Page 19 of Ghetto Heartstrings

“Fuck that, I’m still small right now. I’m not handicap…

I’m still gonna get this money and do what I said I was gonna do, and I didn’t tell ya’ll because I wanted to go to the doctor and make sure I was straight…

I’m pushing three months now; I can’t even believe it.

I really am going to need you and Yaya,” she told them.

“Girl, you already know we got you, no matter what, pretty gang up in this bitch until the end. We about to start spoiling this baby with all kind of shit, enough for yours and mine cause I’m not having no kids.

My life is way too crazy for that,” Yaya said, twirling her keys with the ‘I’m dead ass serious’ look on her face.

Kema then high-fived her. “Girl, I feel you cause I’m not fucking up my body. No ma’am, that’s my money-maker, honey.”

“Make that money girl,” Yaya chuckled.

“Don’t let it make you,” Bugg mumbled in a sour ass mood, finding out that Brook’Lynn was pregnant. She enjoyed her time with the guys when she was there, and although Perfect never crossed any lines, she still felt that she could break his ass down soon enough.

Yaya and Kema both went from being hardcore one minute to crying the next. “Aww damn,” Kema said while fanning her eyes, trying to keep from crying. “I can’t believe you’re really having a baby.”

“Me either,” Yaya agreed, showing a softer side. “I really can’t believe we’re about to have a little person to take care of… I really am happy.”

Brook’Lynn now had tears in her own eyes. She knew her friends weren’t perfect, but she knew they meant well and had a good heart. “Aww ya’ll… come here, group hug.” She walked to her girls as the three of them hugged, while Bugg sat off to the side.

Wise bust the door open with a rushed look on his face. “I hate to break up this little Taz Angels shit ya’ll got going on in here but Brook… we gotta bounce like now. The car outside waiting.”

She apologetically looked at the girls, while Wise grabbed her bags. “I gotta go ya’ll and about that other shit… just wait until I get back. It’s only a weekend, so ya’ll please stay out of trouble while I’m gone.” She begged with her eyes.

They walked out laughing and talking amongst each other, but agreed to just chill out in the meantime, as they hugged again and went their separate ways.

Houston was hot as hell. Brook’Lynn honestly didn’t think it could get any hotter than Miami, but she quickly realized that she was wrong…

and dead ass wrong. The way the sun was baking her skin, she didn’t think she’d make it for the weekend.

Wise picked up a rental when they left the airport, so they could go directly to his mama’s house without any other distractions.

She lived in a suburb surrounded by a lot of big ass houses, and from the looks of it, she was living nice as hell. Wise turned the car off and looked toward Brook’Lynn. “Look, my mom’s ain’t no Michelle Obama or nothing like that, so don’t get offended if she say some crazy shit.”

Brook’Lynn frowned. “I’ll say some crazy shit right the fuck back Wise. Your old bird or not… I don’t play the disrespect,” she said while taking a napkin, dabbing her nose. “But if you think that it’s gonna be a problem, maybe I can just get a room or something. I don’t have to stay here.”

Wise laughed. “Calm yo ass down before you upset the baby… I ain’t mean it like that. I’m just saying don’t let this neighborhood fool you. You can take a nigga out the ghetto, but that don’t mean you can take the ghetto outta them. She’s actually real nice.”

“Okay, let’s go then.” She opened the door and pulled out her compact mirror to check her appearance one more time.

Wise grabbed their bags and made their way to the front door, but before they could knock, the huge double doors swung open and there stood a beautiful stallion.

The woman standing in front of them looked nothing like she could be Wise’s mother or anybody else’s mother, for that matter.

She wasn’t dark like them… her skin was caramel brown, and her round eyes, button nose, and full lips stood out.

The long, curly, human-hair laced wig she wore was so perfect that it could’ve passed for her own, the way the tresses of baby hair laid perfectly on her forehead.

The sundress she wore couldn’t hide her wide hips and plump ass…

this woman looked like she could’ve been a model.

“Ya’ll gonna stand there and stare or come in here and show me some love?” she asked with a smile.

Wise wasn’t expecting her to be so cheery. He told her that he was coming, but he never mentioned Brook’Lynn. He gave his mama a hug and then introduced Brook’Lynn. “Ma… this is-”

Before he could get it out, she cut him completely off. “I know who she is… ya’ll get on in here.”

