"How did you know when to come?"
Zazi asked surprised at arnold's timing.
He himself hadn't really known there was trouble, but ever since his wife got that bruise, he was worried and he decided to come see her and take her home every time he could, if not everyday.
"Instinct maybe!" He smiled. Did Jacob strike zazi? He wandered. He didn't see him with a whip in his belt that evening..
"Zazi i need you to have something."
He opened a case and removed a shot gun.
"A gun?"
"For your protection!"
"You.. You want me to carry around a gun?"
"Yes. I want you to carry around a gun. And don't be afraid to use it to defend yourself. "
"But Arnold..."
"It wasn't a request."
Zazi reluctantly took the gun.
She had used a gun before in those three years. Arnold liked hunting and they would go together to hunt some antelopes and that was how she learned how to aim and shoot.
Was this because of jacob? Did she get a gun because the incident?
He was the type who did everything to keep her safe.
He would get paranoid over a scratch on her and ready for war.
If zazi told her she tripped and that was how she scratched herself, he would need to hear from a witness before her calmed down.
"Zazi has become so beautiful. She always was but now, she is angelic."
Anna described to Binti as Binti combed her hair.
"You met her again?"
"Yes at her restaurant. Her husband build it for her. You can tell her really adores her and here i was praying she would take Sebastian back."
"I was hoping for that too." Binti and ana knew why Sebastian left but they didn't know the other knew why Sebastian left.
So they didn't voice their reasons.
"But he gave zazi a beautiful life. Saved her when we couldn't. And zazi hates Sebastian."
"She believes he abandoned her. Her feelings are validated...... Where is zazi's restaurant?"
"Ow its the north of the town. The path that leads to the church, you take two rights after. You cant miss it. It quite big." She said. "I could take you there one day."
"I would love that." Binti smiled at her. She would love to see zazi, but who knew if zazi would love to see her.
The next day, zazi was just opening the restaurant. It was Saturday abd the girls begged her to take her with them and zazi agreed.
If she knew what the day had in store for her at the hotel she would have left them at home.
The moment the doors open, she left a hand touching her shoulders.
She turned to see Jacob standing in front of her.
Call it a reflex, she grabbed her children in panic.
"What are you doing here?"
"And a good morning to you to darling. How are these little ones?"
Thankfully just then, donald appeared.
"Take them in my office please."
"Of course my mistress."
Zazi was face to face with her life's biggest monster and he was smiling at her like he was expecting a hug.
"So which one of them was sebastian's? Wait i heard none because you were seeing both him and Arnold at the same time just as he was seeing you and katrina. And then when he left you held on to Arnold, and here I thought you were so innocent. You even hid the other child"
"Jacob what do you want?"
"Why did you give me the cold treatment yesterday what was that about? Why the angry eyes?"
"Are you serious?"
"Zazi don't forget i am still your master. You have my initial branded on your shoulder for the rest of your life."
"What exactly do you want?"
"An explanation. And maybe spend sometime with you. I missed you."
He licked his lips meaning what he wanted zazi to think.
"You miss me? When have we ever been together?"
"We can start now."
Zazi felt anger that she had to hold.
Not infront of her restaurant.
"You asked what my cold treatment was. I don't know if you have a short memory or you're acting clueless. You killed my father, you cut mother's leg. You wanted me and my daughter dead when you sent a chase on us. And you expect me to look at you with loving eyes and welcome you with open arms?"
"Zazi. I heard there was a revolution to harm me and i acted. I had no idea that your father was among them. You could have told me. Come to me and ask for his life in exchange for something from you. So that was your fault, you didn't want to save him that much. Your mother, i didn't cut her leg. And for your children, well child since the other was perfectly hidden frim me, i didn't want to kill you zazi just the baby. I just wanted the baby gone so you can be free to love me. We all thought they were sebastian's and i didn't want to have no grand child from you, but children from you."
Zazi looked at him like he was crazy.
"Yes zazi i could you give you everything. I wanted them to get you so i can take you somewhere safe and pamper you all your life. Somewhere where no one would bother us. I like you that much. "
"You wanted to kill my daughter and you expected me to see it as a favor to set me free?"
"Yes. You should have thanked me. You child no responsibility!"
"Thank you? Thank you? You are an evil human being. You have no heart. Just leave." This man had lost his mind
Zazi turned to go and heard him shout behind her. "Close my babies' ears. Mama is about to make a bang."
"I'll give you some time to leave Arnold. And come to me."
At the manor, a carriage arrived. Arnold's brother had decided to surprise Arnold.
Harold knew his brother didn't want to bring his family to england to see his family, mother father, brothers, sisters, nephews.... So he came to convince him. Completely unannounced.
