Same Day
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
"Damn. It's like that..." "Anthony..." Mia and Fatima sang irritably. "Ain't nobody got time for the shit you on..." "As a matter of fact. What you NEED to be on is child support." Mia retorted.
"Out here", "Girl in another country nonetheless," "preach sis, spending money when you know damn well it can go to your kidszzzzzz." Mia emphasized dramatically prolonging the "z" sound.
"I promise no disrespect. Ti, Can I please talk to you?" Anthony asked, sincerely.
Fatima and Mia looked at each other, "BOY BYE!"
As their movements instantly became in sync.
They sat in the waiting area on the bench as one, then turned back to back to each other leaning into one another to keep a steady balance. They hiked a leg up and across the other pulling out their phone, unlocking then scrolling.
"Yo that's scary.."
"Girl look." Fatima utters unbothered, as Mia looks in the direction of Fatima's phone.
"Aye Ant. Come on man." His friend says, "I don't know why you steady tryna chase after these..." "NIGGA WATCH YO MUTHAFUCKING WORDS!" Fatima and Mia stood, reading to pounce because they already knew what his mouth was about to say.
"Yo Xhon. Chill man.." Anthony pleads, "Anthony you better let his ass know..." "I know. I know...Look. I seriously just want to apologize for my behavior last night." "Apology..." "NOT ACCEPTED NIGGA." Mia finished before Fatima could.
"You thought shit was sweet catching my girl in a vulnerable moment. And you still ended up not getting shit. So what makes you think an apology is gonna help..." she argued.
"I don't. But I figured it's a start." He shrugged.
"Anthony. I accept your apology but I seriously don't wish to say another word to you. The way you came on to me was definitely giving creep vibes. And quite frankly. I've had enough of that shit." "In which I should whoop yo ass for..." "Yo Mia, you know I'm not like that." he claimed, with a hard gulp in his throat.
"Man, you better than me." Xhon says, "Cause ain't no way I would've been explaining myself to no bitch..."
"WHAT?!/OH IT'S ON NOW!" "BRO, what the fuck is wrong with you?..."
"Is there a problem?" The security guard voiced walking up to them.
Considering the four of them were the only ones there for the time slot Fatima was grateful no one else could be a witness to the potential altercation.
"I'm gonna have to ask you all to leave..." "No. Let the ladies stay. We'll leave.." Anthony suggested angrily because Xhon started to get outta hand, pushing him towards the doorway as he continued to go off, trying to get to Mia.
"YO MOMMA'S A BITCH!!!" Mia shouted back to Xhon who kept trying to pounce.
"Come on Mi. Calm down..." "Girl." "I know. But getting into a fight in another country is not what we're here for." Fatima reminded her calmly.
Mia huffs, "I swear..." "NIGGAS!" They uttered together, as they went to the ticket booth.
Meanwhile
Las Vegas, Nevada
"Oh Lord," "Is this real?!" "Yani." "Huh?" "Pinch me." "Only if you pinch me back..." "Ou!" the girls flinch covering their arms after pinching each other then giggling.
Zac snickers at their antics...
"Daddy/Uncle Zac..." "I already got my debit card out girls, go crazy..." Zac mutters in defeat.
The girls squeal, then run to the counter with Zac doing the grandad shuffle.
He knew he was going to spend some money but he was starting to get tired after a while and they haven't even made it through half the mall, plus he had to make sure he rented a car to go and get the special edition Hello Kitty shoes that the store associate found at another mall in Vegas.
"Aweee. Don't you girls look cute and Dad I love your shirt." "Thank you." They all replied. "You're welcome. And welcome to the Hello Kitty Cafe. What can I get you?" The lady behind the counter said.
"This is our first time here.." MJ told her. "Daddy. I don't know what I want..." "It's ok Munchkin. Take your time." Zac told her because truth be told he didn't know what he wanted either.
"Since it's your first time here. How about we give you a taste platter?" The girls eyes light up. "You can do that?!" The clerk smiles, "We sure can."
"How much is that?!" "Oh it's free Sir." "YES!" Zac thought to himself. While the clerk explained. "You basically get a sample of everything and when you're ready and know what you like. You come back." "COOL!" they all replied with a smile.
The girls and Zac move to the side, letting the next customer go while hearing the clerk say, "I need a Hello Kitty and Friends...." and the other associates celebrate.
The girls instantly go into a frenzy, blushing and gushing at the attention. Zac just smiles and shakes his head as he starts to take pictures and videos for them and the family.
When they moved to the side they noticed a life size Hello Kitty statue and the girls were gagged.
Actually, they were gagged by the whole experience alone because even though it was a small store front, it was everything they imagined. From the set up of the lights and the sign, the tables were either shaped like Hello Kitty's head, or the ones that had different designs of Hello Kitty and Friends. But the comfortable booth seats that were pink with the Hello Kitty logo gave them the VIP experience, especially when one of the associates brought their Hello Kitty and Friends platter and sample drinks over to them.
"Thank you." "You're welcome and enjoy." "We will..." they sang as they dug into the generously small bites.
"Daddy/Uncle Zac." "What's up?" "Thank you." the girls said with a full mouth of "chococat brownie"
Zac smiles with pride, as he grabbed a napkin giving each of them one because they had chocolate everywhere. "You're welcome girls." he murmurs, loving every moment of them giggling and smiling to no end.
Back in Punta Cana...
"Mommy...." "Yes. Naomi..." "Anjl..." "Angel is with your Uncle Nick..." "Awe mayy." She utters sadly.
