BOUND BY BLOOD

When It Rains It Pours For Real

This chapter is everywhere sorry in advance but thanks for your view!

As you guessed it I DID NOT PROOF READ AT ALL DON'T HOLD ME TO IT

Okay so let's jump back in....

"Daddy!" Solange ran to her father as the room filled with complete silence except for Chelsea who went on and on about any and everything.

"And O.M.G don't even get me started on Crystal she's on a whole other level of boy crazy. I remember when sh-" Chelsea looked to Beyoncé who stared straight ahead at Matthew and quickly read the room shutting her mouth as well.

Every eye was trained on Matthew as he bent down and gave his youngest daughter a chaste hug. "Hey Solange." He barely permitted her eye contact as he patted her back with faux affection; instead he held Tina's dismayed gaze. She couldn't wrap her mind around him actually being mere feet from her. Was this real or just a stressed induced delusion standing before her very eyes? He couldn't possibly have the audacity to show his face after not being there for his daughter at her lowest. Not after that horrid custody letter she'd received in the mail. Tina's nails dug into her palms as she opted to calm her nerves.

Doris swallowed hard as she took in the mans dejected appearance. She could hear her spasmodic heart beat in her ears as she sat frozen in place on the small couch that she occupied. The velocious drumming in her chest created the perfect ambience for her now astonished mood, allowing her cluttered mind to go haywire along with the heartache and misfortune that rendered her entire body completely numb.
He's gonna take her.
He's gonna take her.
He's here to take my baby.

The Doctors vision blurred.

"Daddy! Look! I made their outfits. Mommy pays me and everything. Oh and earlier I made sooo much money selling the t-shirts that my friend Ryan and I made." The child pointed to the stack of cash in Tina's trembling hands with a wide smile. "You wanna see one?"

Matthew expertly ignored the child's offer instead he peered at the money with raised eyebrows. Tina glared at him then placed the money in her bra with accusation clouding her vision. She watched her child slave over those shirts and she'd be damned if Matthew were to try and swindle her baby out of her hard earned money like he did her time and time again.
"What are you doing here?" Her voice was thick with anger but for the sake of the children she did her best to sweeten it up just a little.

"Came to support them on their shoot. I saw the information on their website so I decided a congratulations was way over due." The lie slipped from his tongue with ease and familiarity. Truthfully, he'd planned this very moment. His lawyer informed him of the latest day that the women should receive the paperwork and he couldn't wait to show his face...especially to Doris Ms. High and mighty

A sly smile crept onto the side of his face as Tina simply stared at him. If she opened her mouth she didn't know what would come out. A video shoot brought him back to Houston? Not the disgusting camera footage that was on practically every media outlet that there was for weeks? Not the many calls from Solange just wanting a conversation? Not the constant and terrible dreams Bey had that Tina informed him of? Not even that his 11 year old daughter had been threatened by gang members and that his oldest daughter was attacked AGAIN at a fricken courthouse of all places But a damn VIDEO SHOOT? Tina did her best to control her breathing the urge to spit in his face was to great. Her mouth watered with the fantasy.

"Awww how sweet!" Chelsea beamed as she looked at all three girls. Kelly bit the inside of her cheek. Shut Up! she wanted to say as she sent daggers over to the exceedingly chipper girl.

This is not your affair.

Michelle took in the scene recalling the conversation between Tina and Doris last night in which she unintentionally but officially snooped. The tension in the room became so tangible that Michelle could swear she could feel it's cold clammy hands entangle her entire body and from the look on Tina's face she knew shit was about to hit the fan. FAST.

"Kelsey, we're almost done here you can go join the other fans for the party scene. We're on our way out." The teen smiled sweetly. Kelsey seemed like a nice girl but this was none of her business.

"It's Chelsea." The red haired girl smiled back showing gums with a small giggle.

"I'm sorry, Kelsey, Chelsea, Little Red or whatever but we'll see you at the meet and greet." Michelle waved and nodded her dismissal.

"Beyoncé told me you were funny." Chelsea gave a genuine laugh.

"Did she also tell you that I'm serious and don't play?" Michelle gave a faux smile and batted her mink lashes because how many times she had to tell this girl.

Kelly watched from her seat as she stole glances at Matthew here and there. His cold hard stare never left from Tina's who rounded the room. Kelly looked over to her mom not knowing what to do. Doris sat with wide eyes and trembling hands as she eyed Matthew.

Chelsea smiled at the girls and stood up "I'll see you guys out there. It was sooo nice meeting you guys...bye Beyoncé."

Beyoncé was now in her mothers embrace and everyone knew that once that happened, Bey was in her own world. She could leave a message though.

Chelsea took one last look before exiting with a reassuring wave to all of the girls. Michelle and Kelly waved goodbye but Beyoncé's eyes were now focused on her father who stood in front of them like a makeshift knight in tarnished armor.

The room was completely void of noise.

"So girls." Matthew turned his attention to the two teens...his money makers.

Kelly and Beyoncé both exchanged confused glances as they watched the man walk further into the room with Solange hot on his heels.

"Are one of those for me?" Solange asked excitedly referring to the two beautiful floral arrangements in his hands.

"They're actually for my two little stars." Matthew smiled in the teens direction and Kelly felt an uncomfortable feeling invade her stomach. She shifted in her seat pulling one leg under the other. Beyoncé bit her bottom lip as she sat up with her mother at her side.

I don't get flowers?

Solange stopped in the middle of the room staring at her fathers back with tears threatening to give away her high spirited facade that she wore way too often as of late.

But mommy said I'm a star too.

"Can't speak to your old man Beyoncé?" Matthew walked up to the young teen with a wide smile on his face as he held out the bouquet of roses.

"H-hey daddy...thank you." Beyoncé forced herself away from her thoughts and grabbed the flowers with uncertain hands. She held them like they were yesterday's trash not knowing what exactly to do with them.

There was a beat in the room.

Matthew turned to Kelly who gripped her seat so tight that she almost broke one of her acrylic nails. She couldn't stand to look at him. His eyes were so tense...so calculating all the time. Nothing like the soft warm feeling that she got when she looked into the eyes of her father.

"Ke-"

In two seconds flat Doris was up and in front of her daughter shielding her from Matthews consuming gaze. "She doesn't need anything from you." She gritted out as she slapped the flowers to the ground.

Beyoncé and Michelle gasped at the sudden burst of anger coming from the lady. Kelly however, having witnessed her mother in tigress mode on many occasions simply stared at Matthew. He was the real problem.

Matthew stared at the flowers that he went out of his way to buy sprawled onto the floor. He had to stop at three different flower shops because apparently roses were very popular this month so these girls should be DAMN grateful that he wasted his time doing that. He looked at Doris...two could play that petty game and there was always but one winner.

"If I remember correctly the last time I saw her she was in dire need of something from me." Matthew looked Doris square in the eye.

"Matthew!" Tina stepped up to him with a look of disgust clear across her face. No he didn't just bring that up in front of the kids. In front of Kelly for Gods sake. "This is NOT  the place nor the time." Tina's voice grew deep. She was just under his nose trying to predict his next move but judging by his erratic behavior lately anything was up for grabs.

Matthew stepped back and took in the room full of women. They all looked to him as if he was intruding, but Kelly held a look of pure confusion as she reluctantly met his harsh gaze. He swallowed hard and nodded.
"I see how it is. I guess I'll get going then." He placed his hands in his pockets and turned around.

"Daddy, are you coming back home?" Solange chased after him eyes full of hope. No matter how much her dad annoyed her or made smart remarks the child still had so much love for him.

He stopped and glanced at Tina who had tears in her eyes. She hated putting her kids through this divorce but for her own sake(and theirs) there was no possible way she could've stayed with someone like Matt...not without losing her mind.

"I don't think so." He opened the door and almost bumped into a smiling Lance who held Leo in his arms.

Lances face dropped immediately as his anger flared right along with his nostrils. "What the f-"
"Lance!" Doris shook her head and eyed both of their children. Not right now

The two men stared at one another both being only inches apart. Testosterone contaminated the air with every shallow and hatred filled breath they heaved out as they were nose to nose.
"You better thank God my kids up in here." Lance lowered his voice so that only Matthew could hear him.

Matthew chanced a look behind him. He peered into the shaken faces of both of his children...then at Kelly who seemed terrified as she curled up tighter in the chair behind her mother. "Ain't no kid in here that's yours brother. You see...all THREE of those girls mine... Or do you not remember that it was my blood with the 99.9% match." Matt whispered as he leaned into Lance ear and patted his shoulder with more force than necessary.

Lance immediately put Leo down as he licked his lips and set his jaw. He was itching to lay his ass out. Some nights he even dreamed about it. How easy it would be to knock him on his lazy ass. His ugly ass smile that he wore that night at the hospital covered in blood. His face bludgeoned from Lances fist. It all lulled him to sleep when he couldn't get his daughters face out of his head. Now that he was in front of the bum his fingers thirsted to lay him on his back. From the looks of it it'd probably take just one solid punch. Weak ass nigga. Lance balled up his fist.

"Daddy." Kelly called and both men looked towards her. Doris scrunched her face up at the sight. The teen stood up knowing that look in her fathers eyes. He was two seconds away from tearing the dressing room apart all in her honor.

"Talent needed on set!" A voice called from the hallway. "Cameras rolling in five!"

