Endings

12

"Zainab you need to stop crying give me a break please!" Cried Jamila

"You do know that a month old baby can't speak or comprehend basic English, right Jamila?"

Jamila gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She decided to name her after her biological mother who sadly died 7 years ago. Jamila was taken to a foster home after her mothers death because her dead beat dad couldn't man up and take care of his 9 year old daughter. He was an incompetent dad who could hardly even take care of himself.

A year later Jamila, who had lost all hope of ever getting adopted was surprised and excited to realize that a family wanted to actually adopt her. My parents saw her and they both just knew that Jamila was going to be a great addition to our family. Jamila's face beamed with joy as she saw my dad filling out the papers that made her adoption final. Both my mum and dad held Jamila's hands as they walked out of the foster home. She was a blessing because my parents had been trying to have another child but that sadly didn't happen. Jamila was one of the best decisions my parents ever made together, as a unit.

"Please hold her for like two seconds I need to go change my shirt, baby throw up isn't the look I'm going for."

"Baby excrement perhaps?" I jokingly replied

"You're really giving Eddie Murphy a run for his money because you're just insanely funny." She said sarcastically

Jamila had brightened up and she had also finally come to terms with the glaring fact that Khalil was always an utter shit face. I admired how strong she was being with it all. The day after she had given birth to Zainab he had the audacity to ring me up, obviously I ignored his calls but when you're as incessant as Khalil,  ignoring him just makes him work harder for your attention. So I gave in after the one hundredth call and these were his exact words;

"So I guess I'm a dad aye pal?"

I mean how disgustingly arrogant could one person be? He wasn't present for the delivery of his own child and he didn't even seem bothered by it all. He then followed up by giving a whole speech about how he wasn't ready for the responsibilities that came along with parenting and that his education mattered a lot to him because he plans to "change the world" with his groundbreaking work in psychology.

I'm not even going to talk about how Khalil's reason for being a total replica of Jamila's biological dad is just so infuriating because I'll never get anywhere. After my conversation with Khalil he sent a whole soliloquy of a text to Jamila explaining how sorry he was and that he'd be in their child's life when he feels stable and ready enough to handle all the responsibility. I mean he couldn't have thought about that when he decided to have sex with my sister? Now is when the concept of responsibility rings true with him? What an utter imbecile.

"You can hand her to me now Ali"

"Khalil should be here you know that right? Giving him an easy A on course he should be failing at is so wrong. You don't even seem bothered by the fact that he wasn't even there for your child's birth and how he still hasn't manned up enough to be present in both of your lives? A father figure should mean something to you especially when you've said that you'd never let you child grow up without one. Stand your ground, find him and tell him to fucking be here for his girlfriend and daughter. He owes you that, you are worth his time..I hope you know that?" I exclaimed

"But is he worth mine? Khalil and I's relationship is none existent right now and his parents don't seem to be helping either, I mean they didn't even flinch when Khalil told them that I was pregnant. Maybe all of this is for the best you know? No Khalil, no problems."

"You're a gem Jamila but sometimes I just need you to stop being so lenient with how you handle life. Regardless you have me , mum and dad. At least we care."

* * *
I've been trying not to think about her or anything that seemed to remind me of her for quite a while now. It was tough, I admit but now that I know that she belongs to another there's nothing I can do. Especially when he's incredibly tall and I don't know, em..way better looking than me.

"Ali, are you here?"
A mysterious yet familiar voice flowed into the canals of my ears and I was scared for a while because I wondered who would be looking for me at this time of the hour and in such a place that was secluded and sacred to me.

"Who is there? I've got a pocket knife and trust me I'll hurt you with it." I yelled back

"Oh really? You think you can take me?"

Then I saw her face as she walked into the light. It was Huda and she looked absolutely divine.

"Huda? What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for you Ali. I'm scared, scared of myself, scared of him, my parents, my friends, you, basically everyone."

"I don't understand. What are you scared of exactly?"

"If a female thinks that the requirements to get any form of gratification, to be highly regarded or to be seen as an important being society is to have a penis between their legs then you're lost in this life. My mum was always an independent woman and my dad never seemed to understand why so he beat her. When she finally left him, we struggled for a long time to find a sustainable means of living. Now we're better than ever because she worked hard and I supported her which was all I could do as I was just 10 years old. People often say I'm like her and I take that as a compliment but when my supposed boyfriend sees that as a threat and decides to act out and slap me across the face, that makes me think of who people really are and what their intentions are. I can't go through what my mum did, although he says he's sorry and it was a mistake.. I just can't."