ZEN COOPER GROWN WOMAN
CHAPTER ONE
Chapter One
Zen got in the taxi, asking the driver to take her to the Toyota dealership. The African man allowed his eyes to peruse her. She was tall and slender in some places and bountiful in others and she had the most beautiful chocolate skin, ebony eyes and ropes of natural hair. She looked like an African- Indian goddess.
“Excuse me ma’am are you African?”
Her eyes met his.
“At some point in my life I’m sure my family was there.”
“Well you look Somalia and another mixture.” Smiling she laid her head back, staring out the window. Her hometown hadn’t changed much. She was picking up the car she had ordered. It was a dark purple Prius and she was thrilled. The money Charlie had placed in her accounts had paid for it and she actually had enough to live all summer but she was going to work in her aunt’s dance center. She was also going to live there. She knew Frieda and Willie Mae wouldn’t be pleased but she needed to be on her own and not pulled apart by them. She had stayed with Willie Mae for months after learning of the duplicity of her parents. They would simply have to understand. Cynthia had been glad to offer her the loft in exchange for her assistance with her classes. Cynthia was Charlie’s older sister and had lived in New York before returning home several months before Zen left. The niece and aunt had developed a close, loving relationship. Cynthia would often drive to spend weekends with Zen, sharing things with her from her and Charlie’s lives.
The driver raced around to open the door for Zen and retrieve her suitcase. She thanked him and tipped him before walking into the dealership. Everyone stared at her as she walked in, causing her to stop and stare back.
“Is this a car dealership or does everyone stand around and stare?”
Her husky voice caused a tall, white salesman to rush to assist her.
“My bad, I’m Seth Allure.”
“Your bad? What does that mean?”
“It means my mistake.”
His face flushed as the other salespeople stared and laughed.
“Then say that, don’t use slang every time you see a sister. That’s racial stereotyping.”
“I’m sorry. I just speak that way, no harm meant.”
“I’m Zen Copper and I’m here to pick up my car.” She strolled past him to the office. He watched her unable to move. She glanced back over her shoulder.
“Seth?”
Snapping from his mini-trance he followed her. One of the older black salesmen whispered as he past, “Don’t even think about.”
Seth’s olive skin colored as he ignored him.
He stood listening as Zen told the accounts person why she was there and provided them with her paperwork. After that was done, they handed Seth the keys, telling him to get the car and make sure it was filled with gas and detailed. Zen sat to wait. The clerk stared for several minutes.
“You don’t remember me do you?”
Zen glanced up from her iPad at the young, biracial girl whose name-tag read, Marissa.
“I’m sorry, I don’t.”
“I’m Marissa Everson. You were in my ninth grade math class. I was fifteen and you were thirteen. Everyone was mean to me except you. I was too white for the black kids and too black for the white kids.”
A frisson of memory pierced Zen’s mind. She smiled kindly.
“I do remember, now. Do you like working here?” Marissa shrugged.
“It’s a good job. I attended college for a couple of years. I had a baby and was thrilled to get this job. What do you do?”
“I just graduated college and am planning to do teaching assistance while I work on my masters. This summer I’m assisting my aunt at Dance Sistas on the Westside.”
“You were always so smart. You look beautiful.”
“Thanks you too. How old is up your child?” Marissa was a pretty soft girl with sad eyes and almond colored skin.
“She’s almost two. The dealership has childcare. There’s Seth. Have a good day.”
“You too.”
Zen followed Seth out to her car. She giggled with delight, clapping her hands when she saw it and spontaneously danced. Seth watched her, trying to hide his attraction.
“Enjoy your car Zen.”
Smiling she took her keys and got in. Waving she drove away. Seth looked at the phone number he had written in his hand from her paperwork.
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Charlie knocked on the door of the home he had grown up in. Cynthia opened it and screamed with delight to see her brother. She jumped in his arms allowing tears to flow down her cheeks. He held her until she was cried out. He placed her gently on the porch looking her over as her eyes drank him in.
“Charlie, you look amazing. I’ve never seen you look healthier or more handsome.”
