SISTERS BY HEART

Briar stood outside Simone's apartment, the weight of the past few days still heavy on her shoulders. She hadn't expected to feel this way—lost, confused, and utterly drained—but here she was, feeling like she'd been tossed between two worlds.

The reunion with Dwayne had only made things worse. She had hoped for answers, for clarity, but all she had gotten were more questions and a flood of emotions that seemed impossible to control.

But there was one person she knew she could lean on, someone who, even after everything that had come to light, still felt like a constant in her life. Simone.

Her best friend. The girl who had been her sister, in every way that mattered, for years. The two of them had grown up together, spending birthdays, holidays, and countless red-carpet events side by side. Simone was her son, Tane's Godmother. They had been inseparable.

It wasn't until recently, when the truth came crashing down, that Briar realized just how much their relationship had truly meant. Simone wasn't just her friend; she was the sister Briar never knew she had.

Briar took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. Her stomach twisted with nerves, unsure of what this meeting would bring.

Would Simone be angry with her? Would she feel betrayed, like Briar had felt since the truth came out? Or, worse, would things be awkward between them now, the bond they'd shared fractured by the revelation that they were half-sisters?

The door opened, and Simone's face lit up with that familiar smile—the same one Briar had missed so much in the past couple of days. But there was a tenderness in her eyes, a softness that immediately told Briar Simone understood how much she was struggling.

Without a word, Simone pulled her into a tight hug, and Briar felt a wave of relief rush over her. She hadn't realized how badly she needed this, how much she needed to be held, to be reminded that not everything had changed. Not everything had to break apart.

"I'm so sorry, Bri," Simone whispered into her hair. "I'm so sorry you're going through this. I don't know what to say, but I'm here for you."

Briar squeezed her tightly, tears suddenly welling up in her eyes. She hadn't cried like this in front of Simone in years, not since she found out she was pregnant with Tane, but now she couldn't hold it back any longer.

The confusion, the betrayal, the hurt—it all came rushing to the surface in that moment. She pulled away slightly to look at Simone, wiping at her eyes, but the tears kept coming, more than she had expected.

"I don't know what to do, Simone," Briar choked out, her voice shaky. "I feel like everything's falling apart. I didn't know... I didn't know what to think, or who to trust."

Simone took Briar's hands in hers, her expression serious yet filled with compassion. "I know. I know it's a lot to take in. It's all been a lot. I don't know what to say either, but I do know this—no matter what's happened, no matter who our dads are, we're still sisters, Bri. We've always been sisters."

Briar's chest tightened as she stared at Simone, hearing the words she needed to hear more than anything. The reality of it hadn't fully sunk in, but in this moment, she realized how much it meant to her. They had always been so close, their friendship so deep, that the idea of being sisters felt like something that had been written in the stars all along.

"We are," Briar whispered, her voice trembling. "We really are sisters. I'm... I'm so glad. I don't care what anyone says. I don't care what the world thinks. You're my sister, Simone. Nothing will change that."

Simone's eyes softened, and she pulled Briar back into another hug, this one full of understanding and love. They stood there for a long moment, just holding each other. The weight of everything they had been through—the anger, the betrayal, the confusion—still hung in the air, but in that space between them, there was an unspoken promise that they would get through it together. No matter what. No matter who their fathers were or weren't.

"I'm glad too," Simone said, pulling back slightly to look Briar in the eyes. "I mean, it's weird. It's a lot to process. But we've got each other, and that's all that matters right now. We'll figure the rest out together."

Briar let out a shaky laugh, wiping her tears away. For the first time in days, she felt a small flicker of hope. She wasn't alone in this. She had Simone by her side, as she always had.

"It's just... it's crazy, you know?" Briar said, the laughter still lingering in her voice, though tinged with sadness. "I spent so much time with your family, so much time with you. And all this time, I had no idea... you were my sister. You're my sister, Simone."

Simone smiled gently, her eyes brimming with affection. "I know, Bri. It's crazy. But we can't change the past, right? What matters is that we're together now. We'll figure this out. One step at a time."

The two of them sat down on the couch, their conversation flowing more easily now. The anger and the pain were still there, lurking beneath the surface, but they could face it together.

Briar felt a sense of peace settle over her. It wasn't everything. It wasn't a perfect fix. But it was something she had longed for—someone who truly understood her, someone who had always been there, even when the world felt like it was falling apart.

As they talked, Briar began to smile more genuinely. The feeling of being sister and friend, of sharing this deep bond, was undeniable. They were sisters in ways that went beyond blood.

They were intertwined by the love they'd shared, by the years of growing up together, by the laughter and the secrets and the quiet moments that had shaped their lives.

"I don't know what to say," Briar said, her voice full of emotion but also lighter now, as she looked at Simone. "I just—thank you. For being here. For being my sister."

Simone smiled back, her eyes warm. "Always, Bri. Always."

And in that moment, Briar realized that no matter what happened with Dwayne or her mother or anyone else, she had something that couldn't be taken away. She had her sister. And that was enough to help her navigate through the storm. Together, they would face whatever came next—stronger and more united than ever before.