In·fi·del·i·ty

VI. This Woman's Work

"I know you've got a little life in you left, I know you've got a lot strength in you left..."

Beyoncé
SoHo, Court Condos
October 17th, 2005
Manhattan, NewYork

First Time

The first timed it happened she was forgiving, puppy love and still being in the honey moon phase of the relationship being the biggest influences behind her forgiveness.

But she would never forget that feeling, laying on the cold bathroom floor of her condo, tears running down her face as the images of another woman in her mans arms circulated through her head. Everyone told her to leave, but she vowed it was just a mistake, besides Shawn loved her and had since he laid eyes on her.

She didn't care what anyone thought, Shawn was her man, and if he was sorry she'd forgive him. But being so young and naive Beyoncè didn't understand the simplest concept:

You give them an inch, and watch them take a mile.

LZ Towers
Brooklyn, NewYork
March 27th, 2012

Texts

Infidelity hadn't been an issue in their relationship in years, so the second time it happened Beyoncè was genuinely shocked.

She balanced her infant carefully in her arm as she scrolled through Shawn's phone, it had kept ringing and there was no sense in waking the baby when she could just silence the thing.

The calls were all from the same unsaved number, Beyoncè didn't think twice about it, she trusted her man, what he did in the past was before their vows, he wouldn't think to do it again...or so she thought.

She was just about to put the phone down until a message caught her off guard, it made her heart stop when she read it.

(646)-789-4564: Baby it's been a week! When will I see you again?

The message from the same unknown caller, her heart dropped even further when she opened the thread, revealing exchanges between Shawn and the unknown had been going on for quite sometime.

She locked the phone, not bearing to look at it anymore, she held her baby tight, the smell of the infant calming her from the rage she wanted to enter.

She couldn't stay, she couldn't look him the eyes knowing that while she was up late at night with his baby, that he was out doing god knows what with god knows who.

She packed enough clothes to last her at least 2 weeks, and twice that for the baby. She called her sister Soloange as soon as she packed the last item, letting her known the details and that she'd need to stay with her for awhile.

She stood over her husband, tears rolling down her face as she watched him peaceful sleep, she couldn't understand why, why he'd do this to her? She simply shook her head before placing his phone and the note she'd carefully written on the nightstand.