One night in Manhattan

Healing old Wounds

Fatima and Seven sat in their seats comfortably as their plane began taxiing down the runway. Being that it was another daytime flight, Fatima closed her eyes and breathed steadily so she wouldn't appear afraid in front of her daughter. When the plane steadied in the sky, Seven tapped her mom on the shoulder. "Do you need water?" she asked. Fatima knew better than to think she could hide her fear from her daughter. That girl always had her eyes on her mama. "No baby, I'm alright." Fatima said smiling.

"Mom can you watch Inside out with me?" Seven watched that movie at least once a week and Fatima didn't think she had another watch in her. "How about we talk instead?" Fatima had been thinking about the interaction between Seven and Zac the entire time they sat in the lounge waiting for their plane to board. Hearing what her daughter said and then watching her hug this man who was essentially a stranger to her had her thoughts going. Fatima always made sure she let seven know that if ever she wanted to know more about her birth parents, she would support her fully, but this is the second time in a year that she brought up the fact that she does not have a father.

"What about?" Seven asked curiously.

Fatima didn't know how else to ask so she just let it come out. "Do you want to talk about your birth parents?"

Seven continued wearing the confused expression. Slowly she let out a long No.

"Are you sure? Because you said it was time for you to have a dad."

"Yea. A dad that wants to be my dad." She answered like Fatima should have known that.

Fatima didn't know what to say. She wanted to tell her the truth, That she did have a father who didn't give her up, but she didn't want to jump the gun and there were still so many questions that neither Fatima nor Zac could answer right now.

"You like Zac and you kissed him and you was nekkid and I know that kissing means you gonna get married soon because you said that's what people who love each other do so that means he loves you and he is ok with you having a kid and he's nice to me and he's not broke I think and he don't steal so yea when you get married he can adopt me too and then I will have a whole family like my friends." Seven said giving Fatima the longest run-on sentence.

She sat there quietly, digesting everything. "Sev, you have a whole family. You have so many people who love you no matter who makes up your family tree. Families aren't always the same. But I hear you babe. but lets slow down on the marriage talk girl. We just started dating."

"Are you sure? Cuz you talk to aunty Lauren about him from a long time ago." Seven countered quickly.

"Press play on your movie girl," Fatima said opening her IPad to read over some of the notes Zac emailed to her. Fatima didn't know what to do with the conversation with Sev. It saddened her that her daughter doesn't feel like her family is whole, but she knew that would change soon. So she hoped the reassuring words she gave her would help.

***

Zac sat on the edge of his couch with his controller in his hands yelling into his headset at Jordan who he was playing against in 2K. "Yo bro, I forgot to say thanks for yesterday." Zac said remembering Jordan's help with his date and his car the night before.