Page 12 of Ghetto Heartstrings

“Yes, please! A small caramel frappé with extra caramel and an egg white delight without the ham! Don’t put no pork on my sandwich… I’m serious!” she warned cause they always seemed to fuck her order up.

“Got it ma’am,” the guy who was taking her order responded.

After making sure her meal was on point, she pulled off in time to get to the hospital.

She was trying to eat and drive at the same time and was forced to stop and answer her phone.

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw that it was Brody calling; he hadn’t called her in months, nor did he try to come to her graduation, nor had he tried to congratulate her or anything.

“Hello?” She finally picked up, swallowing the last piece of her sandwich while quickly downing it with a swallow of orange juice.

“Well, damn. I guess my baby girl done got to Miami and forgot she has a daddy. A nigga can make you do it, huh?” he asked without even saying hello.

Brook’Lynn had to really hold herself together from going off on the man that helped to procreate her.

“Well hello, hi, how are you? Is everything okay with you, daddy? I mean, me, myself, I’m doing fine, I graduated.

I passed my state board; I got hired as a nurse… I did it all without you by my side.”

The line got quiet for a minute before he responded. “I’ll be in town tomorrow and I want to talk to you about that and some other stuff. Make sure you answer your phone. I love you, got to go,” he said, hanging up.

Needless to say, Brook’Lynn was pissed. She grabbed her stuff and rushed inside, making it just in time to clock in and make it to shift briefing.

She stood off to the side with her pad, scribbling down everything that she would need to know with all of Doctor Richards’ notes on it, since that’s whom she was going to be working closely with until she was fully on her own.

Marley walked up late as hell and rushing while catching only the last little bit, causing Brook’Lynn to give her a disapproving look.

“What happen?” Brook’Lynn leaned over, whispering to her.

“Long story, we’ll talk about it.” She scurried off to her own area.

Brook’Lynn found Doctor Richards and asked him, “Are those the charts?”

He was an older man with salt and pepper hair, and he didn’t really like to talk much. Passing her half of the charts, he told her where he wanted her to go first. “Room 308 is ready; I’m right behind you,” he said.

Grabbing the charts, she shuffled through the one for 308 and nearly fell right there in the middle of the floor.

She knew her eyes were playing tricks on her when she read the name, Dashawn Burkes.

She quickly shuffled through the paperwork to see that he’d been admitted in the wee hours of the morning for ongoing epilepsy. Seizures? she asked herself.

She knew it was no way that she could get out of this, so she did what she was supposed to do… her job. Holding her breath, she lightly knocked on the door before walking in. Shaw laid there lightly snoring but woke up when he saw her.

“I was hoping I got you. I don’t trust these muthafuckas in here,” he said, sitting up. “Make sure they release me after a twenty-four-hour observance, like they said. I got shit to do.”

Taking slow, steady breaths, Brook’Lynn checked his vitals as she spoke to him, “I didn’t know you had seizures.”

“That’s because something has to happen to trigger that shit. I got hit over the head after some niggas ran up in my spot last night when I was shutting shit down. That was my fault though. I knew better than to be caught slipping by myself.”

Brook’Lynn looked at his head and noticed the protruding knot on his head, while feeling a knot in the pit of her own stomach as well. “Damn Shaw, you didn’t see who did it?” she asked, checking his blood pressure.

“Nah, it was more than one though. When I got hit, shit just went black and I guess that’s when I had a seizure. It’s all good though. I’m on top of that shit when I get out of here.”

Removing the cuff from his arm, she told him. “Well, you be careful out there. Doctor Richards should be in soon.”

“Aiight shawty, tell him to come on. Shit, I lost forty bands last night, and right now, this ain’t the place for me to be.”

“I got it. I’ll tell him right away.”

“Cool. I’ve been meaning to ask you, where them niggas at? I heard they was running from the big boys,” he said.

Brook’Lynn knew better. No matter what, you didn’t tell the family business. “I’ll come back and check on you later Shaw.” She smiled before walking out; she couldn’t wait to run back into Marley’s ass.

The remainder of the twelve hours came and went by quickly, but she was exhausted as hell and couldn’t wait to get home, so she could soak in some bath beads.

On top of that, Yaya better had been dropping her money off by the time she got there.

Unfortunately, she never did see Marley again, but it was all good; she knew she’d see her sooner or later.

