a one month time skip & before y'all ask, no bri not pregnant. it's fuck them kids forevaaa.

The noise Bri's feet made as they hit the track was therapeutic.

She'd never considered going for an actual run, one where she wasn't running from someone, and it brought her peace.

Only for the moment though.

Darnishia grinned while changing the ringtone on Alisha's phone, "Call it when I tell you to." She instructed Bri.

"Okay." Brielle laughed back before looking at Coby, "And you record it."

He nodded, and they all made their way towards the register where Alisha was waiting on them. She looked at them through narrowed eyes, wondering why they all looked like they were up to something, "It takes that long to get some tissue?"

"We forgot what kind to get." Darnishia lied, handing her mama back the phone and putting the tissue in the cart.

"Ummmhum. I'm not buying that candy either so put it back."

No one made any effort to move, and Bri was quick to speak on their behalf, "My daddy gave me money."

Alisha turned around and said nothing.

When they made it to the register, Darnishia turned and gave Bri a look, which made her turn and nod at Coby.

He could barely contain his laughter while holding the phone at an angle so Alisha couldn't see.

"How are you?" The cashier asked with a smile.

"Make sure you wrap my candle 'cause last time y'all didn't and it broke before I made it home."

Her smile dropped, "Yes ma'am."

Brielle dialed her mom's number and snickered while waiting for it to ring.

"I got an ass so big like the sun. Hope you got a mile for a dick I wanna run. Slap it in my face, shove it down my throat-"

Since they'd turned the volume all the way up, everyone in the vicinity watched as Alisha fumbled to stop the music while her children held their stomachs with laughter.

"I- I don't know." She thrust the phone towards Darnishia, "Turn it off."

Those were the memories Bri wanted to have. Not what she'd read.

She continued to run until she couldn't anymore, slowing down to a walk and exiting the track. Hakeem lived near South, a college whose track was always open. Not that it mattered, because Bri would've just jumped the gate.

Quietly walking home, she quickly thought back over the last month, and how they'd struggled with burying Darnishia and finding balance.

"We going to the lil after party." Hakeem stated quietly to Josiah, "You coming?"

"What after party?"

"You know the party they throw after the funeral?"

Josiah slowly blinked, "Bitch do you mean the repass?"

"I hate Rae be having you watch the news and shit with her. Nigga ain't never said repass a day in his life now he out here tryna correct me."

Raelyn thumped him on the back of the head, "Can't take y'all nowhere boy I swear."

He was caught off guard by that, "Y'all tryna jump me? I left my gun inna car 'cause this the Lord house but you won't be the first person He done seen get shot."

While they continued to go back and forth, Brielle was talking to Nicole, Darnishia's ex-therapist.

She extended a card towards Bri who just stared at it, "Please come by." She requested, "Even if it's for 15 minutes."

Nicole was a stranger, yet she knew more about Bri than most people did, and Bri found comfort in that. She liked the thought that she could tell Nicole her life story one day, then disappear the next and pretend it didn't happen.

So she took the card, "Thanks."

Hakeem paused behind Bri, looking down at Takayla who was just standing there. She made eye contact with him before putting her eyes back on the floor.

"You looking at me like you can beat my ass or some." He told her, "I promise Ion wanna fight."

Takayla smiled, because that's the same way Bri talked to her, "You want some candy?"

"Hell nah. I heard about you."

She meant actual candy, which was proven when she extended the bag of gummy worms towards him.

"Ouuu." He rubbed his hands together, "Gimme the blue ones outta there."

By the time they were done picking out the blues, Bri had finished her conversation with Nicole and was ready to go.

"Nobody came to her funeral." Bri said quietly when they got in the car.

"We was there."

Tears dripped from her eyes as she shook her head, "She had a life. And friends and shit. How nobody show up? I don't understand."

Bri knew the situation, knew details about why Darnishia did what she did. However, everyone else assumed that she killed her mama for no reason.

Because that's so common, right?

Their opinion was never important enough to make Bri tell them the truth, but she still thought at least the girls whose house Darnishia stayed at for years would be there.

But then again, her sister wasn't the nicest when she was alive, and she couldn't really expect people to ignore that just because she did.

Sniffing, Bri leaned back against the seat, "Okay I'm done."

"Done with what?"

"Crying." She replied matter-of-factly, as if it were something she could turn on and off.

He looked at her in confusion, "What you mean? Ain't nobody tripping about you crying."

