Page 18 of Ghetto Heartstrings

What she was really studying was his features, from his long thick lashes and the shape of his eyes, the smooth Hershey color of his skin, the texture of his hair, and the structure of his facial bones.

She felt her heart drop. Wise looked exactly like her, she looked exactly like him, they looked exactly like each other, and it was crazy how she never saw it before, or anyone else for that matter.

Her eyes shifted from the certificate and then back to him. “I…um...” She found herself stumbling over her own words. Get it together Brook’Lynn; shit, this isn’t your fault, she coached herself. “This man on your birth certificate… you know him?” she asked.

Wise relaxed a little lazily, throwing his body back on the couch so his head could rest. “Yeah, that’s the nigga that helped my mama create me and shit; hints to why his name is on my birth certificate.”

“Don’t get slick Wise, this is serious.”

He chuckled. “Aiight, you have my attention. I promise, I’m all ears.”

She pulled out her phone and searched for the picture she was looking for. When she found it, she held it in front of his face. “Is this him?”

Wise sat up and took a good look. Brook’Lynn could tell in the shift of his demeanor that it was. “Yeah, that’s that cat.”

She locked the phone back and tried to deal with her own feelings, but the fact that she found out she wasn’t the only child and had missed her entire life without having a big brother was crazy and not to mention just straight up fucking hurtful, or maybe it was the pregnancy that had her feeling all emotional.

“Did you know that my last name is Watson as well? Brody is my daddy too, Wise; he actually raised me in Atlanta.”

Wise’s expression went from surprise to anger.

He stood up and walked in the kitchen to grab him a Corona from the fridge before popping it open.

Leaning up against the counter, he took the entire bottle to the head, and when he was finished, he cocked his arm back and tossed the bottle at the wall in front of him, causing it to shatter all over the place.

For the next five minutes, they said nothing to each other; she was glad that he did it because that was exactly how she felt.

“Damn.” He finally shook his head. “All this time, huh? I got a little sister in my face and didn’t even know it.”

“I know, right,” she replied. “I found out that I had a brother and a sister a few weeks back directly from his own mouth, but I had no idea it would be you.”

“A sister? So, I have another sister?” he asked.

“Yeah, somewhere out here, but I don’t know who.”

He stroked his chin and nodded his head with his lips pierced. “Come here Brook… can I hug my sister?” he asked, staring at her like it was his first time seeing her. “This shit is crazy; we really do look alike.” He couldn’t believe it.

“I said the same damn thing Wise… I said the same thing and it’s fucked up. Brody is a fucked-up dude period. I love the man because I don’t have a choice to, but that doesn’t mean I agree with the shit he does.” She said, walking into his arms as they hugged like they’d just met the first time.

Brook’Lynn knew that Marley was somewhere lingering and listening, but she wouldn’t dare show face to take away from their moment.

“It doesn’t even matter. If I had to choose a sister, I’d rather it be you. A down ass, loyal ass chick who’s just as real as they come.”

For some reason, she couldn’t stop the tears from falling down her eyes at this point. She tried to disguise them, but she couldn’t control herself.

Wise looked down when he felt the warm spot on his shirt. “I know the toughest girl I know ain’t out here crying about my muthafuckin’ ass… say it ain’t so,” he laughed.

Brook’Lynn chuckled, “Wise, shut the fuck up, ain’t nobody crying over yo stank ass… it’s not me, it’s the baby… I’m pregnant.”

He pulled back and looked into her eyes to see if she was telling the truth, and he knew she was.

“On the real, Brook’Lynn… a nigga been out here on his own.

My ole’ girl moved away to Texas after she felt like I was old enough to raise myself and I never understood that shit.

I never knew what she was running from. Brody would come out here and make sure I was straight cause I moved with my grandma and shit, but he always told me to be patient; I was his so-called ‘legacy’.

That nigga ain’t hollered at me about shit.

I don’t know what the fuck he was waiting on, so I started handling shit for myself and I’m cool with that.

I don’t need that nigga. Now that I’m finding out about you, I feel like that’s a blessing, I get a sister and I’m about to be an uncle.

A nigga heart is smiling right now off of that strength alone, and now that we know what it is, I promise I’ll never neglect you, and if I ever meet my other sister, I won’t neglect her either.

My word is bond, I mean that shit,” he said in all sincerity.

