Here To Stay.

Monday

7:45am

"Sorry girl. "Hailee told me after I explained the dinner to her and Liya.

"Why didn't you text us that night or the next day? "Liya asked me.

"Thought it would be better said in person. "I replied.

To be honest, I forget about Hailee and Liya the moment I walk out of work.

They are the closest thing I have to friends here but we're not that tight.

At least I know I'm not.

"So what did your ex even gain from all that drama? "Hailee asked me.

Honestly I don't know what Caesar's intentions were.

He hurt me back then not the other way around.

"Who the hell is that? "Liya asked a while after we shifted our focus to our computers again.

We spoke of the devil and there he was, in a black suit, walking around with Malcolm. Caesar was here.

When the pair walked passed my work station Caesar grinned at me.

It wasn't the usual grin.

Caesar was probably here to continue with his distraction.

"That's Caesar. My ex. "I answered Hailee.

I felt numb in my chair.

My body was heating up.

I didn't understand why.

12:30am

Lunch

"Hey. "I said with a smile when I walked into Malcolm office.

"Hi. "He replied without looking at me.

Malcolm was on his phone, the one with the white cover, so I knew it wasn't work related.

He knew I hated it when he didn't look up at me when I talked to him.

He also looked hinged.

"Lunch? "I asked when I was a foot away from his desk.

He looked up at me like I asked a question he didn't understand.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"I asked him.

"When I asked you about you and Caesar on Friday night why did you lie to me? "He asked me.

On Friday night during our cuddle, Malcolm asked about Caesar and I.

I told him that we were high school friends.

Emitting the relationship part of the friendship.

"I didn't lie. Caesar and I were friends in high school. "I answered him.

Did that fool tell Malcolm about us?

"You're really gonna lie again?..... He was your first everything babe."He told me.

"That doesn't matter. It ended. "I told him.

"Yo you dated my cousin. "He said with emphasis on the word cousin. "You hiding that doesn't paint the best picture. "He continued.

"Baby Caesar and I dating was probably the worse mistake I ever made. I erased all that shit and left what I thought was worth talking about, our friendship. "I defended.

"Yo just because you think it was a mistake doesn't mean it didn't happen. "He told me.

"Okay. We dated. So? "I asked him.

That question stirred up a thousand anger emotions in Malcolm.

From a not so calm conversation to a whole heated yelling competition.

I walked out of his office after silence fell between us.

We resolved nothing, he thought I was wrong and I know I wasn't.

Since my man owned the company, I awarded myself with the rest of the day off.

I wasn't trying to see Caesar or Malcolm for a minute longer.

High End Elementary

1:11pm

I sat in my white range rover. Waiting on Zala.

I never picked her up after school because I had work. I had a driver hired for that.

"Hey. "Zala greeted me when she got into the car. She greeted me with zero enthusiasm.

It seemed like I wasn't the only one that had a bad day.

"How was school? "I asked her before starting the car.

She didn't answer me. When I looked through the rare view mirror to look at her, she was wiping tears off her face with her sweat shirt.

She was a silent crier.

4:13pm

Every time Zala had a bad day we sat together on our favorite couch in a snuggle.

We played multiple slow 90's jams while we ate assorted balls of chocolate in a glass bowl.

Chocolate always went down when I was sad.

"Some kid called me a cow today. "Zala reported. Her little head laid on my chest and her little hand stuffing her face with chocolate.

"What did you tell her after? "I asked her.

"Nothing. "She answered.

Zala wasn't violent like I was. I would have beaten the hell out of a kid if they called me a cow.

"Did other Kids laugh? "I asked her.

"Yah. "She answered.

I kissed her forehead and gave her the comfort my mother gave me.

I wish my mum was here.

She would have loved Zala for sure and she would have been of so much help at these moments.

"How was work. "She asked me after our comfort session.

"Not bad. "I answered."You remember Caesar? He'll be working with me now. "I added.

I think I told her too much.

When you're short of friends its normal that you blurt out your shit to the wrong person.

I found myself telling Zala about Caesar and I's love story with a pinch of TMI.

7:12pm

"You can't be rushing for the door like that! "I yelled at Zala.

Whenever this girl heard the door bell, she went sprinting to the door as though she was expecting someone.

"Sorry. "She apologized.

"Yah whatever. Someone can have a gun out there and shoot your ass! "I yelled at her again.

"I said I was sorry Eish. "She answered me.

I opened the door to two familiar faces. Malcolm and Trey.

Trey was holding a bouquet of flowers and Malcolm a box of chocolate.

It was an apology gesture, I accepted it and let them in.

After we had dinner Zala went on to play with Trey as I talked to Malcolm.

"Do you think I should take Trey to a normal school? "Malcolm asked me as we sipped on wine.

"I think you should test it. Tell the teacher to keep an eye on him. "I answered him.

"What if his bullied? "He asked me.

Malcolm really loved his son and I get his worry for him.

Kids are evil. They say and do things unknowingly, but damaging.

"You'll help him handle it. "I told him.

"What if I can't help. I don't want my child to hate himself because of those other kids. "He told me.

That statement hit me a little bit. I hated myself at the hands of my classmates.

"I can help, "I offered, "I was bullied a lot so. I know how to help. "

Malcolm paused in slight realization. I told him what kids used to do to me.

I know that's why he came to me. He was worried that Trey would face what I did.

"Uhm. If you take him to a special school you'll distance him from reality. There no special jobs in America. "I added. "His just like other kids, just a little self..... absorbed. "I said not really knowing what I was talking about.

"Okay. I'll apply for High End Elementary. "He told me.

After we finished talking about Trey we went on to talk about Caesar.

I told him everything, I didn't want Caesar to exploit my passed for his own unknown satisfaction.

8:30pm

Malcolm

I watched Genesis tuck Trey in.

She loved him and he loved her too.

My son is sick. He got worse after my wife passed. I have tried so many doctors and they can't seem to find the fault. His state is similar to autism but it isn't autism.

His not the most social kid but he allowed Genesis in and I loved that.

"Sweet dreams baby. "She told Trey and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

Afterwards she walked up to me.

"I have to check on Zala too. I'll find you in my room. "She told me and pecked my lips.

I brought her close again after she pulled away and kissed her.

I watched her leave and went to 'our' room.

That made me realize that we didn't discuss which house we would live in when we got married.

When she joined me in bed we talked for hours despite having work together.

She was a really good listener and advisor.