Page 34 of Ghetto Heartstrings

“Humph.” Yaya picked up the fingernail clipper from the nightstand and clipped off a hang nail that was irritating the shit out of her. “I know that’s your dad and shit but if you want me to kill his ass just say it and I got it.” She frowned. “Goddamit this shit hurts.”

Brook’Lynn shook her head and grabbed her purse as they all headed out to the awaiting car.

“Have you spoke to Perfect?” Kema asked her.

“He’s gonna meet us there with everybody else.” She told her.

Kema sat back and relaxed, in her bag she had the fattest joint rolled up and waiting for them when this was over because they were going to need it.

When they arrived at the church it was a very small crowd since the original crew were there, this wasn’t a public funeral.

Brook’Lynn immediately started to cry when she saw how well set up her friends had everything, it was just as she asked, it looked more like a small, going away party instead of a small funeral.

There were huge bears everywhere along with colorful flowers and balloons.

All the guys followed instructions and had on pink as well.

Perfect stood in the front looking down at Heaven.

Her casket was so tiny they had to prop it up on a dressed up table but they did an awesome job.

His Saint Laurent shades covered his eyes disguising what he was really feeling.

The first person Yaya noticed when she walked in was Boom and she wished like hell she didn’t have to, she knew it wouldn’t be easy, but at the same time she didn’t know it would feel like her heart was being ripped right from her chest either.

The girls walked off to the opposite side of the dudes and stood off to the side to let Brook’Lynn and Perfect have their moment.

Brook’Lynn stood next to him as he draped his arm around her pulling her close so they could say goodbye to their baby girl.

Brook’Lynn was shocked at how dark the baby’s skin had gotten just that quickly.

Rasta was sitting to the side next to Uncle Maine and she felt another pair of eyes on her, when she looked to the opposite side of her, she noticed Brody sitting there with his arm in a sling away from everybody.

She couldn’t believe that this was the only thing that could’ve got them two in the same room around everybody else.

She disregarded them as the services started, again, this was about her baby girl, and she wouldn’t let nobody fuck that up.

When the services were over, they all followed each other to the gravesite and let go of some pink balloons as they said their farewells and that’s when Brook’Lynn really broke down again.

It took her about ten minutes to get herself together, but she did.

Perfect walked her back to the car when it was time to leave, they were all headed out to dinner together and Perfect managed to convince both Brody and Rasta to meet them there because little did they know, he had some shit that he wanted to address, this shit wasn’t a friendly call.

Uncle Maine walked up on the devastated parents. “I’m sorry about ya’ll lost nephew, I hate that shit had to happen man.” He hugged him and then Brook’Lynn.

“Yeah Unc, they always say you can’t question God, but this was a tough one.” Perfect replied moving his shades. “You coming to dinner?” He asked.

Maine shifted his eyes, “Nah, I gotta flight to catch, it’s time for the old man to finally get up out of here.”

“Where you going?” He asked.

“I’m heading to the West Coast away from all this south shit, like I told ya’ll. I done did my time, I’m ready to live.”

Perfect hated to see him go but he understood, “I got you Unc, I understand, don’t get out there and forget about us and shit.”

“Nah man, never that.” He pulled him in for a hug.

Brook’Lynn stood up and hugged him as well, “You take care.”

“Keep your head up baby girl, you take care to.” He told her right before placing a kiss on her forehead.

They both watched Maine as he walked off. Perfect then got a call on his phone and answered. “Assalamualaikum.”

“What up dude?” Wise spoke into the phone, “I’ll meet ya’ll at dinner.” He told him. “How’s my sister?”

“Pretty fucked up.” He told him.

“Yeah, I know that’s why I didn’t want to come, I couldn’t bare man, shits too much. I was really looking forward to being a uncle and shit, I couldn’t look Brook’Lynn in her eyes and see that pain again.” Wise told him.

“I completely understand man, meet us there we’ll see you in a minute.”

Dinner was awkward as fuck for everybody.

For the most part everybody just sat there examining the next person like their guards were all the way up.

They requested to be seated in the closed in part that gave them some privacy away from everybody.

It was more shocking for Brook’Lynn to see her Aunt Ruth walking through the doors like she promised.

The minute she approached the table, both Brody and Rasta’s body language showed how uncomfortable they were.

Aunt Ruth bent down and kissed her nephew Brody on the cheek.

“Long time no see shuga,” she smiled, “and what happen to your arm?” she asked.

