Brothers and Wives Read Online Free Page A

ahead and tell me. I can take it.”
    “Here it goes. If you sense something is up between Scottie and LaNecia, you’re not imagining things. Um, they kind of took the ‘kissing cousin’ concept to the extreme a while ago….”
    “Stop.” I cover my ears. “I don’t wanna hear it.”
    Vette pulls down my hands. “If you plan on being involved with my brother, you need to hear this, trust.” She continues. “Scottie sometimes has poor judgment. He acts first, thinks later. That method has gotten him in tons of trouble. Don’t get me wrong. Scottie has a good heart. He tries very hard … but sometimes all that good is overtaken by the bad.”
    “And where does that girl come in?”
    “He got her pregnant….”
    “I can’t take this!”
    “Calm down. They lost the baby, and they’ve
been
over, but she thinks she’s in love with him.” Vette pauses. “And that confrontation y’all went through on the dance floor … prepare to go through much more than that if you’re interested in Scottie Meadows. LaNecia is the type to take you to hell and back.”
    I sigh heavily and try to process what Vette has told me. Sounds like LaNecia is a crazy young lady that I may haveto introduce to my other side—the part of me that comes out to prove that I am more than just a pretty face. This pretty face can get downright ugly when it has to.
    Suddenly Vette looks up and yells excitedly. This dark-skinned chubby girl parades to our table.
    “What up, Karetha?” Vette greets her.
    “Ain’t nothing up,” the girl responds. She looks like she’s in her early twenties. Although I try to make eye contact to say hello, she totally blows me off as if I’m not sitting right next to Vette. No biggie. I’m accustomed to all kinds of women ignoring me like they can’t stand the sight of me even though technically I’ve done nothing to deserve their attitude.
    “Oops, I am being rude. Dani,” Vette says, “let me introduce you to Karetha, my cousin LaNecia’s best friend. When those two get together, don’t pay them any mind. They’re young and wild like the rest of the fam. Ka may as well be in the fam as much as she hangs around.”
    Karetha produces a forced smile, and I want to throw up a hand and tell her, “Save the phoniness. Don’t bother.” But I swallow my pride and grin, extending my fingers for a handshake. “Pleasure to meet you. Hey, Vette, you don’t have to explain. I was their age once.”
    Karetha starts snickering right in my face.
    “Um,” I say coolly, “I don’t know why you think that statement is so funny….”
    “Damn, Dani, please don’t start. You don’t have to turn every incident into an argument.” Vette smiles and rolls her eyes. “There’s already enough of that going on.”
    Karetha laughs and glances briefly at Scottie, LaNecia, and the clergyman.
    “That man of God doesn’t care too much for rap music,” Vette says. “But Scottie feels since he’s the deejay, he can playwhoever he wants. And poor LaNecia, of course, she’s gonna back Scottie. But I think they’re all trying to work things out. Some things just aren’t worth an argument.”
    Several minutes pass as Vette and Karetha gossip while I spend time playing peekaboo with Brax.
    We’re interrupted when Scottie and LaNecia wander over to our table. He apologizes for the commotion about the music and suggests we strike up a spades game while he takes a break. LaNecia immediately grabs his arm, pleading to be his partner, and he says okay. I look at Vette, but she shakes her head like she’s not interested. I decide to wave at Neil, who is seated two tables over. He quickly comes to see what I want and agrees to team up: me and Neil against LaNecia and his brother.
    Vette holds Brax in her lap so they can watch us play. Neil is seated across from me, and Scottie is on my right side, with Vette and Brax on my left. LaNecia sits across from Scottie, and Ka is seated next to Neil.
    “I’ll shuffle,”