Page 40 of Ghetto Heartstrings
She took slow and steady steps until she reached Bugg’s casket. The day after the fight, they found out that she’d overdosed on some pills and slit her wrist. Her body was found in her car parked at the park the following day, and it was too late to save her. Brook’Lynn was fucked up when she heard about it. She didn’t like Bugg anymore, but nobody deserved to die lonely. If Bugg would’ve expressed the mental problems that she had, Brook’Lynn would’ve surely gotten her some help, but she never said anything to anybody. Brook’Lynn wasn’t even sure who was paying for the services because the girl really was a loner.
“Bugg… I just want you to know that I forgive you for everything that happened, baby girl. We’ve had some good and crazy times together. I really pray and hope that you’ve found that peace and that happy place you so badly needed. I hope your soul dwells with the Lord forever.” She had her moment to say goodbye and speak her peace. After she spoke, she just stood there while staring. Bugg’s hair was hanging softly down her face, and she looked peaceful, all dressed up in a silk, soft pink pajama set. Her makeup was done perfectly, and her hands were crossed in front of her, with pink polish gracing her nails. They’d done a really good job on her.
Five minutes later, the creaking sounds of the heavy church doors could be heard opening behind Brook’Lynn, causing herto hurriedly run off from the casket she was staring into. Trying to be as discreet as possible, she made it behind the pew just in time, not wanting to be seen. She knew her being there was risky, but a part of her felt like she needed to come and say her final farewell. The funeral was set to start in an hour, and she planned to be long gone. Wise had already made his peace and was in the car waiting for her to return.
Her throat was on fire, as she stared at Brody walking in with his black Ray Ban shades covering both his eyes. Even from a distance, she knew from the aura that his body gave off, he’d been crying or at least shed a tear or two, but what confused her the most was why, as she wondered what the fuck he was doing there. He was alone, which wasn’t unusual, but that was beside the point. How did he know the face of the empty body that once bared a soul lying in the casket?
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, as she bit down on her bottom lip to contain from saying anything or making herself discoverable. Looking down at her little Michael Kors bag, she eased her iPhone out and silenced it, not wanting to get caught in case it rung. She needed Brody to hurry up and say what he was going to say.
As if he could read her mind, Brook’Lynn watched with glued eyes and a racing heart as he removed his shades, exposing his bloodshot eyes. The crisp suit he wore complemented him well and the glow from the lights showed how handsome he really was. But underneath all of that, Brody had his own secrets. He was a different kind of man; the life he lived forced him to hide what lies beneath. Now, he was staring into a casket wondering if this was a part of his punishment… was this how it was supposed to happen? The person he was looking at was too young to be lying there. The last child that he would ever have laid lifelessly in the casket in front of him. His heart tugged at him as he made sure his gun was tucked in the small of his waist before he spoke.
Brook’Lynn knew that what she’d been impatiently waiting for was coming. She’d been scrunched down there for five minutes, waiting for him to say something so she could get the fuck out of there. She prayed like hell that Wise didn’t come in looking for her and fuck this all up.
Snapping her out of her thoughts were his first words, his first sentence, his true thoughts, causing Brook’Lynn to go weak in the joints. “I should’ve been there; I should’ve done more than what I had in order to make sure that all of my kids were straight because I’m the one that demanded you be brought into this world. Now, I’m sitting here looking at my baby girl, my flesh and blood dead and never coming back because I wasn’t there.” He wiped a tear. Never did he imagine he’d bury one of his kids before he made it right with them all, he always thought he had time. “I love you just like I loved you the day you came into this world, baby girl. May your soul rest in heaven, princess.” He bent down to kiss her cold cheek.
It wasn’t how he said it; it was what he said that had her in tears and on the brink of passing out. “You fucking liar… you’s a fucking liar,” she involuntarily mumbled as the color drained from her skin. She wanted to collapse right there; she couldn’t take much more.
Brody briefly snapped out of his moment and immediately grabbed his gun. He thought he was alone, but the voice told him otherwise. “Who the fuck is there?” he asked, looking into the casket one last time as he squinted his eyes while scanning.
