Fatima's POV
We had just gotten back to LA, and Zac was on a mission. The moment we landed, he was ready to head straight to Kolby. I could see how anxious he was to get to her, how his entire focus had shifted from our vacation bliss to his role as her dad. It made my heart ache in the best way, seeing how much he loved her.
"You want to go home or you want to come with me to grab her?" Zac asked, his voice a mix of hope and understanding. He knew what a wild card Sabrina could be, and he didn't blame me if I wanted to avoid the inevitable drama.
I bit my lip, feeling that familiar pang of longing. I missed Kolby so much. I missed hearing her little voice calling me "Titi" every five minutes, missed her laughter and the way she'd light up when she saw me. But thinking about having to deal with Sabrina? That was a whole different story. I could already feel my stress levels rising, anticipating her games.
"What do you want me to do?" I asked Zac, knowing he'd want me there but wanting to hear it from him. The way he squeezed my hand reassured me, and I knew I'd made the right choice.
When we pulled up to Sabrina's house, I had already decided I wouldn't get out of the car. I made it clear to Zac: we were just picking up Kolby and heading back to my place. No lingering, no chance for Sabrina to get under our skin.
But of course, Sabrina couldn't resist making a scene. The moment Zac walked up to the door, she spotted me sitting in the car. Her voice was loud and snide as she called out, "Oh, let me guess,you're rushing out of here because she's in the car?"
I couldn't hold back the eye roll. I leaned forward and rolled the window down, calling out in a tone that made it clear I wasn't playing. "ZACHARY, let's go!" I didn't have time or patience for Sabrina's antics, not today.
That's when Kolby saw me, her face lighting up as Zac held her in his arms. Her little smile was everything. "Titi, me miss you!" she squealed, wiggling to get free from Zac's grip.
My heart melted instantly. I opened the car door, and Kolby practically launched herself into my arms, her small hands clinging to me as she hugged me tight. "I missed you too, Peanut," I whispered, feeling tears sting my eyes. She was safe, she was here, and in that moment, nothing else mattered.
Zac climbed into the car, his expression a mix of relief and joy as he watched us. Sabrina's drama might never end, but right then, holding Kolby and seeing the love in Zac's eyes, I knew we had something stronger. We had our family, and that was worth every bit of the chaos.
I could feel Sabrina's eyes boring into us from the front steps of her house, her glare practically burning a hole through the car. I tried to ignore the tension, focusing on getting Kolby settled in, but Sabrina wasn't about to let us leave without making a scene.
"Alright, Peanut," I said softly, my voice full of warmth as I looked at Kolby. "Tell Mommy you'll see her later." I was ready to roll the window up, my only concern being getting Kolby strapped in safely so we could get out of there. But of course, Sabrina had to take one last shot.
"You don't even have a car seat, and y'all are just leaving with my daughter?" she snapped, her voice dripping with accusation.
I could feel my patience wearing thin, but Zac beat me to it. He turned to look at her, his jaw tight and his eyes blazing. "You don't even own a car seat for her," he fired back, his voice steady but cutting. "So I'm sure she's been in the house all this time, right?"
Sabrina's mouth tightened, but she didn't say anything, just folded her arms and stared at us with that familiar mix of bitterness and contempt. I could tell she wanted to keep arguing, but she knew Zac had a point.
