Heaven Sent:The Reunion

by Tynessa

  “Y’all go upstairs and play while I talk to Heaven. We’ll be up there in a few to help with y’all homework.” Zylen dismissed them. The kids did as they were told and Heaven walked over and kissed his lips before taking a seat of her own.

  She always found herself watching Zylen as he interacted with the kids. He was such a great father. Heaven knew her husband had grown to love Taylen. She saw it in his eyes when he looked at the young boy. She’d even grown accustomed to him being around.

  “I got the results back from the test,” Zylen finally said, breaking the awkward silence. Heaven cut her eyes at the letter that Zylen had been staring at for the past few hours. Picking the envelope up, she saw it was unopened. The seal was still licked tight.

  “Why haven’t you opened it yet?” she asked, handing it to Zylen. He shook his head and pushed it back.

  “I want you to do it.” He gave her a weak smile.

  Heaven begin tearing it open with trembling hands. The pain in the pit of her stomach was something terrible. She was a nervous wreck and felt as if she was about to vomit. She didn’t know which would hurt more; the fact that Taylen was her husband’s or wasn’t. Looking at the letter her heart dropped to her stomach and she didn’t know how to feel at the moment. A part of her wanted to shed tears behind the results but a big part of her wanted to jump for joy. She looked up at Zylen and her heart went out to him as he stared at her with questionable eyes.

  Unable to speak she just dropped her head. It didn’t take a genius to know the outcome. Zylen just chuckled and gave a fainted smile. He looked down at the paper Heaven was still holding then back into her eyes that was then staring at him.

  “He’s not mines, is he?” he finally asked. He already knew the answer and just wanted Heaven to clarify it. She shook her head no.

  “I’m sorry, Zy. I know you wanted him to be yours,” she said as the tears formed in the corners of her eyes. Zylen wiped the tears that were then falling down his wife’s cheeks. He loved his wife more than ever right then. Most women would’ve been filled with joy but she was hurt behind the shit.

  “Don’t do that, bae. Yeah, I have mad love for the li’l guy too but I’m not that fucked up that he’s not mines. I mean I’m hurt, but that’s only because it’s my day-one nigga’s kid. That’s what’s fucking me up right now. How the fuck am I going to explain this shit to him when he’s calling me Dad and his real pops is the one he’s calling uncle?” Zylen asked, shaking his head. “This some real Jerry Springer type shit,” he laughed. That caused Heaven to laugh also because it was true.

  Had Zylen listened to his wife in the beginning then all that shit could’ve been avoided. He let Tammy talk him into going to her clinic because she knew Taylen wasn’t his son in the first damn place. Everyone thought Heaven was crazy when she tried telling them that something was up with that damn test and Tammy had tampered with it; now who was having the last laugh?

  “Yo, I wonder how Tammy did that shit with the DNA test,” Zylen said as if he was reading Heaven’s mind.

  “Baby, I tried to tell you but you didn’t want to listen,” she responded. She hated to use the ‘I told you so’ but his ass should have listened and known that his wife would never steer him wrong. “But anything is possible when you’re working at a clinic,” she continued.

  “Yeah, next time my ass will listen to you. I bet that’s why the bitch left town. She probably wanted to get away from him anyways,” Zylen said as if he didn’t already know.

  “Fuck you mean next time? This better be the only time! But yup, you already know that’s why she did it. Her ugly ass didn’t have no gig in no damn California.” They both laughed. Heaven was glad to see Zylen wasn’t fucked up over the result. She totally understood where he was coming from about Ali. That would’ve fucked anyone up, to know the bitch you were in love with had a secret child by your right hand nigga.

  “Well I guess we have to go have this talk with him,” Zylen spoke, getting up from the couch. He grabbed Heaven’s hand and pulled her up as well.

  “Wait...we? You don’t want to do it by yourself?”

  “Nah, we’re a team, remember?! I want you by my side when I tell him.” He tried to pull Heaven towards the stairs but it was as if her feet were glued to the floor. She didn’t mind being by his side when he told Taylen but she didn’t think they should spill the beans right then.

