Page 44 of Ghetto Heartstrings

Acknowledging his little brother, he wiped his eyes with the back of his hands, “Thanks bro.” He told him and then he asked the nurse, “Who found her? How did she get here, and better yet, who did this shit?”

A woman found her sprawled out on the front porch of a home that is now a crime scene, the only thing we know is she was definitely the victim, as far as the unanswered questions, sleeping beauty is the only one who can answer that for us to help put the pieces together.”

He nodded his head, understanding that there was nothing more for her to say and made his way over to Brook’Lynn’s bed. “I love you baby girl. I’m so sorry ma, I should’ve never left you that night, I should’ve been there.” He took her hand and kissed the back of it.

“It ain’t yo fault bro, you couldn’t have known.” C2 told him refusing to look at Brook’Lynn.

He heard footsteps running down the hall and knew that there had to be the other girls, he wasn’t surprised to see Kema, Yaya, and Marley walked in.

He still wasn’t surprised when their reaction was just like his.

The first thing Kema wanted to do was grab hands and pray around Brook’Lynn, which they all had no problem with but the big question remained. ‘Who the fuck did this?’

It was only a matter of time when they found out, not even an hour later, the Channel 10 news was covering the story, showing the hospital and the location that was found, for Perfect and C2, the biggest shocker was seeing both of their parents’ faces spread across the screen.

Not only was Rasta involved, he was dead and so was Shelly in what they called ‘a twisted lover’s scandal’.

It all began to be too much for everybody, especially for Perfect and C2.

For years they thought that Shelly was gone to Jamaica leaving them behind but to see that she was still around was devastating.

‘Why the fuck hadn’t she tried to contact them’?

He waited patiently for his best friend to open her eyes so he could get the missing pieces to the puzzle.

Brook’Lynn being laid up in the hospital the way she was, seemed to put everybody in a different state of mind as they all sat around waiting for her.

It made them realize just how short life really was.

In the middle of the night, Brook’Lynn finally opened her eyes allowing them to adjust and focus on everyone surrounding her.

Perfect was up off of his feet and right by her side. “Baby…”

She used her strength to hold up one hand and stop him, she was just too outdone to be trying to talk, instead, she used sign language: I love you.

She gave him a weak smile, and he returned it back, he understood.

Everyone else decided it was best to not say anything just yet, but it didn’t stop the tears from falling, it wasn’t a dry face in the room, besides Boom and C2 cause they felt as though they had to be strong for everybody else.

“Get as much rest as you need baby.” Perfect told her.

“We’ll be right here when you wake up again.” Kema promised her friend. Her light skinned face was visibly flushed and she looked distraught her damn self.

C2 couldn’t even front, he felt bad for her, he really didn’t like to see her down and it fucked with her to see him so broken down as well, “C2.” She said, “Let me holla at you real quick.” She walked out and stepped into the hallway with a warm hospital blanket wrapped around her body while she waited for him.

Any other day he wouldn’t have went, but under the circumstances, he went along.

Leaning up against the wall with his dreads hanging in his face, he tucked his hands in his pockets and looked in her eyes, “What’s up?”

The words she wanted to put together to use were bouncing around in her head and she couldn’t seem to put them together.

Fuck it, she thought, just let it out. She couldn’t understand how her bold ass out of all people was now standing in front of the man she loved scared to talk and get everything off of her chest, “You know what, never mind.” She prepared to walk away afraid of rejection.

C2 gently grabbed her arm and forced her to come back, “What’s up Kema, you got me out here now speak what’s on ya mind.”

Her eyes bounced around everywhere besides on him, “I mean, I wanted to talk but I don’t really know exactly what or how I want to say what it is I’m trying to say.”

C2 twisted his lips a little, “Just say exactly how you feel.”

She finally looked at him, “Life is too short for us to be beefing.” She blurted out.

He knew that was what she wanted, and he didn’t want her to feel bad thinking that he didn’t care about her cause truth was, he did. “We ain’t beefin’ tho.”

“We ain’t together either.” She replied.

“And who’s fault is that Kema?”

“I’m not trying to debate about this; I take full responsibility C2.

