"It's okay- it's okay gorgeous-
"It's not okay Zac don't lie to me" she says with tears falling fast down her face as she sat in the hospital bed.
"Baby I promise it's ok-
" No you can be honest-
"Fatima I am being honest! Stop it!" He says to her. He grabs her chin while he looks deeply in her eyes.
"I don't blame you, I don't hate you. I know that if it was meant then it would've happened. I'm not mad at you babe, it's okay." He says kissing her lips as the tears just kept streaming.
"I love you and that's not changing-
"Be honest with me" she says
"Baby I'm being honest." He says and she kept her focus on his eyes. Finding comfort in him like she always would.
"I was so scared" she says crying into chest
"I know baby. I know" he says rubbing her back. He gently rested his chin on top of her head as he thought to himself. He knew Fatima wanted him to go but he felt like he should've stayed with her.
"I got you" he says as he could feel her breathing becoming more labored as the tears continued.
He closed his eyes while he held her.
Eventually a nurse came in to exam her once more and processed her discharge papers. Zac ended up leaving his phone in his car so he wasn't aware that everybody was blowing his phone up since he left.
Fatima laid with her head resting on the passenger side window while Zac drove her back in his car. He made a mental note to ask Robin to drive him back to the hospital to get Fatima's car when he came back to campus.
"Zac" Fatima mumbled lowly
"Yes" he answered
"I want to go with you" she says
"I am with you babe, I'm not leaving-
"No I want to go to your place. I don't want to go to mine" she says
"Whatever you want, whatever you want babe" he says as he continued driving. He could hear her sniffling and he rubbing her thigh.
It wasn't long before they arrived at Zac's apartment. Zac helped Fatima out of the car and they made it into the apartment. Before she could sit on the couch, she started crying again. She couldn't help herself.
"I didn't want to ruin this for you" she says
"Stop talking like that. Babe you didn't ruin it. I'm fine, I'm just worried about you" he says "Just try to relax for me please" he tells her
She sat with her head in her hands while Zac moved around the apartment getting things in order for her. When he walked back out and noticed her, he went to sit on the coffee table in front of the couch
"I know this is new for us but we're fine. Believe me when I say this. I'm going to be right here. Do you hear me? " he ask her and she nods.
Zac heard his phone ringing and before he could get up , Fatima grabbed his wrist.
"Please don't" she says to him
"Baby we have to say something. I ran out of there and everybody has been calling. They just want to know if everything is okay" Zac says and they stared at each other. Fatima's eyes were pleading and Zac read them.
"Just let me tell them everything is good" Zac says and Fatima hesitantly let go of his wrist.
"Yo" Zac answered
"Nigga everybody been calling your phone what the fuck happened?" Robin asked on the phone.
"Everything is cool. I just wanted to come check on T" Zac days
"The way you ran out of here had everybody thinking something was wrong." Robin says "She cool?" Robin ask and Zac turned to look at Fatima who was now laying on the couch in a fetal position. He took a deep breath.
"Yeah she's good" he says just looking at her. He had never seen Fatima in this state, maybe mad or pissed with him. Even crying from a sad movie but this was nothing like that. It was new. Seeing her like this was hurting him much more than losing the child.
"Ard cool. Have T call her mom- no tell that hoe she need to call me back" Danni ripped the phone from Robin's hand
"Uh yeah when she wakes up, she'll call you" Zac says knowing that it wasn't the truth. He didn't understand why Fatima didn't tell the girls about the pregnancy which made it hard to even understand how they'd move forward with this secret.
"You want to stay in here or go lay down in the room?" Zac asked
Fatima didn't say a word, she was just staring straight. Zac exhaled and sat on the floor by her while her head rested on the arm of the couch.
"I got you" he said just above a whisper while he rubbed her hand. Sitting with his knees bent to his chest he rested his head on them.
The next day rolled around and Fatime woke up in Zac's bed laying on his chest. She didn't remember moving from the couch but when she had fallen asleep, Zac lifted her up and put her in the bed.
"You okay?" Zac asked with his eyes still closed but felt her movement so he woke up
"Yes" she said as she swung her legs off the side of the bed
"You need me to get anything for you?" He asked as he rubbed his eyes out of tiredness. He stayed up late lastnight because he couldn't sleep knowing that Fatima wasn't okay. He ended up getting in bed close to 3am.
"I'm just going to the bathroom babe" Fatima says as she got off of the bed and made her way.
