Chapter 21 Zahara
ZAHARA
I knocked on Brandi’s door, a box of cinnamon rolls for my upcoming farmers market batch under one arm.
She’d texted me earlier asking if I wanted to come over for wine, and honestly, I needed the distraction.
Yusef had been holed up in his room for days now, barely talking, barely eating.
Just practicing piano like his life depended on it.
“Come in, girl!” Brandi called from inside.
I pushed the door open and immediately heard voices. Male voices.
“—told you I’d be back, didn’t I? Stop acting like you didn’t miss me.”
I stepped into the living room and froze.
A man was there. Tall, broad-shouldered, covered in tattoos that crept up his neck. He had that look—the kind of rough you could spot from a mile away. Expensive clothes that didn’t quite hide the street underneath. Gold chains. A watch that probably cost more than a year's worth of my rent.
This had to be Zoo. Nigel’s father.
Nigel was standing next to him, looking up at his dad like he’d hung the moon. The kid was practically vibrating with excitement.
“Zahara!” Brandi rushed over, pulling me into a hug. “Girl, come meet Zoo. Baby, this is my friend from work I told you about.”
Zoo’s eyes slid over me, assessing. Not in a sexual way, but like he was cataloging information. Deciding if I was a threat or irrelevant.
“What’s good,” he said, his voice gravelly.
“Hi. Nice to meet you.”
He turned back to Brandi, and before I could process what was happening, he grabbed her by the throat—not hard, but firm—and pulled her into a kiss that made me look away.
There was so much tongue involved, it made me uncomfortable.
It was one of those sloppy ass kisses that came with a bunch of moaning and wet noises.
It was the kind of kiss you didn’t do in front of company.
At least not if you had any type of social decency.
When they finally broke apart, Brandi was flushed and giggling like a teenager.
I set the plate down on the coffee table, suddenly wishing I’d stayed home.
“Ms. Z!” Nigel bounded over, all energy and smiles. “You bring Yusef?”
“No, baby. He’s home. Still practicing for his recital.”
“Man, he’s always practicing. Tell him to come to the movies with me and my pops!” He looked up at Zoo. “Can he come? Please?”
Zoo shrugged. “If he want to. We leaving in ten though.”
“I’ll ask,” I said, already knowing the answer. “But I think he just wants to stay in and practice.”
“That boy need to get out more,” Zoo said, leaning back against the counter. “Spend too much time inside, he gonna stay soft. Need a man around to teach him how to move in this world. How to be the one doing the bullying instead of getting bullied.”
Something about the way he said it made my stomach twist. But I just smiled and nodded.
“He’s doing fine,” I said quietly.
“If you say so. Brandi told me all about how you ain’t got a man around. About how lil man been getting fucked up at school.” But then Zoo pulled out his phone, already losing interest in the conversation. “Nigel, go get your shoes. We out.”
Nigel ran to his room, and Brandi walked them to the door a few minutes later, kissing Zoo one more time before he and Nigel left.
As soon as the door closed, she turned to me with the biggest smile I’d seen on her face in months.
“Girl, I am so happy right now.”
“I can tell.” I sat on the couch, accepting the coffee she handed me. “He seems… intense.”
“He is. But in a good way, you know? He’s protective. He’s about his money. And he’s finally ready to be a real father to Nigel.” She sat next to me, her eyes shining. “He said he’s gonna move us out the hood. He’s gonna get us Uptown. Get us a real house with a yard and everything.”
“Brandi, that’s amazing.”
“I know! I’ve been waiting for this for years. And now it’s finally happening.” She sipped her coffee, studying me. “Now if only I could get you to stop being so lonely.”
“I’m not lonely.”
“Yes, you are. When’s the last time you even went on a date?”
I thought about it. “Rohan. The Jamaican nigga that owns The Jerk Hut.”
“That was over a year ago! And you only went out with him twice before you cut him off.”
“Yusef didn’t like him.”
“Zahara.” Brandi set her mug down, giving me a look. “You cannot let your twelve-year-old son dictate your love life.”
“It’s not about dictating. It’s about paying attention. Yusef is a good judge of character. If he doesn’t like someone, there’s usually a reason.”
“Or he’s being a territorial kid who doesn’t want to share his mama.”
“No. Rohan was controlling. He didn’t like that I worked so much. Didn’t like that I had my own life. Yusef picked up on that before I did.” I shook my head. “If my son doesn’t like someone I’m dating, that’s a glaring red flag. I’m not ignoring that.”
Brandi rolled her eyes. “Agree to disagree.”
“Fine with me.”
Brandi was cool, but we had different priorities.
Every time I turned around she had a new nigga.
But now she was circling back around to her baby daddy.
I understood wanting your child’s father in his life but Zoo was bad news.
I can smell it. He was heavily in the streets with no plan of getting out.
But it wasn’t my place to say anything. However, I didn’t appreciate what he said about Yusef needing a man to learn to become a bully.
