One night in Manhattan

BBLs and Basketballs

RECAP

"Go lay with mom, I'll sleep on the couch."

Her father smiled and walked back to his daughter on the swing. "You've always been my favorite."

"I've always been your only." Fatima teased the fact that she is an only child.

"Goodnight baby."

"Night daddy."

Fatima looked at her phone again and took a few deep breaths before trying to call Lauren.

***

Fatima and Lauren sat under the dryer beside one another. Neither had really spoken to the other much since being in the salon which seemed to be the standard for their relationship lately. Fatima pulled out her phone and texted Lauren. "Do you want to get lunch after this?" she watched as Lauren read the message and waited for her response. "Can't. Have plans already." Fatima nodded her head. The reply did not surprise Fatima as she could tell Lauren was still in her feelings. She was trying to be gracious as her father told her to be, but the attitude was beginning to annoy Fatima. "How about tomorrow?" She replied, giving it yet another shot and bracing herself for another rejection. Instead of trying to get a glimpse of Lauren as she was replying, Fatima decided to close her eyes and listen to the sounds of the dryer at work. It felt like an eternity before her phone buzzed in her hand. "I'm working this week. But I'll let you know." Fatima thought about responding but not in text but reconsidered knowing all the people in the salon would be in her business. It's been a week since Fatima returned from Atlanta and try as she might, Lauren still refused to budge. Fatima dropped the subject and two minutes later, Lauren was being called back to the stylist's chair to finish her blowout and Fatima let her thoughts go back to a few nights ago when she and Zac sat cuddled together on the couch.

A few nights earlier

"And how was your first day of second grade?" Fatima asked Zac laughing. She laid nestled into Zac's arms on the couch with the news playing in the background. They'd just put Seven to bed after hearing her talk their ears off about how much she loved her new teacher. She'd decorated the class to look like they were in a comic book, which was a hit amongst the students. She ran down all the interesting details and surprised everyone when she told them they also had a class pet, a snake. Fatima joked that she was going to have to move her from the class at the revelation of the snake and Seven almost lost it. She begged and pleaded with her mother who she thought was serious. In the end, Fatima 'gave in' and let her stay. The last order of business for the night was to talk to seven about one last thing. Just as Fatima was about to start talking to her tho, Zac coughed, interrupting her. he asked her to meet him in tehe kitchen to get some tea going and she followed him confused. It was in the kitchen, she learned that Zac wasn't ready to tell her yet. He was so nervous that he was sweating when they'd gotten to the kitchen.

"What if just wait til the weekend. What if this ruins the rest of her week?" Zac questioned of he was making the right decision by discussing it before the results were even in.