"Saved by the bell huh?" Matthew smirked as he nudged Lance on his way out. It took everything in Lance to hold back for the sake and safety of the children that observed the scene just a few feet away. He bit down hard on his tongue swallowing his pride as he inhaled deeply.

"Oh and Doris  I hope you received my heartfelt letter...break a leg." Matthew nodded to Kelly who simply watched as he closed the door behind him.

Doris felt as though she was about to pass out; her legs felt weak. Lance looked to her with so much pain behind his eyes she could feel it race through her veins like vicious toxins ready to destroy her from the inside out.

"Y'all we should get going." Michelle stood up trying to get everyone back on track which was usually Kelly's job but from the looks of it Kelly was in shock. She held the sides of her head and shook it slowly as she ogled the tiled floor beneath her feet.

Beyoncé's heart could not slow down as she stared at the closed door ahead of her. Of course she missed her father but did she miss everything that came along with him? The non stop jabs. The nit picking? The way he made her feel dumb even when she did the most simplest things. How he let the word 'whore' slip from his mouth so often that she was prone to triple checking her outfits before she left for school in the mornings. No, she wasn't mentally prepared for that. Not just yet.

Beyoncé looked over to her mother and Tina could see her lip start to quiver. 20 minutes ago Beyoncé felt on top of the world now here Matthew goes stopping by unannounced ripping every single stitch to her children's souls that Tina sat and mended by hand. All she ever wanted was to see her children prosper and be happy.

Solange kept an expressionless face as she dragged her feet to the deserted flowers that lay on the floor at Doris' feet. She picked them up and held them close to her chest.

I'm a star too

The small child had no desire to be famous. However, it was her father's love and attention that left her longing for the title.

Michelle watched closely as Solange made her way over to the couch and laid with the flowers. Cradling them as if they were a stuffed animal. She couldn't imagine if her dad treated her the way Matthew did his kids. Yeah, her dad was a pretty busy man seeing as though he'd been called by God to minister around the country but he always built her up and nurtured her the best he could with the Bible being his teacher.

"Ça va?" (You okay?) Tina walked towards her daughter noticing the faraway look in her eyes.
Solange simply nodded her head as Beyoncé watched their exchange.

"Tu es sûr?" (Are you sure?)

"Oui mommy" Solo forced a smile.

"Your daddy came to see you!" Leo jumped up and down in front of Solange. He knew just how much she missed her father. She always talked about it. Tina forced a small smile on her face at how sweet the little boy was but it faltered as Solange turned her back to the both of them.

Lance paced the room back and forth as he rubbed his sweaty bald head. He stopped and looked to his wife and daughter who held each other close as they stared at him.

How did we get here?

A short time ago the Rowland family had been the shining example of a loving happy family; now they were dysfunctional at best.

"Is there a problem?" The stage manager came into the room in full blown panic mode. "The director is threatening to leave. You guys know how much of a stickler for time he is and the fans? They're going crazy out there. Oh my gosh I'm starting to sweat...I'm starting to sweat!" The short white man fanned himself dramatically.

Lance let out a huff. "They'll be out in two seconds just give us a minute."

"Okay but I'm telling you the director is on a tirade right nowww." The stage manager said in a warning tone as he fanned himself vigorously with a stack of papers.

Lance wiped his face and stepped up to the much shorter man with his hands in prayer position as he looked down at him. "Take a good look at me right now." He spoke in a deep tone. "Does it look like I give a damn about a director?"

"N-no?" The mans brows lifted behind his oval shaped glasses.

"Two seconds and they're all yours...just two seconds." Lance smiled as he turned towards what he deemed was his family. Growing up without parents or siblings one learned to create their own. No matter how debilitated and broken it was.

"Uh...Sure thing." The stage manager quickly closed the door.

"Come here Solo." Tina spoke softly and Solange held her arms out for Tina to pick her up from the couch. Tina happily obliged. She was always gonna be her baby no matter how big she got.

"Are you sure you okay baby?" Tina didn't care if they were 2 hours late to set she had to make sure her kids were alright first.

Solange nodded into her mothers shoulder.

"Alright." Lance breathed in deeply. "I say we all take a deep breath and calm down a bit. Y'all go out there and have fun. We get this shoot over with and then deal with personal problems at home." His phone began to ring loudly and he quickly silenced it causing Doris to roll her eyes.

"Y'all up for that?" He looked to Kelly who busied herself by ogling the floor as she stood next to Beyoncé.

"Yes." She mumbled with one hand gripping her other arm behind her back.

"Michelle?" Lance turned to her.

"Stay ready ain't never gotta get ready." Michelle smiled wide as she stood up and struck a pose earning light laughter from the adults.

"Bey?" Lance eyeballed her but she gave all her attention to Kelly's hair as she twisted and untwist one of her coils.

"BB." Lance tried again.

"L-let's go." She plastered a fake smile on her face trying to get herself mentally prepared for the chaos ahead. From what she saw earlier the crowd was huge and now she didn't have the patience to deal with it. She grabbed the flowers that sat in the seat behind her and tossed them into the trash where they belonged. Her dad was not about to ruin this moment.

Tina inhaled deeply "Okay its show time ladies." The manager handed Solange off to Lance who held her tight and rubbed her back just as he used to do Kelly when she was around her age. Doris picked up Leo onto her hip as he sucked on his two fingers unaware of the weight that was just lifted.

Solange instantly reached for the bouquet of roses that sat on the couch and Lance clenched his jaw knowing they were from Matthew. With a big sigh he reached down and picked them up placing them into her arms as she hid her face in his neck and sniffled.

He reached into the bouquet and grabbed a single rose breaking its long thorny stem letting it fall to the floor. He took just the rose bud and placed it under the child's hair clip.
"Better?" He asked. He felt her nod into his neck.

"Thank you." Her small voice croaked out.

Lance adjusted her in his arms and huffed. "You're welcome."

"One last thing." Tina took out Beys device and sat it down on the vanity. "I wanna see smiles and energy. Smiles and energy!" Tina walked down the line tickling each girl. "Alright let's go before this director threaten to sue y'all and Lord know I ain't got the money." Tina led the way out the door.

-

"I NEED DANCING! AND ELECTRIFYING ENERGY ON THIS SET! THE WALLS SHOULD VIBRATE! VIBRATEEE!" Ju-Li, the director, flipped his jet black long hair as he yelled to the crowd. The Asian man crossed his legs and turned his lips up as he took in the faces of the many fans on set. He never really dealt with jam packed sets before,his preference was usually quiet and concise.

Destiny's Child took to the stage in the dark but the crowd was already going crazy as soon as they watched their unmistakable silhouettes walk out from back stage.

"I HATE teenagers...HATE! they're absolutely horrid! Terrible creatures...where's my lights!" The man fanned himself with a rose gold Chinese fan as the lights turned on.

Beyoncé tripped over her heel as she took in all the screaming fans beneath her. Some fans closer to the front of the stage gasped as she steadied herself in the stilettos that she wore. Embarrassed, She went to grab for Kelly's hand to soothe her out of instinct, but Kelly side stepped her.

"Uh-Uh Performance time Bey remember?" She whispered. "Take a deep breath and kill it." She smiled but it wasn't lost on Beyoncé how it didn't reach her eyes as it normally would.

Deep breath and kill it.
Deep breath and kill it

Beyoncé tapped her leg to calm the ringing in her ear. The crowd was way too loud and the bright blue lights triggered her anxiety which often showed its face by forcing her to shut down.

Deep breath and kill it. Deep breath and kill it. Come on you're Beyoncé Giselle.
Beyoncé Giselle.

She felt like all eyes were on her; which they were. The blonde turned to Michelle who was to her right. She hyped up the crowd beneath her. "Y'all ready!"

"Yeahhh!" They yelled back.

In the corner of the room, Matthew watched as Tina entered as she spoke with a short white man with glasses. She began to sign a couple of papers as she leaned in closer to the mans ear to hear him over the rowdy crowd. Lance entered behind her holding Solange in his arms with her legs wrapped around his midsection. She still dawned a pout on her face as she held onto him and the bouquet tightly. Her face was hidden in his chest.

Matthew felt his blood start to boil at the sight. Who did this man think he was? Shortly after Doris stood beside Lance with her son on her hip. Matthew watched as she blew a kiss to her daughter on stage. The rage that smeared her face earlier now gone and replaced by a bright proud smile. She seemed smaller from where Matthew stood tucked off so no one would see him on the dark set. Before, her rage made her stand 12 feet tall in the mans eyes. Now, there she was...just a woman.

He noticed Lance speaking into Solange's ear as she wiped her eyes and smiled up at him. She nodded excitedly and he put her on his shoulders so that she would be able to see the performance. Matthew rolled his eyes at the kind gesture.

"PICK UP ON VERSE 1! CAMERA B ROLLING IN 5. 4. 3." Ju-Li counted down on his fingers. "ACTION!"

Deep.

Breath.

Kill.

It.

The track blasted through the enormous speakers on set and not unlike Pinocchio Beyoncé came to life.

"Last weekend you stayed at home alone and lonely. Couldn't find your man, he was chilling with his homies." Beyoncé stepped out in front eyeing the camera that zoomed in on her face as she flipped her straightened hair onto her back dramatically.

