Hialeah, Florida 📍
B R I E
After a long day of work, Brie finally gets off. She worked the morning shift at one of her two jobs. She works part time at Forever 21 and full time as a waitress at a popular rooftop restaurant, Juvia. This job is a little far for her, being half an hour away in Miami Beach but the money she makes is worth the drive.
She sits in her car and takes a sip of the mimosa she had the bartender make her to go. She had a long morning with two big parties- an engagement party and a birthday, she needs a release. Finishing her drink, she collects all her items and exits the car.
She walks up the concrete stairs, passing an apartment with its door wide open. She can hear a baby screaming inside as an older woman stands in the doorway collecting change from kids and handing them plastic cups with with frozen juice and a variety of candy adorning it. She continues walking until she comes to her apartment. She unlocks the door to be greeted by silence.
They must still be out. She thinks to herself. She thought that they'd be back by now. Kyrie came and got the girls before she left for at 10:50 and it's now a little past 5 so she'd figured they'd be home by now. To make sure she's alone and they're not just sleeping, she peaks her head in Gia's room but the only things on the messy bed is an empty bowl and clothes.
Brie leaves the room and heads to her own. Since she has the house to herself, she decides to do a little cleaning and invite Rj over.
Sitting in her bean bag chair she takes out her phone and shoots a quick message to Rj to come over. She knows he probably won't respond for a minute so she freshens up before cleaning to get the feel of work off of her.
She peels her dirty uniform off and throws it in the hamper. Since she alone she grabs her towel off the hook but doesn't put it on as she walks naked across the hall. She gave Gia the master bedroom so Lani and her could share a bathroom. In the bathroom she uses a makeup wipe to clean her face before washing it with her black soap. She makes sure to keep her eyes dry so she doesn't mess up her lashes; she still wants to look cute for when Rj gets here but she doesn't want to reapply them.
She then hops in the shower. She doesn't let the water preheat because she's a weirdo and actually likes the cold water on her body before it gets hot.
She takes a quick shower, lathering her body in her shower gel and scrubbing with her rag and loofah. Brie always takes quick showers at home because the last thing she wants to do is run up her water bill. She used to love taking hour long showers at her mamas house but when she moved out and started paying her own bills that quickly stopped.
After her shower, the air conditioning makes goose bumps rise on her arms and legs as she leaves the steamy bathroom. The house is still empty as she walks back to her room. She rubs her bumpy arms as she enters her room and drops her towel to the floor and steps around it; a bad habit of hers that Lani has picked up on.
She checks her phone and sees that Rj replied.
Rakeem🤧💕
Ima slide thru
5:12 p.m.
Bries likes the message, cheesing hard and continues to get dressed. She moisturizes her body and face with shea butter before throwing on undergarments. Since she's in the house she wants to be comfy but Rj is coming so she wants to look cute. She decides on a grey camo biker shorts and the matching hoodie that she found at Burlington.
She straightens up her room a little bit, picking up the clothes and towel on the floor and putting away her make up mess from this morning, before leaving the room to the straighten up the rest of the house. She starts with the bathroom and works her way through the living room, finishing up in the kitchen. She even makes herself a light meal since she knows Lani is going to eat on the road.
As she sweeping the kitchen floor, the front door opens and in walks Lani, Gia, and Kyrie. She continues sweeping, throwing away the trash and putting the broom away before going to the living room to greet her daughter.
"It smells good in here, B." Kyrie comments, kicking off his shoes. The girls have a strict no shoes on the carpet rule that the follow. Both of them love walking around the house barefoot so they can't have people walking on the carpet with their outside shoes on.
Brie smiles, knowing the house smells nice and fresh from her cleaning and the candles that she lit all over. Lani comes running at her. She catches the toddler in her arms and brings her to her chest. She places a kiss on her check as she takes a seat on the couch next to Kyrie.
"Mama, I had much fun! Me an-and Gigi and Ky went on a trampoline today!" Lani rants, going off about her day. She half listens to her ramble and half watches the old episode of the Black Ink Crew Chicago that Gia just turned on. Lani keeps talking but something she says catches Brie's attention.
"He talk funny but I likeded the way he talked." Lani goes on about the new "friend" that she meet.
She looks in Gia and Kyrie's direction to see them both occupied by a fight between Sky and Donna on the show. She turns her attention back to her daughter and listens as she finishes up talking about her day. Brie smiles at how animated Lani is when talking about her day with her godparents.
