The Guardian [FINISHED]

4.

Jennifer's POV

Today Yara didn't have to record Blackish so she has a free day off. I decided to let her sleep in late & I called my mom. She lives back in New York, along with my 2 sisters and the rest of my family.

"Hey mom, how are you?" I said to her as I placed my outfit on my bed.

"Hey Jenn. I'm good, how's you & Yara?" She asked. I went inside my closet & chose a black pair of platform wedges.

"We're good ma. She doesn't have work today so she's still sleeping." I said.

"Okay so what's up with you. You normally check on me later on in the day. I know something is up." I sighed and tried to think of the best way to tell her about Yara's Essence magazine. It may not seem like a big deal because Yara has done plenty shoots for magazines, but I feel like this one will bring more drama.

"Well it's not a problem or anything, it's actually something great for Yara. She's going to be on the cover of Essence magazine's Black Girl Magic issue." I said to her. It was quiet for a few moments.

"Jenn you know I love that little girl with all my heart, but don't you think it's time to tell her the truth? I mean the family keeps thinking she doesn't love her Puerto Rican roots when in actuality she's not one of us. What you did for Bey was the right thing, but you can't let her go around thinking she's a Latina." She said. I normally just brush these conversations off, but it does make me question things. My mom has always been blunt, and I can't just ignore her anymore. Yara is soon to be sixteen, and before I know it eighteen.

"Ma it's not an easy thing to just blurt out and say. She doesn't know, and I like the way life has been for her." I said. I went to my bathroom and laid out all my toiletries I'll need for my shower.

"Honey I know this is a touchy subject, but doesn't she question how you always make it a priority to visit Tina & Mathew every year, & how Beyoncé sends fancy birthday and Christmas gifts to her? That would make any kid wonder why a celebrity like her would do all that." She said.

"A lot of my friends send her gifts on a regular & it's been her form of normalcy, but she only asked questions like that when she was younger. I tell her me & Bey used to be best-friends and how she was there when she was born."

Honestly after Beyoncé came back from touring with Destiny's Child, I secretly hoped she wouldn't want Yara back. At that time it had been a year of being Yara's guardian, and like Mama Tina predicted, Yara became attached to me & her first words were "ma ma" to me.

I always wondered why Beyoncé didn't realize the best thing she ever done and did was giving birth to such a precious gem, and what kept her from accepting responsibility and raising Yara. It made me resent her for a long time, but over the years she's stayed in touch with Yara's life whether it was calling/texting me or asking her family. Beyoncé's relationship isn't the same with her parents & Solange ever since she became more self-centered, and career driven over the past 15 years. It just breaks my heart because Yara loves Beyoncé, the entertainer, and doesn't even know she's biologically her daughter.

"Well Jenn sooner than later Yara is gonna start digging, and find out the truth; it's gonna hurt her more that you didn't tell her. She won't lash out on Beyoncé, she's gonna do it to you when it happens." My mom said. We talked a little more about some things, and I honestly wanted to end the call as soon as possible. I'm tired of my family telling me what I should and shouldn't do with things concerning Yara. I've been a single mom raising her for a long time, and you'd think they'll give me some credit.
~~~~~
Yara's POV

I woke up at noon, happy I had the day off from work. I got up to shower and brush my teeth, and put my braids in a loose ponytail. I'll have to take them out very soon and deep condition my hair. After I found my glasses, I headed downstairs and grabbed a pop tart from the cabinet. It's lunchtime, and I'm not in the mood for real breakfast food.

"Hey ma." I said when she walked into the kitchen and went to the fridge. She passed me a water bottle & leaned against the sink. I was eating on top of the kitchen counter.

"Hey chunk chunk." She said. I groaned because I hate that nickname. She calls me chunk because when I was little I had chubby cheeks, and it kinda stuck.

"Maaaaa why must you call me that." I said.

"Because you're my chunk & I can call you whatever I want. When are you taking those braids out?" She asked. She came up to me and touched a few to check to see if the ends were unraveling. They were, but it wasn't that bad.

"Uhhh probably tonight I'll take down the middle so if I don't finish I can just bun it up." I said.

"I forgot to ask you but did you thank the Knowles' for the Christmas presents they gave you?" She asked me. I thought about it and realized I didn't. They gave me a pair of diamond stud earrings, a hover board, and tons of clothes from Top Shop and Chanel. They even sent me a package of my favorite natural hair products. A card came attached to the gifts & read:

Merry Christmas to our sweet Yara. Enjoy your gifts and Happy New Year!
Xoxo Beyoncé & family.

"I forgot ma, but I'll mail them thank you cards." I said.

"That could work or a phone call. Either one is fine, but I think a flight out to visit them would be better." She said.

"Ma why do we visit them a few times out the year? I mean they're cool people, but you make sure we go at least twice a year." I said.

"Well for a long time they were like a second family to me, and I still have love for the family even though me & Bey don't talk much." She said.

"Why don't y'all talk a lot? I mean you did say y'all were best friends when she started out singing." Her eyebrows bunched up together and it looked as if she was in deep thought.

"Ummm some friendships are only meant for a season, and we slowly drifted apart throughout the years. I still love her like a little sister, but she's not the same Beyoncé from when I knew her." She responded. My mom is so honest about a lot of things, and I didn't think she'd actually open up a little. She values loyalty and honesty very much so this topic must be hard.

"So even though she isn't the same person, do you feel like she'll change back to herself or get y'all friendship back?" I asked.

"Hmmm... I don't know about that chunk. Enough of that. We'll talk later about Houston, but for now I have to prep for American Idol so you wanna spend the day with mommy?" I smiled and immediately headed to my room to get dressed. Wearing sweats will not cut it when paparazzi is hounding you down, and standing beside your mom who's a fashionista.