Brook’Lynn was a big water bag by now; she couldn’t even front.

They were definitely having a moment, and now, Marley was standing behind them, holding her glasses in her hands with her face just as red and puffy as the tears fell from her eyes.

Her little button nose was red as well, but the sincerity bouncing off her could be felt.

“Oh, my gosh,” she gushed as she fanned her eyes. “This is so beautiful.”

It was safe to say that it wasn’t a dry face in the room at this point, as Marley joined in on the group hug.

A few weeks later, Wise was sitting in Brook’Lynn’s living room, waiting for her to finish packing.

Today was the day that they were going to Texas to visit his mom.

They both agreed that they needed answers and getting it from Brody wasn’t going to happen.

He sat there watching the basketball game, while she ran around like a lost chicken, when somebody knocked on the door.

Since Brook’Lynn was occupied, Wise got up and opened it with an unlit blunt hanging from his mouth.

His good hair was braided back perfectly, and his chocolate skin was smooth.

The black wifebeater shirt that he wore exposed his ripped muscles and his body smelled good.

He wore a pair of Tru Religion jeans that were being held up by his red Ferragamo belt with the matching Ferragamo slides.

In came Brook’Lynn’s entire crew. Yaya, Kema, and Bugg walked in smelling like a bunch of different fragrances.

They were all dressed to impress with their hair and nails freshly done.

The designer clothes and purses dripped from their bodies…

the words ‘hood rich’ was screaming all over them.

Him being around these different flavors of women was like a big kid sitting in the candy store.

It was all about which flavor you liked.

He knew of them from around the way, but he never fucked with them as heavy as he did Brook’Lynn.

He knew that the light-skinned one with the pretty ass eyes belonged to his nigga, C2, and he knew that he’d seen Yaya around with Boom…

the other chick, he knew he didn’t know her.

He wasn’t the one to judge, but if he was right and knew women like he thought he did… money hungry were the words he’d use.

“Well damn.” Kema smiled when she walked in. “I’m not used to seeing you anywhere besides the club,” she said, greeting Wise. “The last time I saw you, you spent a nice lil bag on me. I appreciate that.”

“Ain’t no problem ma… I support the naked hustle baby,” he said, walking away to catch the rest of the game. “Brook’Lynn, hurry up in there; we gone miss the whole damn flight.”

She sucked her teeth. “I’m coming Wise!” She then pulled her girls into her room and closed the door. “What ya’ll doing here? I’m going out of town,” she said.

Yaya looked down at her pudgy little stomach. “You getting fat Brook’Lynn.”

“I have so much to tell ya’ll; I’m fat for a reason. I’m pregnant, but we’ll talk about that when I get back. I have to go meet Wise’s mom, I also found out that he’s my brother.”

“Who?” Bugg asked. “Not that fine ass nigga in there.”

Brook’Lynn nodded her head, realizing that she hadn’t even seen Bugg since before she went out of town. “Yep… and how was your trip, where did you go?”

“I went to North Carolina to visit some of my folks,” she lied, knowing damn well she didn’t have nobody in no damn North Carolina. Might as well throw the whole state away cause it wasn’t shit there for her.

“Fuck all that,” said Kema. “So, you pregnant? We’re gonna be some aunties?” she squealed.

“Righttttt.” Yaya smiled, placing her hand on Brook’Lynn’s little belly. “Oh, my God, wait until Perfect finds out,” she said all excited. “He’s gonna spoil the shit out of his baby.”

That made Brook’Lynn a little uncomfortable, since she was trying not to talk about Perfect.

Every time she would think about him, she felt a stabbing right in the middle of her heart and she already accepted the fact that she was going to go through her pregnancy alone.

One thing remained, even if she still didn’t hear from him any time soon, she would forever be loyal to him because he’d already done so much and made so many sacrifices for her.

Bugg crossed her arms in front of her chest and leaned up against the wall. “Have you heard from him at all?” she asked.

Brook’Lynn ignored her and did her last-minute packing; she didn’t feel the need to have to tell Bugg none of her muthafuckin’ business anyway. They did business together, but she didn’t have to tell her a fucking thing if she didn’t want to.

“He sho’ll is,” Kema agreed. “But listen, the other nigga you gave us, you want us to wait until you get back or go for it? Maybe since you’re pregnant, you shouldn’t be fucking around like that, and why didn’t you tell us about the baby?”