Chapter 9
Fatima
“Oh, look who finally made time out of their busy life to come visit their little ole’ mama,” my mom scolded as I walked into her house.
“Mom, don’t be like that,” I whined.
She smiled at me and pulled me into her. “I just missed you, that’s all.”
A small smile appeared on my face as I hugged her tightly.
My mom and I were really close. Being a single mother, she sacrificed a lot for me to have what I did growing up, and I could never pay her back for that, but I wanted to try.
That’s another reason why I wanted my photography to take off.
My mom would spend her last on a new camera if she saw me wanting one.
When I realized that, I stopped asking her for them.
I felt bad that she would buy me these expensive ass cameras but wouldn’t do anything for herself.
My mom didn’t mind, though. She always told me she rather me have it before she did.
We didn’t struggle, per se, growing up. My mom was the manager at a hotel, so she made decent money. Nothing special but enough to keep food on the table and the bills paid.
After my dad left, things were rough for a while, but she got on her feet quickly. We ended up moving into a smaller house.
Thankfully, my dad was forced to pay my mom alimony and child support after the divorce, which helped with expenses.
“Come on, I cooked.” She waved me to the back of the house.
While walking down the hall, I looked at the walls. They were filled with a lot of pictures I had taken myself, as well as some of my mom and me that we got done professionally.
My mom always supported my dream to be a photographer. Ever since I came home from her dad’s house bragging about working at the studio with my grandpa, she’s been on board, making sure I got whatever I needed to make my dreams come true.
“So, my stranger daughter, tell me what’s going on with you.”
I side eyed my mom. “Mom,” I whined. “Stop. You know I’ve been working a lot, and then I get caught up taking pictures and doing edits.”
My mom waved me off. “I’m just playing, baby. But really, how are you? I know you were bummed out after meeting with that idiot company.”
“I’ve actually been feeling better. I’ve started branching out and doing small photoshoots to get my name out there.”
My mom smiled. “Really? Tell me more!”
I took a bite of the pasta she prepared, savoring the cheesy garlic taste. One thing I missed about living with her was her cooking. Most of the time, I was too lazy to cook and settled on takeout, so I always appreciated her having a meal ready for me whenever I came here.
“It’s nothing big, but I started an Instagram page and paid someone to build me a website for bookings. It’s going to be hard getting my name out there, but hopefully it will take off. I’m calling it “Tima Photos.”
My mom’s smile grew. “I’m so proud of you, baby. Your work is too good to be working for some big company anyway.”
My thoughts went to Ahmad. He said the same thing to me.
It was his words that encouraged me to actually do this.
I always wanted to work with big names, magazines, and companies so badly that I never considered starting my business and growing my name.
The way he encouraged me to take a step out and do this gave me the push to do it.
Him having a lot of faith in me felt good.
Had me feeling better about my work. I knew my pictures were good.
Even though I got in my head for a while, I knew I was good, but hearing someone from the outside who hadn’t been here since the beginning proved it even more.
Even Autumn telling me gave me a boost of confidence I didn’t know I was lacking.
“Uh oh, I know that look,” my mom suddenly said, snapping me out of my thoughts.
“What look?” I stared at her, confused.
“That look of infatuation. Who is the guy?” She asked with a hint of a smile on her lips.
As much as I didn’t want to, I knew I couldn’t hide anything from my mom.
She knew me better than anyone. We were just that close.
All my life, I failed at trying to lie to her.
It was like she had a sensor that went off when I wasn’t being truthful or when something was bothering me.
She always told me because a mother knew her child, but I felt like it was because I was horrible at hiding my feelings.
I always wore my feelings on my sleeve. It was one characteristic that I hated.
“Mom, you’re crazy.” Still, I attempted to brush her off and took another bite of my food.
My mom wasn’t letting it go. She gave me a knowing look. She leaned forward with one of her arms on the table, propping her head up. Her eyebrows drew closer together and an amused expression appeared on her face. A meek smile formed as her lips lifted upwards.
“Now, Fatima Rose.” I groaned. I hated when she used my whole name.
For one, I didn’t like my middle name. It was my dad’s mom’s name, and she passed before I was born, so my mom gave it to me to honor her, but it felt like an old lady’s name to me.
For two, I knew she was about to try and read me whenever she did that.
She spoke in that you know I don’t believe that shit voice.
Lowering my head, I shook it slowly before looking back at my mom. Reluctantly a smile formed on my face. I couldn’t hide anything from this woman.
“It’s nothing really, mom. Just a guy I’ve talked to a few times, nothing serious,” I shrugged.
Me saying that didn’t feel right though. It was true that Ahmad and I were nothing serious. Hell, we actually weren’t anything, but I couldn’t deny that it wasn’t something there. Something that both of us were trying to fight.
“Where did you meet ‘nothing serious’?” Her smile grew.
“He comes into the coffee shop. It’s seriously nothing.”
“Mhm, you don’t have to lie to me, Fatima. I birthed you, remember that. I know my child and you, my dear, you like this young man.”
Groaning again, I rolled my eyes and started to rub my temples. I already knew where this was heading.
“You need to stop letting what your father did influence your life, baby. That was fourteen years ago and I’ve moved on. I’m happy and I don’t hold any ill feelings anymore.”
I stared at my mom and knew what she was saying was right, but I still couldn’t let go of the hurt my dad caused her, caused us. She’s talking like things were easy for her, but she went through years battling depression because of how my dad left us.
“Speaking of, where is Johnny?”
“He’s at work, but don’t change the subject. Are you hearing me?” Sighing, I nodded.
