Brooklyn
I was still mind blown at Anika being sick. Over the past week, we had been texting back and forth. What she told me to say to Basil worked like a charm. Before he left that morning, he had kissed the side of my head like he always did, gave me a stack of money, and told me to enjoy myself on my trip. I waited about twenty minutes before I texted Anika telling her that I was on my way to get her. She told me that I wouldn't be able to drive after the procedure, so she would just drive my car back to the house for me. Monroe was supposed to pick her up from Basil's apartment when we were finished. After getting Anika, the drive to the clinic was about forty minutes in traffic.
"Turn right onto Crutchfield Street, and then your destination is on the right."
I followed the GPS, and instantly butterflies started to form in my stomach. Or maybe it was because I was starving. I didn't eat since before midnight at the doctor's request.
"Arrived," Siri's voice sent a chill down my spine.
After finding a park and then mentally battling with the actual thought of the abortion, we had got out of the car and walked in. Anika was patient and very supportive. I sat down in a seat while she checked me in. She came back with a clipboard, paperwork, and a sticky note that said the word Dallas on it.
"What's this?" I asked as I picked up the sticky note.
"Oh, that's your name," she said nonchalantly.
"What?" I asked as I giggled.
"Yea, they like to be discreet, so they don't use your real name until you get in the back."
I filled out the paperwork as she spoke. She leaned in real close to me before she spoke.
"You have the $300 for it, right?"
"Yea. I had to dip into my savings, but I got it."
"Knucks still don't know about your little savings?"
"Na... he just be giving me money, and I've been adding to it. I'm not worried because where I keep my stash, he would never look there."
I loved Basil, but I still had to set myself up for a rainy day. It was no secret that he was into illegal shit out in the streets. If twelve came knocking on his door, I was gonna be straight.
"Dallas?" A nurse called out.
"That's me," I said as I stood with the clipboard and my purse.
"Come with me."
I looked at Anika nervously as I began to follow the nurse. Anika smiled at me as I slowly began to fade to the back. She killed me how she was so calm. Maybe it was because it wasn't her who was in the situation. In the spirit of redeeming our friendship, I didn't give a fuck why she was so serene it was a blessing to me. I was blessed for her to be there that day.
***
Anika
The lady at the front desk had given me Brooklyn's personal belongings because when you got back there, it was either you pay for a locker to lock your stuff up or give your things to who you came with. Two and a half hours had passed, and I didn't hear my name get called yet to report to the recovery room. I couldn't remember how long it had taken me when I had got mine. Back then, I wasn't pressed for time. My mother was there with me every step of the way. My mind drifted to my own past. Whenever people in New York used to ask me why I had moved there, I always said because of fighting in school, to sound tough. The real reason was that, during my freshman year in high school, I had gotten pregnant. My mother sent me straight to the clinic as soon as we found out. Having a pregnant teenager was not about to ruin her beautiful reputation.