"What's the point? She'll still be dead."

"Ion really think that's the point."

It wasn't the point at all, but Brielle hadn't cried since that day.

Hakeem was helpful, although she didn't want to ask for too much from him. He'd basically turned his home into a BNB since no one wanted to step foot in, let alone sleep in, their old house.

Some days were harder than others, but they were managing, and that's all they could do at this point.

Like she always was, Kayla was up and getting ready for school when she came in the house, sitting at the table and eating a bowl of Lucky Charms, "Hey Bri."

"Hey Kayla."

She smiled, "Can you sign my permission slip for the zoo, Bri?"

"Yes I can sign your permission slip Kayla."

She received temporary guardianship of Kayla and Coby, a judge agreeing to that until someone was permantly appointed custody. It could be seen as luck that Bri did everything while she was still a juvenile, making her criminal history 'non-existent' because her file was sealed.

Bri hoped that someone that was appointed would be her, but she didn't necessarily want custody of Coby. He was older, harder to deal with, and he didn't take her serious at all. At the time, she was only pushing for him too because that's she felt like she was supposed to do.

So it made her feel better when he told her he didn't want her to get custody of him either.

"Let's smoke." Bri suggested.

Hakeem was playing the game, ignoring her, "Weed?"

"No, crack. What the hell else we gone smoke, Hakeem?"

He gave her a pointed glance which earned him a pinch on his stomach, "I'm just playing." He laughed, "But Ion smoke no more. I got chased by a dog and couldn't even hop the damn gate."

"I know your big ass wasn't running from no dog." Bri asked, putting her foot in his lap, "You should be ashamed."

"The same girl who hopped her ass on my car when that dog was chasing her? The dog looked like Bella too. I been knew she wanted smoke with me."

"Oh nowww you know the dog name."

They both looked up at the sound of a door slamming, and Hakeem looked briefly at Bri and back to the t.v.

He hated when people slammed his doors.

Taking her foot back, Bri got up to go see who it was since she'd assumed both of her siblings were sleep, because they were supposed to be sleep.

Jacoby was sitting on the floor with his back against the door and a taco in his hand. He looked at her while putting it to his mouth, "It's my birthday."

Brielle stared at him, "Happy birthday."

"16."

"Congrats."

The taco fell from his hands, and Coby made no effort to pick it up, "I'm over this shit Bri. I wanna move."

"Move where? We broke as fuck and I don't even think the state will let us leave."

Coby considered that, "Ask Hakeem to give you the money. Or talk him into moving. You know niggas love going to Atlanta to start their life over."

He said that like it was so simple to go ask someone for money to move away. Technically it was, and Bri knew if she asked Hakeem to give her the money he would, but she wouldn't ask so it was no point in thinking about it.

"Coby if we moved we still gotta deal with the same shit."

He knew she was right, but that didn't mean he liked it, "I'm not staying here."

"Then please tell me where you gone go? You being difficult man and I can't deal with that right now."

"I could go to Brittany house." He said, referring to their Aunt in Chicago, "She asked me at the funeral if I wanted to come up there."

Though they were sisters, Brittany was the polar opposite of Alisha. Where Alisha never got her high-school diploma, Brittany was the valedictorian of her high-school and college graduating class, her degree holding the distinction of Summa Cum Laude.

She held a good job, and went about things the right way instead of constantly trying to beat the system or get over on people.

Brittany stopped talking to them because Alisha wouldn't allow it. She'd gotten mad when Brittany declined her request for another loan, and said that since she didn't care about her, she didn't care about her kids either.

Typical Alisha fashion.

There was no love lost, and Brittany showed her just how much she didn't care when she told the coroner to dispose of Alisha's ashes in the nearest dumpster.

"If that's what you wanna do." Bri agreed, "I'll call the social worker in the morning."

Coby wasn't at home when the murder-suicide happened, as Bri had dropped him off at a friend's house when they left from eating. Luckily for him, he didn't see what Brielle and Takayla had.

• • •

"Riseee and shineee." Monica sang gleefully as she walked in the room, "How you feeling?"

Maya smiled widely as she ran a brush through her hair, "I'm so excited."

"Me too! We're leaving the doctor's office and going straight to look at cribs. For a boy I was thinking red, and a girl we can do pink of course. But that's just what I-"

Monica's words faded from Maya's ears as she stared at her in the mirror. She'd never experienced someone be so kind and caring, for no reason other than that's who she was. It was easy to see where Hakeem got some of his ways from, but his generosity didn't extend towards others in the way that Monica's did.

