VII
Aleesha had a craving for a burger. And a pizza. And maybe even a slice of cheesecake. She didn’t feel like going out to the store, though. Or getting up off the couch for that matter. The energetic voices from the TV echoed in the quiet apartment. Aleesha appreciated the new furniture, although the walls were still a stark white. The firm couch supported her changing physique. Her body hadn’t undergone so much since puberty. The features she prided so much when she was a teenager exaggerated themselves to such an extent that her curves became more bulky than dramatic. Still, this is expected when your body has to start caring for someone else other than yourself.
Everyday her husband was at work. Aleesha didn’t have a job. Even when she hinted at getting one, he wouldn’t hear of it. God forbid the mother of his child going to work. He always emphasized her need for rest and taking it easy. She knew he was right. So here she was at home by herself, restlessly tapping her foot on the pillow it rested on and wishing that daytime TV had more to offer. She hadn’t talked to anyone for a while. She called her mom the day she got the good news. The day the doctor told her that she was pregnant. Since then though, things have been very monotonous. She remembered promising Lacie that they would keep in touch, but they haven’t talked for over a year—last time being at the wedding. She hadn’t even informed her friend about the baby.
Aleesha staggered as she stood up and went to the kitchen to find her personal phone book. As she listened to the ringing in the phone, she could imagine her friend’s excited voice. So much has happened since they last seen each other. Aleesha looked forward to catching up. Lacie’s mom answered the phone.
“Hello?”
“Hello, Mrs. Moreno--It’s Aleesha. I know it’s been awhile. Michael and I are fine—Can I talk to Lacie?”
The more Lacie’s mom talked, the more Aleesha’s face frowned. She habitually rubbed her swelling stomach.
“Yeah, I remember Lacie saying that she was going to take a year off before going back to school—uh huh…So she’s at NYU now. Oh. Okay. Alright. Bye.”
Aleesha held the phone in her hand until it started beeping off the hook. She slowly set it back in its cradle. There was a sudden throbbing in her abdomen. A surge of pressure. Aleesha picked up the phone again and called her doctor.
VIII
Back to School signs were up in the mall once again. They had been put up seven times since Aleesha and Lacie were there together. Aleesha pushed a stroller. It bumped up and down on the floor tiles. A little curly haired boy tugged at her maternity blouse with hands sticky from eating ice-cream a few minutes before.
“Mommy, mommy—can I push Lola?”
“No, Michael. I’ll take care of your sister.”
The boy fell silent and stared at his shoes. Aleesha knew he loved to feel useful, so she said, “Know what you can do for me?”
“What?” His wide eyes gazed at her like he would do anything she asked.
“Why don’t you carry this bag for me? Don’t drag it on the floor.”
He held on to the bag with all the strength his two cubby hands had. Aleesha sighed, happy everyone was at peace. She thought she must have gone crazy, taking a trip to the mall so far along in her third pregnancy, but Aleesha wanted to get out. She had spent her first two pregnancies mostly at home. When she found out she was going to have another child, she promised herself that she was going to do more than sit at home all day. With two other young children clinging to her though, she still couldn’t do much.
Not like she was unsatisfied with the way things have turned out. She couldn’t have asked for a better husband. He’s supportive and responsible. Her children are beautiful. Everything’s great, yet, her life is so different from what she had expected. Although there were all of these people depending on her everyday, Aleesha had never felt so alone. She had a serious case of whiplash, going around lost now that the rollercoaster’s over. Aleesha thought that maybe there’s something she’s missed. Something she didn’t try. So here she is at the mall, looking for it. Whatever it is.
She hadn’t been around people for such a long time; at first the mall was overwhelming. The loud noise bothered her head and the pace seemed too fast. But eventually she settled into the flow, keeping a steady eye on Michael Jr. and slipping into a relaxed mood. She walked past the CD store that Lacie ran into what now seems like so long ago. Aleesha often thought about her, sometimes at the most unusual moments. She thought about Lacie the other day while giving Lola a bath. Lacie must have had a time studying abroad in Japan while taking classes at NYU. She probably didn’t hesitate saying konichiwa to all those on the Tokyo subway. Aleesha tried to be happy for her. Not everyone gets to travel to another country.
Tension was building up in her legs, but fortunately, the food court wasn’t too far away. Michael tugged down on her blouse again. “Mommy, can we go to the toy store?”
“Not yet, honey. Mommy needs to sit for a little bit. Then we’ll go.”
Shoppers streamed through the food court, standing in lines at their favorite places to eat. Aleesha pushed the stroller up to an empty table and took a seat. Her son plopped down next her, and she warmly tousled is kinky hair. From where she sat she could see the coffee shop where she and Michael first met. It was still doing good business. There was a group of young people in line, laughing as they ordered. They carried backpacks and books like college students. Even though Aleesha didn’t know who they were, she couldn’t pull her attention away from them.