Zac's eyes finally adjusted and he sat up on his elbows. Fatima's phone was vibrating on the bed. He could see it was Andi calling. The phone stopped and started ringing again
"Babe A is calling" Zac called out. He didn't hear any response but eventually seen Fatima walking back into his room. She came over to the bed and grabbed her phone.
She answered the call and Zac rolled out of bed.
"Yeah?" Fatima says answering the phone.
"Yeah?" Andi ask "I've been calling you! Why haven't you answered?" Andi went off. Rightfully so because Fatima hadn't answered anyone and because they don't know what's going on, it doesn't soften the punch.
"I'm answering now" Fatima responded blandly.
"Why are you being an ass?" Andi ask and Fatima could hear Amani in the background whining
"I'm not. I answered the phone. I'm fine. Why are you tripping?" Fatima says trying to flag off the conversation.
"Okay whatever Fatima" Andi says and the call ended.
"You good?" Zac ask walking up behind her and hugging her
"I'm fine" she says
"I'm going to go with Rob to pick up your car" he says kissing her forehead
"No then he's going to ask why the car is at the hospital" Fatima says in a subtle panic
"Babe let me ask you this" he starts
"Why is it a secret? Like from the beginning, you didn't want to tell the girls? Why?" He ask
"I just... I don't know. I just didn't get a chance to tell them that's all" Fatima says. It was her truth. She wanted to actually process being pregnant before rushing to tell people. She didn't know how to feel at first and she didn't want other peoples opinions or feelings to cloud her mental space. Now it seems like the burden is now heavier because not only did she have to tell them she was pregnant but that she also lost the pregnancy. That was going to come with a whole bunch of emotion that she knew she wasn't ready for especially dealing with how she felt too.
" I didn't get a chance" she repeated and Zac could see the sadness rush across her eyes
"I know" he says kissing her forehead again
"You remember that Robin did know" Zac says
"Oh... yeah you did tell him." She says "Well I guess it doesn't matter anymore. I just hope no one stole anything out of my car. I don't think I locked the doors" she says stepping away from him
"I would hope not it's a hospital" Zac says
"Well you would think it wouldn't happen there but you just never know" Fatima says
"You're right" Zac says nodding. It was quiet for a moment.
"I'm going to hurry up and go get your car so I can come back. I'll stop to get you something to eat and I'm coming right back" he says
"Okay" she says
"Do you want to go with me?" Zac ask. He felt uncomfortable leaving her and honestly didn't want her out of his sight
"I'll be okay here but can you hurry back" she says
"I'll make it as fast as I can" he says walking over to kiss her. She had gotten back in the bed.
"I love you" he tells her
"I love you too" she says calmly
Zac went to pick Robin up so that they could make their way to the hospital. Robin would be driving one of the two cars back.
"Where's her car at?" Robin ask when he got settled in the car
"Umm..." Zac hesitated "The hospital" he says
"The hospital? Why though? She started a job at the hospital? Naw T wouldn't work at a damn hospital." Robin say talking to himself. Asking questions and answering them himself.
"She had to drive herself to the hospital the other day" Zac finally came out to say
"Huh? For what? What was wrong?" Robin says firing off questions again. Robin looked at Zac for an answer as he stayed focus on the road. All Zac did was suck his teeth.
"Ahhh dont tell me something happened with the young" Robin says looking intensely at Zac
"She lost the baby" Zac says
"Damn bro" Robin says "I'm sorry" he added
"Damn" Robin mumbled to himself
"Yeah. I didn't even know what to say for real" Zac admitted
"Is she cool? Like for real because that's crazy" Robin says
"She's not but she'll say she is." Zac tells him "It just makes me mad because I wish I was there with her. Like she told me to go home with y'all and her attitude just got the best of me. I was like fuck it and left, but I should've just stayed with her" Zac says and Robin could tell his brother wasn't alright
"Like I don't know how I'm suppose to feel about this. We wasn't planning on having kids this soon anyways but after she told me I was down for whatever. Then it's just like what do I say to her? I have never been through no shit like this and the way it's affecting her is fucking with me." Zac spoke honestly
"It's new for both of yall. I know she isn't expecting anything specific from you but to just be there. She probably don't even know how to feel either" Robin explained
"That's crazy for real." Robin says trying to process it
"You tell mom and pops?" He ask
"No. T hasn't even told anyone. The only person that knows is you." Zac says
"Why she didn't tell the Danni and A? I'm shocked" Robin says
"I asked her earlier and she said she just didn't get the chance to" Zac says pulling into the hospital parking lot.
