"You need to get your ass out of this bed." Marion said as he threw a pillow at me .
"Leave me alone!" I growled as I buried myself underneath the covers .
"Come on baby . Why you're so down?" He asked worriedly .
"Nothing." I mumbled .
He sighed heavily and placed Bracen on the bed . He started to crawl to me as he laughed .
"Hey baby boy." I came from under the covers and placed him on my stomach . He sat up straight and begin to clap excitedly .
"When you gone give me my baby?"
I snapped my neck so fast , I felt it crack .
"Excuse me?" I questioned
He chuckled , "When you gone give me my baby? When you gone stop playing and be my wife forreal forreal?"
I bit my bottom lip as I thought of an excuse . Its not like I dont love him , it's just that I don't trust him . Not only that but I don't think it's the right time for all of that .
"Give it time , okay?" I turned to him .
He nodded his head and landed a kiss on my forehead . "I'll wait on you baby girl."
I smiled and watched him walk out of the room . I stood up as I held on to Bracen . I went into the kitchen to see Marion scanning through the cabinets .
I put Bracen into his high chair and poured some Froot Loops onto his tray . He begin to devour them .
I sat on the counter and watched Marion boil some water .
"Marion."
"Brooklyn." He said using the same tone as me.
I started to fiddle with my fingers .
"We need to talk."
"Does it have something to do with your family?" He asks suspiciously
I scrunched my face . "How did you figure?"
"That day you came home from visiting your sister , you haven't said nothing else about her or your peoples. Shit that was damn near four months ago. I'm not even sure if you been visiting them . Have you?" He turned to me .
I shook my head .
"So wassup?"
He started to pour pasta into the boiling water .
"Well , my family isn't really my family."
"What you mean?"
"My mom isn't my biological mom and my dad isn't my biological dad ."
"So it's just you and your sister?"
"Yea. They kept it as a secret for our entire lives-"
"Why you mad?"
"What?" I said offensively
"Brooklyn I understand that you are hurt by this and all but did they treat you and your sister any differently? Did they give you any ideas before that they weren't your parents?"
"No but-"
"But nothing. They took y'all in and loved y'all with all their hearts . I can tell they only want the best for you . There's no way that their love for you was fake. Stop focusing on the negative and look at the positive. Blood doesn't make you family. Love and loyalty makes you family."
I wanted to slap myself for being so selfish . I wasn't thinking like that before . All I could do was hang my head low.
"I feel stupid." I mumbled .
"Dont . You have the right to feel some type of way because they haven't been fully truthful but all I'm saying is that you shouldn't cut them out of your life. Without them , lord only knows where you would've been right now."
"You right."
"Shit I know it . Did she say anything about your background?"
"She just said when I was younger , I was involved in an explosion or something."
"Explosion?" He seemed more alerted now
"Yea . She said if they loved me they would've never took me to that house."
"Hm . A house?"
I laughed . "Stop. I just need to get more info about my family."
"Do that and when you do , give me every detail." He said to me sorta worriedly .
"Will do."
"To make matters worse , my mom have breast cancer." I sighed frustratedly .
"Damn." He said .
He sat the spoon down and stood in between my legs .
"Just make sure you get shit right between you and your fam."
I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed his nose . I felt his vibe tense up like he didn't want to be in this position but I ignored it .
"Will do."
"Brooklyn."
"Marion." I said mocking him .
We shared a slight laughter .
"Why do you have these scars?"
I glanced down at my bare legs that laid on his hips . Unknowingly my legs are back to its normal shade of lightness but on some parts it's a dark shade of brown with healed cuts .
"My ex fiancé did this to me." I wasn't afraid to tell who and what caused this. I'm surely growing into a woman who can handle her own. I feel myself growing from the past so I can own up to the bullshit.
"He used to beat you?"
"Yes."
He gently caressed my thighs .
He opened his mouth to speak but then he closed them .
"What's on your mind?"
"Nothing. I'm heading out today so take care." He quickly removed himself from my legs and walked frantically out of my home without putting on a shirt .
"Marion!" I yelled . He ignored me . Damn no kiss or nothing . I pouted to myself .
Bracen begin to make baby noises .
I jumped from the counter and picked him up .
"What's the move for today son?" I asked him .
"Ahh!" He yelled excitedly .
"Netflix it is." I laughed .
Before I made it inside my room , someone started knocking on my door .
"Coming." I announced .
I opened the door and my breathing stopped .
"Amber." I said stunned .
"I'm out bitchhh!" She chirped but then her smile faded when she noticed I wasn't smiling.
"Can I come in?"
"Sure." I shrugged .
She walked in and looked around my place as I closed and locked the door.
"I always knew you were a true designer." She said obviously impressed .
Bracen begin to clap randomly and she turned to look at him .
"My baby gotten so big!" She cheesed . She held her hands together while slightly rocking . I knew she wanted to hold him .
"You can hold your baby child."
"What if he doesn't want me?" She asked on the verge of tears .
I placed Bracen into her arms and he frowned .
"Just stay calm Amber." I said to her .
She begin to rock him . "Hey baby boy."
Soon enough that frown turned into a smile . His smile resembles Amber's.
"So you're better." I stated getting her attention .
"Yea." She breathed .
"When you're taking him?" I asked as I folded my arms across my chest .
"You're tired of him already?" She asked playfully
"No . I just know since you're out and better , you gone want to take care of your child." I said truthfully .
She looked at Bracen and smiled lightly .
"I'm not." She semi whispered .
"What?"
Bracen started reaching for me so I grabbed him .
