Single Father [COMPLETED]

39

place: Shawn's Apartment
Time: 9:45 a.m
Date: May 25th 2002

Beyonce and I were laid up in my bed listening to the magic of silence. Aaliyah stayed with my mom last night and Beyonce and I spent the night alone in absolute silence. It was perfect. There were at least 30 red and white candles burning, and I held her all night whispering how much I loved her in her ear. And eventually she fell asleep. Slowly I began to stroke her arm up and down.

"You gettin sleepy on me baby?" I asked looking down.

She shook her head and I smiled. "No. I'm just waiting for the afternoon to come."

"I'm not ready"

"I am. It's time for us to move on and graduate. We have to be adults."

"I know. I'm ready to be an adult with you." I said holding her tighter. She giggled and rolled over and laid her head on my chest, looking directly up at me. "I'm ready to marry you."

She rolled her eyes. "You've been saying that since we met."

I stroked the side of her face. "But I mean it and I will. You're the only girl I have ever wanted to marry. The only girl I love so much. The only one who loves my little girl like their own. You're gonna be my wife one day, baby."

"I would love to be your wife someday Shawn." She leaned up a little. I smiled. "Gimmie Kiss" She said like a little kid. I leaned down and kissed her on the lips. "I love you"

"I love you too"
----
place: Madison Square Garden
Time: 2:50 p.m

"Michelle Carden...Rachel Carter...Shawn Carter." I accepted my diploma and casually walked across the stage. I felt like I had done something. I looked out and saw Aaliyah sitting up on Nathan's shoulders, clapping and cheering. My number one fan. I did this for her. I want her to be proud of me. I want her to grow up and tell her children how I raised her on my own for two years and was still able to graduate from high school. On top of that, I planned on joining Beyonce at NYU this coming fall to study Music Production. Bee is majoring in Marketing but her focus would be modeling too. The principal kept going on with the list. "Angel Kirkland...Gabrielle Kirkland...Beyonce Knowles." I smiled as she walked across the stage. Me and my baby were done with school. I watched as she came back to her seat. She was sitting right behind me. I turned around and kissed her on the lips. We watched Kelly and Roy graduate too. I couldn't wait until the dinner tonight and the party tomorrow.
----
Beyonce POV

Everyone came back to Shawn's mother's house for our graduation dinner. It was me, my parents, Kelly and her parents, Roy and his folks, obviously Shawn & Aaliyah and his mom's boyfriend. The rest were extended family.

"Oh my God this is soo good!" Everyone looked over at Kelly as she continued to stuff her fat face.
"What?" She said.

I shook my head. "Nothing fatness."

"Shoot! Call it whatever you want. Kelly is hungry" She said filling up her fork once again.

"Don't be jealous of Kelly. That girl can eat all she wants. Here baby, you want some more?" Ms.Carter said pointing to a bowl of macaroni and cheese. Kelly nodded and reached for it. "I like when she comes to dinner."

"You and only you mama." Shawn said.

"Don't get it twisted now Shawn because I've watched Beyonce eat. She can tear it up too. And I like when she comes to dinner. You should be more like them."

He laughed. "HA! Yeah right. Me be like them two? Yeah right."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kelly and I said together.

I looked away at Aaliyah. "Hmm? What's that Aaliyah? Okay Daddy will get you some more juice!" He said getting up with her sippy cup. I laughed and got up and went after him. I cornered him in the kitchen. He held his hands up innocently. "I was just playing!"

I laughed and walked back out."Punk" He came back and handed Aaliyah her cup. I sat down and Shawn sat back next to me. "I can't believe we're out of high school." I said.

"Shoot me neither. I've been waiting on this day since...hell forever." Shawn said. His mother slapped him in the back of the head for cursing. "Hey! I'm a grown man now mama. All of that hitting has to stop here."

"And who told you that you were a man?" I asked folding my arms. Everyone was listening to our conversation.

He bulked out his chest proudly. "I told myself. Shoot and you know what these little smart comments out of you are gonna have to stop." He said playfully poking me in the nose.

I rolled my eyes. "Boy please. I'm still running the show!"

"Look just because you're a few months older than me doesn't mean a thing. I run the show."

I raised my eyebrow up at him. "Oh really?"

"Y..y.yeah the side show. You got the main event baby. That's all you"

I started to laugh and pinched his nose. "I'm so glad you understand now."

"Yeah but umm, if you're done talking and running that fast mouth of yours, I have something important to say."

"Oh no you di-" he cut me off with his finger to my lips.

"Lemme finish Bee. Okay" I nodded and he removed his finger. He grabbed my hand and slid my promise ring off of my finger. I started to get upset. "Don't tense up, you're gonna get it back later on, I promise. Now like I was saying, I know it's only been a year but it's been one of the greatest years of my life. You have made me the happiest man alive. You know I love you. That's something you don't ever have to question. You've brought me and Aaliyah nothing but happiness since the day we first met. We've had our issues and our fights. We've had our break ups and our make ups, but true love got us through it all. I wanna look past high school love. I want a future with you. I know we're both 18 and young but regardless of our age, my love for you will never change. Sooo...."

He slid out of his chair and got down on one knee with a different ring in his hand. "Beyonce Giselle Knowles, will you marry me?"

I was so shocked and speechless. I had nothing to say for once. Everyone was looking at me like I better say yes! I couldn't get the words out. Tears fell down my face.

"Someone get the camera...I think for the first time in her life Beyonce has nothing to say!" Kelly said

My mom laughed. "Don't worry, we're taping this." She said pointing to the video camera recording.

"Umm Beyonce are you gonna answer the boy?" My dad said touching my shoulder.

I couldn't believe it. I couldn't speak. I think my mouth is open!

"Baby...you okay?" Shawn asked touching my leg. I looked down at him holding the ring in my face. I thought I was dreaming when he said that. I nodded in response. "Well...are you going to answer my question?"

More tears fell as I slid forward in my chair closer to him. "YES!"

The whole room went crazy. Everyone was yelling "SHE SAID YES!" I kept repeating YES over and over as Shawn slid the beautiful diamond cut ring on my finger, replacing my promise ring. He slid that one on another finger and pulled me up for a hug. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him deeply on the lips. I couldn't believe it. I graduated this afternoon and now...I'm engaged!