His was selective and conditional, but his mother's was for any and everyone.

Turning to look at Monica, Maya walked over to wrap her arms around her, squeezing her tightly, "Thank you so much. For everything."

Monica was caught off guard, "I don't mind at all. Thank you for giving me my first grandchild."

She wished it was under different circumstances, but was happy that she could be here throughout the entire experience.

The pair trotted down the stairs and into the car, a ride that was filled with them giggling like children. By the time they pulled up, Maya had tears in her eyes at one of Monica's stories about Hakeem from when he was younger.

"So he really took off his diaper to throw booboo at his dad?"

Monica nodded while stepping out of the car, "Like a monkey. He didn't take letting the bottle go well at all."

"Wait... maybe I want another boy."

She wouldn't care either way now, especially since she gave her mother custody of Jayden.

That was a decision Monica helped her make when she pointed out that Maya wasn't in the best position to properly raise Jayden. Maya's mom agreed to let her visit whenever, so they went with that plan.

They were in a good mood, and it was only heightened when they saw Hakeem, Bri-less, waiting for them inside. She didn't come because she had classes, and wasn't about to miss it to see if anything happened between Hakeem and Maya.

If she couldn't trust him around her, then it was no point anyway.

"Hey Hakeem." Monica waved.

He ignored her and pointed down the hall, "Them folks called her name like 5 minutes ago."

Monica and Hakeem weren't talking.

This time, he didn't care how it made her feel. He thought it was fucked up that she didn't tell him Deon was asking about Bri because it made him feel like she was being spiteful.

Her excuse was that she called him, which she did, and he didn't answer. That was a sorry excuse though seeing as she saw him the very next day and didn't say a word about it.

When he made that point, she grew upset.

"How are you mad that you didn't answer your phone?" Monica asked, knowing that wasn't the reason he was mad.

Hakeem placed his hands over his face, "Can you just tell me what he wanted to know?"

"He asked about your girlfriend. He doesn't even know her name, just that she exists. He never hurt you or your sister, so I didn't see the harm in telling him that you had found someone who's obviously very important to you.

Before he could respond, Monica kept talking, "You and Grace need to remember that I'm the mother. Especially you, Hakeem. You've just been getting beside yourself."

"Okay Monica."

So no, there wasn't much to talk about.

To Maya's credit, she hadn't been concerned with Hakeem at all. She didn't try to talk to him, barely told him when she was having an appointment, and was just all around over him and his disrespect.

In a way it made their relationship better because at this point all he wanted was for her to stop doing messy shit.

The sonographer helped Maya onto the table, tucking a sheet inside her pants so the gel wouldn't mess up her clothes, "Okay sweetheart, lean back for me."

Maya was expecting the gel to be cold, so when it wasn't she asked, "Y'all must have the warmer thingies?"

Since the confirmation of paternity, Maya's medical insurance changed, courtesy of Monica (Hakeem), and she now went to a private practice where the care was an entirely different experience than when she was pregnant with Jayden.

She nodded, "Yep. We know that cold feeling must be terrible."

The room went silent again as she focused on getting a picture that showed the gender, "Okay... There." She pointed and turned to look at Hakeem smiling, "What do you see."

He stared at the screen looking for something, "A head."

"In the norther region." She laughed, zooming in, "Right there."

"It still ain't nothing there." Hakeem replied, stepping closer so he could see better.

Maya sat up slightly trying to get a better view as well, "Where we supposed to be looking."

Hakeem pointed, "She said right here... Aye if I gotta guess the gender what I'm paying you for?"

His response caught her off guard because he had literally not said a word to her since the day he told her she didn't need to raise anyone's daughter. A small smile appeared on her face as she agreed with her child's dad.

The sonographer wasn't offended at all, laughing as she responded, "There's nothing there because she's a girl. Congratulations."

They made eye contact, and maybe it was because he was caught up in the moment, or maybe it was the fact that he very lowkey wanted it to be a girl too, but he smiled.

Imagine the smile he got in return.

• • •

Bri leaned down and whispered something in Kayla's ear, then pointed to where Hakeem was leaning against his car, one of the teacher assistants standing too close.