"Damn... that's fucked up" Robin says
"I don't know when she's going to say something but I doubt she's telling her parents." Zac says pulling by Fatima parked car.
"I'm really sorry bro" Robin says
"It's good." Zac responds " I just want to get back to her. You can drive my wheel, imma take hers" Zac says before he gets out of the car, walking around.
The two followed eachother back. Robin parked Fatima's car at Zac's apartment and Zac drove him back to his.
When they pulled back up to Robin's apartment which wasn't far from Zac's, Danni and Andi were getting out of the car.
"You sure you good?" Robin asked Zac before hoping out of the car
"Yeah, about to get her something to eat and then head back. I appreciate you." Zac says to his brother
"Yeah of course." Robin says and they share a quick hug before he hopped out of the car
"Excuse me Zachary where is Fatima?" Danni says walking up to the car
"She's at my place sleep" Zac says
"She ain't sleep. If she don't answer my call I'll bring my ass over there." Danni threatened
"I'm sure she'll call you when she's up" Zac says. He didn't know any other excuse but to say she was sleep but after awhile that excuse wouldn't be useful
"I don't know something isn't right." Danni says "I talked to her earlier" Andi says
"Oh you did?" Danni ask " So why didn't she call me back?" Danni says feeling offended
"I don't know. She in one of her bags. I'm not dealing with it" Andi says
"You tell her to call me the hell back when you get in the house or I'm coming over there as soon as I leave here" Danni says
"I'll tell her to call you." Zac says
Danni looked at Zac and she felt the energy was different but she was trying to figure it out.
Zac pulled off
"Didn't you say something like she's pregnant or something" Danni says walking behind Andi. Robin had grabbed Amani's car seat and taken him in the house
"I think she is but she's trying to hide it. I'm telling you something is off with her. I know her" Andi says
Hours passed and Fatima ate a small amount of her food. She was laying her head on Zac's lap while they sat in the living room. He was massaging her scalp, running his hands through her relaxed curls. She was the most comfortable she had been since everything had happened.
The two snapped out of their comfort when the doorbell rang.
Fatima looked up at Zac without saying any words
"I have no clue babe. Let me go see" he says and she sat up on the couch, with the blanket wrapped around her
"Zachary I told you if she didn't- why the hell you ain't call me back" Danni says barging in seeing Fatima on the couch. Andi followed behind her.
"Hey" Fatima says
"Hey" Danni says imitating her. Andi and Fatima glanced at eachother
"What's up with you, you've been rather quiet these last few days. And you too" Danni says looking at Zac
"What's up with yall" she says looking in between the two.
"Is it something yall want to tell us or something." Andi interjects
"Like what?" Fatima says
"Umm maybe that you're pregnant and for some reason you don't want to tell anybody" Andi says knowing she was confident in her response
"I'm not pregnant." Fatima says and in that momemt Andi's confidence level dropped
"Anymore" Fatima forces out after moments of silence
"What do you mean anymore?" Andi ask
"Ummm yeah enlighten the class" Danni says
Fatima wanted to come right out and say it but her mouth wouldn't let her. No words were coming out. She just looked at them and her eyes began to burn with tears.
"T" Andi says and Fatima put her hand out
"No" she says "I'm fine" she says trying to catch the few tears that were falling. She felt like if anyone attempted to hug her in that moment she would ball her eyes out. She was tired of crying.
"T you're not fine. Why didn't you say something" Danni says softly
"I was going to. I just - I" Fatima tried to get out but began to choke up. Andi felt that something was off with Fatima from the start and it was bothering her. Now knowing this has transpired and seeing her this devasted was killing her softly. She had to embrace her regardless if Fatima wanted it or not.
Danni joined them.
"I was going to tell yall" Fatima says through her tears
"It's okay" Andi says "It your business to tell. I just, I'm just me. You know me. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push you" Andi apologized. When Andi wanted to know something she was definitely going to find out whether she had to beat it out of you. She had always been that way and she had different ways of making someone tell it all to her. That was just Andi.
"We just care about you T. That's all. You know that right?" Danni ask and Fatima nodded her head while wiping her face
"I know" she says.
"Just don't shut us out. I want to be there for you. We want to be there for you... for yall" Andi says looking at Zac. Danni nodded in agreement
Zac did a single head nod. He was in his head fighting his emotions while also seeing the love of his life in the the most emotional state he's ever seen her in.
He didn't know how to outright express himself. He didn't know which words to use to explain exactly how he felt.
He didn't know how things would be moving forward but he knew he wanted to support Fatima in anyway he could.