Kelly winked at Beyoncé before stepping up to the camera.
"This weekend you're going outtt." She mimicked driving a car. "If he try to stop you, you're going off." She turned to Michelle with a roll of her neck.

"You got your hair done and your nails done too" Michelle rubbed her hair and checked her nails as the camera panned over to her.

"A new outfit and your Fendi shoes"

"Show my clothes! Show my clothes!" Solange yelled from Lances shoulders as they stood behind the director.

"Sssh! I'm getting a vi-jawwwn!" Ju-Li pointed his folded Chinese fan at the child.

"You better watch that fan." Tina raised her eyebrow and turned back to watch her girls perform.

"My vision SAYYYS!...Pan down to the skirt." The director rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"And when you're through parlaying at the hottest spot Tonight you're gonna.. find the fellas Rollin' in the Lexus, drops and Hummers."

"Mommy you see Kelly! Look! Kelly!" Leo smiled and waved at his big sister as the crowd screamed.

"I see her." Doris smiled down at him "she's doing great isn't she?" She wiped a tear as she hugged her son close to her.

"Give me crowd interaction!" Ju screamed into his megaphone.

Kelly immediately bent down to the fans that were going crazy beneath her holding her hands out to them which they grabbed at happily.

"Oh my God Kelly!" One girl yelled who had extremely long box braids similar to the ones she had before.

"Hi!" Kelly smiled wide. They didn't have to keep up with song like a performance so she took the time to actually interact. "I LOVE your hair." The singer said over the loud music.

"Thank you! I stole it from you!" The girl yelled back with a smile.

Kelly laughed and went onto the next people.

"Hi guys!" She kneeled down to the crowd handing out thank yous and also giving genuine compliments to the people who chose to support them.

"Thank you guys so much for coming!" She did her best to touch every hand in the crowd.

"Hey girl! Mm-mm no you didn't!" Michelle smiled and made her way through the crowd of people from stage. "Now you know you wrong for throwing them boxers on stage!" Michelle laughed loudly as a young boy blushed.

Beyoncé stood biting her nails as she placed a nervous smile on her face. She didn't do well with interaction. Especially with a crowd so huge.

"Beyoncé! I'm not getting hot chick in the club from you! Give me adoreeed honey! Give me...idolized!" The director yelled in the megaphone once again.

Beyoncé peered over to her mother who gestured for her to 'go ahead' with a big smile on her face.

The skittish teen turned and walked to the back of the stage where people screamed and yelled her name.

"H-hi." Beyoncé still had her thumbnail in her mouth as she bent down to the fans.

"Heyyy!" Some screamed back others just stared in shock which she found weird. Why did they seem so...stunned. She was just her. What was the big deal?

"You so pretty!" Someone yelled out.

"Really? Th-thank you." Bey was now onto biting her index finger. All of this attention was too much for her. Her hands shook unbelievably hard as she touched people with her left hand. It was easy when she had her back to the crowd simply eyeballing the camera. She could easily just pretend no one was there, but now that she was face to face with them she was shook.

This was weird why did people want her to touch them anyway? When she went to the TLC concert she couldn't even bring herself to look them in the eye so touching was out of the question. She was mesmerized to the point where all she did was sit in her seat and imagine being on stage with them one day.

Kelly looked over and gently removed Beys hand from her mouth. "Deep breath and kill it." The loud music drowned her voice out a bit but Bey still heard her.  She let the words seep into her pores and her body began to relax.

"Beyoncé! Beyoncé! Can you sign my magazine?" A girl around her age yelled as she handed her a sharpie and their J-14 issue.

Beyoncé bit her lip and nodded gingerly taking the marker in her hand and placing the magazine on her thigh as she signed her signature for the very first time.

Wow I can't belie-

Suddenly someone grabbed her arm hard almost pulling her into the crowd until she grabbed the side of the stage.

"Sssl ouch!" Bey pulled her wrist back in pain.

"Oops sorry! Hey Beyoncé!" Chelsea let go of her wrist with a smile as she was pushed every which way in the audience.

"H-hey Ch-Chelsea." Bey smiled wide as she rubbed her wrist it felt like she had twisted it. She looked back to her mom to see if she saw but Tina was too busy talking with the stage handler.

"Beyoncé! Sign my boob!" The same girl from earlier yelled.

Beyoncé giggled as she took the sharpie from the girl and uncapped it with her teeth.

"You really gonna sign her boob?" Chelsea laughed with an almost disgusted look as the girl pulled her top down just a tad so the top of her cleavage showed.

Beyoncé shrugged. "W-why not?" She bent over and signed her name accent à droite.
"Th-there you go!" Beyoncé nodded with a wide smile handing the girl her marker back.

"Thank you! Michelle sign m-"

"ALRIGHT! PLAYBACK START IT FROM THE TOP!" Beyoncé heard behind her.

"Gotta go." Beyoncé stood up but Chelsea grabbed her wrist again making the blonde recoil in pain.

Michelle glanced over at the sudden action. She didn't see Chelsea grab her but she did see Bey suddenly pull back out the corner of her eye.

"I just wanted a quick picture." Chelsea pushed her russet colored curls to the side as she smiled up at Beyoncé.

"Oh okay sor-sorry." Bey kneeled back down and swiftly posed for the photo.

"Alright little red. Time is money nah." Michelle helped Bey stand up and Chelsea laughed at the girls constant joking.

"Y'all look amazing! Go ahead. Go ahead." She happily shooed them off.

Kelly stood up as she waved bye to the fans. The girls got in formation as the bell rang signaling another take.

"VERSE 2! Show me what you got!" The director yelled. "Annnnnd Action!"

Matthew watched as Kelly and Beyoncé hit every mark and met every lense with a fierce glare. He didn't know when this happened but his little girl was now...a star...a superstar if he had anything to do with it.

"Bounce baby, bounce, bo-bounce bo-bounce, twerk it, twerk it. Shake baby, shake sha-shake shake, work it, work it. Twist baby, twist tw-twist, you better dip that thang." He heard her voice over the track and couldn't believe his ears.

How was this the same mouse of a child he'd just saw a couple of months ago?

He noticed Kelly and Beyoncé pointing to someone and laughing as they finished off their performance and turned his head in the direction. Solange was now standing beside her mother as she perfectly executed their dance routine with one of the roses he'd bought in her hair.

Matthew decided that he saw all that he needed to see. He took one last look at Kelly and Beyoncé before making his exit. He was gonna be apart of this someway somehow.

"Enough. Enough. CUT!" Ju-Li yelled into the megaphone as he fanned himself. "Beyoncé, you get to pick one luckyyy male fan to do the next scene with." He called out and the guys in the crowd went wild hooping and hollering. "Hurry now. Don't waste my tiii-eee-iiimmee." He sang the last word horribly as he hopped down from his chair and headed for the refreshment table with a flip of his long hair.

Tina quickly caught up with him. "And what scene is up next that requires a lil boy?" She folded her arms. "You do understand she's only-"

"15 I got it mommy dearest. You've been screeching it at the top of your lungs ever since you got to set...late might I add. You're ruining my-" he took in a deep breath as he took a theatrical bite from a strawberry donut. "My creative juices. My genius!" He dramatically opened his fan and stared at the ceiling chomping on his donut.

"I'm just making sure everybody up in here know ain't none of that Hollywood going on here. We in Houston,TX and I-"

"Don't play that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're really like a broken record, Bonequisha. Anyone ever tell you that?" He closed his fan and strutted off with a mouthful of pastry. Stage moms really did something to his spirit. He's been in the business longer than Beyoncé had been alive he knew perfectly well what he was doing.

"Where's my back drop!" He yelled to the crew.

"And it's Tina!" The woman yelled after him.

"Right! Felicia!" He smiled sarcastically at her then turned around. "Bigger lights! Bigger lightssss." He stomped his feet and wiggled his shoulders dragging his overly long kimono behind him as he held the fan to his face.

Tina chuckled and shook her head.

-

"It's fine Beyonce and so is he." Michelle encouraged Bey to take her place on set.

"Yeah, it's a two second scene and we're officially done for the day." Kelly looked extremely exhausted as she held the bridge of her nose. The director dismissed the fans thirty minutes ago but they could still hear them outside waiting on the meet and greet.

Beyoncé eyed the boy that Michelle picked out. He stood awkwardly looking nervously around the set. He held his shirt in his hand per the directors request and she could see all of his sweat dripping down his massive body.

Ugh.

"Why c-cant one of y'all do the sce-the scene?" She looked to them with sad hazel eyes.

"Because it's your line Bey." Michelle pulled the strap up to Beyoncé's bedazzled bra. She was practically naked besides the black leather DC skirt she wore. It was okay when they were on stage alone but now? The teen was extremely self conscious.

"Take your positions."Ju-Li yelled out.

"You got this." Kelly gave Bey a light push towards the two stools that sat in the middle of the room.

"Um that means you too."Ju snapped his fingers at the boy.

"Oh um." He walked towards the stool opposite Beyoncé.

"LEAVE THE SHIRT."Ju yelled in the megaphone although he didn't need it anymore because it was just the crew and the Rowland-Knowles family on set now.

"Right." The boy nervously walked back to where he previously stood and gently placed his shirt on the floor. He couldn't believe he was gonna be in a Destiny's Child video.

