Terminal One

Fear

11 months later...

"I don't know..." Big Ma quavered. "I'ma have to pray about it." Looking around the ranch style home.

"Big Ma. This house is amazing..." "Yeeeaahhh." she chimed. "I just don't know." fidgeting with her thumbs.

"Is everything ok?" "Uhh. Yeah." Zac stuttered, being startled because he completely forgot the lady was even there. "Can we get back to you though? We wanna check around some more."

"That's fine." The real estate woman said. "But I would hate for this deal to fall through. This house is a hot commodity." she mentioned.

"I understand that but I have to talk to my wife and my Big Ma isn't so sure." "Oh." she murmurs, placing her hand purposely on her chest. "You're married?..."

"Yes. I/He is..." Zac and Big Ma chorused.

Big Ma gives the lady a look. "Nah I know you don' seen that lil' tidbit on his application and that rang he got on his finger ain't invisible..." She scolded. "Don't get yaself in truble messing. Because I don't play dat and neither does my Cupcake." pointing a finger in the woman's face.

"Come on hea Peanut." Big Ma mumbled, grabbing his hand and pulling him away. "Now I see why I didn't wanna be here."

"Wait!" "Nope!" "Thank you for your business." Zac shouted as he and Big Ma left the premises.

Big Ma's Mini Van...

"Did you see that heffa?" "I didn't notice.." "Good ansa." Big Ma voiced, clenching her purse closer to her out of comfort and control.

For the past three months, it seemed as if Zac had a hoe magnet attached to him.

Fatima blamed it on the new cologne she bought him from the tiktok shop and after almost getting into a fight on one of their date nights, she forbade him to wear it again. And even though he complied with her request, the scent lingered.

"Big Ma. I know you said it was time to move, but are you afraid to move?" "Me! Nooooo!" Big Ma mumbled, shaking her head.

"Big Ma..." glancing over at her with a skeptical look.

She glances back. "Ok fine..." "But why?" "Peanut. Ya grandfather and I been in that house for as long as I can rememba. He built that house for us and well..." taking a sigh, "I thought we were gonna be togetha forever and die in that house togetha. When he died. I was all alone until I opened my door for those in need, then you came along every now and again, the Ivy, now Fatima and the kids." getting choked up.

"That's our home..." "I hear you." Zac murmurs, "It scares me too." he admitted, taking her hand into his.

It's silent for a moment. "Big Ma. How can we believe in God so much yet have so much fear..." "We're human." she voiced without hesitation.

"Fear is always the absence of faith in knowing that God got us but we're human baby..." she says, "We've been through somethings and have all these feelings of anxiety and worrying about what tomorrow or the next day gon' bring, mixed in with trauma that we lose sight of what God has for us..."

Zac nods in agreement. "We all do it and we all have it...except for Angel..." Zac laughs, "Yeah. That boy holds no fear." "None at ALL, ya hea me..." Big ma chuckled, shaking her head.

"But I will say, since his fall, he's been trying his hardest to live up to his name." "Yeah." Zac uttered proudly. "Especially since we put him in every sport that would allow him to join at his age..." "Don't sell yourself short though Peanut. You starting that junior military program at the church really helped a lot of kids and Angel too." "Thanks." he smiled.