“I hear you, mom, and I know you’re right. It’s just hard, you know? He left us and went and started a whole new life like we didn’t mean anything to him.”
My mom gave me a sympathetic look. “I know, baby, but you have to let that go and forgive him. Not for him but for you. I want you happy and I want you to be with someone that makes you happy. You deserve that, Fatima. Don’t let your dad stop your life because he was selfish.”
I sighed. “He’s been calling me.” I rolled my eyes.
“Did you answer?” I frowned.
“No, why would I? The last time I talked to him was at my graduation and I’m still mad you told him about that.”
“He’s still your father.”
“No, he stopped being my father when he went and ruined our family.”
The look on my mom’s face showed she felt sorry for me.
I know I shouldn’t still resent my dad for what he did, but I couldn’t help it.
The way he handled things when it came to my mom and their marriage was one thing, but for him to completely abandon me for years only to try and pop back up like he hadn’t turned my life upside down was something I couldn’t forgive.
My mom sighed, thankfully letting it go. “Okay, I’ll let it go, but I will say that as long as you keep holding onto that anger, you won’t ever be able to find love.”
“I’m not trying to find love, mom. Love just hurts you.”
“Well, the young man that had you smiling a few minutes ago might be able to change that.”
“Ahmad is just as messed up as I am.”
“Ahmad, huh? I like that.”
Shit.
I had walked right into that.
Bashfully, I smiled. “It’s nothing, mom. We’ve had a few conversations. He gave me the idea to branch out and try to do my own thing, but he’s just as messed up as I am regarding relationships.”
I thought about how he reacted when Autumn mentioned the thought of us being together. His body grew stiff and a look of disdain appeared on his face. His tone was low and stern when he spoke like he wasn’t trying to budge on it either.
“Maybe you two building something will be good for both of you. Bring him by.”
“Mom! We’re not even together or anything close to it!”
“So what? Is he a friend? Bring him over as a friend. The way you’re looking shows he may be the one to break down that wall you have up.” Dropping my head, I released a deep breath. Once Katherine made her mind up, there was no changing it.
“I’ll try, mom.” She smiled widely.
“Good, now what else is going on? Do you need money or anything?”
I shook my head. “No, mom, I’m good.”
Even as an adult, my mom was always looking out for me.
There was a knock on the front door, capturing both of our attention.
“Who is that?”
My mom shrugged. “Katherine, where are you?” Cheyenne, Isabella’s mom’s voice, sounded.
My mom and I got up from the dining room table and started to the back of her house.
“There goes my baby!” Cheyenne walked up to me and pulled me into a hug.
“Hey mama Chey!” I smiled, hugging her back.
The door opened and Isabella walked in.
“Mom, you could have waited for me,” Isabella whined.
Her mom let me go. “You were carrying on a conversation and it was hot out.”
Isabella shook her head and went over to my mom to hug her. “Hey mama Kat.”
Our parents had been best friends since they were younger. Isabella’s mom was my Godmother and my mom was hers. They raised us together, making sure we grew up as close as they were.
“I was wondering if you two came together,” my mom said.
My phone vibrated in my vest pocket. I was wearing a shorts tracksuit.
“Give me a minute y’all,” I said, reading the name on the phone.
Stepping around Isabella and her mom, I stepped outside.
“Yes, Kevin?” I spoke into the phone.
“Why you sound like you don’t want to talk to me?”
I rolled my eyes. The last few times Kevin and I were supposed to meet up, he stood me up. Our little arrangement was starting to become draining. I wanted consistent dick with no complications, just like Drake said; he had too many issues for me.
“Because I think this arrangement needs to end, Kevin.”
“What? Why?”
“You’ve stood me up the last three times we were supposed to meet up. I don’t have time for whatever you and your wife have going on. So, it’s better to take myself out of the equation.”
Kevin released an annoyed breath, but I didn’t care.
“Fatima, baby, I know I’ve been dropping the ball. Shit’s just been crazy between the gym and my wife, but I promise I miss you. I don’t want this to end.” I did a hard eye roll.
Kevin was sounding too invested in this.
“Kevin—"
“Let me take you out.” I frowned.
“What?”
“Let me take you out. Tomorrow night. I take you out and then end the night between your legs, just me and you.”
“What about your wife, Kevin?”
“She’s going out of town, so we’re good. Please, baby. I miss you and I want to make it up to you.”
Licking my lips, I thought about it. I know I should say no and end whatever this was with Kevin right here, but I was backed up at the same time. I hadn’t had sex in almost a month.
“Okay, Kevin, but after tomorrow we need to end this. You’re getting too invested.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ll text you the details,” he said, ending the call, ignoring my words.
Shaking my head, I put my phone back into my vest pocket.
Turning around, I went back into my mom’s house. Voices were coming from the living room, so I assumed that’s where everyone went.
“Everything okay?” My mom asked when I took a seat next to her.
I nodded. “Yeah, everything’s good.”
We all stayed at my mom’s house for a few hours.
Johnny had come home, and he was happy to see me, and the feeling was mutual.
When my mom first introduced Johnny, I wasn’t feeling him.
I didn’t want to see my mom hurt again, but he eventually grew on me.
Once I saw how happy he made my mom, I couldn’t help but love him too.
Isabella and I ended up leaving to head back home. We lived about an hour from our parents.
“It’s always nice going to see them,” Isabella spoke, pulling up to my house.
I agreed. “Yeah, it is. We have to go more often.”
“For sure.” I got out of the car and waved goodbye to her.
Looking over to Autumn’s house, I noticed her empty driveway, showing she wasn’t there. More than likely, she was at her boutique. I made a mental note to get with her to get the details on this photoshoot she wanted to do.