Lani soon finishes and gets off her moms lap to play in her room. Brie watches her skip to her room and laughs loudly when she trips over her foot and and stumbles into the wall. She covers her mouth and tries to conceal her laugh as Lani turns around with a frown and starts whining.
"You're okay mama." Gia cooes, blowing her a kiss.
"I'm okay." Lani sniffles but turns around and walks slowly to her room. Once she's in her room, Brie uncovers her mouth and continues laughing.
"You're mean as fuck to my goddaughter." Gia laughs along.
Brie waves her off and her laughter starts to die down. "She ate that fall, she'll be okay."
Gia tilts her head and goes to respond but Kyrie slaps her thigh. "Y'all shut up so I can hear, damn."
Both Gia and Brie mug him. "Kyrie..." Brie warns, getting off the couch after reading a message from Rj saying he's at the door. Rj never knocks, he always texts or calls and waits for someone to open to the door for him.
Brie opens the door and smiles brightly as she comes face to face with her situationship.
"Hey," She greets softly, stepping aside and gives him space to enter to apartment. She eyes him in his green shorts and white wife beater. Even in something simple he looks so good, it should be illegal for him to look this good.
Rj steps in the house and pulls Brie into a side hug. He eyes her outfit and grabs her butt as he leans over and kisses her lips. Since Rj stands at nearly 6'1 and Brie is only 5'5, she stands on her tip toes to kiss him back. Gia looks over to see where Brie disappeared off to and rolls her eyes at the sight on them. Gia dislikes Rj for obvious reasons and she's very vocal about her distaste.
"Brie get yo' ass over here."
The two break apart and Brie rolls her eyes at her friends extraness. She understands that Gia doesn't like the man but she's tired of the pettiness and blatant disrespect she shows him.
Kyrie glances away from the tv and gives the other man a head nod. He turns his attention back to the tv, ignoring the look that his girlfriend is giving him. Although he does know about the domestic violence problems between Brie and Rj he feels it's not his business nor his place to say anything anymore. He views Brie as a sister and has told her countless times along with Gia to leave him alone but she refuses to listen. He's not going to continue wasting his breathe when he figures that's what Brie must like.
"What's good Ky?" Rj asks, taking a seat on the couch adjacent to the one everyone was just seated on. Even though Kyrie doesn't like or approve of whatever him and Brie have going on, the two are cordial.
Brie throws herself on the couch with him and places her feet on his lap. "What you do all day?"
"It was straight, made a couple plays today. Where's my girl at though?" He changes the subject not trying to go in too deep about what he did that day.
"Nobody here is your girl, especially not my god daughter nigga." Gia huffs rudely.
"Why you stay wit a attitude? That shit's not cute at all dawg." Rj shakes his head. Just like Gia doesn't like him, he doesn't like her right back. He feels like she's too nosey and is too involved in what Brie and him have going on for someone in their own relationship. But he doesn't blame it on all her, he knows she's only so involved because Brie tells her all their business. This is one of the reasons why he won't settle down with Brie. She loves bringing their business to other people for their opinion.
"Choke on a dick. My nigga loves my attitude." Gia rolls her eyes, and zeroes her attention on her friend. "Anyways, bitch lemme tell you who we saw today!"
Brie can only sigh at their interaction but she knows the two probably never will get along. Getting more comfortable on Rj as he open his legs wider she cues for Gia to start her story.
"Your baby daddy."
It's like time freezes as the light smile that was on Brie's face seconds ago vanished. She quickly sits up and stares at her best friend with furrowed eyebrows. The last time she talked to him was almost three years ago when they were having sex.
She looks at Gia who has a smirk on her face. She stares at her with confusion wondering if she's being serious. Before she can voice her thoughts Rj beats her to it.
"You messy as fuck, bruh. Why you bring that shit up while I'm over?"
"Boy fuck you! This don't have nothing to do with your." Gia snarls, a mean mug resting on her face. While Brie places her head in her hands trying to comprehend everything Kyrie sits back watches the two go back and forth.
"Can y'all stop! Damn!" Brie curses tired of hearing them yell at each other. She stands up and starts pacing trying to calm her nerves down.
"It's that fuck nigga fault, he ain't have to say nothing but he stay involving himself in females business like the bitch he is." Gia points at Rj, now standing too.
"I'm not gon be too many more bitches, Gianna." Rj warns, remaining in his seat. He looks at her in disgust and wonders how Kyrie puts up with her. He could never be with a female that behaves the way she does.
Gia scoffs and places her hands on her hip, "Okay and Rakeem? You saying my full name like I'm 'posed to be scared. I'm not Brie lil boy, you'on put fear in me."
