When Zayn thought of New Orleans, he most often thought of beignets and the French Quarter and Princess and the Frog. He more often thought of singing 'gators than he thought of the real Louisiana. The one with the bugs and the heat and the swamp.

Nana--Zhuri's grandma--lived on a goddamn swamp.

In like, the woods.

"Deep in the bayou and shit," said Taj.

Getting off the plane, Zayn thought he'd been kidding. Now, as he follows the siblings from the taxi, and he steps onto the swampy grass, and his Nike's sink in the mud, he realizes that Taj wasn't kidding. He wasn't exaggerating, either.

Boy had been telling the whole truth.

And as Zayn struggles with bags in the muddy grass, and fights off a swarm of flying pests, and breathes in humid, swampy air, he leans towards his girlfriend and whispers, "What happened to the seventh ward?"

And Zhuri laughs. "That's where I grew up," she nods. "This," and she points ahead across the deep grass to the giant house towering in the darkness, "is my grandma's house."

He nods. "Oh...They brought her home?"

Zhuri nods, too. "At her request."

Zayn reaches for her hand.

"This shit is huge," Justin exclaims. "This'd cost a billion dollars in LA."

"It's been in our family for generations," Zhuri nods.

"Most our relatives were born in that house."

Imani wiggles her eyebrows. "Died there, too."

Zayn forces a smile. "Great."

"Our nana's grandparents were slaves, and they bought their freedom and built this house."

"Your nana's grandparents?" Justin blinks. "Why does that seem like it wasn't too long ago?"

"'Cause it wasn't," Taj replies shortly, and he hefts one of the bags from the car. "And I'm hungry as fuck, y'all. Let's go."

"It's about time y'all got here!"

The house reminds Zayn of lemonade. 

And when he thinks of lemonade, he thinks of Beyoncé's Lemonade. He thinks of 'Formation,' with the women all in those old dresses dancing in that old house. 

That house that looks a lot like this. 

And he's close to leaning over and whispering this into Zhuri's ear, when a young woman barely taller than her throws open the door and pushes a pair of glasses up on her nose and embraces her in a giant, tight hug. 

"Asha..." Zhuri chokes, laughing, "You're killing me, girl."

"Sorry, sorry," the girl responds, laughing as she shakes dense, long curly hair around. "I can't give Mani that hug 'cause I'm scared she'll break."

"Ha ha," Imani replies, wobbling in the direction of their older sister. "I'm fine, Asha."

"Yeah, but you got my nephew in there, babe," she wags a finger, "I'm not taking any chances."

"I know. Damn," Taj laughs. "I forget Mani's the one having the baby," he laughs. "Shit's wild."

"Right? She always been reckless."

"And this nigga's been my partner in crime," she pokes her brother's stomach, causing him to yelp and the girls to laugh. "So all y'all can shut up."

Justin leans towards him. "I swear to god I don't know what they've said all night."

Zayn grins, shrugging. He likes it. He likes how close these four were--reminded him of his own sisters. "Welcome to New Orleans."

And like that, the attention's turned onto him. 

"And you must be...?"

Zhuri steps in. "Ash, this is Zayn, and this is Justin."

"Your sister's men," Taj interjects. "Which is wild 'cause they can't do anything on they own, can they?"

Asha laughs, crushing Justin and then Zayn with hugs. "I'm glad y'all could both make it," she says. "Despite the circumstances."

And at the the sight of Zhuri's frown, Zayn takes her hand. 

She smiles gratefully at his comforting squeeze. 

"Where's nana?"

"Still in the hospital," Asha replies. And before Zhuri can speak, Asha shakes her head, "She comes home tomorrow, Zuz."

"Where's momma and daddy?"

"Hospital, too," Asha explains, answering Imani. "But there's red beans and rice on the stove and some cornbread in the oven--"

"Y'all had me at red beans!" Taj exclaims, clapping his hands loudly. "I'm fuckin' starving."

"How was the flight?"

"Cramped."

"Fuckin' everybody had a damn baby, Ash."

"And it was long."

"Real long."

"Okay, you guys are all copies of the same person," Justin chuckles. "It's hilarious."

"Nah," Taj shakes his head. "Don't say that. I'm not like them."

"Only 'cause you're tall," Zhuri grins. "If you were short we'd all be the same, boy."

"Ooh!" He exclaims, startling Imani beside him. He throws his arm around Zhuri's shoulder. "I almost forgot, Zuzie's gonna race me before we go home."

Asha lets out a loud laugh. "Like y'all used to? When we were little?"

"Hell yeah," Taj nods as Zhuri rolls her eyes.

Asha whistles. "S'been a long time since then..."

"And he hasn't won shit yet, so..."

"So I can't wait to make you eat those words, girl."

"All you're gonna see's my elbows and asshole, TJ."

"Bye!" Taj exclaims. "Good-bye, Zhu."

"That's what I'mma say when I leave your ass at the porch."

"Put ya' shoes on right now. We 'boutta do this right now."

And Zhuri fakes a yawn that makes even Taj grin. "I'm too tired, babe," she blinks, giggling. "Maybe tomorrow."

"Maybe tomorrow my ass--"

"Alright, alright," Asha exclaims, shaking her head. "Momma wanted me to get y'all to your rooms," she says. "And she said everyone better go on in the kitchen and eat."

"Girl," Taj throws his bags towards the stairs, "lemme make my momma proud."

And his sisters all laugh aloud as he leads everyone into the kitchen. 

___

Zayn's sharing a room with Zhuri. 

"I won't tell momma and daddy if  you don't," Asha whispered when she showed Zhuri to her favorite room, "'Cause they wanted boys to sleep in the rooms downstairs."

Zhuri had snorted. "I'm grown, girl."

"And I know that, but you're always gonna be their babies."

"Mani's having a baby."

"And it's shook 'em up," Asha eyes Zayn, "We don't need you getting pregnant, too."

"If your parents want me downstairs, honestly Zhu, I don't mind--"

"Hush, Zayn," Zhuri had laughed. Her accent was back in full force. "You're staying with me."

So even if he was gonna get into trouble for this, that shit made him smile. 

He showered and changed and crawled beside her into the big bed. 

"Goodnight, Zhu."

"Night, Zayn."

He grins.

And together, they lay in the darkness. 

It's really dark. 

Maybe it's the swamp. Maybe it's the trees outside, or something. Maybe it's the rich mahogany wood of which the house is comprised. Maybe it's because he'd never been anywhere like this before. 

But, it's dark. He can only feel Zhuri beside him at this point. He can only feel as she maneuvers against him, crawling into bed and laying her head on his chest. 

He wraps his arms around her. 

Crickets here are so damn loud. 

"Zayn?"

He jumps beneath her.  

"Thank you. For coming. For everything. For--"

"That's what good boyfriends are supposed to do," he replies. "And I'm sorry for not being a good boyfriend lately."

"I'm sorry for not being a good girlfriend," she replies, "often."

He chuckles. "S'okay, Zhu."

"But, Zayn?"

He laughs.

"I love you, Zayn."

"I lo--" he pauses. "What'd you say?"

He doesn't believe it.

Zhuri laughs, now.

"I love you, Zayn."

He laughs--he's shocked. He didn't think she'd ever...

"I swear I've been waiting my whole life to hear you say those words to me."

He hoped to god she meant them.

___

this story makes me wanna go visit my granny lmao 

comment and vote guys! only a few chapters left actually.