Days With Zion Dawsey

5. Another Invitation

"It feels like eternity since I've visited you, Sheryl. Your house looks as beautiful as ever." Ebony Stewart smiled at the woman in front of her. 

"Thank you. I guess nothing has changed since your last visit. As opposed to you. I have only seen a few pictures of you in the magazines over the months. Your hair is longer and you just look different. More mature and blossomed." Sheryl Dawsey complimented her guest with a genuine smile before taking a sip of her tea. Bonnie blushed.

It was Friday afternoon and the two finally got to meet again after having sent each other numerous letters. The two women stayed in touch even after Zion and Bonnie stopped talking and seeing each other. She was glad that she could consider Sheryl a good friend now. The two were currently enjoying a tea and cacao together and hoped to make that a regular event.

"I decided to grow my hair out during pregnancy. I was just too lazy to trim it and style it every day." Bonnie answered and Sheryl gave her a knowing look.
"Oh, I know exactly what you mean. Trust me, I went through that as well." Bonnie noticed the difference in her smile now. She wondered what that was about.

"Yes, well. Everything I went through during my pregnancy was so worth it, seeing the beautiful outcome." She said, glancing at her son, taking a nap in his stroller next to their table. 
"Yes, motherhood is a beautiful miracle." Sheryl followed the young woman's gaze and her smile was once again genuine.

"He's so big already. How do I stop him from growing so fast?" Bonnie only halfway joked as she took another sip of her cacao. The pair chuckled.
"See him as much as possible, so you don't notice it every day." Was the response.

"Oh, I do. He's with me all the time. When I'm at work, he's with me. I'm glad he's not a big cryer or else my employees would hate me." Bonnie told her.
"Mine always cried. Both of them, but Zion especially." Sheryl reminisced.

"Hard to believe." Bonnie joked, making her friend laugh.
"Yes, he really doesn't seem like an emotional boy nowadays. But he hasn't always been like that, you know." There was another sad hint behind Sheryl's smile.

Ebony didn't know what to say. She really had no intention to ever talk to or about Zion Dawsey again. They both had a deal, which was now over. Well, except for the rules. But the main part, her having his child and them actually having to interact was over and done with.

"But less about me, now. How are you, Sheryl?" Ebony asked, in desperate need of a topic change. Her friend had written her not too long ago that she had a short hospital visit because of her heart. She didn't elaborate further, so Bonnie figured it would be better to talk about it in person.

"I am fine. Perfectly fine." The woman smiled, again not a genuine one.
"I was just wondering because of your hospital visit. You know you can always talk to me whenever you need anything." The young woman tried.

"I really appreciate that." A short pause between the two took place as they each took a sip of their drink.
"Well, maybe there is something that is bothering me." Sheryl said and Bonnie was all ear as she nodded for her to go on.

"It's Zion's birthday soon. And I was wondering if you might come to our annual dinner for him. Maddox was so impressed by you and asked me if you were coming as well. I told him I'd ask but most likely not because you're busy. But it would mean the world to me to have you there and this time, it would be in my house. Margarine is cooking sucking pig and dumplings with sauerkraut. Oh, it will be fun." 

That was not at all what Bonnie was expecting. She did not mean stuff like that at all, when she offered to be there for her. Especially things that included Zion were a no-go for her. But seeing Sheryl Dawsey so excited about her attendance, and having her smile genuinely again made it difficult for Bonnie to decline. She did not have the time to think a lot about her decision, since if she would, Sheryl would probably be suspicious and ask as to why. 

"Yes, of course. If that would make you happy, how could I say no? But is, um- the birthday man okay with that?" She carefully asked, making her friend slightly frown.
"Why wouldn't he be okay with that? You're business colleagues. Plus, you seemed to get along just fine last time." Sheryl nodded.

"Sure, I was just thinking maybe it was more of a family dinner and I don't know if he'd want me there, since it seems to be a tradition and I certainly don't want to intrude." Bonnie said in one breath. But Sheryl shook her head with a swift motion of her hand, telling her it was no big deal.

"He'll be fine, if not excited to have you there. It's on Saturday, next week. Come around 5 p.m. It mostly lasts until late in the evening. It'll be a blast." Sheryl clapped her hands excitedly.

"Alright, I'll be there." Bonnie said and took another sip, more like a gulp of her cacao.

.

"Hey baby boy." Bonnie said, after waking up in the middle of the night. River was having a hard time staying asleep lately. Maybe it was the move three months ago or the hot temperature.

"Come here." She said as she took River out of his crib and kissed his head before making him lay comfortably in her arms. She sat down on her bed next to the crib and rocked her son slowly. She couldn't believe how big he already was. Seven months old, already rolling and scooting whenever she placed him in his crib and it felt like he would just up and leave for college in a week.

"Did someone have a bad dream?" She asked him as all River did was stare at her with his big green eyes. Bonnie smiled down at him as she wiped his drool with her shirt. Of course, the boy didn't answer but soon started yawning.

"Go back to sleep." She whispered, gently tracing his face with her finger. The boy yawned again and then made a noise, indicating that he was fighting against going to sleep. His mother laughed and shook her head.

"As stubborn as your father." She kissed his head again and then placed him in her bed, built a pillow barrier between him and the edge of the bed and then lied down next to him, smoothing down his hair.

"Such a handsome boy." She said, making River smile and kick his feet like he was awake and ready to start the day. 
"How come you're so energetic, huh?" She rubbed his belly, making him squeal.

"You're just excited you tricked me into letting you sleep in mommy's bed again." She fake narrowed her eyes at him and River looked away, as if understanding her. She shook her head again and then just watched her son do his thing until he eventually tired himself out with all the kicking and squealing.

An hour later, after he was fast asleep, Bonnie stood up and went to her kitchen window, having a perfect look at her driveway. And at the street all the way up to her neighbours across the street. 

Even though she knew, she wouldn't see him again, especially at this hour, she still hoped for some reason. Of course she was aware of the fact that Zion had been watching her house whenever she came back from work. 

She had recognized his car one day but he'd stopped coming a few days ago. She wondered what that was about and why in the world she never called the police on him. And why him stalking her did not creep her out like it should've.