Today is a bittersweet day for the Taylors/ Wilsons/ Wrights. It's bittersweet because Zac, Fatima and Zoë are leaving for South Africa and they'll be gone for almost a full month. Although the families are happy that Fatima is taking the necessary steps to ensure that she graduates on time, they each still held some minor reservations of their own.
The Wilson family (Carlos & CJ) were a tad bit worried that Fatima might pull her estranged stunt again, even though she promised them countless times that she'd be back because “things are different this time around.”
The Wright family (Eva & Malik) was slightly devastated because they felt like they were losing their daughter/niece for good this time.
Lastly, the Taylor family, specifically the parents, felt like they would be losing out on more time spent with their new grandchild, even if it's just for a little while.
| ATL Airport |
Everyone was in the middle of saying their goodbyes. Zac was with his parents, Fatima with her family and Zoë was with Eva and Malik.
“Babygirl, you promise that you're gonna be back right?” Carlos asked Fatima for the umpteenth time.
“Daddy, for the millionth time. Yes, I'll be back” Fatima replied.
“Before Thanksgiving?” Carlos asked and Fatima nodded.
“Alright babygirl. I love you and all the best with your final exams” Carlos said, pulling Fatima into a hug.
“Thank you, daddy and I love you too” Fatima said back before turning her attention to her brother. “Aww not you about to cry” she teased.
CJ sucked his teeth and chuckled. “Man whatever! Ain't nobody finna miss yo runaway headass anyway” he teased. “If I'm crying, best believe these tears are for my niecey pooh. Not you!”
“I'm gonna miss you too, ugly” Fatima laughed. “Bring it in,” she said with her arms held out for a hug.
“All jokes aside. I love you Oompa” CJ said, hugging her back.
“I love you too Loompa, and I promise that I'll be back. I put that on my mama” Fatima joked.
“Wherever she is” CJ laughed.
“Fatima, may I have a quick word with you” Gina said interrupting.
“Come on CJ. Let's go say bye to Zoë” Carlos said, giving the two some privacy.
Fatima and Gina walked away from everyone because she didn't want the others to eavesdrop on their conversation.
“Fatima, that night at the restaurant I promised to keep your secret on one condition” Gina started.
“I know” Fatima replied.
“Good. So then why have you been avoiding me for the past few days? What did the doctor say?” Gina asked with her arms folded. “And please don't lie to me.” She added.
“I wasn't avoiding you on purpose. I was just busy with packing and trying to finalize all our travel documents” Fatima defended.
“That's understandable,” Gina nodded. “So what did the doctor say? Are you pregnant or not?” She asked.
“I'm not pregnant. She took a blood test and it came back negative.” Fatima replied and Gina smiled in relief.
“Damn, so you really don't want me as your future daughter-in-law huh?” Fatima asked with a hint of heartbreak.
“Please don't get me wrong. It's not that I don't want you and Zac to be together and have more kids. I truly just believe that y'all should wait a little while.” Gina said honestly.
“Shit, more than a little while” Fatima accidently said out loud. “My bad” she apologized for cussing.
“No you're good,” Gina laughed. “You get a pass because you're 100% correct!”
“I just wish Zac saw it the same way” Fatima sighed. “You should've seen the disappointed look on his face when I told him that I'm not pregnant.”
“Don't worry about him. He'll come around eventually. You just need to make sure that you take the correct preventive measures to ensure that you don't accidentally end up pregnant” Gina advised.
“I'm way ahead of you!” Fatima exclaimed. “After the doctor confirmed that I indeed am not pregnant, I asked her for the arm implant birth control option. As of right now, you don't have to worry about another grandchild popping up for the next 3-5 years” she said proudly.
“I'm very proud of you for making such a grown woman decision” Gina said with a smile. “But uhm… does Zac know?” She asked.
“Does Zac know what?” Zac asked, walking up to the pair. “Baby it's almost time to board the plane.” He says to Fatima.
“Okay, I'm right behind you. I just gotta finish talking to your mom about something real quick” Fatima replied.
“Cool. But before I leave y'all to it. What is it that I need to know?” Zac asked again.
“Nothing” Gina and Fatima replied simultaneously.
“Okay” Zac shrugged. “For the record, I'm happy to see my two favorite women getting along again,” he said before walking away.
“I promise I'll tell him when the time is right” Fatima said to Gina.
“Alright. Oh and one more thing, can I please ask you for a favor?” Gina said and Fatima nodded.
“I know that it's not your responsibility, but can you please make sure that Zac upholds his sobriety? If you get the smallest suspicion that he's been drinking, call me immediately!!” Gina said.
“O-okay” Fatima let out a stutter and it was clear that she was confused, because she's always known Zac as someone who rarely drank alcohol during their teenage years. The most she's seen him drink was a beer, but only on special occasions - such as when he turned 18.
“Ms Gina when did Zac start abusing alcohol?” Fatima inquired. “Because if my memory serves me correctly. He was never into it.”
“Yeah well certain situations have a way of bringing out the worst in people” Gina said without trying to raise any suspicions.
“Certain situations such as grief?” Fatima asked.
“Depends on how you define grief. Sometimes it doesn't pertain to a permanent loss such as death, but a loss is still a loss” Gina replied and Fatima quickly connected the pieces.
“So you're telling me that he started drinking because of me? Because I left?” Fatima asked with tear-filled eyes.
