Bending Edges

Eleven

Mamoona

It has been a few days since Dakota visited to get her measurement done for the dress. What happened a few days ago, I didn't know if I should bring up again. I'm confused on what has happened.

The dress was making progress. Speaking of dress, I took on the offer that Kristen Aura gave me to become their fashion designer. Which leaves me sitting in the medical school's counselor's office. Mr. Mike Peterman, a mid-40s white man with thick glasses, was typing away on his computer. "So you want to quit med school so you could be clothing maker?" He clarified.

I dreaded that I had to explain to him. "Yes Mr. Peterman, I am quitting medical for a career change."

"To make clothes?" He asked as if it were to be the most ridiculous thing I have said coming in.

At that moment my patients were edging off, it wasn't any of his business to have an opinion and yet a bit my tongue and said, "no sir, to design clothes," I told him.

"Mamoona, you are one of our top students. You have potential to become a great doctor. It would be a shame if you were to let all of it go," said Peterman, "Are you sure about it?"

"Yes, I am sure," Mamoona said.

That night I dropped by Sabrina's house. Her light lavender floral wedding dress hung above her closet door. "The dress is beautiful, Sabina," I told her.

Sabrina was removing her makeup in front of her mirror. "I know right. I can't believe it I am getting married!" Sabrina chanted.

Sabrina's room was hot pink and seem to be own by a teenager. I looked around and remembering spending the most of my childhood here with Sabrina. "Yep, I cannot believe it either," I said while being sad that I won't be spending time with my cousin anymore.

And also I was frustration with that I quit med school, but I was nervous about how my parents will react and growing up in general. Sabrina turned to face me to find that I didn't look as happy as she expected. "You'll find a great husband and be a great doctor," Sabrina ensured me as she reached for my hand.

I remembered the main reason why I stopped over to Sabrina's place, to tell her that I dropped out. "Yeah, about that..." I started.

Sabrina stared at me. "Did you agree with your dad to find you a husband?" Sabrina started to shriek with joy.

I denied her immediately with a shake of my head. "What? No, it's not that," I shot down.

Sabrina transformed her excitement to a worrisome look. "Okay, then what is it?" She asked me.

I sighed and sat down on her bed. It was really hard for the words to come out but when it finally did, I said, "I am not going to medical school anymore."

Sabrina jaws hung down. I could really see the shock in her face like as if I told her that was dying of cancer. "Wait, what? Are you joking?"

I played with my sleeves and looked at her seriously. "No, I am not," I replied.

"But why?" Sabrina asked; words barely formed.

I took a deep breath out. There was probably a million reasons why I dropped out and I understood why she was so surprised it's not everyday someone quits medical school just for their hobby. "To be honest, Sabrina I wasn't happy with my career plan so I took in Kristen Aura's offer," I simply answered.

"When you told me about the offering, I never thought you were gonna take it, Moona. I thought you were only kidding when you wanted to think about it," she said to me truthfully.

I shrugged and saw it in my cousin's eyes that she was genuinely worried for me. "Well, I'm not," I told her.

"So what are you gonna do now. I am sure your parents will disprove," she said.

I sunk down to lay on Sabrina's bed as I shut my eyes. Tiredness took over me. "I will find the right time to after your wedding."

Just right then I forgot to tell Sabrina that I was not going to bring a suitable Muslim man to meet my parents to her wedding, I was going to bring Dakota. And apparently, I said it in those exact words. "Sabrina, I am not going to bring a suitable man to your wedding to meet my parents, I am going to bring Dakota."

"What? Who's Dakota?"

I paused. Dakota came into my life very strangely and quickly. Close acquaintance? Friend? The person who was confusing me? "She's a friend. Don't you remember the girl who we bumped into when we left that dress shop? The same girl who was in my room the other day," I told her.

"Her?! Your parents wanted you to bring a man that is gonna marry you!"

I just realized how disappointed my parents would be in me. I made a promise to my dad to find someone to marry me. "I know. I don't know what to do now," I groaned.

"I don't know what to tell you, Moona. I will try to ask my friends who are in need of a wife," Sabrina said.

"That's the thing, I don't want it to be someone random, Sabrina. I want it to be someone I have a connection with," I told her.

"Remember Aban from? He's still single and is looking for someone," Sabrina offered.

I remembered my dad mentioned him one morning. "I don't know about that," I trailed off. 

"Give him a try. You should be glad that at least your parents are giving you a choice to find a man," Sabrina said.

I sighed. "You're right, what I got to lose?"

This is starting to get difficult to deal with. I never thought that finding someone to marry can be so hard for me. Something just don't feel right about it.