It was none of his fuckin’ business. There was a part of me that was afraid to say something.
I didn’t want to rock the boat and cause a confrontation.
I couldn’t lie, Zoo was kinda scary and I didn’t need any more problems than I already had.
We sat in comfortable silence for a moment, then Brandi grinned. “So what about those groceries that keep showing up at your door?”
I tensed. “What about them?”
“Girl, don’t play. I saw that fine-ass man leaving your building early Saturday morning. Tall, tatted, looked like he could bench press a car. The same one that dropped those groceries off. Who is he?”
Prime. She’d seen Prime.
I felt my face heat up. “Nobody.”
“Liar. I see it all over your face. You are grinning!”
“I am not.”
“You are. Oh my God, you like him!” Brandi was practically bouncing now. “Zahara Ali has a crush! Who is he? How’d you meet? Is he single? Does he have a brother?”
“It’s not like that.”
“Then what’s it like?”
“He’s just… he’s helping out. That’s it.”
“Helping out with groceries and picking you up at six in the morning? Girl, that man is courting you.”
“You are so nosy. And he’s not court—” I stopped, remembering the lipstick on his collar. The way my stomach had dropped when I saw it. The way I’d ran off even though part of me wanted to stay. “It’s complicated.”
“It’s only complicated because you’re making it complicated. If he’s treating you good and Yusef likes him, what’s the problem?”
“I don’t know if Yusef likes him yet.”
“But he’s met him?”
“Sort of. He’s been teaching him how to box.”
Brandi’s eyes went wide. “Teaching your son boxing, bringing you groceries, showing up at your door in the morning. Girl, that man is IN LOVE with you.”
“Stop.”
“I’m serious! You better lock that down before some other woman does.”
I thought the lipstick. About how someone else had already put their lips on him. And he was fine as fuck. Of course he had someone else.
“There might already be someone else,” I muttered.
“Then make him choose you. Show him what he’s missing.”
Before I could respond, my phone rang. Unknown number.
“Sorry, I should take this.” I stood, walking toward the window. “Hello?”
“Hi, is this Zahara with Sweet Zin?” A woman’s voice, professional and bright.
My heart started racing. “Yes, this is she.”
“Great! My name is Farah, I’m with Dynasty Event Planning.
I got your information from a friend who highly recommended your desserts.
We’re planning a major gala for the mayor’s office next month, and we’re looking for a dessert caterer.
Would you be available to provide ten dozen assorted cinnamon rolls? ”
I nearly dropped the phone.
Ten dozen. For the mayor’s office. This was huge. This was—
Wait. Farah. The same Farah who’d been calling Prime?
“Um, yes. Yes, I’m available. When would you need them by?”
“The event is December fifteenth. I’ll need them delivered to the venue by four PM. Can you handle that?”
December fifteenth. That was two weeks away. I could do that. I could absolutely do that.
“Yes. Definitely.”
“Perfect! I’ll email you the details and contract. We’ll need a mix of your signature red velvet, the peach cobbler, and the bourbon pecan. And Zahara?” Her voice warmed slightly. “My friend spoke very highly of you. I’m excited to work with you.”
Her friend. Prime. He’d recommended me. Even after I’d flipped out on him. But what was his deal? Why would he recommend me to his girlfriend, or whoever she was to him.
“Thank you,” I managed. “I’m excited too.”
We went over a few more details—pricing, delivery logistics, dietary restrictions—and by the time I hung up, my hands were shaking.
“What was that?” Brandi asked.
“I got a catering job. For the mayor’s gala.”
“Are you serious?!” Brandi jumped up, grabbing my hands. “Zahara, that’s huge!”
“I know. I know.” I was smiling so hard my face hurt. “This could change everything. If this goes well, if people like my desserts, I could book more events. I could finally rent real kitchen space. I could—”
I could give Yusef the life he deserved.
“Girl, I am so proud of you!” Brandi pulled me into a hug.
I hugged her back, but my mind was already racing. The mayor’s gala. Which meant Mayor Vivica Banks would be there. Prime’s mother. The woman he clearly despised.
This could be amazing for my business. Or it could be a disaster.
I said goodbye to Brandi and practically ran back to my apartment.
“Yusef!” I called out as soon as I opened the door.
The piano music stopped. “Yeah?”
“Come here! I have good news!”
He emerged from his room, looking tired but curious. “What’s up?”
“I got a huge catering job. For the mayor’s gala. Ten dozen cinnamon rolls.”
His eyes widened. “For real?”
“For real.” I pulled him into a hug. “This is it, baby. This is our big break.”
He hugged me back, and for the first time in days, I felt him relax slightly in my arms.
“I’m proud of you, Mom,” he said quietly.
My chest tightened. “Thank you, baby.”
We stood there in our tiny kitchen, holding each other, both of us pretending we weren’t thinking about all the things that could still go wrong.
But for right now, in this moment, I let myself be happy.
I let myself hope.