Fatima had been up for majority of the night not being able to sleep, this was a weekly occurrence for her. At least three days out of the week she would be lost in her thoughts not even sure how it got to that point.
Zac slept peacefully with both his arms wrapped underneath her belly and his head lodged in her side. Fatima hated it but according to Zac 'I can't sleep too far away from my daughter- she senses me' which drove her crazy, they didn't even know the gender yet. She was praying for a girl only because she knew if this was a boy, Zac would keep trying until he got his girl, and she was not ready to be pregnant back to back.
She softly tried to unwrap his arms from around her but that only made him tighten them around her. "Zac." She softly whispered nudging him to wake up.
"Hmm?" He groaned shifting a bit in his sleep. "I need to use the bathroom, you gotta get up honey." She stated crossing her legs together tightly.
"Just pee yourself." He shrugged nonchalantly, he was comfortable and didn't wanna move. So if it meant pissing the bed, he was all for it. She smacked her lips before just getting up and if he fell off the bed with her then so be it.
After using the bathroom and washing her hands she made her way back into the bedroom, startled as her eyes met Zac who was wide awake sitting up on the bed waiting for her return. "You scared the shit outta me." Fatima removed her hand from her chest walking over to the bed.
"My fault." He barely whispered, still tired. "How long you been up for?" He asked moving out of her spot so she could get in and he could be underneath.
She shrugged not really knowing the exact time, "A few hours... a lot on my mind." She rubbed some lotion on her hands, adjusting the AC to 64, and then crawling into the bed. Although she prefers 68, she needs it colder with Zac now radiating his body heat on top of hers.
"It's your mom again?" He asked throwing the covers over both of them while she turned her body sideways trying to get comfortable. "Yeah."
"Want my opinion babe?" He asked going back to his original position with his head back lodged in her side and his arms wrapped around her. "Of course I do." She chuckled aloud.
"I think it's time you stopping running from reality and face whatever it is you are running from." He voiced, stopping for a few seconds. "If you are having doubts about the legitimacy of the death certificate and tombstone, why not ask your father? I'm sure he knows about it since it was taped to his storage locker."
She thought it over not even realizing that was a good idea and she should've done that to begin with. "I guess I can do that." She rested her hand on top of his durag rubbing it with the grain of his waves.
"It's probably why you got my daughter up all early and what not." He uttered with his eyes closed making Fatima roll hers. "And you better not be stressing her out either, I'm not playing."
"And what are you gonna do about it?" She taunted him. "Anyways." He ignored her sexual commentary feeling guilty about somethings he has been doing the past few months. "You have more access to certain databases with you being a DA now, an entire federal database at that. I am sure she is somewhere in there if she was in the CIA. Maybe this is her coming from beyond the grave wanting your help to find out what happened. Or maybe I sound stupid and just want you to get some rest. Who knows." He yawned a few times feelings his eyelids get heavy.
"Go to sleep handsome. I love you." She leaned down kissing him. "I'm not playing about my daughter either Fatima, stop stressing her out and go to sleep. Before she come out cock-eyed from being up all night." He joked back to her.
She giggled at how being up all night leads to being cock-eyed but she wasn't even gonna worry about it at 3 AM. She moved around for a few seconds trying to find a comfortable sleeping position before she dozed off.
Damnnnn what Zac do now🙄
| Next Morning |
It was now 10 AM...
Despite the fact that Fatima went to bed shortly after Zac, she was still tired, and it didn't make it no better that on her off day, she had to be dragged outta bed and go for her weekly check- up. She felt like she was just there not too long ago, which was true, 3 weeks ago was her last visit.
With today being the teams second pre-season game at home, Zac didn't have to be at the stadium until 1 PM, the same time as kickoff. Coach decided to rest the starters by not making them playing in a pointless game but he wanted everyone to still be on the sidelines as a unit.
"I meant to ask you, how was court yesterday." Fatima asked rubbing her belly, they were currently in the car heading to her doctors office.
"Eh it was something." He chuckled to himself. "Her lawyers have been dragging it out since she gave birth all those months ago claiming she has PPD." He added.
"Maybe she does. I'm sure giving birth no matter how many kids you have isn't easy."
"No argument from me here, but I wished she had stopped being ignorant and just came to an agreement before getting the courts involved, she could be enjoying a beautiful post birth." He shrugged.
"Had you stopped toying with her you wouldn't be going through all of this now, don't be putting it all on her." Fatima remarked ensuring he didn't deflect accountability, he turned his head towards her, "Whose side are you on?"