"I just feel like you are the one who should care for him a little bit longer." She cleared her throat .
"Why?" I was confused .
"Some things I still have to get in check and make sure is valid and things of that sort." She's lying . I know she's lying .
"Can you please care for him?" She ask with pleading eyes .
"Amber-"
"Please." She swiftly closed her eyes and then opened them .
"I need you to care for him . I need you to be a mother to him. Please. If you don't want to do it for me then do it for him." She gestured to Bracen.
"But why?"
She paused . She started running her fingers through his thick curly hair.
"Time will tell but in the mean time , can we hang out . Just us . Me , you and Bracen?"
I sighed and stared deep into her eyes . All I could see was hope .
"That's fine."
She put on a huge koolaid smile .
--
All we did today was watch Netflix and eat pizza . Amber been mostly giving Bracen all of her time but I didn't mind at all . That's her child so she have the right to be with him .
We shared a couple of laughters and reminiscing on old times . Not once did we bring up our family situation which at the moment was fine with me .
But now it's past 4 and she wants to go to the mall . I needed new clothes anyways .
I gotten myself and Bracen dressed . Now I'm standing by the door , waiting on Amber slow ass .
"Come on girl lets go!"
"I'm coming , I'm coming." She yelled from my bedroom . I let her borrow some of my clothes just for today.
As she came out , she laid a pen on my coffee table and begin to fix the pencil skirt that she decided to wear along with a blue button up shirt . "Lets go."
--
"Her edges on delete." I rapped .
"Her toes look like concrete." Amber rapped .
"Her clothes needs to deplete."
"Smelling like 'fuck me'." We both erupted into laughter .
"We're so lame." I said .
"I know right."
"But she wrong for that though . You know she ain't got no man .Who would let her walk out like that?"
"I have no idea." I laughed .
Amber started kissing Bracen all over his face . He continued to laugh and squirm in her arms .
I giggled at the sight .
"Let me go order some more chili fries." I said .
"Alright." She said .
I stood up and walked to the register .
"How may I help you?" The worker said .
"May I have a medium sized chili fries?"
"No cheese?" He raised his eyebrows at me .
I laughed , "No sir , just chili."
He chuckled , "You're weird but it's cute." He complimented .
"Well thank you." I smiled .
After I received my food and paid , I walked back to my original seat . I felt uncomfortable with Amber staring at me . I thought it was because of the dude flirting with me.
"What bitch?" I smiled weirdly
"How did you get those scars?"
"What?"
"On your legs." She pointed . I wore a pair of blue jeans shorts that raised highly above my knee revealing my cuts and all .
I breathed in slowly , "Jermaine."
"Jermaine?"
"He used to beat me." I shrugged as I ate my food .
"What?!" She yelled grabbing unneeded attention from the people around us .
"Chill . It happened a long time ago . We're not together anymore."
"He used to beat you?" She asked teary eyed .
"Yea."
"Brooklyn , I'm so sorry that you went through that." She seemed broken by what I said .
"It's over and done with . I don't need no sympathies from you okay . I'm fine."
She sat there quiet as I ate my food .
"Ready to go?" I said when I was finished .
She swallowed her spit and nodded .
We gather our shopping bags and threw our trash away.
"Why you didn't buy anything?" I asked as we walked to my car .
"I don't need anything." She shrugged .
I could feel that there's something up her sleeve but this is typical . When I'm always with her , I feel her vibes and it gotten annoying .
"Can we go out tonight?" She asked
"What you mean?" We made it to my car and I pressed the button to unlock the doors.
"Can we go clubbing?"
"You know I don't do clubs." I grabbed Bracen and placed him into his car seat since Amber doesn't know how to strap him down.
"Come on for this one time , please." She pouted her lips like a baby.
"Fine." I put my bags in the backseat . We got inside the car and I put the key into the ignition.
"Who's watching the baby?" I asked to see have she thought all of a plan .
"Momma can watch him." I paused in the middle of the parking lot while stepping on the brakes .
"Really? You talked to her?"
"No but I will when we make it there." She started biting on her nails indicating that she was nervous.
"Alright."
I can't wait to see how this goes.
--
We made it to our mother's house in less then thirty minutes .
I parked my car and went to unbuckle Bracen . He was sleeping which he has a habit of doing during car rides .
I closed my car door and followed behind Amber . She did her secret knock that let anyone know that it was her.
Immediately the door swung open revealing my mother . I think it was her .
"My babies." Tears begin to escape . I couldn't believe my eyes . She doesn't even look the same . She look like she aged over 80 years and her hair was completely gone.
"Momma." I cried . She embraced us into her arms as we cried onto her shoulders .
We let go and she let us in .
"How's my babies?" She asked overly emotional as she watched us .
"Fine." We said in unison .
"Mom can I speak to you in private." Amber said . I was getting aggravated . I wanted to slap her ass because nothing else should be private after all the shit we been through.
"Of course darling."
I let them have their alone time . I'm guessing she wanted to apologize .
Twenty minutes later , they came out of the kitchen and mom grabbed Bracen who was now woke .
"Y'all two go out and have fun." She said
"Mom , I'm so so-"
"No baby , it's fine it's fine. I know I did wrong. How about tomorrow we have a family meeting." She said
I nodded my head , "I agree." I turned to Amber . She hesitantly nodded her head .
"Are you fit to watch him?" I asked
"Yes baby. I have cancer but cancer doesn't have me , alright. Now go have fun!" She hugged and kissed us goodbye .
We made it to my car and Amber begin to smile creepily .
"What bitch."
"Let's turn the fuck uppppppp!" She squealed .