Black Love Short Stories

Hardships Will Come

Happy September! I hope you've been enjoying the change in weather. I certainly have. Now, onto the story.....

***
The sky was grey and cloudy as Anayah and Zion headed to their weekly session.
She glanced at her husband, who's eyes were focused on the road. Focusing back on the cloudy skies, Anayah exhaled gently.
Thunder clapped in the sky and Anayah jumped. Zion noticed the action and glanced her way.
"You alright?" His deep voice called out.
Anayah looked at him. "Y-yeah. I just wasn't expecting that." She managed to say.
"You need me to pull over? I know how you get during these storms." Zion asked.
As much as Anayah wanted to say yes, she declined.
"No, Zion. We're already running late to the session. I'll be fine." She said as she watched the rain fall.
Zion nodded and wasn't at all surprised. He knew how serious she was about time commitments.
The rest of the ride was silent. Only the smooth motor of the car could be heard and the pitter patter of the rain. No words were exchanged and once Zion found a parking spot, they walked into the large and tall building.
Once they walked into the room, Anayah smiled warmly at Dr. Kyla Dixon. The older lady was in her early forties and didn't look a day over twenty five. The only hint at her age was the gray hairs she sported with pride.
"It's nice to see both of you again." Dr. Dixon began. She watched as Anayah and Zion sat beside one another, not touching. Zion sat semi relaxed with his back to the chair and Anayah sat straight up with her back as stiff as a board.
"Zion, how did your coaches conference go?" Dr. Dixon asked.
A smile spread across Zion's face. "It was food Doc. We had our annual rival tournament and of course my team won. I'm ready for our first home game next week though." He said as he smiled thinking of the memory and future event to come.
"That's good. I know your kids were happy." She smiled and Zion nodded.
"Anayah- how has your work been? I remember you telling me about your firm choosing some people for partner soon." Dr. Dixon asked.
"Yeah....I can't lie. Im nervous. But I know I've been putting in the work, so Lord willing- I'll get chosen." Anayah said with a nod.
"Good. Im glad both of you have been having excellent weeks. Now, as you recall last week, I scheduled you some homework. It was to think about reasons why you feel your communication has been lax."
Anayah looked at her hands before looking at Dr. Dixon.
"We don't see one another." Anayah said. "I mean- we haven't spent quality time together in a few months."
Dr. Dixon nodded and scribbled in her notepad. "Zion how do you feel?"
Zion sat up from his relaxed position. "She's right. We haven't really talked all day...all week, really."
"Why do you think this is?" Dr. Dixon asked.
"I feel like we're used to it now." Anayah said. "I mean- ever since our last argument I think we agreed to disagree." She shrugged.
"Do you think this is healthy? Because you're literally walking around silent in your home?" Dr. Dixon asked.
"I don't think it's healthy but I think it's best for us. If we talk- it'll be an argument and I can't deal with that." Zion shook his head at the thought. He loved Anayah and didn't want every conversation to be a heated argument.
"How long ago was this argument?"
"Two months ago." Anayah said as memories of the incident flooded her brain. She felt her face heat up in anger as she remembered.
"So for two months you've been silent with one another?" Dr. Dixon asked.
"Not completely silent. We communicate about house things. Like if we're looking for something or Anayah will ask me if I want whatever she is cooking." Zion admitted.
"Which is rare because he usually has already gotten some food. So to answer your question, Dr. Dixon, our communication is very limited. And it's because neither of us have moved past that argument."
"And what was this argument?" Dr. Dixon asked.
"She is mad because-"
Anayah looked at Zion sharply. "I can speak for myself." She looked away from him. Zion rolled his eyes.
"I'm angry because Zion keeps dismissing my concerns about this new teacher at his school who keeps going out of her way to be near him every chance she gets." Anayah said. She felt her anger rise and she sat up in her seat. "But the icing on the cake was when I came to his job to see that tramp in his office eating out of his food bag with him. I wanted to slap her."
"Zion do you have anything to say?"
Zion sat up. "Yeah I do. When Anayah walked in, Tracie was just asking to taste my chips. So I let her grab one-"
"She was all in your face giggling." Anayah said as she rolled her eyes.
"We we're laughing at something one of the students said." Zion defended himself.
"You could've told me. Not that wanna be witch."
"Anayah how can I tell you anything when you're never home? Everytime I would call you- you'd make some excuse about having work to do for the firm. The firm seemed to become more important than me." Zion confessed leaving Anayah somewhat startled.
"W-what?" Anayah managed to let out. She had picked up extra cases but she was sure that her house was in order.
"Anayah- when you got onto this partner route, you started to leave me out. Late night meetings, leaving early. I couldn't keep up. And pretty soon you didn't even tell me about your day anymore. I felt iced out." Zion admitted.
Am uncomfortable silence fell into the room and Dr. Dixon allowed it. She liked this couple and wanted them to work through this.
"Anayah," Zion called out to her. She looked up at him. "Baby when you saw me with Tracie that day, we were just talking. That's all. I'm sorry you felt that I was messing around but I promise that I wasn't."
Anayah nodded unable to speak. She knew that Zion was telling the truth and she couldn't deny him for it.
Dr. Dixon looked at her watch and knew their time was up. "Alright guys," she said as she looked at the couple. "I think the ice has finally began to thaw. Work through this. Lean into uncomfortableness. For your homework communication is still number one. But I also want you guys to see the perspective from each other's point of view. You can learn a lot if you do."
The couple nodded and Dr. Dixon ended their session with a prayer. When the couple walked out of the building, the silence between them was still there as well as the rain that continued to fall.
As they got into the car and began their drive home, the thunder clapped in the sky. Anayah jumped and Zion noticed the action. Silently, he maneuvered the car into the parking lot of the local park.
"Zion what are you doing? Don't you have to get up early tomorrow? It's already 7:00." Anayah asked as she looked at her phone.
"We're only a few minutes from home. But you keep jumping, and I know you don't like storms."
Anayah didn't say anything as the rain continued to beat against the car. Zion switched the radio station and Come Over by Aaliyah was playing.
"Do you hear what's playing?" Zion asked and Anayah couldn't help the smile that graced her face.
"I do. We were in what- our second year of college when this came out?" Anayah looked at him. She took the time to take in his familiar features. His rich chocolate skin, expressive eyes and beautiful smile had drawn her to him. The only thing that had changed about him was his age.
"It had to be. Because we would be studying with your portable radio playing and this CD played all the time." Zion said as the memories flooded his brain. He found himself smiling. "And you remember that time the librarian asked us to turn it down but you turned it all the way up and literally everyone was rocking to the beat?"
Anayah laughed at the familiar memory. "Even the librarian couldn't help but to smile at my mess. I was a trip back in the day."
"That you were." Zion said and he looked at the woman he fell in love with. Her honey colored skin was red from laughing but that still didn't make him see her as anything less than beautiful. Her hair was pulled into a bun but some of her hairs were loose and curled at her neck.
Zion watched her laughter continue with a smile but his smile turned into a frown when he heard her sob.
"Baby what's wrong?" Zion asked.
Anayah was quiet as she wiped her face few minutes before looking at Zion.
"Zion I'm sorry." She sniffled. "I didn't know that I was pushing you away. Im sorry. So sorry." She said as fresh tears fell.
She felt Zion reach over and cup her face in his hands. "Anayah, baby it's alright. I was wrong too. Instead of talking I just left you alone. I had a part in this too."
Anayah nodded at his words as relaxed as she felt him wipe her tears away. Zion pressed their foreheads together and the pair stayed like that allowing what was just said to sink in.
The rain lightened up and when Anayah pulled away from Zion, she wiped her face.
"The rain is slowing up. You wanna get home?" She asked Zion.
Zion nodded and started the car. As they drove home, Anayah put her hand out on the arm rest. Zion noticed the action and slipped his hand into hers. She squeezed it and he lifted hers to kiss it.
"You think we're gonna be ok?" Anayah asked him.
"Yes, baby. I do." Zion spoke boldly.
"How do you know?" Anayah looked at him once they entered the driveway.
"God told us that hardships will come. It ain't always gonna be easy. But as long as we focus on Him, I think we'll be just fine." Zion said.
Anayah nodded and allowed herself to look into his eyes. They were filled with love and she knew then that she wanted nothing more than to work out this rough patch with her husband.
          "I think we'll be ok too." Anayah said as she and Zion held hands.

