Moving Forward

Eight

Aaliyah

I sat across from Roc on his bed, wondering if there was any way I could secure myself another slice of pizza. These cravings were coming in hard, and I could barely think straight without thinking about all the crazy food I wanted to eat. Just as I began thinking about various pizza toppings I wanted, I felt Roc tap my leg.

"I'm sorry, OK?" he muttered. I looked at him in surprise, wondering what he was talking about. "Maybe I shouldn't have told you about Tasha."

"What?" I frowned. How could he think that? He did the right thing by telling me. "Chres, it's fine. I don't- I'm glad you told me."

 We smiled at each other, and I bumped my shoulder with his. "So what are you going to do about the baby's father? Doesn't he have a right to know about his kid?"

Immediately, my heart dropped. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I had snuck out to see Ray after he had warned me about him, and I definitely didn't want to admit that Ray had ditched me. After all, I had tried contacting Ray for at least two months after I found out, but his number was disconnected.

I thought about Prodigy. I was glad that there was someone willing to stick around despite my pregnancy. In fact, if anyone were the father, I wish it could be Prod.

"Yeah, I told him," I lied.

Roc raised an eyebrow. "Who is the kid and what did he say?"

"His name is Prodigy," I mumbled, lowering my eyes so I wouldn't have to see my brother's face. "We're still talking about adoption."

 --

 Tasha

 I sat in my office, ignoring the massive pileup of papers. My secretary called me again, wondering when I was going to respond to one of my many messages, but I ignored the ringing of the phone. I couldn't focus on anything besides the look of anger that was on Chresanto's face. I couldn't blame him, either. He just didn't know that I was young, and I did what I had to do in order to keep him and Aaliyah safe.

Sighing, I thought back to my daughter. She was only 16, yet pregnant with a baby. I couldn't have been too much older than her when I had Roc, but I had his father, Angelo, to help me. All she had was herself.

I picked up the phone, intent on calling her. Sighing, I hung up the phone when it went to voicemail then redialed her number. I repeated the process multiple times before giving up and leaving my office. If she wasn't going to talk to me over the phone then we would do it in person.

 The entire car ride was filled with me anxiously tapping my fingers against my steering wheel. I had almost hit three people on my way to the foster home, and when I got there, I pulled in at the first spot I saw, not bothering to put change in the meter.

Luckily, when I walked up the front steps, Aaliyah was already outside, talking to her friend, Prince.

"Liyah," I hesitantly called out to her, feeling my heart drop when she stared at me with a look mixed with hatred and anger. I guess Chresanto had told her the truth.

She said something to her friend before making her way towards me. "What do you want?" She said, harshly. She placed one hand on her hip, already about to walk away from me.

"I wanted to know if the adoption-"

"NO," she shook her head. "If you think I'm giving this beautiful baby to a woman who couldn't even keep her own kids, then you got me fucked up. Just leave me and brother alone, aiight?"