Black Love Short Stories

Right My Wrongs

Hey y'all, so I know I went missing- but trust me I was writing. Sometimes I can't find anything to write- I know my fellow writers feel me. But hey, I'm back. Please enjoy this story.

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     Zaria smiled as answered her sisters call.
     "Yes Zion?" Zaria answered as she watched the road as she drove.
     "Man where are you? The party is about to start?" Zaria heard Zion say.
     "I'm coming girl. I literally just turned on the street."
     "Ok good. And I'm just letting you know now, Jeremiah is here."
     Hearing his name instantly made Zaria swallow hard. She hadn't seen him since that night, that terrible, terrible night. Memories flooded her brain, and she couldn't seem to shake them. Tears clouded her vision as she pulled over to the side of the road.
     "Z," she heard her baby sister call her name. "Z...Zaria Melody Thomas...girl, talk to me."
     "I...I'm good Zion." Zaria stated clearing her throat and wiping her eyes.
     She heard Zion sigh. "No you're not, Mel. But it's ok to not be. Where are you?"
     "I'm just a house away. I pulled over to the side of the road."
     "Ok, good. Now let's pray big sister." Zion stated.
     And that they did. She prayed for her big sister and when she was done, Zaria felt better.
     "Alright; now come on to the house. Mama is eager to see you. And so is Nana." Zion stated.
     That caused a smile to grace Zaria's face. She had missed her mother. But she had missed her Nana more.
     She and her sister had hung up the phone and Zaria got back onto the road.
     No sooner had she got on, she arrived at her Nana's home. Before getting out of the car, Zaria said a prayer of her own and make sure her long relaxed hair was in its place.
     Walking out of her car and into the July heat, Zaria wiped the tiny beads of sweat from her forehead. Yes it was hot, but she was nervous.
     As she ventured her way down the path into her Nana's backyard, she smiled as she anticipated seeing her. Being away for years had its toll and Zaria was ready to b home.
     She smiled once she saw her Nana, who upon seeing her grandchild began to cry.
     "Nana, don't cry." Zaria spoke as she kissed her grandmothers cheeks.
     "Aw, Baby these are happy tears. Real happy tears. Look at you...you ain't been eating up there in New York. You look way to thin." She spoke as she patted her grand daughters leg.
     Zaria laughed and listened to her grandmother. She didn't care what her grandmother thought, but she was glad to be sitting beside her.
     Zaria left her grandmothers side to mingle  with her other family. After seeing aunts and uncles, Zaria found her baby sister and other cousins talking.
     She sat and talked with them until a familiarly voice approached the group.
     "Zion, I can't find the popsicles." Jeremiah spoke as he approached the group. He froze when he saw Zaria. Silence followed his stare and everyone knew why. Everybody could feel the tension between the two.
     Zaria looked away from his intense gaze and cleared her throat before standing up.
     "Um, Zion I'm about to go and see Nana." She spoke as she avoided eye contact from the only person who could make her heart melt.
     She bit her lip trying to fight back tears as she went inside of the house and upstairs into the bathroom.
     She wiped the tears from her face and soon found herself on her knees in praying position.
     Hearing the door open didn't concern her as she released all what she'd been trying to hide.
     "Nana's here baby." She heard her Nana say. "Let it loose baby, let it loose."
     And so Zaria did. She cried and cried while her grandmother just held and rocked her.
     When she was done, Zaria sat quietly in her grandmothers arms. "Baby girl, I understand your pain."
     Zaria looked at her grandmother. "You do?"
     Nana chuckled. "Oh yes chile. Oh yes...it hurts to see the man you love after some years. Especially after things ended on a bad note. Your grandpa Curtis and I went through the same thing. He cheated and I was hurt. And as much as I wanted to hate him, my love for him was stronger. Now Zaria Melody, you were wrong for messing things up with that boy. You just gotta make things right."
     "But how Nana? Jeremiah looked at me like he wanted to kill me." Zaria shook her head at the memory.
     "Baby girl he loves you." Nana testified. "I can see it. Now you get your pretty self up and freshen up because everyone is downstairs wondering where we went probably. And I know you want to see your nephew."