She smiled shaking her head. "Zac I am a girl, I will always be a girls girl. Both of y'all were wrong and I have no problem holding both of you accountable for your poor decision making, however I am dating you so I hold you to a higher standard than her. She should've never been cheating on you, should've never neglected y'alls relationship or her own son, and she definitely shouldn't have bitten the hand that fed her. But you have to take ownership for your part, not allowing the lawyer you pay a lot of money for to do his job which has dragged this hearing for months."
Zac sighed knowing she was right, she is always right. "I hear you. Don't forget Hazel is getting Junior from school today before you be looking crazy in the car line." He laughed looking in the side mirror to change lanes.
Zac already knew the stunt Hazel was pulling by being active in Junior's life again after all this time without seeing him. He brought up her inconsistencies in court numerous times and now she sees what will happen. She requested Junior yesterday during court proceedings, instead of being bitter and it come back on him, he just dropped Junior off to her.
"Fine with me, I get to save my full tank of gas. Lord knows that ish ain't cheap." He chuckled at her money saving tactics, she has taking saving money to a whole new extreme, even caught her couponing at different stores.
Pulling up to the doctors office, Zac helped her out since they took his truck today. His truck was a little high off the ground but Junior thinks it's a 'monster truck' and he only wants to drive in it so Zac let's him have his way. Fatima grabbed her purse before they made their way inside to the elevator. "You want a gender reveal?" He asked her.
"Haven't thought that far honestly." She pulled out her phone reading the caller ID, Zac took a snoop as well, it had been going off the whole car ride in the cup holder, but he just assumed Fatima didn't hear it since it was on vibrate.
"Tell Devin I said hi." He replied being petty. She looked up to see his eyes locked in on her phone. "Is that jealousy I sense?" She smirked at his stale facial expression. He smacked his lips waiving her off, "Man ain't nobody jealous, you saw the flowers I sent yo ass yesterday."
Devin was Fatima's assistant/ intern who Fatima personally hired. When she was offered the job, she did a quick look around to see who she was keeping and who she wasn't. After she caught Hamler's intern on her hands and knees for him, there was no way she was keeping her. Lord knows whoever else she has done that for in that building. Devin is in his final year of law school and one of his classes mandates an internship and he lucked up with working for the DA's office. Of course Zac isn't a fan of him, nothing to do with Devin, but Zac doesn't want any man near his wife. Call it insecurity, he doesn't care.
"Mhm." She rolled her eyes picking up the phone. "DA Wilson." She replied as soon as her phone touched her ear. "Does it have to be today?" She let out an angry grunt, she wanted to use her off day to sleep and eat. That's it.
"Okay, I will be there sometime today." She sighed hanging up and putting her phone back in her purse, she closed her eyes leaning back on the elevator walls breathing. "You good?" He asked resting his hands on her stomach.
"Yeah Robin want me to go to the prison and see if one of them will talk but I don't think any of them will honestly." She admitted opening her eyes as the elevator dinged on their level, they walked into the lobby where Zac motioned her to sit down while he check her in and fill out in paper work.
After giving the front desk lady the clipboard back he sat down by Fatima. "You don't think any of them will talk? I am sure one of them is weak link."
She sighed thinking about it. "Hamler is too arrogant to switch up especially towards me, a woman. Gary and Hayden have been with Ian for years so I know their loyalty pays well. And to make matters worse, all three have them have high profile lawyers that is coming out of Ian's pocket." She shook her head getting irritated just thinking about it.
"Sounds tough but I know you got this in the bag." He bragged kissing her cheek a few times which made her smile inside. "If I was you, I would try to get Hamler to crack first, lie to him." Zac shrugged.
"Lie? You so unethical and morally wrong." She chuckled. "Okay bend the truth, tell Hamler about Gary and Hayden's extensive loyalty to Ian and how they are blaming everything on him. He may not like you but if you make it seem like his back is against the wall, he may become an ally." He shrugged again and Fatima couldn't lie, Zac had been giving her solid advice lately.
He turned his face looking at her stared oddly, making him scrunch his face up, "What?"
"Oh nothing." She smiled rubbing the back of his neck. "I just wanna fuck the shit outta you right now." She replied innocently and Zac looked around the lobby to see if anybody heard her. "You are wild right now." He chuckled.