  “Wait, baby, sit down. I have to talk to you about something.” She motioned for him to sit back down. Zylen was hesitant but he sat down anyways. Taking a deep breath, Heaven begin to speak.

  “Hear me out first. We didn’t know what the results was gonna read and Ali said he wanted a blood test in case he wasn’t your son. He said he wasn’t going by assumption and he needed proof,” Heaven stated quickly, all in one breath. Zylen frowned.

  “So you went behind my back and took Taylen to have another test done?”

  “I knew you were gonna be against it, Zylen. I mean, let’s be real. We all knew that he wasn’t yours. I totally felt where Ali was coming from. Hell, I would want proof as well.”

  Zylen blew out a frustrated breath and rubbed his forehead.

  “Man, whatever. When does the shit come back?” was all Zylen wanted to know. He was ready for all of it to be over.

  “We took him today and she said be looking for it back in a day or two,” she let him know. Ali let the nurse know that he needed the test back as soon as possible. The quicker the better. Zylen just nodded his head and stood to leave.

  “Zy,” Heaven called after him. She was about to ask him the million dollar question she had been wondering since she opened the letter 30 minutes prior. He turned to look at her.

  “What are you going to do if he’s not Ali’s either?” she asked. Yeah, he favored Ali but that didn’t mean shit. Tamar had proven to be a ho on so many occasions and there was no telling who fathered Taylen.

  Zylen thought long and hard about the question his wife had just asked and to tell the truth, he had no answer to it. He hunched his shoulders because he hadn’t thought that far ahead. He didn’t think about the possibility of him not being Ali’s either.

  “I don’t know,” was all he said as he walked out the door.

  ********

  Two days later Ali and La-La were at Zylen and Heaven’s doorstep. He’d gotten his results and was indeed the father of Taylen. La-La had already forgiven him for everything, being mad about what she already knew would’ve been pointless. Ali still hadn’t spoken to Zylen; they were communicating through their wives and the shit was childish if you asked him. He didn’t even see Zylen’s car parked in the driveway so he wasn’t sure if he was there or not.

  Knocking on the door, they waited for someone to answer, seconds later Heaven opened it.

  “Hey, y’all.” She moved aside to let them in. Ali had never been the one to sweat under pressure but he was right then. He needed a Blunt in the worst way.

  “Hey, Heaven. Y’all go inside. I’m going to finish off the Blunt right quick.” He took the half joint he had in his pocket and wasted no time putting fire to it. Ali wasn’t feeling that shit at all and if it was up to him, he would sign over his rights to Zylen since he seemed so fucked up behind it. He was cool with Taylen and all, but shit, he was fine with just A’Liyah and A’Lissa. Hearing loud music, Ali shook his head. He already knew it was Zylen before the car even became visible.

  “I’m not in the mood for this shit,” he mumbled to himself. He had no doubt in his mind that Zylen was about to be on some bullshit. Getting out the car, Zylen walked right on the porch and straight to the door. Just as he put his hand on the nob, Ali spoke up.

  “You don’t think we need to handle this shit like adults?” he asked.

  “Bruh, we don’t have shit to talk about. Real shit,” said Zylen as he opened the door and walked inside. He walked into the house and headed straight upstairs but not before speaking to La-La. His beef wasn’t with her.

  Peeking in on t
he kids, he smiled. They were all in the room that used to be Taylen’s, playing. He walked further into the room and took a seat on the bed before telling Hydeia and Li’l Zy to give them a minute alone.

  “What’s wrong Dad?” He was very smart to be an eight-year-old. Zylen and Heaven had already packed some of his things while he was in school earlier that day. It was as if he was sending one of his very own kids off.

  “Come sit down Tay,” Zylen finally said. Just as Taylen’s butt hit the bed, Heaven walked in. She knew Zylen wanted some alone time with him but she thought it would be better if he and Ali explained everything to Taylen together. He was going to have a lot of questions that maybe the both of them would’ve been able to answer.

  “Zy, baby, you don’t want Ali up here with you?” Heaven asked.

  “Fuck I want that bitch ass nigga up here for?” he shot back and his attitude was on ten.

