REMEMBER TO COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

By Amira Jennah

Andrea just found out that she is pregnant at only sixteen years old. Afraid to face her mother she plans to hide it. A few mishaps later, she and her mother have to figure out what's best for her future. Will she keep the baby that she wasn't expecting, or will her mother make the final decision so that she

• Language: English
• Publisher: Life4Poetry LLC
• Release date: Mar 18, 2021
• ISBN: 9780578881201

Book preview

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Acknowledgement

I want to thank everyone who believed in what I was doing and helped me in any way. Thank all of you who encouraged me to keep going even when I wanted to give up.

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Introduction

I wanted to write something that would help people realize that no matter how bad our situations may look or feel, we can always rise out of the darkness. I love to read biographies and inspirational books, and it always amazed me how the people who seemed to live through the worst situations always found their way to the fork in the road. That place where the decision you make at that moment could make or break you. They always seemed to put everything into perspective at that very moment. It was like they were viewing the situation outside of themselves. As if they could see themselves and assess the situation better, if that makes any sense to you, my reader. They found the reasons they needed to keep going, change their ways, or make better decisions. I wanted to give people a sense of encouragement. Here are four stories about people in different situations that hinders them in the moment. They have to look to family, friends, and finally themselves in order to realize the blessings that they have in life. Everyone has a story, even me, even you. Look to these stories for inspiration to help you gain the courage you need to possibly change your heart over what seems like a bad situation. There are no bad days. Just days that we can’t seem to find gratitude for the good we have in life. Everyday is what we make it. So look around at your family and friends and be thankful for them. Look at your home, wherever it may be, no matter how big or how small, and be grateful for it. Take deep breaths and be grateful for life. No matter what your circumstance you can make it better if you move in gratitude instead of negativity. So always, remember to count your blessings.

Peace,

Amira Jennah

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Book One: Andrea

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Chapter 1: The Test

Andrea sat in the bathroom staring at the pregnancy test. She had been sitting and staring at the positive pregnancy test for a little over four minutes. As if the results would suddenly change due to her shocked dissatisfaction. She was only sixteen. The thoughts running through her head at the moment were not of how it would be extremely hard to raise a child at her age or of how she might miss prom or have to set back her graduation to raise this baby. Instead her thoughts were, Damn my mama is going to KILL me. She imagined the look of disappointment and anger on her mother's face. She was not emotionally prepared to endure such expression in reality. She decided not to say anything. At least not yet. She would wait until she figured everything out on her own. Or at least until she was far enough along in her pregnancy that her mother would consider not harming the unborn child.

Andrea stood up and carefully wrapped the pregnancy test with toilet paper making sure to cover it entirely. She was due for her period so she hoped that if her mother saw that in the trash she would assume it was just a used tampon and wouldn’t bother unwrapping it. She had already disposed of the box at the market where she purchased the test from.

She was afraid. So afraid of what the future held for her now. Now all she could think about was how disappointed her mother was going to be. She laid in her bed and cried herself to sleep.

Andrea was awakened by the sound of her mother yelling her name from the kitchen. It was dinner time and she had been asleep for about two hours. To her, it seemed as if she only closed her eyes for a few seconds. She walked into the bathroom across the hall from her bedroom to wash her face. Her hazel eyes were still red from crying but she knew her mother would think nothing of it because she had just awakened. Her chestnut cheeks looked a bit flushed, but again she did just wake up, so she hoped her mother wouldn’t get suspicious. Andrea helped set the table and then they sat down together to eat dinner.

Her mothers’ name was Carol. Andrea thought her mother was one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen. She often wondered why her mother never seemed to notice her own beauty. She was five feet five with a curvy body. Her midsection wasn’t washboard flat but she seemed to have just the right amount of belly fat. Her chestnut skin was almost flawless. Her eyes were dark brown, but they seemed to dramatically lighten in the sunlight. Her cheekbones sat high and accented her slightly wide nose. Her heart shaped lips were thick and always smooth. Her mother never wore makeup. Her wardrobe resembled that of a woman in her sixties. Wide legged pants and flowery tunic shirts with black flats seemed to be her go to outfit. She would get dolled up only on nights when her and her own mother would go out to dinner. Even then, no makeup. She seemed to never date. She was always working or reading.

Andrea loved her mother. She just didn’t always like the way she restricted her. Never allowing her to hang out with her friends or spend the night with other family members aside from her maternal grandmother. She didn’t understand why the only time she was allowed to go anywhere remotely fun, her mother would be there to chaperone. She was at her school dances and the schools sports games. Andrea felt like Carol was smothering her.

I bet now she’ll put locks and bars on the windows and hire armed guards to stand outside to keep an eye on me while she’s at work, Andrea thought to herself.

What’s the matter? her mother asked her while cutting her chicken breast into small pieces.

You’ve been really quiet since you came downstairs. This isn’t really like you. Did something happen in school? Did you have a hard day? Or is it just… you know… menstrual? her mother continued.

Andrea looked up at her mother and felt a crippling sense of fear and guilt when her mother looked up to meet her gaze. She wanted to tell her. She sat there quiet for a moment more questioning her decision to hide the pregnancy.

Mom, she said nervously, I’m not feeling well. I think I’m sick. Can I stay home from school tomorrow?

Her mother stared at her for a short moment. She looked like she wanted to say something, but she instead bit her bottom lip and responded, Sure, if you think you need to go to the doctor let me know. Thankfully I only have a half shift tomorrow so I’ll be home early.

A little relieved that her mother didn’t pressure her to explain further, she loosened up a little and tried to lighten the mood.

I got an A on my history paper. Andrea said smiling.

I knew you would, Carol said. Why would you get anything less with the way you study? She asked, not really expecting an answer.

Confused by her mothers nonchalant attitude towards her accomplishments Andrea changed the subject. It wasn’t that she didn’t seem surprised by her grade. It was the way she kept looking at her food and avoiding eye contact with her as she responded. This behavior was unlike her mother. Carol always celebrated Andreas accomplishments. No matter how predictable they were. No matter how big or how small they were. She always made sure to make Andrea feel like she was proud of her.

Something was wrong. She didn’t know what but she sure wasn’t in the mood to find out either. Her stomach was already in knots and the struggle to force down her dinner and keep her nausea at bay was already too much for her to bear. So she just responded dryly,

You’re right mama.

Carol stared at her daughter for a short moment. First she thought about how beautiful and intelligent she was. Then she thought about how dumb she was. Dumb enough to somehow get pregnant. Dumb enough to have unprotected sex after all the times she warned her of the consequences. Dumb enough to buy the pregnancy test with her credit card knowing that she gets spending alerts. And dumb enough to drop the very small instructions paper to the pregnancy test on the bathroom floor and forget to pick it up and throw it away. She would have never checked the trash can if she hadn’t found the paper. See, dumb.

However she also understood. She remembered what it was like to be a teenager and to have feelings that you can’t seem to control. She remembered how hard it was to fight off the pressure of cute boys wanting to go the distance and even if she lied to herself and said she didn’t want to go that distance herself, she did. She remembered confusing teenage lust with love. So she gave her daughter a chance to come clean. So that they could discuss the next steps. Which for Carol, was abortion. She had no intentions of letting her daughter go through the same stuff she went through. Having to give up her life and dreams in order to raise a child. Of course her situation was different. At least she hoped. Her pregnancy with Andrea was a matter of consequence. A matter out of her own control. She loved Andrea with all her heart. At least now she does. Yet at one point, if she had the opportunity to do so, she would have aborted Andrea. For at least the first year of the child's life she could not bear to look at her. To