What We Learned Along the Way by Nadirah Angail Page B

I’m four months pregnant,” she said,
pulling her abaya tight so he could see the shape of her small,
round belly.
    “How do you know it’s not Joseph’s?” he asked
as he paced the room.
    “I don’t know what kind of girl you think I
am, but I do not go around having sex! I didn’t mean to do it with
you. It was such a horrible mistake.”
    “Damn!” Rashad muttered. “How could you let
this happen?”
    “Me? You were the extra friendly one that
night. I should have never let you give me that ride home.”
    Rashad had to sit down. He thought back to
that night he had been watching movies with Mariam. When he found
Isaiah’s number on the napkin, he assumed the worst. He tried to
play it cool and give her a chance to explain, but she didn’t say
anything. He went to Starr to blow off some steam. He hadn’t
planned on seeing Jaime, and he definitely hadn’t planned on
sleeping with her. He was just so angry with Mariam. The whole
thing was a huge mistake.
    ”I am so dumb,” he said. “I was already a
little on edge because of the Bertino’s incident. When I saw that
napkin with the number on it fall out of her pocket, I jumped to
conclusions. I tried to give her a chance to explain, but she
didn’t say anything. I was so mad. I didn’t even bother to ask what
it was for. I just assumed she was cheating. If I just would have
asked, she would have told me the number was for Malikah,” he said,
shaking his head in disgust.
    “I’m no smarter,” Jaime said with her head
hung low. “I remember that night, too. I was so excited about
finally standing up to my parents. It was like an adrenaline rush.
I wasn’t even thinking straight. I can’t believe this. So, when are
you going to tell Mariam?”
    “I don’t know, but I can’t lose her.”
    Jaime felt awkward. She didn’t know what to
say.
    “You’ve got to get to work,” Jaime said
finally. “I’m going to head home. Joseph still doesn’t know. No one
does.” She stood up and walked toward the door.
    “Jaime?” Rashad called from the sofa.
“Please, don’t tell Mariam. She needs to hear it from me.”
    “I know,” Jaime said.

Chapter 13- Mariam
    It was the day before the wedding and Mariam
had tons of things to do. She was meeting her bridesmaids at Sister
Rose’s for a final fitting. She was running a little late, so when
she and Nadia showed up, everyone else was already there, except
Jaime.
    “I hope Jaime’s on her way,” Mariam said
looking at her watch. I know Sister Rose has to leave by
1’oclock.
    “I got a voicemail from Jaime this morning.
She said she isn’t feeling well and won’t to be able to make it,”
Malikah said.
    “She sounded pretty bad the last time I
talked to her, too,” Aliya said. “Seems like she’s always sick
these days. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think she was
pregnant,” Aliya joked.
    “I hope she’s okay in time for the wedding
tomorrow,” Mariam said. She sounded worried.
    “Mariam, you are my girl,” Nadia said as she
walked out in her light yellow bridesmaids dress. “You picked out
the perfect dress. It fits in all the right places,” she said,
checking herself out in the full length mirror.
    “Yea, you did it with this one, Mariam,”
Aliya said. “I’m so glad you’re not one of those brides that try to
make her bridesmaids look bad, just so she can look better.”
    Nadia looked Aliya up and down. “Uhm, your
dress sure is tight,” she said with an attitude.
    “Nadia!” Mariam said, embarrassed.
    “No, she’s right.” Aliya said. “It is a
little tight. You think you could let it out a bit?” she asked
Sister Rose.
    “Sho, baby. That’s what this fitting’s fo’.”
Sister Rose was as good a seamstress as any professional, but she
was extremely country. She was one of those women that spent most
of the day in her rocking chair on the porch, gossiping about her
neighbors. Most of her sentences started with “Now, you ain’t heard
this from me…”