Brook’Lynn wanted to ask how she knew who she was, but she smiled and walked inside instead.

Turns out, Ms. Fiona was cool as hell; she wasn’t stuck up how Brook’Lynn imagined she would be.

After she cooked them a big soul food dinner of steaks, mac and cheese, cabbage, and yellow rice…

they were all stuffed. Brook’Lynn couldn’t even focus; the only thing she wanted to do was sleep after that.

As if Ms. Fiona was reading her mind, she suggested that her and Wise both go shower and take a quick nap. “Go ahead and get ya’ll some sleep,” she said with a glass of Hennessy in her hand. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Brook’Lynn had an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach, as Ms. Fiona stared at her.

“Ma dukes,” Wise said, stretching his arms above his head. “Dinner was good as hell.”

“Boy, what I tell you about calling me that?” she chuckled and took a swig from her glass, walking away from them both.

Brook’Lynn whispered in his ear, “Come with me; don’t you leave me alone in this house.”

“She ain’t gon’ bite you, Brook.”

“I don’t give a fuck. I’m starting to feel sick anyway… just stay with me.”

Wise allowed Brook’Lynn to shower and snuggle up under the covers in the guestroom.

While she slept, he took his own shower before joining her again, as he chose to lie on the futon until he dozed off.

If she was more comfortable with him around, then he wasn’t gonna leave her…

he made a promise to be his sister’s keeper, no matter what.

Since he didn’t have any family like that, he was gonna value who he did have.

He knew she was on edge and bugging out over Perfect, but he constantly assured her, that nigga wouldn’t bug out like that.

He was as solid as they came; he knew his nigga didn’t just forget about Brook’Lynn.

Meanwhile, back in the Virgin Islands, little did she know, Perfect had snuck and called plenty of times in the past twenty-four hours.

But, since she’d put the track phone away in her underwear drawer instead of bringing it with her, she missed it all because she was under the impression that he wouldn’t be calling her, since he hadn’t already.

She didn’t know how long she’d been sleeping, but when she woke up… she woke up to fussing. She adjusted her eyes to focus, as she followed the voices of Wise and his mama.

“Why is it so hard to tell me the truth ma? Like damn, this shit is frustrating as hell; don’t you think somebody owes us something?” He balled his lips in frustration.

“Is everything okay?” Brook’Lynn asked when she reached them; they were in the dining area standing next to the table.

Ms. Fiona’s eyes lit up when she saw Brook’Lynn.

“You’re so beautiful Brook’Lynn. I knew you would be though.

You were always beautiful, even as a little girl,” she said, tossing another gulp down her throat while frowning her face at the sting she felt when it went down.

She then adjusted her eyes on Brook’Lynn’s belly.

Even though Brook’Lynn had on an oversized sweater, Ms. Fiona knew.

“You’re pregnant, huh? I can tell; you have that whole glow going on and shit. ” She smiled.

Fuck all that shit , Brook’Lynn thought to herself. She wanted to know how she even knew who she was and what all did she know. “Um yeah, I am, but I’m trying to be lowkey about it.”

“Well, don’t be, pregnancy is a beautiful thing,” she said with a touch of sadness in her voice.

Wise chuckled, “Beautiful, huh? But you left me as soon as you thought I could fend for myself.”

Ms. Fiona lowered her eyes and eyeballed her drink. “I didn’t just leave you because I wanted to and stop asking for the truth because I doubt you can fuck with it. People always want the truth until they get it, and then, they wished they would’ve just left the shit well nuff alone.”

“Ms. Fiona… how do you know me?” Brook’Lynn asked.

She stood up from her seat, sick of hiding. In her heart, she felt like somebody owed them the truth and she knew Brody’s flakey ass wasn’t going to man up. “Both of ya’ll sit down,” she ordered.

Brook’Lynn gave Wise the should I run, hit her ass, or sit down look.

He assured her that it was cool, but he spoke up on his behalf.

“I don’t wanna sit down, just tell me. Obviously, you knew I had a sister because you calling the girl name out before I even got a chance to introduce her properly. ”

“Boy!” Ms. Fiona grilled. “Sit your ass down like I said, and then I’ll talk! You up in my house,” she said, pointing to herself. “Mine… and I’m the only person calling shots.”

He threw his hands up and surrendered, as he clutched the muscles in his jaws with anger and frustration written all over his face. “You right; yo house, yo show.”