𝐈𝐟 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐊𝐧𝐞𝐰

Thirty-Six

On the other hand, the sisters looked to their mother for love, care and guidance. Tina had a warm aura and gleamed with joy. The little girls adored their mother and never understood why their father couldn't function the same way.

"Soso please don't cry." Beyoncé mumbled, as her younger sisters sobs echoed louder by the second.

"Beyoncé why the hell are you still sitting there? Put her down and bring your little tail through this door." Mathew demanded.

"B-But Soso's cry—"

"NOW BEYONCÉ!" He yelled, proceeding to punch the wall near the front door, triggering the two girls to jump.

Tina soon rushed into the living room, shaking her head at her husband antics. She picked up her younger daughter who began kicking and screaming for her sister.

"BB!! WANT BB!" She cried at the top of her lungs, as Tina swiftly carried her tiny figure to the kitchen.

"Why can't I stay home daddy?" Beyoncé asked inserting her sock covered feet into her favorite velcro light up shoes.

"Are you questioning me?"

"No sir." She murmured.

Climbing into the backseat of the black Tahoe Chevrolet, Beyoncé buckled her seatbelt trying to suppress her cries. She hated seeing her baby sister pleading for her, and she not be able to do anything about it.

After riding in the vast SUV in pure silence for the past twenty minutes, Mathew finally spoke up, plunging his pride aside.

"You alright back there sweetie?" He inquired, glancing at his oldest daughter through the rear view mirror.

"I'm okay." The six year old replied, fidgeting with her fingers as she counted the trees they'd pass by, through the tinted window.

Goosebumps soon covered her melanated canvas due to the blasting of air conditioning in the vehicle, prompting her to cross her arms over her chest, brushing her hands against her arms for heat.

An additional ten minutes surpassed and Beyoncé occurred getting impatient. She concurred up enough confidence to ask her father a question that's been weighing on her mind since they departed from their home.

"Daddy?"

"Yes sweetheart?"

"Um." She gulped. "May I ask where we're going?"

She didn't receive a response right away but after some pondering, Mathew mustered up the decision to reply.

"We're on our way to a friend of mine's house. We tend to have a private bible study session sometimes." He said, leaving his response brief.

Beyoncé had many follow up inquiries swarming through her head but she knew if she'd ask, what the consequences would be.

"Don't worry, she has a son you can play with. Just remember to be nice and never give out too much information."

Silently sighing, she responded, "Okay daddy."

Mathew's friend resided in the lower class area of Houston. As they were driving through the neighborhood, Beyoncé wondered if the atmosphere was safe, considering the dirty clumps of litter on the road, multiple police sirens not being far in distance, and stray dog roaming around.

Most of the time when Mathew had an errand to run, he'd force Beyoncé to tag along. He never brought Solange, unless it happened to be a family outing. Beyoncé of course hated being requested but ultimately had no say so, or choice. The six year old consistently wondered why her mother never intervened, why she allowed her father to make every decision for her, hell, for them.