” She admitted. “But when you come from a life where your own mother sold you for sex, your father was a pimp, and you’ve had to use your body your whole life just to survive cause the people who were supposed to love you ended up always dogging you, then it’s not easy.

When you come across real love, it’s hard to accept because you really don’t know how to and that’s some real shit C2. ”

“I had to stop fucking with you to find all this out though Kema, you foreal kidd?” C2 shook his head. “I tried to take you up out the club and show you what love felt like but you was so caught up living the fast life you ain’t appreciate shit.”

“I did C2.”

“You didn’t so own up to that shit ma.”

She took a deep breath, “Okay, maybe I didn’t but I’m accepting my flaws and trying to fix it now…

I hate having to be forced to be around you knowing that this shit is killing me on the inside, like you know a bitch love you C2.

If I didn’t, I wouldn’t act all crazy and end up going home crying and shit whenever I do see you. ”

“If you hadn’t seen me with somebody else you still wouldn’t have gave a fuck,” he frowned, “This shit here is aggravating, the sun don’t rise and set on yo ass Kema. If you hadn’t seen me with Tika, you wouldn’t have been thinkin’ about my black ass.”

“That’s not true, I’ve been fucked up since you left me.”

“Yeah whatever Kema, a nigga done moved on.” He lied.

She knew better then that though, “Well why you so mad then?”

He pulled his dreads out of his way, “I’m not mad.” He shook his head.

She stepped closer to him and was now all in his personal space with her watery eyes and slightly red nose, she really was trying to hold the tears in. “Cause you not over me just like I’m not over you.”

He took a step back still focusing on her pretty face, “Man, what you got goin’ on Kema? What you doin’ with yo’ self?”

“I told you I gave up the club for good this time. I don’t do shit besides go to school and go to work. I haven’t fucked nobody or nothing, I don’t even talk to niggas, I’m done I’m trying to focus on me.”

C2 nod his head liking what he was hearing, and as bad as he wanted to pull her in and hug her, he had to put his feelings to the side and do what was best for her, “I’m proud of you ma, fo' real, but at the same time…I want you to stay on that path. Like, I don’t wanna give this shit another go and then my life becomes a distraction to you staying on track doing what you need to do. ”

“When you love somebody, they’re not a distraction.” She replied, feeling rejected.

“I don’t mean it like that; I don’t want you getting comfortable is all I’m trying to say.”

“But if you love me, you’ll stick with me, and we can do this shit together.

” She did some shit she never thought she would do feeling like she was begging as she gently grabbed his hand and placed it inside of hers.

“We don’t have to move together or none of that, we can continue to live in separate places and build back up slowly. ” She suggested.

C2 had to think about that shit long and hard, he couldn’t deny the fact that Kema was the first and only girl to get and actually keep his attention, besides all that, he did love her.

“Friends…let’s start over and see how this shit go Kema.

” He pulled her close to him in his strong arms. “This shit here is a probation period and if you fuck up with me, I’mma break yo fuckin’ neck this time. Friends don’t mistreat friends.”

Kema didn’t expect it, but she choked up on her own tears, as she placed her head on his chest feeling good to be in his arms again and this time it not being from him actually just holding her back from fucking Tika up.

Speaking of Tika, she almost asked about her, but she refrained, she couldn’t worry about that, all she should be worrying about was her and everything else would fall into place.

C2 eased his hand down to her soft ass and slightly gripped it.

She looked up and kissed his cheek, “I’m sorry for everything I did, and I do love you.”

“What’s done is forgiven.” He told her, “But you gotta continue to love yourself first and then I’ll know for sure you can love me foreal.”

“That’s fair.” She smiled.

A distraught looking Wise made his way to the floor with a duffle bag in his hand; he looked tired, like he was just drained. “Where she at?” He asked them.

“She’s in there.” C2 pointed to the door and then gave him pound before giving him a brotherly hug.

“She aiight man?” He asked.

“I’mma just let you go in there and check shit out ya know…go ahead.”

Wise understood but that shit scared him cause he didn’t know what to expect but he walked in anyway closing the door behind him.

Kema looked back at C2, “How are you?” She asked. “Like are you really okay? You’ve dealt with a lot of shit these past couple of months and not only did you lose your daddy you lost your mama too.”