“Mommy, when we’re going to the toy store?” said a small, far away voice. Aleesha’s only answer was to give his head another rub.
After paying, the college students walked away, sipping drinks and setting all their bags on a nearby table. To Aleesha the girls were so fresh, with bright smiles and sparkling eyes, their light voices discussing what they learned in class a few hours ago. A guy sat on a table top listening to them and a MP3 player at the same time, along with a friend who was on his cell phone yelling at someone. They moved like a dance, gracefully setting coffee cups on the table, opening up notebook computers and writing pads, and sliding heavy books down to the floor. A willowy girl caught Aleesha’s eye.
Aleesha quickly reverted her gaze to the large stroller next to her, trying to focus on own her children and not the children sitting nearby. Maybe they didn’t notice her staring, and the girl who looked at her actually was looking somewhere else.
“Aleesha, is that you?” The girl who had caught her eye moments before was now standing in front of her. At first Aleesha couldn’t piece together who she was, but then, the girl let out a familiar laugh.
“Hey, don’t you remember?—It’s me, Lacie.”
“Oh my gosh,” said Aleesha. Lacie was the last person she was expecting to see. “What you’re doing here?”
“My friends and I were just passing through, but I haven’t been here for so long. I heard you were trying to get in touch with me, but I couldn’t get back to you…” Lacie moved her hands back and forth as she talked.
Lacie was very much the same. She still was a small girl. Only thing, years ago Aleesha thought Lacie always appeared extremely frail. Scrawny and content to look at life from the outside. However, as she stood in front of Aleesha, commenting on what a nice family she had and coddling little Michael, Aleesha noticed how her strong slender legs held her up. They showed elegantly from under a ruffled white mini-skirt. The tight black blouse adjusted to her athletic torso. The way her son’s wide questioning eyes reacted to her playful smile, showed an instantaneous connection—as if they weren’t years apart, but mutual friends.
“Let’s exchange phone numbers,” she said, resting a hand on Aleesha’s shoulder. “So when you have your next baby, I can be there.”
At that moment, Lola started crying from the stroller. Aleesha struggled to turn it around so she could take out the little girl and comfort her, but the wheels kept sticking, and she looked awkward trying to lean over and pull it closer.
Lacie reached for the stroller. “I’ll get that for you.” After steadying it, she took out the little girl, holding her in her arms and shushing. Lola still howled, way above the noise in the food court. Aleesha reached out for the crying girl, and Lacie handed her over.
“I’ll be right back,” said Lacie. Aleesha watched as she returned to the table where all her friends were to get some paper. Lola writhed and kicked in her arms, letting out little cries.
“Mommy, the toy store--”
“In a moment.”
While Lacie worked on tearing a sheet of paper out of a tablet, a young man came up behind her. Aleesha couldn’t hear what they were saying over Lola’s whimpers and the crowd noise, but the way Lacie’s mouth dropped open when she saw him and the way he scooped her up into a tight embrace, said it all. He wrapped his arm around her narrow waist as she finished tearing out the sheet of notebook paper. He couldn’t have been much younger than Aleesha’s husband--most likely he was older--but his easy grin and the way his eyes took in Lacie was a throwback. Aleesha remembered when Mike used to look at her like that, but between the job, the children, and all the other responsibilities, it was hard to find the time. Suddenly, Aleesha realized that her thoughts were like those of someone much older than herself.
After giving him a peck on his happy lips, Lacie left to give Aleesha her phone number and address.
“Here’s where you can catch me now. If things change I’ll let you know. You still live where you did before?”
“We moved out the apartment,” said Aleesha, setting the pacified Lola on the bench next to her. “But the phone number’s the same.”
“Great, maybe sometime we can…”
“Hey, Lacie!”
The children were calling her. “Let’s go. The movie’s starting in five minutes.”
“Coming!” she shouted back.
Aleesha didn’t want her to leave. She wanted to, for once, let go of the floral maternity blouse and exchange it for something trendy; replace the weariness that weighed down on her like the bags of grocery she carried into her house every Saturday night. Maybe she could hang out with Lacie’s new friends, and they could go somewhere interesting sometime. There were so many things Aleesha wanted to do, but she hasn’t had the chance to try.
Lacie tossed her head to the side, succulent brown bangs sliding over her eyes. “I’ll see you later.”
She walked away, her lithe, energized persona joining with others who were still as curious and naïve as her. Aleesha considered abandoning her seat and following them, but they were already gone. Then came a few tugs on her blouse, and Aleesha remembered herself. And she wondered what she used to be in such a rush for.
[I know this story is broken up everywhere.
If anyone wants to read it all together, I’ve posted it under Projects on my personal website.]
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