“I’ve never been healthier. You look the same; you haven’t aged a bit; doing all that belly dancing, as mama used to say, she was convinced ballet and belly were the same.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? My God, it’s been too long. I have missed you so much. I got home and then you were gone.”
“I agree but I wanted to return whole and when my child was here. Have you seen her?”
“No but she’s here. She bought a car and is going to spend the evening with her mom. Frieda will not be thrilled about her living above the studio.”
“She lived in D.C for three years. Frieda will adjust. I’m going to shower and I’d love to sleep for several hours. I want to see Zen so don’t tell her I’m here.”
Jumping in his arms again she agreed. She was simply thrilled to see her brother.
Charlie showered and climbed in bed and was almost immediately asleep. Cynthia peeked in periodically to make sure he was really home.
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Tears poured down Frieda’s cheeks as she watched Zen walk up the sidewalk to the house. Unable to contain herself she fled out the door to hug her daughter. She and Zen had such a fractured past but Frieda loved and was proud of her daughter. Zen giggled, hugging her much shorter mom tight. Finally pulling back Frieda stared at her grown daughter.
“Lord, you look so grown.”
“I am grown mama.”
“I know, I know, bad Zen.”
“That’s over now mama. I’m here at least for three months. Howard has offered me a teaching internship.” Frieda’s eyes filled again.
“I wish you would take the better offer in Gainesville. You would be closer; only fifty miles away.”
Zen’s heart clutched at her mom’s words as they walked in the house. She didn’t say anything as she drank in the bright colored walls with her eyes. She had painted them herself with Charlie’s help. She had been thrilled to move from the projects into their first home. Frieda watched her when she opened her room door and squealed. It looked exactly the same with purple walls, hundreds of books and green curtains and bed coverings. On one wall was a huge portrait Charlie had painted of her. Walking over she touched it.
“Have you heard from him?”
The words flew from Frieda’s lips, uncontrolled. Zen turned, placing those deep eyes on her mom.
“Yes. He hasn’t said but he will be here soon. I know that. As to the Gainesville thing, I’m not sure. I really want to do my teaching assistant internship at a black school.”
“I know but black kids at mostly white schools need you even more Zen. They are lost there. Howard has amazing resources, they don’t need you.” Zen listened but didn’t reply.
“What’s that I smell?”
“It’s lasagna. I made it this weekend and froze it. I worked late today so it was perfect.”
Frieda had been a bartender for years but for the past year she had been working as a paralegal and library assistant. Though she was almost thirty nine she was considering law school.
“Yummy. I’d like to shower and then I’d love a huge serving of that. I love you mama.”
“I love you Zen and I’m glad you’re home.”
Frieda raced from the room because sharing her feelings didn’t come easy to her, even with her only child. She was literally laughing to herself as she prepared food for her and her only child.
After they had eaten Zen knew she needed to tell her mom about her living arrangements.
“You know I’m going to assist Auntie Cynt at the dance studio. I’m also going to live in the loft.”
Her words sent pain though Frieda like shards of glass but she wasn’t surprised.
“How can you afford it? They’ve revitalized downtown and those lofts are a mint.”
“I’m not paying. Aunt C and my dad own the building. I need my own space; I might get me a man or something. Shoot, I’m twenty, its time I get my freak on.”
Zen howled with laughter at the stunned look on Frieda’s face.
“Zen, are you a virgin?”
“Technically…”
“What does technically mean.” Zen’s laughing eyes met her mom’s.
“I dated a guy who did things... I’ve never had intercourse but...”
Frieda jumped up, grabbing the plates, racing to the kitchen. Zen doubled over with laughter, thinking, and “She asked.”
Frieda stood in the kitchen smiling inside at the woman Zen had become. She was thrilled that she was still her bold self, filled with a bit of innocence and loads of confidence. She felt Zen walk in behind her, wrapping her arms around her.
“I think you should sleep with me tonight and in the morning we can go talk to your mama.”
Frieda savored her daughter’s touch and nodded in agreement. She didn’t need to tell Zen that Willie Mae was still Willie Mae.
She held her daughter close to her, listening to her even breathing. It was so tranquil because she suspected Zen was right about Charlie and that was bound to turn her world upside down.
