Beyoncé's POV
I almost just let the phone ring.
But a sliver of me hoped it was her calling. Apologizing again and explaining in detail why she couldn't come. Or better yet, maybe she wanted to know if the invitation still stood.
One look at my screen dismantled my wishful thinking and added to my disappointment for the night.
A part of me didn't want to be bothered right now, but I knew talking to Kelly would pick me up some, so I took her call.
"Hi."
"Bey-Bey, what's wrong?"
Lying would keep me stagnant. I didn't want to hold onto to any emotion that wasn't serving me. Denial would give it power.
"I invited Normani over, she couldn't make it."
As Kelly was quiet, I imagined her jaw drop. "You invited Normani over? To your house?"
I rubbed my bare feet into my gray rug, enjoying the sensation. "Yeah. I was going to tell her...get candid."
"You were going to tell her about Janet?"
"Yes."
She squealed. "Friend! I am so proud of you. Growth, growth."
"When I'm finally ready, this happens."
"Aww, did she say why she had to cancel?"
"No. All she said was something came up."
Kelly was quiet for a second. "Well hopefully everything is okay."
"Oh please, I'm sure everything is fine. She didn't want to come, Kell."
"You think so?" Her voice got higher in skepticism. "Did she seem like she was on board when you invited her?"
"Yes, initially, but that doesn't mean anything. You know that."
"I have to agree. Too many times I've been invited to things and acted like I was excited knowing damn well I wasn't. RSVP, who? Not me!"
"I don't understand people like you. What's hard about saying no or I have plans? Or—gasp--I'm not interested."
"You really tell people you're not interested in their invitation? You do not, Bey."
"I have. Many a times. And I sleep just fine because of it."
We laughed and then Kelly got to the real reason she called. I probably should have remained seated, but I put her on speaker and started putting the food away.
"Speaking of Normani..." she started. "Janet is coming over on Saturday. I think you should come."
I stopped what I was doing.
"Hear me out," Kelly said. "All Normani wanted was closure. And I don't think you ever got that. Am I right?"
My chest tightened. My heart flexed. The grip I had on my white china bowl could have broken it, so I let it go. Instead, I snatched my phone from the counter and took it off speaker.
"I don't need anything from her."
"Beyoncé. You were willing to talk to Normani about your past, which I applaud you because I know that decision didn't come easy. If you could do that, why not the woman who caused all of this in the first place? Don't you have things you want to say to her?"
"This is not your place!"
"Let me ask you this. Do you think it is a coincidence that Normani, the girl you used to be involved with and still are to some degree, is working for your former boss, who you also had relations with? The same history, the same industry...come on, Beyoncé. This ain't accidental."
She had a point. Add in the connection between Normani, Megan, and Normani's ex.
"The only reason I could ever see myself speaking to her is to make sure she isn't doing Normani how she did me. Other than that I have nothing to say to her, Kell. Nothing."
"...Did you hear what you just said?"
I let her go on.
"You want to make sure she isn't treating Normani the way she did you. That alone is an incentive to talk to her."
It was why I invited Normani over.
Normani's POV
Keke answered the door of the two-story home she lived in. She took one look at me and let me in.
"How is she?" I asked as she motioned for me to follow her up the stairs.
"She's calming down."
When we reached the upper level, Keke told me she was going to get me some water. No doubt she noticed I was damn near breathless. I hadn't even been running nor was I out of shape. But I'd been panicking, from the time Summer called me when I was finishing up at work and getting ready to meet Beyoncé.
I didn't have to ask where Kehlani was because I saw her sitting in the living room, staring straight ahead. Summer, who was on the opposite side of the room noticed me and rushed to me.
"You're here." She hugged me, which said a lot because she is not a hugger. At all.
"Are you okay? Is she okay?"
"She seems to be," Summer said, following my gaze onto Kehlani.
"Here you go," I heard Keke say.
I took the water bottle from her, muttering a thank you before coming towards Kehlani who just stared me down. Tears cascaded down my cheeks and before I knew it emotions fully took over. I guess it was a combination and a built up of not seeing her in what felt like ages, our breakup, her moving on, and now knowing she tried to take her own life.
"Hey, hey, stop that," she said, pulling me down on her lap and wiping my face with her soft touch. "I'm okay, ma."
"Are you?"
She dropped the eye contact but began stroking my back.
"What the fuck is wrong with you? Suicide, really? I should beat your ass." I was furious.
She smiled, looking at me again.
I shook my head at her and stood up.
Keke and Summer had both been crying, which was evident from their watery eyes and tear-stained cheeks.
"Thank you," I stressed to them.
It was only right that they reach out to me about this, but I still appreciated that they did and that I was able to make it here in time.
"You need to eat," said 'Lani.
It was just me and her sitting at the island. Keke left and Summer was in the back with Diamante, who came as soon as she could. We had gotten Chinese food, but I was far from hungry.
"No, I'm good."
"I heard your stomach growling."
"I'll eat later."
She ignored me, getting up and coming to me with a spoon and carton of white rice with gravy and broccoli. "Let's go." She tried to feed me. It did smell good. She was being annoying, refusing to move and getting the damn food on my lips so I took a spoonful.
"You have a lot of nerve," I said as she sat back down, smug and proud of herself. "Trying to take care of other people but won't do the same for yourself."
She looked at me blandly and drank her water.
"Seriously, what would possess you to such a thing? A permanent solution for a temporary problem. Jesus Christ."
She cocked her head to the side and squinted. "Is it temporary? This whole entire year has been hell for me. I couldn't see an end in sight."
"You could've talked to someone. You have people who care about you."
"That's nice and all, but it doesn't dead the pain."
"What was so damn horrible that you tried to commit suicide?"
"I lost you."
"HA! Says the girl who just up and left my ass!"
"You were already gone. You been checked out and you didn't realize it 'til I walked. But joke was on my ass 'cause I thought leaving you would make my life better, but it just made shit worse."
"And you think my life was all roses and sunsets when you left? Is that what you think?" I was definitely going to lose my voice by the time I went to bed, but I didn't care.
"Um, yeah. You got Beyoncé."
I glared at her and she just looked away.
"Nope. I'm not doing this...I can't stand you. But since you brought her up...did you text her?"
"The hell I want to text that ho for?"
I smirked. I believed her, though.
"That's what Diamante was trying to ask me." Kehlani rolled her eyes. "Really shows what y'all think of me."
I couldn't help but chuckle. "Look, forget the texts, please don't ever try to hurt yourself again, okay? We love you and don't want to live in this world without you."
She responded by engulfing me in a hug, in which I held tight. "I'm glad you still care," She whispered, kissing my cheek and forehead.