Beyoncé stood with her arms folded as she eyed her mother who stood next to Ju. Tina gave her an encouraging thumbs up and she held her daughters concerned gaze.

"Places!" Ju-Li yelled out.

The boy sat down in the stool and stared straight ahead as he waited for Beyoncé to claim her seat behind him. He was sweating bullets both from nerves and the sweltering heat that filled the enclosed room.

"BB" Kelly called out with a fold of her arms.

Leisurely, Beyoncé took her seat so that they were back to back. She could feel the cold beady droplets of sweat that dripped down his warm back as she sat up straight. A shudder filled her entire body as she felt his shoulder blades relax onto hers.

"OooOooh!" Solange made googley eyes as she teased her sister who simply rolled her eyes and ignored her.

His sweat transferred over to her body and she honestly felt like throwing up at the feeling. Her posture was stiff;rigid.

Deep breath and kill it

"Cue music...annnd Action." Ju-Li sat back and watched as the camera men zoomed in close to both of the teens faces.

The music got to Beyoncé's part and she was supposed to sit up and mouth the lyrics but she missed her beat completely. Her mind was focused on the random boy behind her and the many drops of perspiration that dripped from his back onto hers. Ughhhh

"What was that!" Ju-Li yelled.

"Baby, you sure you Wanna do this scene? You don't have to if you don't want to." Tina stared at Ju daring him to protest.

Bey chanced a look at both of her group members who watched her from the sidelines with worried faces.

"I-I got it mama." She spoke over her shoulder but her eyes gave away the truth as always.

"CUE. THE. MUSIC." Ju-Li glanced at his watch.

As the bell sounded and the music blared in loudly, the boy could feel Beyoncé breathing heavy behind him. He thought about how great his luck was. Here he was on the set of a music video that was most likely gonna be on MTV!

"I ain't thinking 'bout my man tonight." Bey sat up straight and hit her mark but he missed his. She closed her eyes in frustration. Oh my God!

She leaned back once again getting all of his sweat over her hair and body. Bey was hoping to do this in one take and she couldn't wait to move far away from him and his moist body. She cringed at the clammy feeling between the two.

"Hopefully we didn't pick the wrong boy." Ju-Li eyed him. "One more time!"

Beyoncé took in a deep breath.

"I ain't thinking 'bout my man tonight."

"I ain't worried 'bout my girl aight?"

-

NEXT DAY

Tina entered the Rowland's residence with three complaining teenagers behind her.

"It was so hot in that car I thought I was gonna pass out." Michelle spoke loudly as she dropped her duffel bag to the floor and popped her gum. Her heels quickly came off of her feet as she padded into the foyer.

"I know right and Bey couldn't even pretend she knew how to drive for the scene. Kept having to start over." Kelly pulled her big hair into a high messy bun.

"I told one of y'all to drive but y'all just wanted to look cute in the back while the fans blew y'all hair." Bey dropped her back pack onto the floor and took her shoes off.

"Yes girl, looking cute is my number one priority...remind me to teach you how to drive though." Michelle's raspy voice squeaked as she headed into the kitchen passing Doris on her way.

"Hey Michelle how wa-"

"Heyyy can't talk extremely hungry." Michelle smiled wide and continued towards the fridge.

"I take it they worked up a sweat on Day 2 of filming." Doris eyed Tina with a slight smirk on her face.

"Girl they had two scenes and they were sitting down in both of them." Tina set the alarm on the house. "That child is just dramatic."

Doris chuckled but there was no life to it. After they all got home last night no one was in the mood to discuss Matthew and today everyone's schedules were so busy that they hadn't got around to it. The stress of it all still loomed over everyone

"Hi mommy." Kelly hugged her mom. The girls had to be on set early morning so they left out at the crack of dawn because they had to drive out of town this time.
"Hey sweetie. You have fun?" She placed her chin on top of her daughter's head and rubbed her back.

"If you call sitting in a pretend car with a green screen in the back while Beyoncé tugs on a steering wheel for an hour fun...then yeah." Kelly spoke into her moms chest.

"Weren't you the one with your head out of the window with your hair blowing in the fake wind?" Bey folded her arms.

"Directors request not mine." Kelly chuckled as she walked towards the kitchen with Bey on her heels.

"I know y'all better pick these bags off of the floor. Y'all ain't got no maids." Tina sat into her hips.

"But we're tireddd." Kelly folded her arms and eyed her mother who would usually just pick up after her.

Doris turned to Tina who was trying to get her to break the spoiled routine with her children. Tina bucked her eyes and folded her arms. They could be famous all they wanted, but Tina was gonna make sure the humbleness remained no matter how many people knew their names.

"Kelz baby Take your bag to your room please."Doris sighed

"And Beyoncé I don't know why you still standing there. You of all people should know I don't play with leaving your stuff all around. Never have never will. Go pick that bag up girl." Tina took her shoes off at the door.

"Michelle!" Tina called.

"Ma'am?" The teen emerged from the kitchen eating a sandwich.

"Take your bag to the guest room upstairs." Tina's cell began to ring.

"But my san-"

Tina raised a brow.

"Yes ma'am."

All three girls took the bags sloth fully slow up the steps.

"And wash all that makeup off y'all face. I swear they got them looking 21." Tina shook her head as she went to answer her phone.

"I wanted to talk to you ab-" Doris started but was interrupted by Tina.

"I'm so sorry Doris but I have to get this." Tina answered the loud phone.

"I'll be in the backyard with Leo and Solange." Doris nodded sadly before walking off.

"TELL. SHELLY. TO CLOCK .OUT!!! I'm about sick of that girl." Tina yelled into her phone making Doris laugh on her way out the back sliding doors.

10 minutes later Tina joined Doris in the backyard. The doctor laid on the outdoor furniture as she watched the kids race each other up and down the yard and then bicker about who won. They'd been doing that for around 20 minutes sometimes bringing her in as the deciding vote.

"No, I touched the gate first right auntie Doris?" Solange turned her way. Truthfully, she wasn't really paying attention. She was too caught up in planning her court case in her head.

"Right." She uttered.

"But my foot was here first." Leo whined.

"It's a tie. I saw it with my own eyes." Tina plopped down next to Doris who hadn't bothered to sit up. Instead, she stared at the bright sky wishing she was as free as the fluffy clouds that ambled by slowly without a care in the world.

"Where's Lance?" Tina looked around having seeing his car in the driveway.

"He went on a run before he goes to work." Doris turned to her side.

"Well he should've taken these two. They have too much energy for me." Tina chuckled as she watched the kids run past her both with pure determination in their eyes. "Leo swears he's in the olympics look at his little legs." She smiled.

"Lance wanted Kelly to be in the olympics." Doris sighed and wrapped her arms around her torso.

"Yeah?" Tina asked as she took in the woman's curled up position.

"Yup. They would go on these long runs extra early in the mornings. I tried to join them once or twice but I just couldn't keep up pushing Leo in a stroller and all. " She chuckled.

"They ran together every single morning back in Atlanta. Lance would boast about how fast Kelly was and how she got her speed from his blood." Tina watched as Doris rolled her eyes at her own statement.

"He would go on and on about how she was this natural athlete but Kelly only saw it as a hobby. She only joined the track team just so Lance would stop bugging her about it. That child was so focused on her dream of singing that she had tunnel vision. She actually created a group when she was little." Doris sat up and glanced at Tina who seemed to be taking in the information.

"Really?" Tina allowed the light breeze to blow through her blonde locks as she stared ahead at Leo and Solange who was now arguing.

"Yup, they were called Girls Tyme." Doris pulled her legs underneath her. "They would go around practically forcing any and everybody to listen to their little songs. They even handed out tickets and expected actual cash in return believe it or not." The brunette laughed to herself as she imagined the faces of the little girls that spent hours over her house in hopes of fulfilling their dreams.

"Oh I believe it." Tina looked at Solange who always somehow had money despite never being given an allowance. She got her hustle mentality from her mother.

Doris followed her line of sight to the 11 year old and laughed louder this time. "Oh they had nothing on little miss Solange over there. She would've charged them an entry fee, a sitting fee, and a parting fee."

"That's my girl." Tina nodded proudly.

"Yeah, that little tough one." Doris sighed as they now watched the kids rolling around on the ground wrestling but not hitting.

"Kelly was never like that though...fierce. Unwavering, yes but never fierce. I remember When she was six I watched her meet a new friend in the sand box. She walked up to the girl and said 'hi I'm Kelly and I'm gonna be a singer'" Doris laughed.

"The little girl thought it was the coolest thing and they became friends but then I watched an older boy come and kick their sand castles over just because he could. The little girl burst out in tears but I paid close attention just to see what my child would do. She told the little girl that he was probably having a bad day and then started building the sand castle over. Again, the boy kicked it down but she just kept on building them over and over without a fuss at all no matter how many times he kicked it down. That's when I took her to her first therapy session." Doris didn't know why she was venting but for some reason that moment was stuck in her head.

Tina nodded her understanding. "When Beyoncé was about eight maybe nine. I realized that I didn't really know my baby. I mean, yes of course I knew who she was on the inside and who she was when she was around me in the house, but I couldn't even begin to imagine her in the outside world...Alone.
Who was she when she wasn't underneath me all the time? What kind of friends would she choose if they just gave my baby a chance? What hobbies would she enjoy if she weren't so terrified to try out? I couldn't even imagine her having a conversation with anyone other than myself and Solange and that terrified me...to my core because mama's not gonna always be there." Tina breathed in deeply.