“No, sweetheart, that's not what I'm saying” Gina said, pulling her into a hug. “Look, just please do what I said and stop thinking too much into things. When Zac is ready to tell you all about his toxic relationship with alcohol, then he'll do so in his own free time. But I want you to know that it's not your fault, so please don't even fill your head with such thoughts. Okay?”
“Yes ma'am” Fatima said softly before they both walked back to join the rest.
“You good baby?” Zac asked after noticing Fatima's reddish eyes.
“Yeah I'm good,” Fatima replied. “My eyes are just red because of allergies” she lied.
“Mommy, look at what my old mommy and daddy gave me” Zoë said walking up to Fatima.
“What did they give you, Munchkin?” Fatima asked before picking her up.
“This” Zoë said, showing her diamond encrusted customized bracelet with a butterfly pendant.
“I hope you don't mind Tima,” Eva said. “We had actually ordered it way before her 3rd birthday and it just came in recently, so Malik and I figured that we should still give it to her regardless of these new circumstances.”
“That's totally fine Eva. Thank you, the bracelet is very beautiful” Fatima said.
“Please note that flight DL 9910 will be boarding in the next 2 minutes. Kindly please make your way to the gate” a voice announced over the speaker.
“Before y'all go can we please all bow our heads and say a short prayer for traveling mercies” Gina said and everyone obliged.
After Gina said amen, they all did a group hug and then waved goodbye to Zac, Fatima, and Zoë.
___
📍Cape Town, South Africa 🇿🇦
After a long 16 hours of being in the air, the Taylors finally landed at Cape Town International Airport and were met by aunt Viv, who was serving as their airport greeter.
After collecting all of their suitcases, they started walking towards the exit to go and locate aunt Viv. Fatima was the one pushing the luggage cart because Zac was carrying Zoë who was fast asleep in his arms.
“Fatima, it's so great to see you again!” Aunt Viv exclaimed before pulling her favorite niece into a hug.
“I missed you too auntie!” Fatima smiled.
“So, are you gonna introduce me?” Aunt Viv asked with a smile.
“Of course. This is Zac” Fatima pointed. “And little miss sleeping beauty is my babygirl Zoë. Zac is Zoë's father.”
“It's lovely to meet you Zac” Aunt Viv said. “I'm Vivian Wilson, Fatima's auntie and sister to Carlos.”
“It's a pleasure to meet you too Ms Wilson” Zac said.
“Ah-uh, please just call me aunt Viv,” she said. “Come on, my car is parked this way” she said, leading the way out.
| In the car |
“So would y'all like to stop somewhere and get something to eat?” Aunt Viv asked pulling out of the airport parking lot.
Fatima turned to look at Zac. “Are you hungry?” She asked.
“Nah” Zac said plainly and then turned to stare out the window.
Fatima instantly picked up on his demeanor, but she chose to brush it off for now and bring it up when it's just the two of them.
“Um auntie I think we can stop at the mall and get something so that Zoë can eat when she wakes up” Fatima said.
“No problem, Tima. We'll go to Canal Walk. It's on the same route that we take to get to your apartment” aunt Viv replied.
“Auntie, I only have one bed at the apartment that I share with Lulu and Nandi,” Fatima explained. “Zac did manage to get us an airbnb for the duration of our stay, but it won't be ready until tomorrow. I was under the impression that you would accommodate us for just one night.”
“Oh uh… it's not that I don't want to help, the thing is, I kind of have an uninvited guest staying with me. This person literally just popped up out of nowhere and blackmailed me into letting her stay” aunt Viv explained.
“Blackmail?!” Fatima frowned. “Auntie, who is this person, and what do they have against you?” She asked.
“It's complicated,” aunt Viv said, pulling into a parking spot at Canal Walk mall. “Do you still know your way around?” She asked Fatima.
“Auntie yes!!” Fatima chuckled. “I was literally gone for just under a week.”
“Okay, I was just making sure” aunt Viv laughed. “Y'all go in without me. I'll be there shortly, I just need to make a quick phone call.”
“Okay” Fatima said as she and Zac got out of the car with Zoë who had just woken up.
** Phonecall **
“Hello?” The person on the other end of the phone answered.
“You need to leave!!” Aunt Viv says.
“Leave and go where Vivian?”
“Look, I don't care where you go, just make sure that when I come back with Fatima, you along with everything that belongs to you is GONE!!”
“Fatima? What is she doing back here?”
“That is none of your business Evelyn! Please just grab your stuff and go” aunt Viv said.
“No! I'm not going anywhere Vivian. You're literally the only person that I know in this whole damn continent!!” Evelyn yelled.
“Lie again” aunt Viv said and rolled her eyes.
“Vivian NO!!” Evelyn gasped. “I am not going to ask that man for help! Shit, I'd rather be homeless and live on the streets than to ask him for anything.”
“Suit yourself then Evelyn. All I know is that your ass needs to be gone in the next 20 minutes, unless you want to get arrested for all the crimes you committed back in Atlanta.”
“Vivian, please don't make me go back to him!! You don't even know what he did to me. Pleaseee” Evelyn begged and it was evident that she was crying.
“That's because every time I ask you about what happened between y'all, you shut down.”
“What happened doesn't matter! Look, I understand that I need to go but can you at least lend me some money to get a hotel?” Evelyn asked.
“How are you gonna pay me back when Carlos had all your assets frozen?”
“Vivian, first of all, let's not act like you don't owe me” Evelyn snickered. “So, just give me a couple of thousands and I promise I'll be out of your hair for good.”