Chapter 16

"Good morning, beautiful. How are you?" I turned my head and looked down at the woman who was poking her head through the back door window. I blushed at the older woman's compliment. It wasn't often I get compliments like that so early in the morning, or get compliment at all.

"I'm okay. How are you?" Lil mama was kicking me this earlier this morning, so my sleep was cut short, but I didn't mind because she kicking was a sign that's she's alive and well so It was the least of my problem.

"I'm great. Now get in the car, these fancy people don't like people hanging out in their driveways." I smiled at her words, then opened the backseat. I took a seat beside her and smile. "Are you ready to bake?"

I nodded, "I'm ready to learn how to bake." she laughed and touched my knee.

"I can tell you'll be a natural." she grinned. She looked at the driver, "That's Bryan, my driver. I don't know how to drive to save my life, so Kevin got me a driver." she smiled, "He treats me like a princess," the older woman said dreamily. I could tell there was no pretending in their relationship; their love was 100% real. She rolled her eyes, "Sorry, enough about me. Tell me about yourself. What did you want to do before fate took its course?" when she looked down at my tummy, I knew exactly what she meant. So I answered her accordingly.

"I received a scholarship to NWU for Civil Environmental Engineering. I have an interest in construction." Hannah raised her eyebrows, impressed, so I continued, "I think it's in my genes when I decided to do that my mother said that's what my father wanted to do as well, that's one of the few things I know about him." I shrug, "I don't know, but I just love building things."

She smiled at me, "Well, you can always follow your dreams after the baby is born."

I bent my head, "I lost my scholarship. I'll probably have to do something else."

She shrugged and rested her hands on my shoulder, "I thought getting pregnant was it for me, but it wasn't. I worked in restaurants after restaurants, diner after diner until I saved enough money to create my own business. I started with a small bakery that sold coffee; I had four seats for my customers. Now I have a chain of small bakeries that sell coffee, I admit, I didn't do it all by myself, but I started it, and that's what matters." she looked in my eyes and smiled, "You can do it too," she laughed, "Not the bakery part. Still, you can go back to college after the baby is born, and you can get your degree in Civil Environmental Engineering. You can be whatever you want to be; you just have to believe it. I believe in you, Uvaldo believes in you now it's time for you to believe in yourself."

I ponder her wise words. Both her and my mother were in similar situations, they both got pregnant young, both worked in restaurants and diners, but they both had different results. My mother continues to work for restuarant that controlled her while Hannah started her own business. I guess my mother didn't try hard enough.

I looked at Hannah and smiled, "Thanks."

"Uvaldo told me his plans to help you. I want you to accept his help because he's doing it from his heart. I work with single parents every day, Valdo knows that yet he's never had a personal interest to help them individually and yet he found you on the streets and offered you so much. He's never done that before, but he saw something in you, and I know you saw something in him as well or else you wouldn't be living with him."

She had a point. There was something that drew me to her son, that made me believe his words. It was fate that led me to find his apartment that night. Fate led me to him, so why not accept fate and let it lead the way but apart from his generosity, there was something else deep down that made me accepted the offer.

I looked at Hannah, "I tell him Thanks every day because I'm so grateful that he found me, I had my doubts about him at first but after meeting you and Kevin all of those doubts vanished. You guys are the most loving family I've ever met, and you've taken me under your protection, and for that, I'm forever grateful."

She smiled, "Thank you, Tiffany. It means a lot to me to hear you say that."

I took a breath before telling her the truth, "My real name is Jakobia Taylor, Tiffany is a made-up name I use. I told Valdo last night. I'm sorry I lied, but I had to be careful."

She smiled, "It's okay, honey. I used to tell people my name is Summer and let me guess; you're not twenty you're eighteen."

I nod, "I'll be nineteen in a few months."

She smiled, "You'll be happy to know that you're not the youngest in my program. The youngest is fourteen."

I looked at her with raised eyebrows, "Her name is Christina and just like us she thought her boyfriend had some sort of feelings for her, but unlike us, her parents are supporting her 100%. They've decided to give the baby up for adoption when it arrives. They think that's the best option for her since she's so young." I felt pity for poor Christina, the fact that she had to give her baby up. Just the thought of doing that makes my head hurt. For the six months I've found out I was pregnant I've been nothing but happy about my baby, just sad about things turned out.

"She sounds strong." I imputed.

Hannah nodded her head, "She is and very intelligent too."

The car stopped slowly, and Hannah both looked through our window. "We're here." Hannah opened her door and exited the vehicle, and I followed after her. I looked around and noticed that we were no longer in the upscale side of the city but in a middle class to poor community based on the surroundings.

"Welcome to Harlem, northern Manhattan." she looked around the place and smile like it was the best place on earth. She stopped then pointed at the building in front of us, "Welcome to the Dakoda Foundation for Single Mothers."

I looked at the building that had her name on it and smiled. She made it from poverty; I can too.

"After we got married, Kevin surprised me with this. I told him it was my dream to help women who are in the same position I was, and he made my dream come true." As she gave her husband praised, I remembered that I still don't know how they got together.

She held my elbow and walked us towards the door of the building. She opened the door and entered. "We're a little late, so some of the ladies are probably here already." We walked down the narrow dark pathway until we reached the end. "This was the only building on sale, but I don't mind the little walk." At the end of the pathway, we exit in a big room. There were about six women their, all engaged in a deep conversation.

"Good morning, ladies." They all stopped and looked up at the voice. When they saw Hannah, their faces all lit up with a smile. I could tell they loved her and they did so because she had made a change in their life one way or another.

Hannah pat my shoulders, "This is Jakobia." she turned to me and smiled, "Introduce yourself."

I looked at the older woman nervously. It felt like I was the new kid in school again, and I hated that feeling after moving so many times as a child. I looked at women who were smiling and me, and it gave me a little confidence. In my previous school, the students never smiled at me, and now these women were smiling at me like they were happy to have me. I pushed away all the terrible memories of the past and smiled at them. "My name is Jabokia Taylor. I'm eighteen, and I'm seven months pregnant. I was homeless a few days ago. I like building things, and I can't bake to save my life."

They laughed then they all said, "Welcome to DFSM." I smiled at them then they started to come towards me, one by one.

A woman who was around twenty-three with dirty blonde hair came up to me, "I'm Emily. I am twenty-one. I have two kids, Jason and Harry. Their father is in prison for raping a ten-year-old girl. Nice to meet you." she held out her hands, and I shook it. She didn't look sad when she told me her story; it seems like she's said it so many times that it lost its meaning. The man she loved was a paedophile. Finding that out must have hurt.

Another woman with dark hair and hazel eyes came up to me and hugged me when she released me, she smiled. "I'm Zuria Giovanni. I have a son, Alessandro. My husband died three years ago, he was shot fifteen times." she took a deep breath. She continued, " I was homeless like you until I met Gabriele, so I have an idea what you've been through. You can talk to me anytime you want, I'm always available." she wiped away a tear that had fallen and smiled then moved away so the other ladies could get a try.

A young redhead came to me and gave me a shy smile, "I'm Christina. I'm fourteen, five months pregnant. I'm the youngest here. I was stupid enough to believe my boyfriend and then boom pregnant at fourteen."

I rest my hands on her shoulders, "Don't worry. I was stupid too. I made history repeat itself. My mother kicked me out, at least you still have your parents."

"At least you get to keep your baby." My heart sank at her words. I could tell she wanted to keep her baby, but her parents won't allow her, they were probably forcing her to give away the baby, and because was so young she didn't have much choice in the matter.

I thought I had it hard, but compared to the other women's story, I had it easy.