BOUND BY BLOOD

Star Search

"You declined a job Matthew! A job that could've helped to put food on the table. I wouldn't care if that job was scrubbing gas station toilets. If it fed my kids I'd be on my hands and knees thanking GOD that he made a way. But no, you're so swept up in your own wants and needs that you can't even see me drowning." Tina's tears fell down her cheeks like water out of a faucet.

Solange stared at her sister willing her to gaze her way but Bey was stuck in her own thoughts. The teen brought her knees up to her chest and stared at the stair beneath her.

"I'm drowning Matthew." Tina finally admitted.

"And I'm not?" Matthew slapped at his thighs in frustration. "It's only been a few months since I lost my job Tina, give me a break!"

"Baba!" Beyoncé whispered across the room to her little sister who stood at the front door. She could already tell that the argument was nowhere close to ending. "Baba." Bey tried again. This time Solange heard her. Beyoncé motioned for Solange to come up the stairs with her.

"Matthew it's been closer to a year and this isn't the first time we've gone through this. You get a job, what once a year? Then somehow... SOMEWAY I always find myself struggling to carry this family on my back."

Solange took this time to slowly inch toward the staircase.

"Come on!" Bey whisper-screamed as she very slowly ascended the stairs.

"I am done being your mule Matthew." Tina whispered as she wiped her tears.

Beyoncé grabbed Solange's hand as they both walked up the stairs. Tina slowly peered up from her intense gaze at her fingers catching the disappointment on the eyes of both of her daughters and suddenly it felt as though someone kicked her in the chest. She couldn't believe she just said all of that in front of her children.

"I'm so sorry." Tina burst out in tears and headed to the dining room cleaning up the mess from the horrid dinner. The woman's hands shook as she picked up plate after plate stacking them on top of each other.

"M-Mommy?" Tina heard her eldest daughter whisper.

Tina quickly glanced up to see Bey playing with the bottom of her black camisole.

"c'est normal d'être triste." (It's okay to be sad) Beyoncé walked up to her mother bringing her into a warm embrace just as her own mother had done two days prior. "I-it's okay mo-mommy." Bey wiped her mother's tears and pulled her into an even tighter hug. "It's OKAY" the blonde whispered into her mother's ear.

Tina was at a loss for words but that only made Beyoncé hold on tighter to her mother.

"I'll c-clean mama...go get some rest." Bey gently took the dishes out of her mother's hands.

"Beyoncé, get to bed. You have school in the morning." Bey's entire body grew stiff when she heard her father's husky voice behind her. She swallowed hard as she stared into her mother's watery eyes. She hated seeing her mother like this.

"I-I'm helping mama with the clea-the cleaning." Bey's hazel eyes never left her mother's green orbs as she held tight onto the dishes. She'd witnessed her parents fight for years and honestly she was over it. All of the hidden glares and clenched jaws, although silent, became so loud over the years that the walls seemed to pulsate with intense energy ready to be purged.

"Go join your sister up stairs and get to bed." Matthew folded his arms as he leaned into the threshold.

Bey searched her mother's face for any signs of protest as they spoke silently through their gaze.

Tina inhaled deeply before taking the dishes from her daughter. She hated putting her children in the middle and after tonight she made a promise to herself to never do it again.
"Baby your daddy's right it's getting late. Go ahead and get some sleep. I'll finish up here." Tina smoothed her daughter's hair down and took the dishes into the kitchen.