A Mother's Bond

25

Sarayah July 27, 2016
I gazed out the window, taking in the new sights. I still found it weird that I used to live there. I couldn't imagine my life before Mama.

"Why I gotta be in the middle?" Aunty Chelle complained, squirming next to me. "I'm the oldest. Isn't that supposed to be the one good thing about being older? You ain't gotta sit in the middle."

Aunty Kellz elbowed her. "You know why you're in the middle, twig. You're the smallest. Get yourself a booty and maybe we'll consider letting you have a window seat."

Aunty Chelle glared at her. "That don't even make sense. What your booty need the window seat for? Is it sight-seeing?"

Solo looked at them through the rear-view mirror, smirking. "Alright, enough arguing kiddies. We're almost there anyway."

We pulled up to a large white house. It had a well trimmed yard lined with beautiful trees and shrubbery. The scene was completed by a decorative lamp post. The whole thing screamed upper class.

Solo turned in her seat to smile at me. "This is where Bey and I grew up."

I looked up at it in wonder. "I see. So, y'all were boujee from the jump, huh?"

Aunty Kellz giggled. "For real. When I first came to live with them, I was like, oh, so y'all got it like that, huh? Rich folk." She shook her head. "They don't know the struggle."

Beyoncé gave her a look. "Spare me. You are just as boujee as us, Kellz. This is your old home too. When we had to move out, you complained the most."

Solo nodded. "Oh yeah, crying about how you missed this house, and how our new house wasn't as big and didn't have as many bathrooms blah blah blah."

I shook my head at Aunty Kellz as she blushed. "Wow, Aunty Kellz."

Aunty Chelle laughed. "Exposed."

Solo squinted, trying to see into the house. "Looks like no one's home. It's too bad. I really wanted to go in or check out the backyard at the very least. Reminisce and whatnot."

Beyoncé chewed on her lip. "Yeeaaahhh." Suddenly she got out of the car and motioned to me.

"Come on, let's go see it up close," she said, already walking towards the side of the house.

I looked at my aunts, shrugged and hopped out. I walked over to Beyoncé, making sure to keep a good distance between us. Couldn't have her thinking I had forgiven her. I didn't agree to the outing to spend time with her. I went with the strict purpose of satisfying my curiosity. My whole life was an unsolved puzzle to me, and it was time to start putting the pieces together.

Aunty Kellz jogged to catch up to us. Beyoncé led us over to a gate leading to the backyard. She stood on her toes to look over the top. A few seconds later, Solo and Aunty Chelle joined us. Aunty Chelle surveyed the situation for a moment before turning to face Beyoncé.

"I know you not thinking about breaking and entering."

Beyoncé shook her head. "Of course not. We're not gonna break anything."

Aunty Chelle smiled, relieved. "Okay good, for a second I was worried that you were-HEY what are you doing?"

Beyoncé had grabbed the top of the gate. She started pulling herself to the top, completely ignoring Aunty Chelle's sputtering. She straddled the fence for a second before lifting her other leg over and jumping down to land on the other side. I was mildly impressed.

Aunty Chelle watched in horror. "Giselle, what kind of example are you setting for Sarayah?"

I shook my head. "Not a very good one."