"Fatima Wilson." The nursed called out holding a clipboard and holding the door open with her foot. Zac helped Fatima up from the seat before they made their way back. The nurses checked her blood pressure and weight before taking her back into the room.
Fatima sat up on the table lifting her shirt up while they waited for the doctor to come. "Babe?" She called out as Zac was nose deep in his phone, "Hmm?" He looked up quickly putting his phone in his pocket.
"You good?" She asked by his sudden and random movements. "Yea-" His sentence cut short as they heard a knock before the door slowly crept in revealing Fatima's OBGYN. She was a pretty white women and she had the sass to be invited to the cookout, she was a 'cool mom' in her humble opinion.
All three exchanged pleasantries while her doctors washed her hands quickly and then picked up the chart looking over everything. "Wow." She uttered looking at the results the nurse inputted. Zac and Fatima looked at each other with a face of concern before looking at the nurse again. "Is everything alright?" Fatima asked feeling shivers come down her back.
The doctor looked up seeing two faces of worry. "Oh my apologies. Your blood pressure and weight is amazing for being 5 months." She stated, both Zac and Fatima let out a deep breath they didn't even know they were holding. "90 percent of the time, I have to tell patients to slow down and relax or they are gonna stress themselves out, either that or eat when you don't feel like it because a baby still needs it's nutrients, but you on the other hand, you are perfect." She put the clipboard down before sitting on the rolling chair with no back support.
"Okay you are around the 5 month mark, today we will be measuring the height of your uterus to gauge your baby's growth, check the baby's heart rate, and then we will need you to leave an urine sample at the end which will be sent down to the lab so we can check your sugar and protein levels." She uttered as her attention stayed on the computer typing things in.
"Just wanna friendly remind you have how important moving around getting active is while pregnant, you don't wanna be stationary at all, unless you are in pain or ordered to by bedrest. Not only that but the weather is nice outside so if you plan on taking any vacations, please let me know so we can talk travel arrangements, and lastly, continue to keep up with your oral hygiene because cavities and has been linked to a higher risk of preterm delivery." She educated both the parents before throwing some gloves on.
"Now this may feel a little cold." She began applying lube to the wand and then her belly for the ultrasound. She moved the monitor so everyone could see with her non-contaminated hand, she moved the wand up and down her stomach for a few minutes. Zac and Fatima were beginning to get anxious as in the past they could find it the baby within seconds. "Relax. They might just be hiding." She uttered softly seeing the look on Fatima's face, stressing out was not gonna help her find the baby any easier.
"And there we go." She pointed to the screen showing their kid. "Damn they got a big ass head." Fatima chuckled looking at the gigantic mass that took up the screen. "You definitely your daddy's kid." She added on chuckling while Zac didn't find anything funny.
"Damn is that his dic-"
"Umbilical cord." The doctor quickly corrected knowing exactly what he was gonna ask, a lot of fathers ask that. "I knew that...well no I didn't but..." Zac tried to play off but he didn't, he really thought it was something else. Fatima covered her face in pure embarrassment because why would he ask that.
"Last time we spoke, you mentioned the idea of a gender reveal, is that still the case?" She asked wiping the gel off of Fatima's belly and placing everything back. "It's up to you babe." Zac nodded as Fatima look at him for an answer, he was happy with whatever.
"Yeah let's just do one." She confirmed. "Okay I am gonna see assume you guys are hoping for a boy from the dad's outburst." Her doctor and Fatima held their laugh in while Zac looked around confused trying to figure out what was funny.
"No, he is actually team girl, so am I." Fatima spoke up for him while Zac was still trying to figure out what was so funny. Poor Zac so damn slow.
"That's so adorable." She cooed as she washed her hands again. "You are all set to go, you can speak with the front desk lady for pictures and to schedule your follow up appointment. Enjoy the rest of your day." She left out a short moment later, Fatima kicked her legs to the side before hopping off the table.
"Pull up your schedule so you can be at the next appointment please." She voiced as they made their way to the front, Zac pulled out his phone going to his calendar and looking over his schedule. Fatima actually helped him with getting organized, she was tired of him missing everything because his brain was filled with air. So she spent a few days inputting everything into his calendar with alerts so he could never forget.
"Here." He handed her the phone after putting the DND on so she could choose which date she wanted it for. After getting the new appointment scheduled and pictures from the lady, Zac fed Fatima before dropping her off at home for the game.