"I've never had to worry about Solange because that girl can adapt to any environment she's thrown in without changing an once of who she is, but my oldest? There's been many nights where I lost sleep over her. She would come home from school every other day with a new bruise and a new lie. There was a brief moment where I forgot the sound of my baby's voice. Those kids picked on her so much She wouldn't speak a word to anyone. So, when she was around 12 and I saw no change I took her to therapy for the first time." Tina glanced at Doris who gave her a sad look.

"Late I know but I didn't know anything about therapy it was all new for me but I knew I had to get her some help. It was the therapist that suggested she picked up singing claiming that she had this beautiful voice which shocked me because I've never heard that girl sing...EVER. Not even a hum but did I spend my last money that same day to purchase a keyboard? Hell yeah." Tina reached over to pour herself a glass of lemonade.

"We do what we have to for our kids." Doris nodded matter-of-factly.

"Mm-hmm." Tina drank from her cup.

Doris was tired of teetering around the question. "The court case is coming soon. When should we tell the girls?"

"Tell the girls what?" Lance jogged in front of the two ladies from inside the house as he jumped from one foot to the other trying to slow down his heart rate. His bald head dripped with sweat.

"About this event they have coming up. I know you didn't track those muddy shoes through my house." Doris turned around and smacked her forehead at the brown footprints on the previously fresh waxed floors.

"Oooh! My bad baby I'mma get it up before I go to work." He turned around and started chasing after Solange and Leo who screamed as he picked each over his shoulder.

"We tell them in a few days after everything slows down some. Make sure Lance is there as well." Tina stood up and ran her fingers through her hair.

Doris stood up and brought her in for a hug. "I don't know if my marriage can take another hit." Doris admitted into the blondes arms.

"Well I hope y'all can swim because this is the hit that's gonna tip the ship." Tina patted Doris' back. "I gotta head to the shop before this girl run it straight to the ground."

"Bye y'all see y'all tonight. I'm headed out for work." Tina waved to Lance and the kids.

"Bye mama." Solange said through laughter as Lance ran up and down the backyard with them tucked under each arm like footballs.

-

"Nothing what you doing?" Michelle laid on Kelly's bed talking on her cell phone. She'd been on the phone for hours rambling on and on about nothing.

"Who's that?" Kelly whispered as she caught up on some homework on the floor.

"Cameron, the cute boy from the park." Michelle whispered back covering the bottom of her cell phone. They'd been talking on AOL non stop and she decided to finally give him her phone number.

Kelly rolled her eyes and returned to her algebra problems. She had three more pages and she'd be finished for the week. Doing everything all at once was easier to insure that she didn't fall behind. 

"Which color should I paint my toes?" Bey walked into the room holding yellow and white fingernail polish and flashed a big smile at both girls. She remembered when she used to dream about asking friends that question now look at her.

Michelle paused her conversation. "White." She placed the phone back to her ear and laughed. "You so silly!"

"That must be Cameron." Beyoncé took a seat on Kelly's large bean bag in the corner of the room.

"Girl yeah." Kelly typed numbers in on her calculator not really paying attention. If she was going to finish all of her assignments by tonight then she had to keep a steady pace.

"What can anybody talk about f-for that many hours?" Beyoncé held up the nail polish to Kelly waiting on her decision. "Kelly." She called when the girl didn't look up.

Kelly glanced up quickly then went back to penciling in her answers in her notebook.

"For my floors sake...white. And I don't know they just keep asking each other what you doing? Every ten minutes. It's nauseating."Kelly flipped the page of her calculus packet.

"Hold on Cam. Do I hear haters?" Michelle sat up with her hand on her chest.

"Absolutely." Kelly's nose was in her calculator.

"Well, I think it's cute." Bey smiled wide showing her dimples.

"Thank you Beyoncé." Michelle threw a pillow at Kelly before laying back down. "Yes hello? Yeah we got a little hater in the room." There was a long pause before she let out an obnoxious laugh. "I know right...just mad."

Beyoncé giggled and started painting her toes white; tuning the loud conversation out by humming an unknown tune.

30 minutes later Doris knocked on Kelly's door. "You ladies hungry? I'm gonna order some pizza."

"Hold on Cam." Michelle sat up. "Yes! One medium pepperoni pizza with a side of hot wings and bread sticks. The ones with the cheese inside. Oh and don't forget to tell them to put the hot pepper on the side because last time they forgot. And whatever they want." Michelle pointed to Kelly and Beyoncé before returning to her call laughing. "Yes it isss boy I can definitely put some food away."

Doris shook her head and turned to Kelly and Beyoncé. Kelly was now onto her English homework at her computer. "Cheese pizza BB?" She turned to Beyoncé who nodded her head and wiggled her toes as she held a small fan over them.

"Okay one medium cheese pizza and one medium pepperoni."

"With hot wings and cheesy breadsticks on the side." Michelle pointed to Doris with a smile. The breadsticks were essential.

"Got it." Doris closed the door.

"Michelle, you know you are not about to eat all that food." Beyoncé laughed as she stood and stretched.

"Oh she's definitely not because I'm getting some of those wings." Kelly returned to her homework. English was definitely her most hated subject.

"You gonna have to fight me f-" Michelle looked at her phone. "Hold on Cam my dad is calling me."

"Ugh I have to wash my hair. I hate having it straight like this it just feels...dead." Beyoncé looked at herself in Kelly's mirror and tried to give her hair some body.

"My mama put some shampoo and conditioner in your guest room bathroom." Kelly clicked around her computer.

"Okay, I'll be back." Beyoncé exited the room.

"Hello! Hey daddy!" Michelle stood up pacing the floor. "Yeah over Kelly's house not doing much. They feeding me though so that's always nice...You're kidding? Right now? Okay I'll be there in a few. Bye daddy love you." Michelle hung up the phone.

Kelly turned around. "You're leaving?"

"Yeah my daddy flew back a day early. I haven't seen him in like a week! He's at home now I'm gonna go see him." Michelle beamed as she quickly gathered her items.

"Okay make sure you let my mom know on your way out. You know she worries...and call me when you get home!" Kelly called after Michelle who left out in a rush.

"Okay mom and y'all better not eat my food! I'll be back in the morning." Michelle called back as she descended the stairs.

"We will!" Kelly answered with a laugh.

-

LANCE POV

It was just after 6'o'clock as I sat in my office going over my weekly reports and checking my stocks online. Everything seemed up to par but we gotta do better next week. These numbers were good but I need them to be great.

I heard my phone ring in my jacket pocket and got up to answer it.

"Hello?" I spoke into the phone without checking the caller ID.

"Hey baby, it's nice to finally hear that sexy voice." Sylvia's voice came over the line and I immediately hung up. What the hell was wrong with that woman? I fired her two weeks ago! One fucking slip up and this is what I get?

I heard a soft knock at my door which was weird because I sent everybody home early. I walked over to the door and opened it.

Blonde hair and red lips met my eye.

"Sylvia what the fuck! You gotta leave." I attempted to close the door but she wedged one red stiletto heel in the threshold before I could close it fully.

"But baby don't you miss me?" She pouted up at me and I took in what she was wearing which wasn't much. Her black trench coat was open and her red laced lingerie left nothing to the imagination.

"Listen to me clearly. I. Don't. Want. You." I held her arms and looked down on her pathetic face. "Okay? I don't. Let's just leave it at that. I gave you more than enough money to hold you over until you can find another job but that's about it. Go. Home." I instructed her.

I was tired of playing this little sick game with her. I'm tired of all the phone calls when I'm with my family and quite frankly I'm tired of looking at her damn face. 

"What happened baby? You were hot and ready last time." Sylvia ran her cat like fingernails along my chest and I shuddered. I can't lie she was enticing but I'm married...and I'm faithful.

"I was drunk Sylvia and I had stuff going on in my life. I need this to stop." I grabbed her wrist and gently placed it down at her side.

"You wanna talk about it? I'm told that I'm a really...really good listener." Her piercing blue eyes stared up at me as she went to unbuckle my belt.

"No I'm good." I took her hand once again. "Sylvia, please do us both a favor and MOVE ON." I went to sit down at my desk. "It was a one time thing that's it." I placed my glasses on my face and picked up my reports. "Close the door on your way out."

Eerie silence caused me to look up from my paperwork. She stared at me with what looked to be pure hatred.

"So you really don't love me?" She started to cry big crocodile tears into the palms of her hands.

"No." I answered honestly. "Please...the door." I gestured towards the open door.

She crossed the room slowly making her heels clank loudly with the wooden floorboards.
"Not even when I do this?" She began to kiss on my neck expertly like she knew exactly where to hit.

"Sylvia." I closed my eyes.

"How about this?" She ran her tongue up my ear making me shiver in my seat. "That's it baby...I know that's your spot." She whispered in my ear before rubbing her hands down my chest. "Just let me make you feel better." She sat on my lap and kissed my lips slowly and passionately.

My hands stayed at my sides as I glanced over her perfect body. This is wrong

"Get off Sylvia." I grunted out as she slid down between my legs practically under my desk and began massaging my little man over my pants. Mmm that felt good

"You seem so stressed baby let me make it better. I'll make it better." She unzipped my pants and I stood up at the sudden breeze.