     Zaria smiled at the mention of her sisters son. She was excited to get ahold of her chunky six month old nephew.
     After Zaria calmed down and freshened herself up, she and Nana went downstairs and sat under the shade.
     Zion soon strolled over with her son in her arms. Zaria's eyes widened once she saw him.
     "Zion, he's so big....and chunky." She outstretched her arms and the baby happily grinned at his aunt.
     Zion smiled. "Girl, he's fat. I love my fat man." She spoke as she pinched her sons cheeks. "I'm gonna be right back, Jacob needs me."
     Zion disappeared to find her husband and left Zaria with her nephew and her Nana.
     The party continued and soon everyone and the baby was fed. Night was just starting to come when Zion, Zaria, and Nana smelled something that made all thre women turn up their noses.
     "Zion, I think Mr. Fat Fat has made a stinky." Zaria spoke as she frowned her face at the smell.
     "Well, since your next to have a child, I'll let you go and change him." Zion smiled as she snuggled next to her husband.
     Zaria rolled her eyes at her baby sister and got up with the grinning baby.
     She walked into the house and into the room in which her sister kept the babies things. She laid the baby down and smiled as he ate his fingers and giggled at him.
     "Yeah, you think this is funny- but it's not." Zaria smiled as she changed his diaper. When she was done the baby yawned and Zaria knew that he was tired.
     Gathering him in her arms, she rocked him, singing an old song that her grandmother had sang to her and her sister. The baby, mesmerized by his aunts voice soon drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
     Still singing singing softly, Zaria laid the baby down and turned to leave the room. She stopped in her tracks seeing Jeremiah eyeing her intently.
     "You know I forgot how good you could sing until just now." Jeremiah spoke as he leaned against the door frame.
     "Yeah, I kinda stopped for a while." Zaria spoke as she looked at him.
     He nodded his head and looked at her for several seconds before turning to leave.
     "Wait." Zaria called out, causing Jeremiah to stop in his tracks.
     "Jeremiah....I-I'm sorry. I was wrong. I hurt you and I didn't know how good you were to me until you were gone. I've hated myself for what I did and seeing you only made things worse. I know it's too late to say that I'm sorry, but I am. I'm not that stupid 18 year old anymore. And it's ok if you don't wanna ever talk or anything because I understand. I only wish you blessings in life, but I'm seriously sorry for hurting you the way I did."
     Jeremiah looked at Zaria for a few seconds. He took in her features and still decided that after seven years she could still take his breath away. From the way her brown skinned glowed to the- small scar above her right eyebrow, Jeremiah still loved everything about her.
     "Zaria...." Jeremiah began. "You hurt me. Made me feel like those 3 years together was for nothing. And as much as I wanted to hate you I couldn't. I still can't. Zaria, I love you girl. And I forgive you."
     Zaria couldn't help the tears that escaped her eyes as she listened to Jeremiah. She knew that he was being real.
     "I...I love you too Jerry." She spoke as she called him by the nick name she had given him years ago.
     Jeremiah walked up to Zaria and caressed her face, wiping her tears in the process.
     "It's ok, Zaria." He kissed her forehead. "It's ok."
    

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     Hours passed and Zaria and Jeremiah sat on the porch swing watching the fireworks light up the night sky.
     "You know it's gonna take me a while to trust you again." Jeremiah told her honestly.
     "Yeah, I understand Jeremiah." She spoke as she looked down. She wasn't mad at him- but hearing that still hurt her.
     He lifted up her chin. "Hey baby girl." He began. "I love you. Im not going anywhere Mel."
     Zaria nodded her head in understanding and smiled. "I know. Take your time with the trust thing Jerry, I'm fine."
     Jeremiah smiled at her and kissed her forehead, then her nose, and then her lips.
     The pair snuggled up against one another. Zaria was glad Jeremiah had given her a second chance.
     All I had to do was right my wrongs, Zaria thought as she and Jeremiah entertained hands.
     She knew that it was God's grace that she had her man again. Only by his grace.

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Sometimes all you gotta do is right your wrongs- and everything will be alright.

Zion and Zaria remind me of my sister and I.

Peace and blessings until next time.

With love,

Malaysia ✌🏾💕