Brie looks over and snaps. "Gia what the fuck? Like is you serious right now! Stop bringing that shit up!"
"Huh?" Gia asks, thinking she didn't hear Brie correctly because she knows she's not trying to buck at her when all she's trying to do is help.
"I said stop bringing up that shit up! Okay, it happened and what? I've moved on from it."
Gia gives her friend a blank stare. "How the FUCK do you move on from a nigga knocking your head around? Busting up your lip? What are you even saying right now, suh?"
Brie just purses her lips and mimics Gia, placing her hands on her hips. "This don't even got nothing to do with what you said. Where did you see him?"
"Nah we not skipping past this," Gia laughs. Kyrie grabs her around the wrist and pulls her down on the couch. He has a tight grip on her as she struggles to break free. He's tired of Gia inserting herself in Brie's drama because he then has to get involved. He is a very laid back, relaxed person and the drama that Brie has and all the mess that Gia constantly involves herself in is beyond annoying to him.
"We gave him a rise to Amir's crib earlier. I had to make a drop and the guy asked me to give him a ride and I said yeah." Kyrie explains still trying to watch what's happening on the show.
Brie continues pacing in circles while thoughts bounce around her brain like a tornado. Zayn is here. Zayn saw Lani. Zayn probably spoke to Lani. Did he see any resemblance? Why is he back in Miami? Is he just visiting? Is their another reason? How long will he be here?
"You ain't tell him did you?!" She questions Kyrie frantically. She knows Gia is mad and she's not sure if she'll get a petty answer or a straight one.
Thankfully he shakes his head and Brie sighs a breathe of relief. She backs us to the couch and allows her body to sink into the soft cushions. She glances at Rj and sees him scrolling through his Facebook timeline.
The room rests in an awkward silence for the remainder of the show. "Brie, the only reason I didn't tell him is cause it's not my place. But... I think you should tell him. Not only do you need help but it's not fair to Lani that she doesn't have a father or that he can't be her father cause you'on want to put your pride aside."
Brie shakes her head,"This has nothing to do with pride Gia, I had no way of contacting the nigga for years! What I was supposed to do?"
"Okay but you know where he's at now. Look me in the eyes and tell me you'on think it's messed up for him to have a child in this world and not know of her?" She waits for Brie eyes to catch hers but she never does. "You being so selfish Brie. At least think about baby girl. Look at all these girls that done grew up fatherless Brie- look at you and me." After her words she stands up and pulls Kyrie off the couch.
"That's my piece, I'on bringing it up no more cause at the end of the day that's your daughter but for real put Lani first in this situation, forget you and Zayn. Think about y'all daughter." She then walks out the living room to her bedroom with Kyrie trailing her. Gia loves a dramatic exit.
Brie already knows she'll most likely be locked in her the room for the remainder of the night unless it's to get some food. She always does that whenever she and Brie get in a fight.
Brie let's her best friends words ponder in her mind as Rj and her watch another rerun of Black Ink Crew. Thinking back to middle and high school, her and Gia did used to be off the chain. From the moment Gia hit puberty, she was hot in the ass for boys and any male attention. She lost her virginity at fourteen years old to a boy that was 23 because he told her that he loved her.
That isn't the only instance like that either. Brie can remember watching her after they became friends and seeing the way she acted to any boy that gave her any attention. All the boys in the area would call her easy and love queen because all they had to say was they loved her and she would give them anything they wanted. Thankfully, when they were in the eleventh grade Kyrie transferred to their school. Gia's been captivated ever since.
Brie on the other hand was just as bad, just not sexual like Gia. Instead of using boys to get the attention she craved, Brie acted out. She would get into numerous fights with girls of all ages and smoke non stop. Brie's behave would drive her mom crazy but it wasn't until she fell pregnant that her mom gave up completely and kicked her out.
Her family was already struggling and Brie's moms friends already looked at her sideways because of her children's behavior- Brie constantly acting out and her oldest son getting locked up- so her pregnancy was the straw that broke the camels back.
Brie thinks to her life now and wonders how different things could have been. She wonders if they didn't have absentee fathers if they would've behaved that way. Can the absence of one parent really contribute to one feeling neglected and unloved?
"You straight?" Rj questions pulling her out of her thoughts.
Brie looks over and shrugs her shoulders. "I don't know...I don't know how I feel right now. It's like...I'm feeling so many emotions but I can't name of them." She struggles to express how she's feeling. She doesn't even feel like her emotions have names because she's never felt this way before, not even when she found out she was pregnant.