"Sylvia...please leave." My breath halted as she pulled me down onto her and wrapped her legs around my waist.

"Make me feel good baby." The blonde shoved her hands down my pants doing her best to take my mini me out.

I placed our foreheads together as I did my best to restrain myself.

"Give it to me baby." She sucked on my neck and I inhaled the smell of her perfume.

I know knock of drug store Chanel when I smell it

My wife's voice rang loudly in my ear and I pulled back. "I can't keep doing this." I zipped my pants up. "I don't love you. I don't even like you. Get out of my office before I call the cops." I deadpanned as I rounded my desk and stood by the door.

I watched her face contort from confusion to hurt to rage. "Oh you're gonna call the cops?" She chuckled as she fixed her bra strap.

"Yeah and get a restraining order." I swallowed hard as I watched her adjust her boobs.

"The married man is gonna go to the cops about his little love affair?" She giggled and then stared at me with a cold glint in her eyes.

"We didn't have a love affair. We never even had sex Sylvia, but If that's what I have to do then yeah." I buckled my belt back up and waited for her to leave.

All of a sudden she let out an ear piercing scream making me flinch. "Mr. Rowland no! Please! Please STOP! Get your hands off!" She flailed around on my desk and I didn't know how to react to the bizarre sight so I just stared.

"But you're married! No! Please stop!" She let out a small cry as she squeezed her arm tight leaving a large red mark.

"What the hell are you doing!" I yelled.

She smirked and pulled out a small voice recorder. "If you go to the police then I will too." She twisted the device in her hands and licked her bottom lip.

She couldn't be serious. This chick was NOT this crazy.

"And who do you think they're gonna believe? The big scary married old black man? Or me? A young blonde haired blue eyed damsel in distress?" She batted her eyelashes.

"So you're blackmailing me?" I felt my face warp into disbelief.

She closed the space between us and grabbed my tie "if that's what you're into." She winked before placing a soft kiss on my lips. "Call you later baby my bank account is looking a little juvenile." She exited the room with a strut.

I couldn't believe what the hell was happening. This lady was out of her damn mind if she think I'm gonna sit here and take this shit. I slammed my phone to the ground shattering it into pieces. She won't be calling nobody...fucking bitch.

-

OMNISCIENT

Kelly sat at her computer finishing up the last of her homework. "One more assignment." She mumbled to herself as she squished her cheeks together trying to keep herself up. She stared at the dull computer screen bored out of her mind. Huuuh she tucked one leg underneath the other making herself more comfortable as she prepared to finish the Chemistry worksheet plastered across the screen.

She noticed the 35 minute time stamp at the bottom of the screen. "Not another timed one." She rubbed her temples as she leaned back in her chair.

"Kelly!" Doris burst into her daughters room dressed in her blue scrubs and white coat.

"Yes?" Kelly flinched but saw her mothers attire and blaring beeper in hand and calmed down. She knew this routine.

"The hospital is severely under staffed and they called me in to handle the Emergency Department for the night. I tried reaching your father but he's not answering I-"

"It's okay mommy I know. I know. Go...get outta here. I'm just finishing up some homework anyway those people need you. I'll be okay." Kelly turned back to her computer with a sigh.

The Doctor pulled her hair into a low ponytail and pinned her ID to her shoulder as she walked further into her daughters room.

"Where's Beyoncé?" She silenced her beeper again and placed it on her hip.

"She's in the shower washing her hair." Kelly turned to her mom.

"Okay, Solange is on my computer playing video games and Leo is watching Power Rangers so he shouldn't be a problem at all." Doris tied her scrubs tighter around her waist.

"Sounds good." Kelly smiled.

"The pizza is on its way I'll leave some cash on the counter." Doris' beeper blared loudly again. "I gotta go honey please try to have Leo in bed by 9pm if your fathers not back in time and don't give him anything to drink after 8pm." Doris silenced her beeper and kissed her daughters cheek.

"I got it mama." Kelly chuckled.

"Okay, call me if you need anything but your dad should be home soon. Have fun...no fires!" Doris pointed to her daughter on her way out.

Kelly laughed "No fires." She held her hands up in mock surrender.

Doris blew her a kiss and left back out of the room.

Not even a few minutes later she watched as her moms car screeched out of the drive way and sped down the street.

"Better get started" she clicked start on her assignment sighing when the timer immediately started to count down.

15 minutes later and Kelly still had her nose in her text book as she rushed against the clock to find the correct answer.

"Can I use your blow dryer?" Beyoncé walked into Kelly's room with a robe on and a towel wrapped around her head.

"Huh?" Kelly typed fast on her computer. She still had 20 questions to go and they weren't multiple choice. 

"Your blow dryer?" Beyoncé tightened her robe.

"In my bathroom second drawer to the left." Kelly's eyes never left the screen as she went onto the next question.

"Found it." Beyoncé called out. "How about some flex rods?"

"Bottom drawer on the right." Kelly called back as her fingers flew across her keyboard. If she focused really hard she could definitely finish...no sweat.

"Thank you." Bey began blow drying her hair on full blast.

The loud sound threw Kelly off. She couldn't concentrate and she had to get a passing grade on this assignment or her perfect grades would suffer.

"Bey." Kelly called but Beyoncé couldn't hear her over the loud blow dryer in her ear. "BEYONCÉ!" Kelly called out and this time she heard the blow dryer turn off.

"Yes?" Bey stepped out with wide eyes as her long blonde hair dripped everywhere.

"I can't focus with all that noise can you take it to the next room please?" Kelly's voice was now soft.

"Okay sure...sorry." Beys eyes dropped to the floor with a pout across her face. She hesitantly unplugged the dryer and headed to the guest room down the hall dragging her feet in the process. She really hated being away from her sister for too long.

Kelly felt bad when she saw Beys face on her way out. She decided to let her sleep with her that night. Although Kelly did enjoy her alone time, she was fully aware of Beys attachment to her.

The singer went back to her homework noticing that she only had a little less than 20 minutes left on the timer. She clicked the next button and started searching her book for the answer.

After about 10 minutes of question and answer she heard the doorbell ring.

"Forgot about the pizza." She sighed not wanting to leave her assignment when she was so close to finishing. "Bey!" She called out but she heard the blow dryer still going.

"Huuuh." Her leg bounced under her desk. "Solange!" Kelly yelled out.

"What!" Solange called back from the computer room with an attitude.

Kelly rolled her eyes. "Can you go pay the pizza guy? The money is on the counter." Kelly flipped through the text book trying to find the section on Atomic Structure.

"I'm in the middle of something!" She heard Solange yell back.

"Solange your dress up games can wait!" Kelly typed her answer as she raced against the clock.

"But-"

The doorbell sounded again.

"Solange hurry up!" Kelly called. She immediately saw a whir of pink pajamas and hair fly past her room door headed downstairs.

"7 minutes left. 7 minutes left." kelly flipped through the pages of her book as Beyoncé walked into her room with her afro semi blown out so that it was bigger than usual.

"Almost done?" Bey asked with a wide smile and she twiddled with her fingers.

"Yeah, I only have 3 more qu-"

"BB! Daddy's here!" The teens heard from downstairs and froze.

Kelly's hand hovered over her mouse as she stared into Beys panicked face which mimicked her own features. If it weren't for their shaking hands the teens would look as if someone put them on pause.

"Bey?" Kelly slowly rose to her feet.

Bey shook her head as she quickly turned and exited the room in a rush. Kelly was right behind her as they both took the stairs slowly.

Matthew turned to his right as Bey and Kelly descended the stairs holding hands. They gawked at him from the bottom of the staircase neither knowing what to say.

"What a sight to see...all my girls in one room."  The tall man folded his arms with a smile.

The doorbell rang loudly taking the place of many words left unsaid as everyone looked towards the jarring sound.

"Oh look...pizza's here." Matthew laughed deeply stumbling a little as he placed his hands in his pockets. Beyoncé could tell from where she stood that he'd been drinking...heavily.

"I'll get it." Solange ran towards the kitchen and grabbed the money before opening the door revealing a pimply faced teenaged boy who looked as though he had better things to do.
"Louies pizza...the total is $32.45"

Matthew never took his eyes off of the girls who stared at him in pure shock. The liquor in his system made them look so much alike. Big hair, similar build, and equally terrified faces.

"Daddy? Wh-what are you doing here?" Beyoncé finally got out as she gripped Kelly's arm tight.

"I gotta have an excuse to come see my baby girl?" Matthew took a wobbly step closer and Kelly took a step back as Beyoncé simply eyed the floor praying for some divine intervention. "You too good to see your old man now?"

"But W-we haven't seen you in m-months." Bey toyed with her fingers; eyes still trained to the ground.

"Well, I'm glad you're here." Solange turned around with two big boxes of pizza and a bag in her hand. "These boxes are so heavy." Solange looked towards her father who paid her no mind. She huffed and walked off in the direction of the kitchen to get rid of the heavy load. She hadn't noticed the alcohol induced glazed over look in his eyes just yet but Bey did...she could always tell.

"I was going through something Beyoncé. You have to understand tha-"

"WE ALL WERE!" Kelly cut him off. She tried her best to keep quiet but the word vomit crawled up her throat leaving her no excuse but to spit them out in the mans face. "Save your sorry excuses for someone who actually gives a shit."

