Location: Safi's apartment
Safi's whole world changed in a matter of hours. She went from being a fourth-year medical student doing her clinical rounds to a foster mother within a matter of 24 hours.
How is she going to care for these two kids, more importantly, a 3-month-old baby? The social worker brought over the paperwork and she couldn't sign it because she worries for both children, but could she really take care of them all of a sudden.
Safi has always wanted to be a mother, but she thought it would happen in a more traditional way. Fall in love, get married, then have kids, the typical way.
Her thoughts are suddenly interrupted by the sound of the baby crying, whose name was found out to be Braxton.
"Shhhhh, it's okay Braxton," Safi coos at Braxton trying to calm him down. However, an overwhelming smell protrudes her nose.
"Oh, so that's why you're crying! Let's fix that" Safi says trying not to breathe deeply. She changes the dirty diaper and fixes Braxton's clothes before laying him down in the rocker Dr. Motts bought for her and pops a pacifier into his mouth.
She begins fixing dinner for Aaron and herself when she hears a knock at the door. She wipes her hands on a dish towel and slightly jogs to the door.
She looks through the peephole and gasps at who she sees. She opens the door with an unamused look on her face.
"What are you doing here Eman? And how the hell did you find my apartment?" She asks crossing her arms.
"Do you mind if I come in?" He asks taking a step into the doorway. Safi closes the door to where only her body fit through the door and gives Eman a slight glare.
"I do mind. I'm not sure how you got here, but you can go back. I've got stuff going on and I don't have time to deal with a man who is intimidated by my appearance. So please, leave me be. I'm sure you got a whole bunch of women in your phone you can talk to, right?" Safi snaps before closing and locking the door.
She goes back to the kitchen to finish making dinner for Aaron and herself, seething with anger. How dare he show up on her doorstep like that after the way he disrespected her!
What did he expect from her? For her to just let him waltz into her life like nothing ever happened? She couldn't let that happen. Especially with these two little ones in life now. She has to rearrange her priorities now to focus on the well-being of these kids.
TWO DAYS LATER
"Come on, Aaron we have to leave! We'll be late," Safi shouted from the kitchen as she puts eggs on a small plate for him. Aaron comes walking in and sits at the table to eat breakfast.
Safi quickly eats her breakfast before packing up the diaper bag with bottles pre-filled with formula and a change of clothes. She checks to see how many diapers she has in the bag and looks down to see Aaron holding his empty plate.
"Good boy, just drop it in the sink. I'll clean it when we come back," Safi praises strapping on the baby carrier.
Aaron's first psychiatric appointment is today and Safi's running behind because she was up all night with the baby. She lifts Braxton out of the bouncer she sat on the table, soothing him a bit before securing him in the carrier.
She grabs the diaper bag and slides on Aaron's shoes, feeling complete that they are going to end up on time. Until she realizes she still has to feed Peaches and Cream.
"Peaches! Cream!" She shouts, scooping their food into their bowls. She hears the jingle of their bells and takes Aaron's hand.
"Okay, now we're going," she huffs out of breath. Safi locks the door and they head out towards the bus stop to the children's hospital.
She barely notices the pair of eyes watching her...
YOU ARE READING
The Anatomy of You
RomanceBeing a black woman in the medical field can be a harsh world sometimes. You've got all the odds against you being black and being a woman, entering a field where there's not many others that look like you. Safiya (or Safi for short) is a young Ken...
