Zaddy (Urban) #wattys2016

Chapter 23

As most of us know two more of our black men have been ruthlessly murdered. Generally speaking I'm a very unemotional person or should I say detached and things don't get to me as much as they do other people, it sounds bad but that's how I've always been (don't mistake me for being heartless). But watching these two men be killed has disturbed me, is still weighing on me and I can't get the images out of my mind. No child should have to see their fathers death plastered all over the internet especially at the hands of the people who are supposed to serve and protect us.

This chapter has nothing to do with this, but I felt compelled to at least say something even if only one person reads this and the rest of yall just skip to the actual story.

R.I.P Alton Sterling and Philando Castile

With that being said please enjoy this chapter, hopefully its good enough to entertain yall for a minute before we have to go back to the harsh realities of this world. Thanks for the love!

*****

Sitting across from each other neither Denim or Ziya felt like they looking at their best friend. The aura between them was off and not anything like it used to be. It had been Ziya's idea for them to meet up, she was trying to get her life back in order which meant getting her best friend back. She had no real expectations for how their conversation was going to go, Ziya just knew she was going to be as real and transparent as she could be. And hopefully it would be enough.

Ziya had gone all out and got a chef for the night and put together a nice little setup on the patio just for the two of them. She was hoping the ambiance would ease the tension just a little bit.

For a while neither of them could find the right words to say to each other. It wasn't until their food had arrived did any conversation between them spark. And it was only because Denim wanted to taste one of Ziya's shrimps.

"We both hurt each other Denim" Ziya said after dropping one of her shrimps onto Denim's plate.

"You're hurt?!" Denim was already on ten.

"When I tried to be there you shut me out."

"Maybe if you weren't stuck up Mecca's ass 24/7 we would have never gotten to this point. Maybe if you had answered the phone all those times I called. Maybe had you remember who the hell your best friend was we wouldn't be sitting her right now. You are the reason for this shit Ziya! I never forgot you, I was always there for you. You got a man and forgot who was there before him, you forgot about the person that has had your back since that night five years ago when I didn't even know your last name. how dare you say that you're hurt when I had to go through almost losing my child, working hours on hours, dealing with an asshole for a baby daddy and still trying to stay sane all by my damn self when you as my best friend should have been there. I never asked you to drop Mecca or pick me over him, I just wanted to know that I mattered to somebody. And that somebody being you!"

"I'm sorry Denim" Ziya picked over her food as she sniffed. "I don't know what happened. I allowed myself to become the woman I never wanted to be. I don't like this."

"What are you talking about?"

"The greed, the materialistic shit. I let it all get to me and I'm sorry. I had an epiphany the other day and I realized just how messed up I really was. I can't even imagine the hard time you have been having especially with Blaze as a baby daddy and I feel like shit for not being there for you. I just gotta find myself again and be the friend I used to be. It wasn't Mecca's fault and I know you put some of the blame on him. It was all me, I wanted to live this life. The same life I used to talk so much shit about. I want my best friend back, I want to be there for you like you have always been for me. I never want you to have to go through anything like this again by yourself."