Beyoncé looked to Kelly with wide eyes. She's never heard her speak that way before. Then again Kelly has never been alone with her not-so father ever since the crazy news was announced.

"Excuse me little girl?"  Matthew took one rickety step towards her and she recoiled a bit at his commanding presence but recovered just in time to save face.

"The name is Kelly...and you need to leave...now." She put a hand on her hip. "My mother doesn't allow strangers in her home...especially if they're drunk."

"But she does allow them in her hotel room now don't she?" Matthew quipped with a burp.

"What?" Kelly scrunched up her face and folded her arms. What was he even talking about?

"Daddy, what d-do you want?" Beyoncé tried to break the staring contest the two were having. She knew all too well how irrational her father behaved once he had a couple of drinks in him and from his unkempt appearance it was clear that he'd had more than a few.

"He came to see us, duh." Solange returned from the kitchen with a smile.

"She get her brains from her daddy." Matthew patted Solange's shoulder and eyed Beyoncé with a smug look. Solange smiled up at him showing all gums.

Beyoncé swallowed hard and played with the strings of her robe. Was that a dumb question? What did I say wrong? Am I dumb? Of course you are. Stupid!

"Where's Leo?" Kelly looked to the 11 year old.

"In the living room watching some stupid cartoon." Solange stood by her father who took in the Rowland's lavish home. They were only in the foyer and still Matthew could tell that the house was huge and beautifully decorated.

"I actually came to deliver some news." Matthews eyes danced between Beyoncé and Kelly as he took a flask from his suit jacket and took a swig from it. "Let's take a seat." He walked towards the adjacent formal living room as best he could.

"M-My fathers upstairs and I don't think he'd like that very much." Kelly had to think quick he was making himself too comfortable in her home. His presence was so out of place there.

"That's strange." Matthew patted his body all over. "Because I seem to be standing right here in this very room...and I saw that man leave here hours ago." Matthew took another swig from his flask.

Kelly's bravado wore off quickly allowing her face to reveal her true feelings: fear. Had he been watching them?

Beyoncé and Kelly exchanged looks of both uneasiness and confusion. What was going on?

"Come in here I need to speak with you girls." Matthew entered the living room with Solange skipping happily behind him. All she cared about was that her father was here and he was finally acknowledging her presence. He even called her smart!

The two teens hadn't moved an inch, having both sensed his hostility ever since they laid eyes upon the man, they stayed put. Matthew turned around "I SAID COME! in this damn living room and have a seat don't make me repeat myself." The alcohol caused him to sweat profusely through his cheap suit.

They both flinched at the sudden raise in his voice. Even Solange looked up from her spot on the couch in fear. There he was. The same man that bullied his own daughter into silence. The man with the shortest temper when inebriated. The man that watched his wife struggle for years and never batted an eye: Matthew Knowles. Only now, he didn't have a wife to tell him to mind his manners.

Beyoncé let a tear fall from her eye as she let go of Kelly's arm and inched towards the living room. She could tell that her father meant business but about what? Kelly frowned as she watched Bey bite her lip to keep herself from crying more as she passed her.

"I'm calling my daddy." Kelly pulled out her cell phone from her pocket and began dialing her fathers phone number but before she could get to the last digit Matthew snatched her phone out of her hand and threw it across the room.

"Daddy!" Beyoncé yelled from the threshold.

"What's going on?" Leo entered the foyer sucking on his two fingers. He noticed how Matthew had a firm grip on his sisters arm and looked to Kelly concerned.

"Tell him everything's good." Matthew pulled Kelly closer to him so that it looked as if they were hugging. The stench of whiskey clouded her senses and she couldn't help but to be reminded of her grandad and the way he treated her mother.

Kelly felt tears run hot down her face as Matthew held her tight against his chest. Her fist were clenched at her sides and he could feel her heart racing with how close he held her. "Tell him." She felt his hot breath on her ear.

Kelly glanced at Bey who was behind Matthew and she stood there biting her nails afraid to even move an inch. Solange however inched closer to the two like she was approaching a rabid dog.

"Everything's okay Leo we're just...talking." Kelly turned towards her brother and if it wasn't for the situation she found herself in, she'd die laughing at his tight flooding airplane pajamas he wore. Instead, she brought a fake smile to her face. "Go get a slice of pizza and finish watching your cartoons." She sniffled.

"I can eat in the living room?" Leo's eyes lit up.

"Mmhmm only for today though." She laughed although a tear cascaded down her cheek as Matthew still held onto her arm. She was sure she'd have a bruise in the morning.

"Yaaay." Leo ran off to the kitchen and not a minute later ran back towards the other living room with a plate of pizza in his hands.

Matthew turned Kelly around facing him. "Now, I didn't mean to grab you like that but when I ask you to do something just do it the first time you understand me?" He let go of her arm and took a step back taking one last drink from his flask before he put it away in the inside of his jacket.

Solange was now at her side looking up to her with tear brimmed eyes as she took her big sisters hand in hers. The child now saw her father clearly for the first time since he'd been back in town. A drunken shell of a man.

"You understand me?" Matthew repeated sluggishly and Kelly's eyes chanced a look at Bey who nodded vigorously behind her father.

"Mm-hmm." Kelly couldn't look the man in his eyes. Afraid that if she did she'd burst out in tears and never stop. THIS was her father? This man right here?

"Come have a seat girls." Matthew led the way to the formal room and Kelly eyed her phone that sat with its battery out on the floor close to the front door as Solo pulled her along.

Matthew took a seat on one of the Rowland's expensive all white couches and motioned for the girls to take a seat as well. They all opted on the couch furthest away from him.

"Come closer...I don't bite." Matthew motioned for them to sit on the floor in front of him. Beyoncé stood up first having experienced this side of her father many of times she never wanted to upset him further afraid he'd pull out his belt.

She fixed her robe and folded her hands in her lap with her legs pulled underneath her bottom as she sat at his feet. Much Like a kindergartner awaiting story time.

"Where's your clothes? You're over here looking like somebody's whore." He deadpanned as he looked over his child who did her best to make herself small.

Beyoncé's breath caught in her chest as she once again fixed the top of her robe. She hated that word; Couldn't stand it. Staring at her hands she spoke softly. "I j-just got out of the sh-shower."

"I don't care this ain't your house to be walking around here like that." Matthews lip was turned up. "Come join us." He looked at Kelly and Solange.

Solange never really witnessed her father behave to this extent. Yes, he yelled and whooped them over small petty things but he'd always managed to keep a little couth about himself. Now, she was repulsed...terrified even.

Kelly took in the look in Matthews eyes and quickly got up sitting next to Beyoncé on her bottom. Naturally, their hands found each other as they were but mere feet from the man that had seemingly lost more than one marble.

Solange sat in protest on the couch. "I can hear perfectly fine from here."

"Solange." Matthew looked from underneath his eyebrows.

Solange slowly got up with a deep sigh and sat in Kelly's lap

-

"And she said I could eat in the living woom." Leo whispered as he sat in the coat closet talking into the house phone.

"This is 911 not a gossip line little boy. Is there an adult at home with you?" The 911 operator spoke loudly into the phone.

"Yes." Leo whispered as he took a bite of cheese pizza.

"Is there an actual emergency?" The operator asked dryly.

"Well, I'm not supposed to eat in the living woom and I heawd my new big sistowe daddy tell my old big sistowe Kelly that she should listen the foawst time." Leo whispered. "He sounded wheeely mean and scawee." Leo sat criss cross apple sauce as he took another bite of pizza.

"And that's a biiig pwoblem because."

He heard the dial tone.

"Hello? Police lady? He shrugged his shoulder and dialed his mom's cellphone number that he had memorized by heart.

-

"Now I don't know if y'all mama told y'all or not but as of a couple of days ago we are officially divorced." Matthew eyed Solange and Beyoncé with sad eyes. He truly missed his ex wife and regretted treating her like crap.

Matthew saw a slight smirk creep onto the sides of Beyoncé's mouth as she stared at her hands and had to catch himself from saying something downright evil.
She actually did it the teen thought to herself. Was this the reason he was behaving this way? A divorce?

"Good for Tina." Kelly said out loud as she nodded seriously. She covered her mouth realizing she'd said those words out loud. "I-I mean." Kelly swallowed hard as Matthew clenched his jaw and glared at her.

"Oh boy! Does that mean we'll never see you again?" Solange said with mock excitement as she leaned back on Kelly. She looked to Beyoncé waiting on her to laugh but the teen cinched her eyebrows together trying to hold it in.

Kelly however cackled then quickly shut herself up after seeing Matthews unamused face and tense body language.

"Quite the contrary smart asses. I've requested official custody of each. and every. one of you." He smiled as he poked all three of their foreheads.

The room was completely silent.

"C-custody?" Beyoncé's head snapped up in shock.

"Custody!" Solange stood up her face was a shade of pink. The word swirled around her little brain like a pesky bee.

"Yup, and by the looks of it I should have a really good case." He fixed his suit jacket.

Kelly had silent tears running down her face as she stared up at him in agony. "You're a liar." She deadpanned.

"CALL me outta my name again little girl." He jumped at her and she covered her face with both hands and flinched. She wasn't used to this mans antics and she didn't think she could ever get used to them. Beyoncé and Solange hadn't flinched at all. He'd fathered them their entire lives.