Kayla took off her book bag and handed it to Bri before sprinting down the steps and over to them, she tried her hardest to look serious as she told her, "Get away from my daddy, tramp!"

It didn't matter how serious she thought she looked because Hakeem gave it away when he started laughing, "Boy hell nah. Go do it again so I can record it."

The T.A was embarrassed, "I was just askin-"

"Guhhhh." Brielle said loudly, "Kayla get in the car."

Hakeem was still laughing as he got back in, "Don't be sending your sister to do your dirty work. You was scared that girl was gone beat you up?"

"Bae if you let me get beat up and don't shoot them hoes then I don't want nothing else to do with you."

"Oh you know how I'm coming."

Bri shook her head with a smile while unlocking her phone to give it to Kayla along with a pair of earphones, "What you get out for anyway? You just wanted somebody to see your lil dirty ass."

"It's a hot nigga summer. I gotta get my hoes back up but they scared of you I think."

"They need to be. I'll turn this bitch into Afghanistan period."

Hakeem looked at her, "I like that one Bri."

Like Hakeem said, summer was upon them, and maintenance was being done on the unit at Hakeem's house, not necessarily preventing them from going there, they just didn't want to.

Bri was staring out of the window thinking about what she wanted to eat when Hakeem spoke again, "It's a girl."

He became her focus as she asked, "Are you excited?"

His eyes remained firmly on the road, "Kinda."

It was awkward to talk about, but they both knew what they were going into. It was even more weird because Hakeem was convinced he didn't want kids at all, yet now he was feeling differently about the situation.

Brielle remained quiet before she reached to hold one of his hands, "You can be excited, Hakeem. It's your baby."

"Ion know how I feel. But it was cool to see her on the lil t.v. thing."

He liked that he could be open about the fact that he didn't know how he was feeling. He'd never been in this predicament, but he could only assume that Bri was handling it very well.

She deserved something, but what? He'd never seen her with a purse so he couldn't buy that, she barely put in earrings so he didn't think she'd like jewelry, and when he mentioned buying her a car of her own, she made a joke about a getting a bike instead and changed the subject.

So what the hell was he supposed to do?

"You want a dog?" He asked after turning down the music.

"I mean I'm not gone say no, but why you wanna get a dog?"

"You smart. You loyal. You deserve a dog."

Bri laughed, "Just get me some to eat."

They agreed on seafood, and Hakeem was headed in the direction when Corey called him, asking him to meet him. He gave Bri an apologetic glance and told her to drop him off at the gas station.

That didn't take long at all, leaving Kayla and Bri to go eat and end up in the gym so Kayla could play basketball.

Bri was busy on her phone looking for a resemblance in Future's newest child, "He know damn well that's his baby." She mumbled, "Take the test hoe."

She didn't look up when someone sat beside her because it was a gym. Random people sit next to you all the time. However, random people don't hand you a white envelope with your name on it.

Brielle's reflexes immediately made her move away from the hand when she saw it belonged to Deon.

Hakeem had been looking for him for weeks on end, but assumed that he left the area before anyone could mention the connection he had to Darnishia.

That assumption was wrong.

He had the audacity to look hurt by Bri's reaction, "I'm not the enemy." He stated, "I'm not sure what you think you know, but I loved her too."

Bri refocused on the envelope, observing the handwriting and wondering why Darnishia would leave a letter for her, with him. She'd never even mentioned him, but had him giving her something like this.

She wanted to snatch it and run, but she was reminded why she couldn't do that when Kayla called her name, drawing the attention of both Bri and Deon.

"Get the fuck away from me before I call Hakeem."

Deon wasn't concerned, "Call him. I miss my son."

He had no intention of leaving so soon, but his phone rang. Placing the envelope beside Bri's leg, he stood up, "Tell Keem to lock his door more." He smiled so his next words would have the desired effect, "And that blue room is tacky. Add more white."

The thing about Deon that made him annoying, other than the other stuff, was the fact that he liked to play mind games.

Darnishia never gave him shit. He took it from Hakeem's mailbox, and he hadn't stepped foot in Hakeem's house, but rather he'd seen the room when Grace posted a picture online.

It was highly unlikely that he'd do anything to them, but his latest toy was gone, and this was the next best entertainment.

Placing the phone to his ear, he turned around to walk out, "Took you long enough to call, Corey."

• • •

maya just wanna be loved....... y'all dragging her for that?

thanks for reading 💕