Naomi babbles with a sad look on her face, "Meh me Anjl..." "I know Baby but you gotta call Uncle Nick to talk to Angel..." "Otay BYE!" "NAOMI WAIT!" as the line clicked unexpectedly.
Mia laughs, coming in from the balcony. "That lil' Heffa don't even miss me." Fatima murmurs with disbelief, looking at her phone dumbfounded.
She sits on the bed giving Fatima a hug. "Awe Booski. I'm sure she does..." "She just hung up on me..." "That may be true but even if Big Ma is her favorite. Her and Angel are like Bonnie and Clyde..."
Fatima sighs, then sucks her teeth, "I don't disagree with that." letting reality set in. As Mia went into the bathroom to clean her body from the ATV ride they took.
Although Angel kept his promise to be a good boy after his incident.
When it came to Naomi, Fatima and Zac soon discovered that there was no hope.
Words couldn't express their gratitude for having Iyonna who was literally the TRUE "Angel" of the three because the spawns they created together, definitely kept them on their toes. Which in some ways and circumstances was an understatement.
"I'm so sorry Baby Girl..." "It's ok Momma." Fatima sighed, "I was just calling to check in." "Everything is good." Beverly assured, "She's been a little cranky because she misses everyone but her and Richard have been running around this house driving me crazy..."
Fatima chuckles, "Why can I picture Daddy chasing after her like he used to do me," "Because that's exactly what he's doing." Beverly spoke seriously with a raised eyebrow and twisted lip.
"She takes his house shoe then runs away. And he just has to chase after her. She takes the remote, he runs after her. Baby girl the other day, she took two of his chocolate chip cookies and went to hide in your old room and he was looking for her for an hour then chased her again."
Fatima giggles, as a small tear falls from the corner of her eye. Then took a deep sigh, "I swear you'd think she's been walking for months with the way she's running around already." "It was that damn walker." Beverly grumbled, sitting on the couch.
"You know that's your fault..." "Fatima. Ain't nobody asked you to point that out." "I'm just saying..." she taunted with a shrug.
"Whatever. So how is Punta Cana?" "It's been relaxing actually. I'm going to call Zac and the girls after I get off the phone with you but Mia and I just got done doing the ATV trail and now we're about to get ready to go to the beach and just relax again..."
"I agree with all of that Baby Girl." Beverly says, "You deserve it."
Fatima sighs, "I know..." "What's the matter?" Beverly asked instantly, noticing her daughter's shift.
"I don't know." she shrugged. "Being on this trip made me realize a lot of things..." "Like what?" "Momma. I've been through a lot." "Yes." "And being here and having Anthony and a bunch of other niggas come for me the way they do made me realize just how much I'm in love with Zac."
Beverly smiles, "Like I thought I was in love with Brandon but this is truly different." "How so?" Beverly asked again, wanting her daughter to voice those unspoken words,
"With Brandon, I wasn't afraid to lose him, until I did. And even though I know with everything Zac has going on I could still lose him, it's the emotional and romantic connection I feel that makes me prioritize our happiness. It makes me want to protect our peace and choose him everyday even when he gets on my last nerve."
Beverly chuckles, "Can I tell you what I noticed?" "Sure." "With Brandon, you were more selfish." "Was I?" "I don't disagree with that." Mia mumbled, coming out of the bathroom.
"What?" "Baby Girl, we're not saying you didn't love Brandon because you did. However when it came to your goals and what you wanted. It was all about you and when Brandon kept begging you to choose him. You chose yourself and your goals..."
Mia hisses, "Really..." "IIIII...mmmmean. She's not wrong?" Mia shrugged, awkwardly.
"Again Baby Girl, this is us telling you the harsh truth. When Brandon died you came home and fell into a deep depression, regretting every decision you've ever made." "And then shortly after you met the red-lipped batfish." "HA!" "Mia. Please shut up." "What?! I'm just saying. Our Baby Daddy is so much better. Good Job Girl. You picked a good man Savannah" Mia encouraged, giving her a finger clap.
Fatima and Beverly shake their heads, chuckling, "Baby Girl. It took you a while to get over that regret and devastation of losing. The fear alone to love again had you crippled." "In a damn wheelchair fucking with that Nigga." "MIA!" "Ok. Ok. DAMN!" Mia uttered, defensively going into their suitcase to get a swimsuit.
Beverly snickers, "So yeah. When you met Zac. That was and is your second chance at falling in love again and I truly feel like that's what you and Zac have because neither one of you are selfish or in competition of each other..." "We're really not." Fatima murmurs, thinking of all that life has brought them and how much they've celebrated their wins, while embracing their loses with a chance to reconnect and grow from them.
"You support each other, even when life throws you a curveball or two..." Beverly mentioned, as Fatima sighs, "And life has definitely brought us that." "Indeed it has but again. You and Zac take those trials, fears, tribulations, with every twist and turn..." Beverly takes an exasperated sigh, "Whew." she howls softly. "Babbbyyy listen." "Exactly. But you continue to communicate and support each other. You've created a stable home for yourself and your children."
"Let's hope it stays that way fucking with Nugget and Angel." "Really Bitch..." "Girl, tell the truth and shame the devil. Them kids y'all karma..." Fatima gasped, ready to say something but took a quick thought. She let out a sigh, "You right." shrugging.
Beverly shakes her head again, "Either way. You two stick together through it all and try your best to understand each other's point of view during disagreements. You're growing together and that's really what it's about Baby." She ended. "I'm proud of you...I'm proud of both of you."
Fatima smiles. "I'm proud of us too."