                                  ****
        A week passed and Anayah heard her heels click as she walked down the hallway to the school gym. As she neared it, she heard the laughter of kids and gossiping of parents.
        Just as she was about to open the door to the gym, she heard someone call her.
        "Mrs. Thompson?" She heard someone call her. Looking to where the voice was coming from, she was met with a boy who wore a blue basketball jersey and a basketball in his hands.
        "Yes?" She questioned.
        The boy's face lit up as he smiled. "You don't know me. But I know you. I'm Carter, one of Coach Thompson's players. Coach  is always talking about you. He's always showing us photos and stuff of y'all back in the day. And he wasn't lying when he said you were pretty." The boy smiled.
         Anayah felt her heart warm up at the boy's words. She didn't know Zion talked about her that much.
        "Come on, I can show you to a good seat." Carter said. Anayah followed him and allowed him to lead her to a spot on the first row.
        He waved goodbye and watched as he ran to his team. He yelled something at Zion, who looked back at her. A smile graced his face and he jogged over to her.
        "Hi." He said once he neared her. He sat down beside her and Anayah turned to look at him.
        "Hey." She smiled.
       "How come you didn't tell me you were coming?" Zion asked as he moved a stray piece of hair from her face.
        "I wanted to surprise you." Anayah shrugged. "I know this means a lot to you."
        Zion smiled hearing those words. He grabbed her hands and bought them to his lips. "Now I got my baby here, I think I can coach this game right." He smiled at her.
        Anayah smiled and looked to his team. She saw the boys watching them and giggling at their interaction.
       "Well I better let you go. Your kids are watching us." She nodded to the group and Zion looked over at them and shook his head.
       "I'll never hear the end of this. But then again- I don't think I want too."
       He kissed her forehead before sanding up and looking into her eyes.
        "I love you, Anayah." He spoke.
        "And I love you, Zion." Anayah replied.
        With that, Zion walked back to his team and Anayah settled in her seat- eager to watch her husband coach this game.
        She knew that with him was where she wanted to be. It was where she needed to be.
       Hardships will come, she thought. But by God's grace- we'll make it.

****

So that's the end y'all. I really enjoyed these two because they are so complex. What did you think of them?

Remember that hardships will come in life. But God always got you!

With love,

Malaysia