Free Side Chic by La'Tonya West Page A

baby.
    A young woman who looked to be in her late twenties or early thirties came in and took the seat next to me. Her stomach was way out there like she was about to po p at any second. “Hey.” She spoke looking over at me with a warm smile . Her hair was in microbraids  pulled up into and ponytail with some down in the back. She had skin the color of mocha, dark brown beady eyes and when she smiled I noticed the wide gap between her two front teeth. She was about 5’6 and very petite except for her baby bump.
    “Hey. How are you?” I replied politely.
    She let out a loud sigh and rubbed her stomach. “Tired.” We both laughed. “Girl, my back and feet are killing me! I can’t wait to drop this load! Only three more months!”
    I looked at her huge belly. “Three?”
    She laughed. “I know right! It looks like I am about ten months now!”
    I shook my head and unconsciously rubbed my own belly, praying that I wouldn’t be that big even at nine months. My belly had started to grow a little bit. “Gosh, I don’t think you are going to make it another three months! Your stomach looks like it might pop at any second!”
    “Yeah it does but I was big like this with my first son.”
    “Oh really? How old is your first son? I know he is excited about becoming a big brother!” I smiled.
    I watched as a sad expression covered her face. “He was five. He passed a few months ago.”
    “Oh my God! ” My heart went out to this woman that I’d just met only a few minutes ago. I couldn’t even imagine what she must’ve been going through on the inside. “I am so sorry for your loss. If you don’t mind me asking, what happened? ”
    “Car accident…loss my son and my husband.”
    My hand went up to my chest. “Goodness, I am so sorry.”
    “Thank you.” She smiled but it looked to be forced. “Is this your first one?” I could tell that she was trying to change the subject.
    “Yes ma’am.” I replied still feeling some type of way after hearing that she’d just lost her son and her husband .
    She laughed. “Girl, how old do I look? You are over there talking about yes ma’am! I am only thirty years old!”
    I laughed too. “I am so sorry. By the way I am LaQuela but you can call me Lala.” I offered her my hand for her to shake.
    She shook my hand. “I’m Denise but you can call me Nisey. ”
    “Nice to meet you Nisey.”
    “Likewise.” She replied. “Are you from here?”
    “No, I have a cousin that lives out here. I just moved here almost two months ago…I needed a change.”
    “Hmph and you moved here?”
    “Well it was kind of so mething that I had to do as opposed to something I wanted to do. I like it though. I just don’t k now anybody out here. My cousin and I had words right after I moved out here so I am pretty much a lone.”
    “Oh I know how that can be. It’s never easy dealing with family.” She gave me a sympathetic look. “Do you have a cell?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Tell you what. Program my number in your phone and that way you won’t have to feel alone anymore.” She said smiling. “I could use someone to talk to as well. Besides I am a firm believer that God places people in your path for a reason. He knew that you needed someone and so here I am.”
    I was starting to like this stranger. She seemed like a really nice person. I took out my cell and typed in her name. “What’s your number?”
    “434-555-0001.”
    I typed in the number and hit save. “Now don’t get mad because I use it too much and be ducking my calls!” I joked.
    She shook her head. “Oh honey you may end up feeling the same way about me.” We chit chatted for a few more minutes, getting to know each other before the nurse came out and called me to the back.
    I got up and grabbed my pocketbook. “Alright Nisey if I don’t see you when I come out I will give you a call later. My number will show up as a 757 number.”
    “Okay. I hope that everything is okay with the baby.”
    “Thank you.