“That was . . .amazing!” I said. “I mean, it was the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen or done before in my life. Legitimately, best thing I’ve ever done. Ever. Hands down!”
I looked at her and started laughing a little, only I was sort of crying too.
Samirah smiled at me. “Yeah, it’s pretty awesome!”
“Thank you!” I said to her.
“It’s a pleasure.”
“No, I mean it. Thank you for giving me this job, for making me feel at home, for looking after Harun for . . . everything.”
Samirah tilted her head to the side playfully. “Told you I was a good companion!”
I laughed. “You are!”
“Uuurgh.” She reached down and grabbed her belly. “Not a good time to be kicking!”
“I can’t believe you’re going to go through that,” I said, indicating out the window of the car.
“Well, hopefully not! I’m not planning on getting stuck halfway.”
“God, can you imagine it!” I said.
And then Samirah did something that I’d never seen. She looked . . .
“Are you crying?” I turned in my seat.
She shook her head in fast movements. She bit her lip and then turned and looked at me with wet, shiny eyes.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, feeling nervous. Samirah was always so calm and collected and seeing her like this unnerved me.
“I’ve seen thousands of animals give birth. It’s the most natural thing in the world. I’m a doctor, and yet . . .” She paused and took a deep breath. “I’m completely scared, okay? I’m so scared to give birth! Is that wrong of me? I’ve wanted a baby for so long, and now that they’re coming, I feel bad, because I’m more frightened of getting them out than them actually being out. Which just makes me feel like a terrible mother already and I haven’t even become a mother yet. Which must make me a really, really terrible mom, right? I’m not technically even a mother yet and I’m already a bad one because a part of me just wants the babies to stay in there and not come out at all because I’m so scared of that part!” She was talking fast in a high-pitched panicked tone.
“No!” I reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. “You’re going to be a great mom. Seriously great!”
“I don’t know, Frankie. After what I just saw I feel like crossing my legs and never letting them out. That doesn’t make me a very good mom, does it?”
I laughed now.
“This is not funny!” she said, but was also smiling.
“It is,” I said, chuckling a little while I held onto her shoulder.
Samirah started chuckling too, a few tears rolling down her cheeks. We sat there in the car together and then, something amazing happened.
“Look.” I pointed as the little lamb rose up onto its feet. The little lamb thatwehad just saved.
Samirah and I watched as it stood up on shaky legs and fell down. The mother nuzzled it, giving it encouragement. It tried again and fell again. It repeated this a few times until it was finally standing. Its little legs wobbled beneath it, shaking and trembling as it took its first steps.
I heard Samirah breathe out next to me and I swiveled in my seat to look at her.
“Think about that. First steps. First time they call you ‘Mom.’ First hugs and kisses.”
Samirah smiled. “Yeah, it’s going to be pretty amazing, right?”
“It is. And Faizel is going to be a great dad too.”
“He is.” She seemed much more relaxed now. Smiling from ear to ear.