He cracked a half smile, “just got into a little scuffle, it ain’t nothin’ big auntie.” He then stood up and hugged her.

She then made her way to Rasta, “Well hello to you.” She smiled at him as well.

“Good seeing you again.” He told her not really wanting to speak and wondering what the fuck she was doing there.

Aunt Ruth made her way around the entire table greeting everyone before she finally took a seat down next to the open spot by Brook’Lynn.

She leaned over and kissed her too. “Hmm the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice.” She said like she normally would and rubbed her niece’s back.

She saw something out of place and had to catch herself as she looked in Wise face knowing exactly who he was, she could never forget but she knew he didn’t know her.

“Hey ya’ll…for those of you who don’t know, this is my Aunt Ruth.” Brook’Lynn introduced her to everyone.

“Hey Aunt Ruth.” They all spoke.

Wise stood up and walked over to give her a hug, he bent down and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m Byron Watson, Brody’s son but they all call me Wise, it’s nice to meet you, auntie.”

Aunt Ruth tried to fight back the tears, she was big on family, and she loved them all, it was such a shame that her nephew put her in such a tough situation. “Well, that makes me your great aunt actually, and it’s nice to meet you baby.” She smiled.

Rasta looked over at Brody with a frown on his face but didn’t say shit, the shit was getting uncomfortable for them both and they both had business they needed to be handling.

When it was time to order the food, they all did and didn’t say much until Boom’s phone kept ringing.

Fed up, and although she had no right to, Yaya spoke up dropping her fork on her plate.

“Would you answer that muthafucka already!”

“Oh no,” Aunt Ruth wiped her mouth with a napkin, “is everybody cursing in front of their elders now? Ya’ll gonna have to show me some respect.”

“I’m sorry Aunt Ruth.” Yaya apologized. “But damn Boom, answer the phone or shut it off…if I wasn’t here, you’d be answering. I see it didn’t take that long to move on, did it?”

Boom frowned, knowing damn well she wasn’t trying to check him.

He couldn’t lie, it was good seeing her and she looked even better than the last time he’d seen her but she wasn’t coming up in there running shit.

“On the real Yaya…I don’t gotta answer to nobody who don’t belong to me, so with all due respect, have some respect for everybody sitting at this table and don’t bring that drama. ”

She scanned the table furious, “I got you, believe that.”

C2 laughed, he couldn’t help it, Yaya was still bugged the fuck out.

“I don’t know what you laughing at C2.” Kema chimed in. “Yo ass ain’t no better, at least it’s just his phone ringing and not him bringing a bitch to her job to embarrass her.”

“Hey! What in all hell did I say?” Aunt Ruth snapped.

Kema frowned and got prepared to excuse herself. “I gotta get the hell from around here because with my mouth and temper, I would flip this whole damn table today.”

“Man, sit down.” C2 told her. “Stop acting like a chicken head and act like you got some sense.”

“I be doing just fine until I get around you, I swear you try to bring out the worst in me.”

“You still love me, that’s why.”

She shot him the middle finger and sat back down.

“I’m glad me and Wise don’t have these problems, right baby?” Marley blew a kiss at him peeking over her framed Chanel glasses.

“Marley, shut up!” All the women yelled in unison.

It was Wise turn to say something, “Ya’ll gon’ get off my baby.” He told them and then winked at his girl. “That’s right baby.”

Aunt Ruth shook her head, “You young folks.”

Meanwhile, then tension between Perfect, Brook’Lynn and their fathers was thick, it was like a boiling pot waiting to tip over.

“Now what happened to your arm?” Aunt Ruth asked Brody again. “What kind of scuffle did you get in?”

“It’s not a big deal.” He told her.

“Why don’t you go ahead and tell her the truth daddy, what really happened to your arm?” Brook’Lynn ask with her head tilt to the side, she’d just buried her first child and the way she was feeling, she wasn’t in the fucking mood.

Brody gave his daughter a look, “You need to chill.”

Brook’Lynn sucked her teeth and looked to Aunt Ruth, “You wanna know what happened?” Brook’Lynn asked her.

Brody tried to stop her, “Brook’Lynn!”

“No,” she said slowly, “excuse my language Aunt Ruth, but I shot his ass, that’s what happened.”

Aunt Ruth pushed her plate away from her, “Why would you do that?”

Brody stood up prepared to leave, “I said not here Brook’Lynn what the fuck is wrong with you?” He then focused on Aunt Ruth. “She found out about Bugg, and she flipped on me, that’s what happened.”