He was welcomed by mumbi who of course didn't know who he was and thought he was a guest.
His face looked one from the family painting she was shown once but she couldn't remember well.
He coldly told her he was Arnold's brother.
Mumbi asked the maids to bring the luggage to the guest room.
"And why would my brother hire a cripple. I would have thrown you out along time ago. You are so slow and incompetent. Now go and get me some juice."
"Mr i will not do that."
"What did you say?
"
"I will not bring you a drink. I was trying to be hospitable but i am not a maid. I am the mother in law of your brother."
"Oww. So you are the mother of zazi. The little slave to used voodoo to bewitch my brother. So you live here to help her make it so it doesn't were of?"
Mumbi decided to say nothing. Accusing someone of using dark magic was a never taken lightly in the community.
It could even cause a lot if problems. But this was an arrogant man. She decided to walk away.
Go and hang out with her friends and makr some beads for her grandbabies which they loved so much.
"You and your daughters days are numbered!" That was the last thing she heard Harold say.
No wonder her son in law was not in a hurry to introduce his family to the rest of the family.
She could imagine how the could treat her child.
Brenda never saw zazi during the engagement party, nor the children. She heard about them after. She wanted to go to the hotel yo see zazi when he friends told her the story of zazi and Arnold.
The children were two and Arnold's. Even if they were two, they had to be Sebastian's.
She must have used this as survival method and she respected her for that.
Zazi was a good girl. She was someone who could be trusted and wouldn't two time her son. If she lied about the father, it could because Sebastian left and she needed Arnold for security so decided to think quick.
So during lunch she went to the restaurant.
Which was almost full.
Before she got a table she spotted zazi and ran to her.
"Zazi."
Zazi was surprised but friendly.
She didn't do anything to her.
"Mrs lockwood how are you?
"
"Im fine zazi, how are you?"
"Im doing good."
"Extremely good i can see.. Zazi,, can we talk?"
"Sure follow me!"
'Let me just get this all over with!' Zazi thought to herself.
She went with her yo her office and sat down with her.
"Its been so long zazi. I know we weren't close but i did really like you."
"I knew that. You always gave my mother extra food when i was little. Gave me Anna's old clothes. I cant forget that."
Brenda didn't want to ask about the children's father. But she wanted her grandchildren again.
"How are they?"
"Who?"
"My grandbabies?"
Zazi got up from her chair.
"Zazi. Could you please let me see them? That's all i ask. I know you said they are nit Sebastian's and that's okay. Can i just see them?"
"If you know they are not Sebastian's why are you calling them you're grandbabies?"
"Because i consider them as they are. I only thought i had one but god was gracious giving me two. I was so sad thinking you had died zazi. I send and paid people to help you but i guess you helped yourself."
It is true she was unhappy. Even her marriage hadn't been the same. Even watching her husband with other women stopped exciting her.
She was just angry about what he did and it was just a distance marriage where she tolerated him.
Zazi knew brenda send people to find her from her mother. But and didn't know if she could fully trust her to go against her husband.
Just then the door opened and the children ran in.
"Mama mama! Mama look!" Jennie ran saying
There was an uncooked egg in their hand.
"Do you think if we take it home it would be a chick?" Lily asked
Brenda stood up and watched the children jump up and down in excitement to their mother.
"You took this from the kitchen?"
"No, Robert said we can take anything." Of course, the head chef just loved this children and they loved him.
It was not so much, he didn't spoil them with food so much that zazi felt the need to stop this but he sure did give them alot of things zazi wouldn't. She chad to cut sugar at home because they would eat alot of sugary food at the hotel that they would have a sugar rush.
Zazi felt the children were having fun with the stuff and they always looked out for them. It was all love, so as long as it stayed like that, no problem.
"Okay fine, we can take it home."
"Yeey!" They jumped up and down.
Only for lily to let go of the egg. It fell down and cracked open.
The girls looked at their mum and back at the ground as if telling mummy to fix it.
"Don't worry, i give you another egg." Brenda said walking towards them.
"And who are you?" Lily asked.
"I'm your new friend. Brenda."
They turned to their mother and she nodded.
The children smiled. She took the children into her arms and hugged them crying.
They were obviously confused.
Even zazi was.
She didn't understand.
She then went downstairs bought to eggs, raw and brought it to the girls.
"Thank you Brenda!" They said sweetly. She hugged them again. Sat them down and asked them about their day, birthdays, home. Everything.
Zazi stayed there watching. The children got comfortable very quickly with her. Which was rare, especially for Jennie. Was she being sincere? She asked them their names that they said to her. She liked how the rhymed and promised to get them a present next time she came.