One night in Manhattan

Daddy Zac

Before she could answer, Zac pressed the email and scrolled through until he found what they'd be waiting for. He let out a deep breath and read the results aloud. "probability of paternity is 99.99%"

***

Fatima heard the words that Zac read but just for a moment, her brain couldn't understand what they meant. It was almost as if all the sound from the world around her faded and the only thing she could hear was the constant replaying of the words probability and 99 percent. It kept repeating in her head like a chant. Fatima looked around the room for a seat to catch her, but when she looked to the left, she saw Zac had fallen to his knees with tears staining his face and remembered that she wasn't alone. Although she couldn't hear what he was saying, she was certain the tears on his face were from happy tears. Fatima leaned on the table fighting to brace herself as she made her way to the floor beside him realizing the strength in her own legs was also failing her. Together they fought to compose themselves after processing the news.

"Are you ok?" she asked him finally after the shock wore off. Although Fatima knew the chances were high, she wasn't sure if she was nervous that he was Seven's father or that he wasn't. She saw the joy they brought each other, and Fatima had fallen in love with the smile Seven wore whenever he was around.

"Shit. I'm perfect." Zac's red puffy eyes contradicted the huge smile he was wearing. "Are you?"

Fatima's head began nodding slowly as her smile increased matching his. "I am." They both erupted into a fit of laughter at the same time. "This is so fucking insane!" Zac said still full of joy. He scooted himself across the floor closer to her. "Thank you," he said pulling her to her knees from her seat on the floor. Zac wrapped his arms around her tightly. "This is so crazy!" she repeated, mirroring his exact feelings.

He jumped up from the floor cheering as if he'd just won a national title. "That's my daughter! That's my daughter! That's our daughter!" Zac continued to cheer while bringing Fatima to her feet. "hashtag girl dad! Hashtag reunited and it feels so good! Hashtag my babymotha harder than a lot of you niggas! Hashtag twinning with my daughter!" he continued shamelessly

Fatima couldn't help but smile and laugh at him. "Ok ok. Hashtag calm down!" she teased him but she could watch him in this moment forever. She made a quick mental note to talk to him later about spoiling her because she knew Zac was bound to go overboard. "Zac! put me down!" she fought against him as he lifted her up spinning her in circles playfully. She squealed in delight, allowing herself to celebrate the joy she was feeling alongside him. They were both out of breath when they finished their celebrations. "congratulations daddy." Fatima said smiling through deep breaths. Zac's smile dropped and it surprised Fatima. "did I say something wrong?" Fatima asked confused by his sudden change.

"ummm. No.. it just hit a little differently just now." A smile resurfaced. "Fatima, Fatima, Fatima. God is a wild man bro. One day we should write a book about all of this."

"We should!" she agreed. "But first, we have to tell our daughter."

Zac raised his hand to show Fatima it trembling. "I don't know if this is nerves or excitement." He laughed. " ok. How about I cook dinner and we tell her tonight?"

"You had me, you cook dinner."

Fatima hugged Zac and kissed him. "this really is something crazy."

***

"Mommy, can I change my class?" Seven Zac and Fatima were seated at the dinner table in Fatima's apartment eating the Jerked Salmon Zac prepared.