Realisation dawned on Carol's face and she slapped Robert's arm, scolding him as she mumbled under her breath something that sounded a lot like, "Jesus, Robert, Are you trying to scare the poor girl to death."
Carol turned her attention back to the dark-haired girl before her.
"Onika isn't hurt, honey. She just broke up with that boyfriend of hers." she explained quietly, glancing to the top of the staircase toward Onika's room.
Relief washed over Beyoncé as the woman's words sank in. She rest her hands on her knees and took a few deep, steadying breaths. Clearly she'd assumed the worst.
Not a second later, she was straightening up, her face stoic, but the rage shone behind her eyes.
"Do you want me to kill him? Because I'll kill him." she spoke through clenched teeth.
Robert smiled involuntarily and huffed a short laugh.
"Actually, no. I'd like to speak to you if that's alright?" he asked, motioning to the living room.
Beyoncé's gaze once again switched between Robert and Carol, at the woman's confused shrug of her shoulders, Beyoncé took a deep breath and hesitantly made her way into the house, wiping her sweating palms on her thighs as she went.
Beyonce stood awkwardly and Carol sat on the couch, both looking at Robert expectantly.
"I wanted to apologise for how I've handled this situation." he began, shooting Beyonce an apologetic smile. She stood there in shock and Carol smiled, settling herself further into the couch's embrace.
"Y'see, I was brought up believing that love..." he hesitated a moment when he saw the young girl tense up at the word Love. He cleared his throat again, scratching the back of his neck as he continued. "...should be between a man and a woman because that's what I was taught. And I was ignorant to think that just because I believed that, than Onika would too. Now I'm not using my 'age' or the 'era I grew up in' as an excuse, because I'm not disregarding the way I handled things, but came to the realisation that if a man won't treat my Onika the was she deserves, with love and make her feel safe and above all else happy... than who am I to say that a woman can't give her those things?" he finished his improvised rambling, his eyes trained on his shoes as his face grew red. Beyoncé's face went red and Carol wiped her eyes.
At the feel of Carol poking his shin with her toe, he continued, his gaze lifting to the ceiling this time as he took a deep breath, thinking. His eyes eventually landed on the young girl, no, young woman standing before him.
"We've known you for years, Beyoncé, and I'm sorry if I've made you feel unsafe and unwelcome, I don't want you to feel uncomfortable in this house." he sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face. Shame etched all over his face.
"I know you love her and probably have for sometime now, and I'm so ashamed at how I've handled things. I don't expect your forgiveness, but I'd really appreciate it if you could make Onika happy again." he pleaded.
Glancing at Carol, he added when she nodded at him encouragingly. "You're welcome to stay the night, if that's what she wishes."
A silence that wasn't totally uncomfortable settled over the room as the words exchanged hung loosely in the air.
After what seemed like forever, but in reality was probably only a few minutes, Beyoncé stepped forward and took Onika's phone from Robert's grasp, before placing her free hand on his shoulder.
"I've already forgiven you, Sir." she smiled at him warmly, watching as his shoulders relaxed significantly at her words.
Real Love
Start from the beginning