  “Taylen. go downstairs right quick and let us talk for a minute.” He didn’t ask any questions as he headed out the room. Heaven really thought Zylen’s behavior and choice of words was unnecessary and she was not about to tolerate it.

  “Look, I know you upset but all that wasn’t even called for. I just thought it would be better if you both explained to Taylen what’s going on. You and I both know he’s going to have questions. Let’s not be selfish, Zylen. Shit, you think you’re the only one that’s hurting behind this shit. Well news flash, nigga, it’s affecting all our lives! But right now it’s not about us. We have to put our feelings aside for that little boy down there. He already doesn’t have a mother so I know he had to be ecstatic about finally meeting the man he thought was his father. Now it’s like he lost again. The man that he’d learned to be his father isn’t; in fact it’s his best friend. Don’t you think that shit is going to hurt him?” Heaven said all in one breath. She didn’t give Zylen a chance to answer the question she’d just asked before answering it herself.

  “Of course it is. You going down there acting an ass isn’t going to change the fact that Ali is his father. It’s going to hurt Taylen more to see and hear two grown-ass men going back and forth about his deceased mother.”

  Zylen didn’t respond back. He just stared at the floor because he knew Heaven was right. Last thing he wanted was for Taylen to see him acting out of character. He was planning on sucking the whole thing up and just charging it to the game. What was done was done and he was letting Ali know that. Zylen just knew not to fuck with him on that level again. If their friendship didn’t mean shit to him back then, then it definitely didn’t meant shit to Zylen.

  “So are you going to go down there and act like an adult or continue to sit up here with your ass on your shoulder?” Heaven stood in front of him with her hand on her hip. Zylen chuckled.

  “I guess you’re right, Heaven. I guess it won’t be a good look for li’l man to see his uncle Zy knock his punk ass dad the fuck out, huh?” he laughed. Heaven couldn’t do shit but shake her head and laugh as well. Zylen was a trip.

  “No baby, it won’t be a good look and we don’t need that.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. Zylen grabbed a handful of her ass before smacking it.

  “Don’t start no shit, ma,” he said.

  “If you play nicely downstairs I got you tonight,” Heaven smiled before taking his bottom lip into her mouth then kissed him passionately. That always drove Zylen crazy. “And you can even have it any way you like,” she whispered into his ear. Zylen pulled back and stared into her eyes with an evil smirk.

  “No limits?” he then asked.

  “Anything goes! Whatever and however you want it, you gets it,” Heaven let him know as she gripped his dick, giving it a light squeeze. She laughed at how hard he was. Stepping back she said, “But you have to be nice and just hear what Ali has to say.”

  Zylen knew it was going to be hard but he was willing to hear him out and cooperate. He had to laugh because the power of pussy was a mothafucker!

  Chapter 18

  La-La and Ali sat on the couch watching the kids play. Hydeia and Li’l Zy seemed to really like Taylen and the fact that they were calling him brother touched La-La’s heart. She looked over at Ali and he was occupied with his phone, looking unbothered.

  “Do you think he’s going to be this happy with us?” La-La asked. Ali just shrugged his shoulders, never taking his eyes off the phone.

  “What’s wrong with you?” she then asked.

  “Nothing,” he responded as if he was annoyed. La-La turned up her nose and looked away just as Heaven and Zylen walked in. She was thankful because she was about to ring her husband’s neck.

  Zylen took a seat in the recliner and Heaven took the kids upstairs; all but Taylen. Like the good kids they were, they did as they were told. The room was so quiet. Neither of them knew what to say or who should start. Heaven nudged Zylen to begin the conversation.

  “Come here, Taylen and let me talk to you for a minute,” said Zylen. Taylen walked over to where he was and took a seat on the other arm of the chair. Heaven sat on the other side.

  “Well, you know we’ve only known one another for a short period of time and I have mad love for you. I already told you about how me and yo’ ma was like the best of friends before we broke up. Well, I thought we was but she did a very bad thing and slept with—” Zylen was cut off by Heaven hitting the back of his head. He looked up at her and fixed his mouth to say something but she cut him off.

