Her manager scoffed. "You've got to be kidding me, Zadia? Seriously? Why is it always people like you who can't seem to fathom what the word responsibility means?" He spat out. "Either you come to work today at the time you're supposed to, or don't bother showing up."
From across the room, Zadia watched Tino sit up in his playpen, looking toward her window. The sky wasn't as glumly as it was yesterday, but still, dark clouds blinded the sun. She felt several emotions hit her all at once, but she kept her cool because of the baby. "You know what Bryan." She started, using his first name. "I'm just not going to show up. You are an enormous as—." She caught herself. "I mean butthole. You are an enormous butthole that needs drilling because you're rude and a racist!"
"What?!"
"You heard me!" Zadia whispered yelled, her grip on her phone tightening. "And believe me when I tell you, that's the nicest thing I'll ever say to you. Some day you'll meet someone and they won't be so nice. Frankly, I hope they kick your a-s-s." She spelled. "You know my address, mail me my last paycheck!" She hung up and set her phone down on the counter.
Once the first drop of rain hit the window, the baby fell on his butt, a hurt expression on his face. Zadia ran towards him before he could cry, not wanting the neighbors to complain again. Henry had been patient with her for the past few weeks about the noise, but she knew if more complaints came in she'd be out soon. "Shh, don't cry." She whispered, picking Tino up. She bounced with him, patting his back lightly as she moved in the fridge's direction. He kept fussing in her arms, which made her grow nervous.
Zadia noticed that he was always anxious when it rained. She pushed some ice into his mouth and he quickly spat it out, fussing some more. "Why would you do that?!" She said, louder than intended, and that was all it took for him to start with the waterworks. She watched as his chin trembled, his tears clouding his vision. "I'm sorry, little human. I didn't mean to yell." Zadia tried shushing him, but it only made it worse.
With a quick pace, she walked into her bedroom and shut the door, before mentally panicking. "I'm sorry, Tino. Please stop crying." She practically begged, her tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "I'm trying here, why can't you corroborate little humans?" When his cry's got louder, she almost pulled her hair out.
"Okay, think Zadia. Think." Zadia said to herself. She thought about the things she researched about crying babies and sighed. "Alright, let's see if this works." Setting Tino down on the bed for a moment, she took off her shirt and threw it across the room. When she was done, she gently removed Tino's onesie as well before picking him back up. "I know, I'm sorry."
Her hands tapped lightly against the soft skin on his chubby back as his cries died down. She laid backward on the bed, using a pillow to support her head. A sweet hum escaped from her lips, coddling Tino back into a safe space. "I didn't mean to yell at you." She told him, her voice low. He hiccuped a little, burying his face in her chest, his tears soaking her skin. "Sometimes, the things I want to say comes out my mouth louder than it needs to be. I never had to filter it... but I guess I'll start doing so now."
Tino wrapped his small baby fingers around her black bra strap, pulling on it lightly. Looking up at her nightstand, Zadia stretched her arms to grab her iPod classic that was connected to her old ihome radio. They were some of the very few things she kept from back home.
Her eyes moved from top to bottom, searching for the right song until they fell on 'She's mine part 2 by J. Cole'
She pressed play, and a song played through the radio softly. Big hazel eyes looked up at her curiously. "Something you should know about me, little guy, I'm a huge J. Cole fan. And if you're gonna be staying here, you have to be a fan too."
ChApTeR - 4
Start from the beginning
