Page 23 of The Hellcat Barbies: Zora
“Ma, don’t start.” I groaned.
She waved me off without even looking at me, her attention locked on Zora as she reached for her hands. “I’m Mama, and don’t pay him no mind. He thinks he runs things, but we both know he doesn’t.”
Zora smiled, polite but amused. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Mama held her hands tighter, ignoring me completely. “Pretty, too. I see why he’s walking different lately. Don’t let him fool you, though. He’ll act tough, but he’s soft where it matters.”
“Ma,” I said again, sharper, but she just chuckled, gave Zora’s hands a squeeze, and patted my chest before wandering off like she hadn’t just embarrassed me in front of half the damn shop.
Before I could even reset, Semerah came running up, tugging my sleeve. She froze when she spotted Zora, eyes wide. “Oooh… I love your hair! Daddy, can I get red hair like that?”
“Thank you, sweetheart.” Zora smiled. “Red hair is a big commitment, so when your dad says it’s okay… we’ll explore it. Okay?”
Semerah nodded her head relentlessly like she knew that her hair would be red by tomorrow.
“You can forget the red hair, Peanut. You’re lucky I let you have them braids that’s too damn long,” I fussed. “Anyway, this is my friend, Zora. Zo, this is my baby girl, Semerah.” I introduced the two.
“Your friend or your girlfriend?” Her lil’ nosy ass asked.
Zora’s brows lifted, her lips curving slow like she was waiting for my answer.
I cleared my throat. “A friend,” I said, holding Zora’s eyes. Then I let the pause sit before adding, “For now.”
Semerah smirked like she got the answer she wanted and skipped off toward the food table. That’s when Case walked over, grinning like he always did when he had something smart to say. He looked at Zora, then back at me. “I see you finally made it out.”
Zora laughed. “I wouldn’t have missed it.”
Case lifted his glass in her direction. “Good… maybe this nigga will stop pouting.”
“Man, get the fuck on,” I laughed.
Zora just smiled, excused herself to rejoin her girls, and walked off with that sway that made it hard not to keep watching. Case waited until she was gone before he spoke. “She’s a good look, Semi… real good look.”
“I know,” I confirmed.
The night stretched long, but I moved through it the way I always did. Every few steps though, my eyes cut back to her.Zora wasn’t doing anything extra, just laughing with her girls, sipping her drink, sliding into conversations like she belonged, and every time she caught me looking, she didn’t look away.
Case was at my side half the time, cracking jokes, telling me who I needed to speak to, but even he noticed where my focus kept landing, but I ignored his ass every chance he tried it.
When I wasn’t watching her… I was thinking about her. The way she looked in that long-sleeved crop top, showing off her toned stomach, or the way her jeans were practically obsolete in the front but still fit her like a glove. The way she had fit in with my people without even trying. My mama liked her, Maya already had a history with her, and even Semerah had lit up around her. Zora had walked into my world like she’d been meant to, and I couldn’t ignore that.
By the time the last of the crowd started thinning out, I spotted her near the door with her girls. I moved in before she could leave.
“Come home with me,” I said, low enough for just her.
“Semi…” she breathed out.
“Semerah’s gon’ be with my mama tonight,” I cut in. “And I want you in my space.”
Her eyes searched mine, testing me like she always did. She hesitated, shifting her weight like she wanted to argue, but then she gave me that slow nod.
“Alright.”
Nodding, I walked her outside to her car and kissed her lips softly before she left. I stayed back to close up, dapped Case, and thanked him for holding it down. He smirked when he caught where my head was. “Don’t say shit,” I warned him, and he laughed, letting it go.
Mama hugged me before leaving with Semerah, whispering that she’d see me in the morning. I told her goodnight, kissed mydaughter’s forehead, and watched them pull off before locking up behind us.
***
