get her for the first time. He went into her classroom.

"Brother!" Ayla ran over to him.

"She's such a baby" A little boy in the back of the room said

"Shut up dookie head" Ayla says

"Ayla, you cannot say that." Her teacher said

"Pause" Zac said. "So, it's cool for him to call her a baby but she can't tell him to shut up?"

"That phrase is not allowed in this classroom. Besides, she was on yellow today because she didn't talk this morning."

"Who willingly wakes up in the morning and wants to talk? It's 7:45 in the morning. I barely want to open my eyes, so you want her to talk?"

"She has to greet me. It's a respect thing."

"Can you at least wait until AFTER she eats her breakfast? Ayla isn't an early bird."

"That has nothing to do with me."

"Interesting. Come on." He took Ayla and left out of the building.

"Am I in trouble?"

"No. I can give you some grace because I hate talking in the morning."

"Okay, I don't like her. She's always mean. She doesn't like my little pencils."

"The ones that you sharpen?"

"Yes. I don't like big pencils because they hurt my fingers. She says that I need a big pencil"

"She needs to mind her business. That's why she got boneless box braids now."

They got in the car. "Tima!"

"I missed you"

"M says that you had a spicy night. Did you have chicken without me?"

Zac laughed.

"I didn't have chicken without you. What did your teacher say today?"

"A bunch of bs" Zac says. "I don't like her. Stressing my sister out about a pencil and not talking in the morning is crazy."

"Who wakes up and decides that they want to talk bright and early? Ain't nothing wrong with her pencils either."

"She's picking on her and that's why it's okay for her to be on yellow today. She did that because she wouldn't talk to her."

"I'd be on red if I was in her class."

"I drew a picture of mommy." Ayla says

"Really? I want to see it" Fatima says

She handed her the drawing. "Pretty?"

"Yes, pretty. Why is she red?"

"Anger from inside out."

"Oh, wow. It's really nice."

Zac drove them to Fatima's apartment. They both went their separate ways.

*6 months later*

Zac started working as a COO. He finally feels like he's in the right place. Zac has switch his college major to business and has 6 college courses. He moved into an apartment that is way better than his last one.

4 months ago, he closed on the land that he wanted. Since then, he has started building his home. His foundation is complete and his house is halfway done.

Fatima had to quit her job as an LPN. She had to take several days off for court with Mona. Mona was fighting Fatima so hard for Ayla. Recently, they got a new judge. He is better than the last one. The recording from two months ago was ruled admissible in court. They have one more court date left for the case.