Reclamation

Twelve

Kasen

Nine Days Later

I'm awakened from my sleep, by a bit of sounds coming from downstairs. I sit up in the bed and I look at the clock and I see it's around 3:30 a.m. I've become a very light sleeper just out of paranoia. I get out of the bed and I place on a t-shirt, so I have that on along with boxers and basketball shorts. I exit my bedroom and I peek in Jaxson's room and he is sleeping peacefully. I head to Zariyah's room next door, and I don't see her in there.

"Zariyah," I called out softly. No answer. I quickly go downstairs and I look around the first floor. I stop when I get to the kitchen. I see Zariyah bent over in front of the oven, placing a pan in there. My eyes traveled down her frame. Damn. She has on a beater and shorts. She looks good as hell. She closes the oven door and stands up.

"You ok?," I called out softly. Zariyah jumps as she spins around to face me.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you," I said while taking a few steps closer.

"It's ok....I'm fine are you?," Zariyah asked.

"Yeah I just heard a bit of noise. Got a little worried," I said.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you up."

"No it's ok....what are you making?," I said while sitting at the kitchen island.

"Just some cookies....I couldn't sleep."

"Everything ok?" Zariyah sighs as she sits next to me at the kitchen island.

"I heard back from my lawyer last night....Justin doesn't agree to the terms," Zariyah said while sighing deeply.

"Damn...I'm sorry to hear that. What will you do?"

"....I don't want to do this, but I have to send him the tapes of him beating me."

"At this point...he deserves that much."

"...You're right. I don't want to ruin his life. I really don't. I am hoping when he sees the tapes, he will realize how serious I am. If he refuses again, I will go public with the tapes."

"At least you're giving him a chance to make it right before you do that. You don't have to do that."

"I know. I shouldn't."

"But you're a good person and you want to protect him, even though he did you wrong."

"...That sounds so terrible when you say it."

"It's not terrible. It speaks to your character. You have a good heart."

"Thank you. I just want to be divorced and have full custody of my son. That's it. I don't want anything else."

"You didn't ask for anything else from him?"

"Nothing else. He can keep everything I just want my baby."

"I admire that. You really just have your son's best interest at heart. You are an amazing mother."

"Thank you. I appreciate that....it's good to hear."

"....Justin never told you that?," I inquired.

"No...he said I would baby Jaxson too much. I mean he is my first born child and he will always be my baby. I just wanted Jaxson to always feel like I love him. I never wanted him to feel like he is a burden or a mistake. That's always how Justin made him feel."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Jaxson doesn't deserve that he's really an amazing kid. You've done an amazing job with him."

"Thank you."