  “What Zylen is trying to say is, your mother made a mistake. Sometimes people make mistakes and don’t think about the consequences or who it might affect.” Everyone’s eyes went to Ali, who was still occupied with his phone. La-La nudged him to get his attention. Rolling his eyes, he stuck it in his pocket.

  “Taylen, sweetie,” La-La spoke up. “Your mother and Ali here made a big mistake. They didn’t mean to hurt the ones that meant so much to them, but they did.”

  Why they were trying to put that bitch on a pedestal was beyond Zylen. That shit was no fucking mistake. Both Tamar and Ali knew exactly what they were doing.

  “And the consequence that came with the mistake they made was you. I know you know Zylen as your daddy but he’s not,” said Heaven.

  “Well who is then?” Taylen asked. Once again, everyone’s eyes went to Ali. He shifted in his seat with an uncomfortable look on his face. La-La pulled Taylen towards her.

  “Well baby, Ali isn’t you uncle. He’s your real daddy,” she let him know. He looked back at Zylen and Zylen nodded his head, letting him know it was true. Taylen then looked back at Ali, who still hadn’t said a thing.

  “So, he’s not my daddy and I have to live with Uncle Ali?” he asked, pointing at Zylen then Ali.

  “Nah, li’l man, I’m not your daddy. We thought I was but it ends up I’m not. But you know you still gonna be my li’l homie and you can still come over whenever you want if it’s okay with your old man there,” Zylen said. Taylen smiled as he ran back and hugged Zylen tightly. Just like Zylen, he’d grown to love him as well.

  Heaven and La-La went upstairs to gather his bags and to leave the two men alone. It was time they ended the bullshit. There was no need for Zylen to walk around holding grudges and shit. He knew anything was possible when it came to Tamar. Shit, she’d already proven she wasn’t shit time after time, so he needed to let the shit go and move on. What did he expect from Ali?! Yeah, he was his right hand but he was also a man.

  “Man, I know you don’t wanna hear it but I do apologize and I should have told you when the shit first went down,” Ali apologized. He’d already made up in his mind that it would be his last time. If Zylen wanted to act like a bitch about the shit, then fuck it. He wasn’t about to kiss his ass.

  “Yeah, I hear ya,” was all Zylen said as he grabbed the already rolled Blunt from behind his ear. He admired the perfectly rolled Blunt before grabbing his lighter off the table. “I know you got a Blunt on you. I’m stepping outside to smoke.” He got up and Ali did as well
. He knew that was his way of inviting him outside.

  Outside the two talked about everything that happened that horrible night that almost ruined their friendship. Zylen was so over that shit and was willing to be cordial for the sake of their wives and kids. It would take a long time for them to get back to the way they were, but he was willing to put it behind him. Heaven, La-La, and Taylen walked out and were ready to go. Zylen hugged him and let him know once again that he was welcome to come over anytime he wanted if it was okay with Ali and La-La. He assured him that he was in good hands and with that they were on their way.

  *******

  Walking into her office, Heaven placed her things on the desk before powering on her computer and opening her blinds. She’d had a long weekend, dealing with Zylen and her kids and she was beyond exhausted. Frowning up her nose she smelled a familiar scent that caused her skin to crawl. Turning around, she stared into the eyes of the person she wasn’t expecting to see for another few months.

  “Derrick, what are you doing here?” she asked unpleasantly. He just gave her a smiled as he walked further inside her office.

  “You don’t seem too happy to see me,” he said as he took a seat on the edge of her desk. Running her hands through her thick wavy hair, Heaven rolled her eyes upwards before taking a seat. She didn’t even respond to him.

  “Well, if you must know, I’m your new boss.” His perverted ass smiled wickedly as he stood to leave. When he made it to the door he looked back at Heaven and winked. “You’ll be seeing a lot more of me, Mrs. Heaven.” With that he walked out, closing the door behind him.

  Heaven knew at that moment he was going to be trouble; a pain in her ass to be exact. Zylen was going to shit a million and one bricks out his ass once he found out that Derrick would be her boss again. There was no doubt in her head that he would make her quit.

  Resting her head on her desk she mumbled, “This is some straight up bullshit!”