Brook’Lynn used one hand to cover her own mouth, mad at herself from not being able to control her loose tongue. The beads of sweat trickled down her forehead; she wanted to gag. How was it that she was suddenly scared of a man she’d been around her entire life? Life wasn’t always what it seemed and the people you thought you knew everything about always turned out to be the most crooked ones.Would he shoot me?she wondered, although she hoped it wouldn’t come to that. She went from hoping that Wise wouldn’t walk in, to now praying that he did.
Closing her eyes tight, hoping that this shit was some kind of sick joke, she took slow deep breaths and counted backwards.Ten, nine, eight, seven, six…
Without a caring bone in her body, she came out of hiding with her gun now aimed right at Brody. The tears blurred her vision as her heart ripped into shreds… could she do it? Could she really kill this man? He deserved to die. How dare she find out the way she’d found out that she wasn’t saying goodbye to a girl she knew… she was saying goodbye to her baby sister. Fuck what Bugg had done, that shit could’ve been forgiven, but the life of a sister was something she’d never get back…. this was all Brody’s fault.Pull the trigger Brook’Lynn!Her mind kept telling her.Just pull the fucking trigger!
Brook’Lynn don’t be a fuckin’pussy! Pull the trigger! Just pull the muthfuckin’ trigger!Her mind kept telling her. She couldn’t believe this shit, she was mad at herself, she was mad at her fucking trigger finger for not going against her mind, she was mad at the fucking world period! The nerve of this fucking man, this evil ass, selfish ass man.
“You gonna shoot me baby girl?” Brody tucked his gun and threw his hands up in the air walking closer to her. He hated that she had to find out this way and while he was just as confused as her, he had to get her to put that gun down. “You ain’t no killer Brook, put the goddamn gun down and let me explain.”
She jerked her hand extending it further as the unwanted tears fell down her face, “If you come any closer I’ma blow your fucking brains out, I don’t have any respect for you, you hear me? None!” She yelled with a trembling hand.
Brody realized that she was dead ass serious and maybe he had to try a different approach, he looked back at his baby girlin the casket and back to his oldest girl standing in front of him using words that he knew would strike some kind of feelings within’ her. If she was this emotional, she truly cared, “You have no respect for me, huh? Well how about for your sister, what you gon’ do? Have a shootout in this bitch and disturb her peace? Put the gun down! At least have some respect for her.”
Overwhelmed with emotion, she hated the mind games he was playing with her right now. Coming off one of the steps, she was the one now walking closer, “Respect for her like you did?” She continued to aim.
Brody knew he should’ve made peace with this situation a long time ago, but it was nothing he could do now. He felt like shit and was truly fucked up inside, even with that he wasn’t to fond of a gun being in his face, “Put the gun down baby, we both know you won’t shoot me. Let’s talk it out, right here right now.”
Pow!
She let off one letting it rip right through the flesh of his arm as the blood immediately started to seep through his fingers as he grabbed it falling to his knees in pain.
“Oh shit.” She whispered in shock, blinking out of the daze he’d temporarily had her in. She dropped the gun to her side with her hand covering her mouth. “I shot you.” She said in disbelief.
Pain wore all over his face as his sweat trickled down his cheeks. “No…no…shit Brook, you fucking shot me.” He said in shock. “You really fucking shot me.” He growled with anger behind his eyes.
Wise bust through the church doors strapped and loaded not knowing what the fuck was going on as he looked back and forth from Brody, to Brook’Lynn, to the casket.
“Son…get her out of here.” Brody begged trying to stand back up.
Wise frowned causing his slight Unibrow to connect, he didn’t know what the fuck was going on, but this wasn’t the place or the time for this shit, “Son? Now I’m yo fuckin’ son? You remember that now? The fuck you following us my nigga, what the fuck you doin’ here?” He pressed the barrel of his gun to Brody’s head.
Brody closed his eyes trying to remain calm, never in a million years did he think for one second that he’d lose a child, get shot by one, and have his own son pointing at his head. He needed a way to get out of this shit and fast; he came here to make his peace, not to cause a goddamn scene. “I came to pay my respects to my baby girl, young Wise, I didn’t come to make no trouble.”
“Nigga, she up in this bitch crying and you came to make peace?” Wise snapped.
Brook’Lynn shook her head grabbing her stomach feeling sharp pains, “Not me.” She pointed to the casket, “Bugg…”
Wise didn’t even know how to take this shit, they both were confusing the shit out of him, without taking his eyes or gun off of Brook’Lynn…he continued to seek answers, “What about her?”