Fatima took her car over to the prison since there is no such thing as 'off days' as a District Attorney. Once she passed the security check they placed her in a room while she waited for the CO's to bring Hamler in. A few minutes later a buzz rung followed by the door opening revealing Hamler walking in with with chains around his hands, waist, and feet.
The CO cuffed his chains to the table before getting the all clear from Fatima and exiting. As soon as the door closed Hamler spoke out. "I'll give you any information you want, just cut me a deal." He didn't even give her a chance to get her thoughts together and he was already squealing.
"Damn, this was easier than I thought." Fatima thought to herself, she was sure she would have to put elbow grease in to turn him into an ally. But now...she wanted to toy with him because of how misogynistic he was towards her during their many encounters.
"Why now?" She pulled out the case folders, revealing it's contents on the table. She watched Hamler look at the folder his eyes wondering to every page before back at her.
He leaned in. "They sold me out, the lawyer he gave me recused himself per Ian's instruction leaving me to rot. No way Imma have a fair shot with a public defender." He admitted shaking his head.
As much as Fatima wanted to smile widely because Karma is a B, she had a job to do. "How good is your information and what kind of deal do you want?" She negotiated.
"My information is solid, I got physical proof of everything." He leaned in whispering to her. "I'll plead guilty to prosecutorial misconduct and conspiracy to commit fraud."
"What about conspiracy to commit murder?" She eyed him, he shook his head no. "I had nothing to do with that, I was just there. Hayden and Gary were the ones talking about killing you, not me. I swear."
She licked her teeth thinking it over. "Before I grant you this deal, give me something solid that I can run by my boss so he can approve the paperwork for a deal."
He huffed thinking. "I know where each property is at that we damaged, I know how Ian is getting the funds, and I know that he has your name on all the paperwork." He exposed leaving Fatima in complete shock.
"What?" She felt her heart racing in more than a million ways. "He said something about a company and your name being tied to it so if police came knocking, they would get you before him." He exposed.
"Since you were a former DA I don't need to remind you that if anything you tell us is not truthful voids your deal, correct?"
"Does it look like I give a fuck about them three idiots when they are trying to backdoor me out?" He whispered- yelled at her.
She smirked grabbing putting a pen and piece of paper in front of him. "Give me a few of the address that you destroyed as a good merit so I can get my boss to cut you a deal."
He hesitantly grabbed the pen jotting down a few addresses before shoving it back. "Next question, what do you know about the Mom and Pop shop that got destroyed in December of last year?"
"Nothing much other than Ian wanting to send your boyfriend a warning." He admitted. "What kind of warning?"
"You know how it is...you took my girl and now I fuck with you, kinda warning." She nodded her head packing her things up to leave. "IF these addresses check out, you have yourself a deal." She knocked on the door before the door opened and she left.
Once she got outside she made a call to Blue, "Do me a favor, imma send you these addresses, I want you to go by there and take pictures."
"Anything specific I'm looking for?" She asked on the other end. "I wanna know what they are building now and what was there prior to them being bought. I also want you to pull the property tax history so we know who the building is under."
"You got it." They called ended mutually.
| Taylor- Wilson Home, 2 AM |
After the eventful day both of them had, neither needed much to fall asleep. Until Zac's phone began buzzing and lighting up the dark bedroom. He rolled off of Fatima and stretched his hand out to his nightstand grabbing his phone.
"Hello?" He groggily asked rubbing his eye. "Hi." She replied sweetly on the other side of the phone.
"Hazel? What's wrong?" He asked looking at the time time as his eyes squinted from the brightness. "Junior won't go to sleep which has now woken my baby up. I looked through his bag, you didn't pack his medicine?" She asked as Zac overheard Junior fussing in the background.
He threw his head back on the pillow forgetting all about the medicine, well not forgetting but under the assumption that his sickness went away as he had two good days. He kicked his feet rapidly knowing he would have to get up and go give her the medicine and he was sleeping peacefully. "Alright, I'm on the way." He uttered upset with himself, the call ended mutually and he sat there rethinking his life.
"Babe." He whispered softly, she turned in her sleep a few times. "Yeah?"
"I forgot to pack Junior medicine to take with Hazel, he acting fussy right now so I am gonna drop it off." He turned over hitting the nightstand lamp before getting up. She squinted and covered her eyes from the white light illuminating the bedroom. "Okay." She yawned out.
Zac grabbed his phone that was laying on the bed before rushing to the bathroom medicine cabinet for the medicine. After that, he threw on his pajamas with some slides and went over to kiss Fatima bye. "You want something while I'm out? Fries? Cheeseburger? Ice cream?" He asked still holding her.