Rj pulls at his chin, contemplating if he wants to add his two cents. After he decides to say fuck it and give opinion because he does care for Brie and wants to do anything he can to help her get out the messed up position she's in. "Well I know you ain't ask for my opinion but I think you should tell dude." Brie glances over and eyes him.
"Rakeem, please." She closes her eyes, feeling tears building up.
"What? I'm just saying, if Mya kept Raina from me I'd be mad as hell. Raina's the light of my world, for real. She makes me the happiest and pushes me to be a better man, not just for her but for myself. Raina don't see me how everybody else do, she sees me as her daddy. I know I'm not perfect at all , but I'm trying."
"Like bro, when I pick her up or some shit and she come running to me, all the shit with her mama'nem don't even matter."
She takes a deep breath trying to hold her tears back but they fall anyways. She uses her hand to cover her face as more tears start falling.
Rj groans softly and pulls her into his chest. "I'an mean to make you cry bae."
"I'm so tired Rakeem," She says through her tears. "I don't want to be a bad mom but..I'on know, I don't know how to let anyone help me, especially her dad."
Rakeem can't think of words to soothe her. His mind can barely rationalize Brie's decision and he doesn't want to say the wrong thing. Instead he rubs her back and lets her cry.
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Brie lays wide awake in the bed just thinking. Rj sleeps peacefully beside her and Lani is snuggled between the two of them, light snores coming out her mouth. After her talk with Rj she went in Lani's room to get her ready for bed but saw her already knocked out on her rug, dolls still in hand.
After she washed her up and got her ready, Lani woke up and cried to sleep in her moms bed so she gave in. Brie tried to keep Lani sleeping in her own bed because she doesn't want her to get used to sleeping with her mom.
Brie looks at her daughter and feels conflicted. Sometimes she regrets going to that party and meeting Zayn. Of course she loves her daughter, but she can't help but to think how different her life would be. She was a little wild but she knows she would have gotten her shit together; she had plans of going to to school of state and getting the hell out of Hialeah. She was so proud of herself for nearly breaking a generational curse and being the first woman to go to college and make something of her life. But here she is, just like her mom and everyone else, stuck in Miami being a single mom.
Instead of dwelling on what could have been, Brie thinks about what is and what could be. She thinks about her daughters first word, banana because that was all she ever wanted to eat. She thinks about the first time she walked by herself, the first time she went back to work after Lani, the first time she meet Rj- she called him dada. It broke her heart having to tell her 13 month old that wasn't dada. Of course she didn't understand what she was saying but Lani screamed and cried at hearing the word no.
Sighing heavily, Brie feels tears pricking at her eyes again. She squeezes her eyes tightly, willing herself not to cry. She wonders when did her life become such a mess? How did she allow the situation to spiral so out of control?
She knows she needs to find a way to tell Zayn. She's always known that it was wrong of her to keep them apart and she had every intentions of finding a way to let the two meet but as Lani got older, Brie struggled with the decision. What if he wanted to take Lani from her? With her situation, if they went to court he probably would've won custody because at the time Brie could barely take care of herself, let alone a newborn but she did it.
Or what if he wanted her to spend summers with him or winters? All the way across the world in England. She didn't want to share her daughter with anyone. She knows that selfish of her but Lani is all she has. But Brie realized its not about her, it's about Lani. Since the time she gave birth, Brie has done her best to put Lani's needs before her own and give her the best and she needs to do the same with this.
Twisting her lips to the side, she picks up her phone and texts Gia.
ima tell Zayn
11:58 p.m.
Gianna💍🦋
When ? And how?
11:59 p.m.
idk..
11:59 p.m.
i need help G...idk what to do
12:00 a.m.
Gianna💍🦋
I can have Ky reach out to Amir and see if they wanna link. We can get food or sum.
12:02 a.m.
ok
but why would we want to go out to eat with them? what if they ask
12: 03 a.m.
Brie lays in bed and wait for a response. She doesn't care if she's doing too much. She wants to have every base covered so they agree. Even though it's a set up, she doesn't want them to know that.
Gianna💍🦋
Nigga who cares? As long as they agree we gucci we can think of a plan later tf
12: 14 p.m.
Brie just likes the message and places her phone back on the dresser next to her bed. She only hopes that they agree and everything goes smoothly.
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Hey y'all 👋🏽 Thoughts on this chapter?
What do y'all think about Rj? Rj and Gia's relationship?
Thoughts on Brie so far? Her reasoning behind her decision to keep the father and daughter apart?
Don't to like and comment!