“Zola what are you doing here?” Desiree ask while coming back through the front door.

“Now I know that is not how your going to talk to me girl.”

“Of course not.” Desiree kisses her hello on both cheeks. “That is how the french say hello.”

“Now you fancy uh’?”

“I try. What did ma'am faint over this time?” Desiree nodding her head in the direction of Taisha still collapsed on the couch. After about the tenth time of her fainting they stopped calling the police.

“Just some gossip. People in this town just talk and sometime your name being dragged around where it needs not to be can be a lot.”

“People are talkin’ about ma’am?”

Zola looks around as if trying to not pay attention or searching for the right words. She has known Desiree since she was young and knows what it was like for her when everyone was talking about her family.

“Zola!”

“Honey calm down. It’s just talk. I would not be too worried about it.”

“Just when they finally stop being quiet when I walk in a room and people finally talk to me, the talking starts up again.”

“Desiree hush now. People are just talking, that’s all. I put them in their place.”

“Zola of course your going to set then straight about our family, they know you are basically family.”

“But they also know I gossip sweetie. If I know the truth I set them straight. Then I also tell them other things to talk about.”

“Zola, what were they saying?”

“It was just talk. Now you know when you she gets like this she’ll need some juice to get sugar in her. Run down to the store and get some juice for her.”

“Zola.”

“Don’t Zola me. Now run a long now and get your ma’am some juice.” Desiree heads out the door and makes her way to the store. Zola starts looking around the home remember where they’re family photos used to be on display. Taisha was a big athlete and all her different sports would we all around the place. While Andre was a big car guy so there would be sneakers and car parts lying a long the wall. Desiree shared Taisha’s love for sports. Even though they were very active and would constantly be on the go, their house always was kept and felt like a home. Now it seems clean with a loss of life.

Suddenly upstairs there is a crashing noise like someone falling. “Now what on earth could that be?” Zola makes her way up stairs with a determination like she’s going to have to set someone straight.

“Shit, shit, shit. Wow that hurt like a bitch. Seriously when will these women leave?”

Zola gets up stairs and hear it coming from Taisha’s room. The door is slightly peaked open and she sees then boy that was over earlier the week. Why is he in Taisha’s room?

“Crap it’s getting so late, I need to get out of here.”

“Boy now what in the hell are you doing in here?” Jeremy jumps and doesn’t know how to react. Zola just stares at him waiting for him to say something. “Now don’t make me repeat myself.”

“I was, umm fixing something.” Jeremy just smiles hoping it’ll make her melt a little to let him just leave.

“Boy wipe that smile off your face. Now what in the hell are you doing in a grown ass woman’s room. She has a daughter. An ex husband who would murder your ass if he found you. Now again, what are you doin’ here?”

“I was waiting for Taisha.”

“Well now you ain’t. Get out of here before someone else finds you.”

“Yes ma’am.” Jeremy looks around to leave but is scared to go towards Zola thinking she might kill him. She then moves out of the door frame and waves her hand on for him to leave. As he’s making his way out Zola she’s Andre making his way to the front door.

“Boy if you want to see another day you’d get back in that closet.”

“I though I would die if I stayed. Well now you see here, Andre - Taisha’s en husband - is making his way to the front door. He wont knock. But if he sees you, he’ll kill you.”

“Getting back in the closet now.” Zola watches him run to the closet and see makes her way back downstairs.

“Taisha, Zola best be gone now so we can finish-”

“Boy don’t think about finishing that sentence.”

Andre jumps and freezes. The only person he’s afraid of is Zola. “Zola we were just talkin’ is all.”

“Talkin’ right. Now you seen she’s all fainted. Desirees gone to get her juice. She’ll be waking up soon. Now with you here wont help but cause commotion, now get goin’.” Andre walks back to the door. “Andre don’t come back to finish anything. Let her be.” Andre doesn’t turn around and just keeps doing through the door.

“He was never much for fightin’ you Zola.”

“Now how long have you been awake?”

“Long enough.”

“Now since you just came out of it I ain’t going to ask you much. But get that boy out of your room and I will give you and hour.”

“You’ve always treated my right.”