"Mm mm...just hurry up so we can cuddle back to sleep." She mumbled into his lower stomach as he rocked her side to side. "You got it. I love you." he kissed her forehead.
"I love you too." She uttered watching him walk out the bedroom. He made it all the way down the steps before coming back up stairs to the bedroom, he went to his side of the bed, digging in his nightstand before stuffing something in his pocket and leaving back out.
While he was handling that with Hazel, Fatima drifted back to sleep for maybe an additional hour before she abruptly woke up with night sweats, she always hated it. She reached her hand out hoping to feel Zac somewhere in the bed, sighing when she felt the cold sheets next to her.
She got up grabbing her phone to see if he sent a text and check the time; no text. She put her phone down before going in the bathroom and turning the shower on. She just took a shower before going to bed but the smell of sweat was making her head hurt.
After her shower she threw on a comfortable two piece pajama set before going to her office downstairs. She was finally gonna open up Madam's files, she could no longer run from it. After putting the code in which was her mothers death date, the locked dropped to the floor and she began scanning the contents.
She wasn't gonna go to in-depth with everything considering she was just doing this until Zac came home so he could put her bed. Three (3) pieces of papers in the file caught her eyes. "Life insurance policy..." She mumbled to herself as she read it. Her mother took a life insurance policy of over $3 million dollars out...she read the entire paper looking for the sole beneficiary of the policy, "What the fu-" She cut herself off reading the name in bold print.
She sat the paper to the side before turning her attention to the legal document, she remembered it, how could she not. This was the document Madam's lawyer drew up for her many years ago to help Ian start his company. Her life savings went into that company which is one of the biggest reasons why she stayed with Ian so long, never mind the fact that was her first boyfriend and she was willing to do anything to leave home from Moana, her money went to it. If she left, she left with no money, no job, and a broken heart.
She brushed the tears off her face getting emotional at how far she has came over the last year or so. Going from getting abused, drained, and popping plan B's to now allowing a man to love her unconditionally and filling her up like a stuffed turkey on Thanksgiving. Having her own money but using Zac's (girl math lol) and everything else that came with it. She is about to be a mother, a biological mother, her DNA flowing through her baby.
"So the business is mine?" She uttered in complete disbelief, this changes everything, the entire dynamic. That means...he's broke and she's up. She's a billionaire. She smirked loving how God has not played with her since meeting Zac. She has never wished ill on anybody ever but she is loving the 'revenge tour' with her leading her being the star of the show.
Finally looking at the last paper behind the business contract both parties signed years ago, there lied an autopsy of her mother's death, the paper was fragile, she could tell it had to be years and years old from the ugly font many companies used a decade ago. "That's not right." She looked over the date they had for her death.
When she went to Chicago months ago during the surgeries, the death certificate had a different date than what this paper in her hand was telling her. How could they have two different death dates? She brushed it off reading the cause of death and the ruling, she died by drowning but it was ruled an accidental suicide. It was a two page paper clipped together, she flipped the paper looking at a body chart. "Red bruising around ankles and wrist as if she was tied down or restrained, along with hand marks around her neck possible asphyxiation." She read looking at the coroners notes next to the body chart. "Noticeable bruising of arms, legs, and stomach area indicating possible foul play as well as her stomach contents being empty, noting she hasn't ate anything in 72 hours. Thereby, concluding this death as an accidental suicide." She concluded as she finished reading the last of it.
"How the fuck did you find all of this on her body but believe it to be suicide? Don't worry about it though, Imma figure that ish out and have your job." She mumbled lowly to herself putting everything back in the folder, she was left with a bad taste in her mouth. She began thinking if she was getting tortured since she worked as the CIA, once she wouldn't give up the information, they drowned her as she fought from a seated position.
She decided to call it a night, she had work tomorrow morning, and she knew Zac would be on her about sleep depriving their 'daughter'. Speaking of Zac, she grabbed her phone reading the time 4 AM. "Where is he." She mumbled to herself pulling up her call log.
She called three times with no answer leaving a voicemail, she doesn't even know why she left one but she did. Feeling the jitters from this case she began to worry a bit about his safety, not knowing what happened to her mother and it reeked of a possible cover-up.
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Thoughts? Three new storylines opened up this chapter alone😬option A or option B?
Who Yall think the sole beneficiary is? And the real question is...what the fuck Zac got going on🤬!
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