“WATCH ME.”
Rena stormed off toward the house, squishing with every angry step.
Zaire watched the plane glide down and roll toward its shed.
He watched Meadow climb out, still laughing to herself.
Still glowing with that wild, unbothered energy that made him feel alive.
And all he could think was…He was falling for her… hard…stupidly…against all logic.
And he was in so much damn trouble because Meadow wasn’t impressed by the flash. He knew he had to come hard behind her. But like all things, he loved a challenge.
He walked back insideto change, peeling off his soaked shirt. His phone buzzed on the dresser. He grabbed it without looking.
“Ma?” he answered.
Lesha didn’t miss a beat. “First of all, why I hear water fallin’? You takin’ a shower with your phone on?”
He snorted. “I ain’t in the shower but I was ‘bout to hop in.”
“You been hitting?” Lesha asked referring to him getting up at the crack of dawn to hit the ball. She hated that her son barely slept and hoped he wasn’t drowning in the need to take care of her. Because for her son’s sanity, she would happily go back to home health care. It never paid much but it kept her baby fed and a roof over their heads.
“Always, lady. You good though?”
“I just miss my baby…this big ass house is too damn quiet.”
“The cleaners should’ve still been coming,” Zaire searched the drawer for a change of clothes. He’d put his things up soon after he got to Juniper Falls. He loved organization, it kept his mind calm.
Lesha kissed her teeth. “Son, ain’t nothing for them to clean up so I told them to stop coming.”
“Like you pay them,” he scoffed.
“Zaire! Don’t play with me,” she fussed. “I don’t care who money it is…ain’t no need wasting it because the same way it came, it can go.”
He got quiet because that stung. He knew he had enough money to live good for the rest of his life but something about what his Mama said had him thinking about never playing golf again. The league had been whispering about what to do with him, but he’d been avoiding his agent to find out the verdict.
Knowing her son, Lesha apologized. “That ain’t what I meant, baby.”
“How you know what I think you meant?”
“Cause I know my baby…always have and I always will.”
Despite having to raise her baby in the hood, Lesha was a great mother. She worked hard and showed up for him in everything he did. When he told her he wanted to play golf,she did everything in her power to get her baby there. Lesha knew his life would be harder without his dad around to teach him manhood, but she was determined to keep him outta them streets and his eyes on the prize.
Nothing was ever a guarantee, but Lesha prayed for Zaire, looked after him and now he was the best of the best even when they tried to strip him of all he’d accomplished when everything was against him. From his skin to the way he talked, he was never supposed to be in rooms with their children. Now, he was owning them with his Black skin and hood knowledge.
Faith without works was dead, but a praying Black woman was a cheat code. God wrote the world with her in mind, her children were destined for beauty, strength, and royalty. If she covered you daily, it wasn’t a matter ofifyou rose, onlywhen.
Her prayers traveled like lightning, hitting every closed door until it opened. When she claimed you, the heavens rearranged themselves to make space for your name.
Zaire knew that, it was why he loved Black women with his whole chest. Never using their bodies for his own pleasure, never watching her struggle without offering assistance. Lesha was a queen to him and he would always carry his women that way.
“It’s cool, Ma…I’m just in my head.” He gripped the top of his head like that would make some of it go away.
“And you runnin’,” Lesha sassed. “Your agent been blowing me up because you ain’t returning his calls. What’s really good?”
Zaire sighed. “I’ll call him later.”
