Show Me

009

Zola

I rubbed my eyes as I reached for my phone. The screen lit up with a flurry of missed calls and texts. It was barely 9:30 a.m., and I was still in that half-asleep haze, but seeing my mom's name flash across the screen in all caps made me wide awake.

Mom

Zola, please tell me you're awake. I need you to drop off some files at the office. I left them on my desk. I'm in a meeting, and I need these TODAY!

I rolled my eyes. Typical mom, always on the go, always demanding something; right when I thought I had the chance to sleep in. But I knew better than to ignore her. If she needed something, especially if it was work-related, there was no way I could say no. She'd probably have my head on a platter.

"Okay, okay," I muttered under my breath. I threw the covers off and swung my legs out of bed. The air was chilly, and the thought of going into the office didn't exactly excite me.I grabbed my phone and shot her a quick text to confirm I'd be there in twenty minutes. As I moved toward the bathroom to get ready, I tried to shake off the grogginess. The office was only a short drive away, and I could manage this. I had to manage this.

Fifteen minutes later, I walked into the lobby of my mom's office building, my heels clicking against the polished marble floors. The lobby was sleek, as always, filled with glass walls and modern furniture. The front desk lady, Marissa, waved at me as I walked past her.

"Good morning, Zola," she greeted me brightly.

"Morning, Marissa," I replied with a half-smile, already feeling the weight of the day starting to press down on me.

"I think your mom's in a meeting," Marissa added casually. "She didn't mention you were coming by, but you might want to check in before you head up."

I nodded, not giving it much thought, and made my way toward the elevator. My mom often had back-to-back meetings, and it wasn't like her to leave a note or let me know when she was busy. I was used to it.

But when I stepped off the elevator on her floor and walked toward her office, something caught my attention. There were voices. Low, but distinct. I could hear her sharp, authoritative tone mixed with a much deeper, more familiar one.

I hesitated, pausing in front of the door. The last thing I wanted to do was barge in while she was in a serious meeting, but I knew how my mom operated—if she needed those files right then and there, she'd want me to get them to her no matter what.

I pushed open the door without knocking, and immediately froze. There, sitting across from my mom, was Nasir. He looked as calm and collected as ever, his expression unreadable as he leaned back in the chair, his arms crossed.

I couldn't move for a second. My heart skipped in my chest. What was he doing here? It didn't make sense, not in the way I thought it would. My mom worked with some heavy hitters, but Nasir? That was different.

Before I could overthink it, I heard my mom's voice cut through the awkward silence.

"Zola, darling," she said, her tone casual, like she hadn't just caught me in the middle of the most unexpected and awkward situation. "I was wondering when you'd show up."

I blinked a few times, trying to hide my surprise. "Uh... sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," I muttered, my words coming out rushed as I handed her the stack of files. I didn't make eye contact with Nasir. I couldn't. Not with everything that had been brewing between us over the past few days. There were just too many emotions tangled up in that.

I forced a smile as I looked at my mom, my fingers tapping nervously on the doorframe. "I didn't realize you were in a meeting." My voice faltered slightly, but I quickly covered it up.