On her way home, she stopped to the grocery store to get the stuff she would need to make some stuffed lasagna peppers.

Next, she drove to Carol City to grab her a dime bag and a berry flavor Dutch, so she could roll up after she ate.

She stuck the key in the door, ready to throw all her clothes off and relax.

This was the first time she felt like she could breathe since she left the hospital.

She needed to get out of Shaw’s presence because she couldn’t take it.

As soon as she stepped foot in the living room, she knew somebody was in there.

Slowly, she removed her .22 from her small bag and gripped it in her shaking hands.

With her eyes focused, she slowly walked in the direction of the shuffling sounds which were coming from the kitchen.

Aiming carefully, she aimed straight ahead, ready to shoot when she came face to face with Yaya. “Shit, Yaya!” She jumped and slowly lowered the gun. “What the hell are you doing in my house?” she questioned. The key she gave Yaya was for emergency purposes only.

Without blinking, Yaya kept counting the money, making sure she had 10 stacks waiting for Brook’Lynn.

Fair was fair. “Girl, relax… I’m just bringing you your money in person.

Out of 40 bands, here’s your cut. 10 bands for you, 10 for Kema, 10 for me, and them other bitches can bust down the rest, 5 and 5.

Shit, Bugg didn’t do shit but drive this time and Marley…

well, she was aiight but she’s a rookie, she still don’t deserve our cut. ”

Brook’Lynn slung her bag down and sat at the table. “Who hit Shaw? He was on my floor today; he had a seizure. Like damn, ya’ll couldn’t keep it clean?” she asked, irritated.

Yaya stood up wearing a black halter with her flat belly, exposing her cross-shape belly ring piercing. Her tight jeans hugged her ass and hips with a low dip in the back, showing off her perfect arch and dimples. “Shit happens Brook, I have to go… who’s up next?”

Brook’Lynn felt bad about this one coming up, but she was already in. She dug in her bag and pulled out a small piece of paper. “Here… that’s everything you need. Him and Perfect do a lot of business together; his name is Love.”

Yaya scanned the note-size paper and tucked it in her bra. “My sister used to fuck him. That nigga is stacked but hard to get to, you never know where he’s gonna be at.”

Brook’Lynn pointed at Yaya’s bra. “Well, that’s everything you need to know right there.”

“Bye chick.” Yaya grabbed her purse. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

Brook’Lynn stood up to walk her out. “You spoke to Boom?”

“Nope, I don’t have a way to talk to him yet. He didn’t leave me a phone like Perfect did for you.” She smirked. “That’s why a bitch out here doing what she got to do.”

“Maybe he wants to see if you’ll really hold it down, no matter what,” Brook’Lynn suggested.

“Girl, ain’t no telling. Either way, I’m still gonna do me. I love that nigga, but sometimes, love ain’t enough.”

With that, she walked out, leaving Brook’Lynn alone to lock up.

Brook’Lynn showered, washed her hair, and tied a towel around it.

Walking to the kitchen in her robe, she couldn’t help herself thinking about Perfect and how much she missed him.

It hit her even more when she prepared her stuffed peppers and sat down in front of the TV to eat alone.

She grabbed the phone he left for her, hoping that it would ring; she also thought about the fact that he might have been up there having a fucking blast fucking them hoes.

Just the thought alone gave her an attitude.

She immediately turned the TV off and went to her room.

As soon as she snuggled up under the covers, her iPhone was ringing.

She was too confused, looking at Rasta’s name flash across the screen.

Her heart immediately started pounding, automatically thinking the worst. “Hello?!” She panicked.

“Is everything okay with Perfect? What happened Rasta?”

“I can’t call my beautiful daughter in-law and check on her?” he asked.

She let out a sigh of relief, but Brody had already called her earlier that day, and now, Rasta was calling? She thought the shit was getting weird. What the fuck does he want? she thought to herself. I’m not playin’ with none of ya!

“I’m sorry… what’s up then?” she asked.

He let out a laugh. “I just wanted to check on you since Perfect won’t be around. Maybe you should move into an apartment or something, instead of being in that big ass house all by yourself.”

“I’m good,” she said with her mouth twisted up. “I’m not goin’ nowhere.”

“How you gon’ take care of all those bills? What you plan on having my son come back broke cause you done spent all the money?” he asked, trying to get in her head.

“You know better than that,” she chuckled. What she really wanted to do was cuss his ass out.