"You gonna learn to respect me...and what I gotta lie for? Here it is in plain black and white." He pulled out several papers but Kelly still had her face covered as several tears trailed down her chin.

"Huh read it since you wanna have a smart mouth." He took Kelly's hand and forced the paper into it. She shook her head no as she turned away from him. He snatched the paper back.

"Here girl you read it...if you can" he shoved the paper at Beyoncé who fixed her robe as she took it gently. The blonde hadn't moved from her poised position in front of her father. Her eyes darted across the paper feigning to know everything about the case.

"Out loud." Matthew instructed

Beyoncé's hands shook and her eyes watered as she started to read the information again. "Th-the Superior Court of Fulton County State of Georgia F-Family Division, Petitioner Matthew J. Knowles Civ-Civil Action file number 383921...I, Matthew J. Knowles-" Beyoncé glared over the paper at her father.

"represented by Adam Roberts officially state my claim for a change of cus-of custody and child support against Cèlestine Beyince and Doris Rowland." She swallowed harshly seeing her mothers maiden name printed in ink.

"Th-There is a Georgia Superior Court order concerning custody as set forth of Beyoncé G. Knowles born September 4, 1981." Beyoncé allowed several tears to escape from her eyes as she inhaled deeply and wiped snot away with the back of her hand. She continued reading.

"Kelendria T. Rowland b-born November 11, 1981." Beyoncé looked to Kelly who scooted backwards to the wall as she openly sobbed with her hand over her mouth.

"A-and Solange P. Knowles born June 24, 1986." Beyoncé looked to her little sister who stood there shaking her head. She loved her father but did she want to live with him full time? After the side he just showed her she didn't even want to see his face at all.

"Yeah I like those lyrics. Y'all should turn that into one of your little songs." Matthew stood up. "Make sure y'all sign written by Matthew Knowles at the bottom so it'd be official because we taking this all the way to the bank."

-

Doris took her bloody gloves off as she closed the curtain on a young man who had suffered a severe head injury during a car crash. They were awaiting his family to arrive so they could say their goodbyes. The staff was set to take him off of life support soon after because he didn't have insurance and the family said that they couldn't afford it over the phone. The doctor shook her head as she held back tears. She hated to see a young life wasted.

She reached into her pocket pulling out her cell phone seeing that she had several missed calls and voicemails from her house phone. She immediately clicked on a random voicemail hearing Leo's little voice over the line.

"And then she said I could eat pizza in the living woom. Hello mommy? You there I th-" the voicemail cut off and Doris chuckled going to another random one.

"And the police lady was wheeely mean to me. I thought they supposed to be nice." She heard Leo complain.

"Police lady?" Doris looked at her phone confused she went to the last voicemail and listened carefully.

"Mommy." She could hear crying in the background. "BB's daddy is being wheeely mean to Kelly. You hear? Listen." Doris could hear the cries get louder like Leo was getting closer with the phone and she stopped in the middle of the hospital hallway. Her chest heaved in and out as she began to call the house phone back but received no answer. She took off running to her office dialing Kelly's number and it went straight to voicemail.

OhMyGodOhMyGodOhMyGod!

She searched through her drawers trying to remember where she put her car keys as she dialed Lances number. Just as before he didn't pick up. "Shit!" She slammed her palm down on her oak desk.

"Is everything okay Dr. Rowland?" Her assistant entered her threshold with pink scrubs on.

"No Sarah, transfer all of my patients for tonight over to someone else. I have a family emergency." Doris dialed Tina's number as she got on her hands and knees to search for her car keys. They had to be here somewhere.

"We don't have the staffing for that. We're barely getting by with you here." Sarah complained.

"I DON'T CARE SARAH! I don't. Make it happen." The Doctor stood up with her keys in her hands. "I've got to go." Doris put her cell phone back to her ear.

"Girl Shelly is fired as of today. That girl done burned thr-" Tina started.

"Tina!" Doris yelled as she jogged to the crowded parking lot.

From the tone of her voice the hair stylist already knew something was wrong.
"What is it?" Tina whispered.

"It's Matthew he's at the house with the kids. Leo called me and I heard crying in the background. Leo said he was being really mean I don't know exactly what that means but I'm headed there now."  Doris sounded the alarm to her car forgetting where she parked.

"Lord Jesus if it ain't one thing it's another I'm on my way now." Tina sounded like she was rushing over the phone.

"Okay call me when you get there." Doris speed walked in the dark parking lot. Tina was way closer to her house than she was so she knew she'd make it there before her.

"I will." Tina hung up quickly.

The Doctor stopped in the middle of the parking lot suddenly feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She chanced a look around her but besides a car that rounded the corner with a young nurse searching for a parking spot she was the only one there.

She ignored her feeling and continued to her car...her babies needed her. As she opened her door she noticed something stuck in her windshield.

"What the?" She reached and grabbed the voice recorder that was wedged so that it was easy to spot. She quickly started her car up as she pressed play on the recorder.

"Mr. Rowland no! Please! Please STOP! Get your hands off!" Sylvia's loud voice came out of the devices' speaker and Doris covered her mouth in shock as she threw the device to the passenger seat.

-

"No...no! Get away from me!" Kelly yelled as Matthew bent down in front of her. "My parents would never allow this to happen." She shook her head as sobs wrecked through her body. "Ever!" She screamed.

Matthew lifted her chin so that she would look him in the eye. The young girl tried to snatch her face away but he held tighter. "I am your parent." He gritted out causing Kelly to break down in tears. "Nooo"

"So...so I w-won't see my mama anymore?" Beyoncé cried as she watched Matthew pace the floor.

"That's up to the judge." Matthew wiped sweat from his face.

Solange watched from the corner of the room growing angrier at the display her father was putting on. "Get out." She stated simply. She'd been looking forward to seeing her father for so long that she'd forgotten just how toxic and problematic he could be.

"But I love my mama." Beyoncé spoke softly to herself as she bit at her nails.

"Il est fou." (He's crazy) Kelly shook her head as she looked to Beyoncé and curled into herself on the floor.

"non, il est juste ivre. il n'est pas toujours comme ça." ( no, he's just drunk. He's not always like this.) Beyoncé spoke the lies she told herself at night out loud.

"Didn't I tell y'all ass to speak ENGLISH!" Matthew turned to Beyoncé seemingly shaking with anger.

"S-sorry daddy." Beyoncé looked up to him with fear-stricken hazel eyes. Her hands returned back to her lap.

"ouais, continue de te dire que." (yeah, keep telling yourself that.) Kelly nodded over to Beyoncé with anger laced in her words.

Beyoncé glanced over at Kelly then back to her father who looked like he was at his wits end. His eyes turned dark hearing the foreign language in his ear. Beyoncé recognized the change.

"Da-daddy?" Her eyes pleaded with him to calm down.

Matthew turned in Kelly's direction and set his jaw making Kelly try to push herself further into the wall.

"Daddy sh-she's sorry." Beyoncé attempted to stand but a simple look from her father sat her back down on her bottom. She didn't me-mean to daddy she's sorryyy." Beyoncé cried out. "Right Kelly? We'll speak English." She nodded trying to get Kelly to agree with her.

Kelly couldn't hear a single thing coming from Beyoncé's mouth as she watched Matthew walk up to her face. He gave her no breathing room as he was nose to nose with her.

"Daddy." Beyoncé tried.

The good memories of Matthew played on a loop in Solange's head as she watched the scene seemingly in slow motion. The 11 year old created a perfect being in her fathers absence but now the child had had enough. Had seen enough.

"getout getout Get. OUT!" Her high pitched scream silenced the room.

"I know you not talking to me?" Matthew looked at his daughter like she'd lost her mind as he stood up.

"I don't see any other drunk ass, low-down, lunatics running around here do you?" Solange folded her arms.

The drunken man removed his belt with the quickness. "I see I been gone for too long." He took off after Solange who started to cry as she ran around the living room dodging the swings of his belt.

"Daddy s-stop pleaseee you just drunk." Bey crawled over to Kelly.

"If you make me hit myself little girl I swear." Matthew almost caught up to Solange but she dodged the hard swing by the skin of her teeth.

"Dadddyy." Bey cried.

"Stop!" Kelly stood up as she caught Solange's arm and pulled the child behind her. "You need to leave!" She wiped her tears and shook her head. "Just go!" She yelled. Solange hid behind her big sister with her eyes squeezed shut expecting a belt to hit her legs at any moment.

Matthew closed the space between the two. "I-"

"Kelly your pho-" Lance entered the front door stepping on the flip phone in the process. He took in the scene before him.

"Daddy!" Kelly ran over to her father with a face full of tears and Solange's hand in her clutches.

It was a moment before Lance pulled his daughter into his chest, far too afflicted with the multitude of blustering impulses telling him to spring across the room and riddle the drunken man in his home with an onslaught of blows so impactful the man would crumble from the forcefulness.

"BB, come this way." Lance spoke carefully as he took in the teens frightened body language as she sat with her legs pulled to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. She couldn't move.

Lances' eyes never left the disgusting display of a man in front of him, but he couldn't help but notice the fearful teen's hazel orbs flitting back and forth as she wrung her fingers.

"You don't tell my daughter what to do! This my damn kid." Matthew yelled as he leaned to the right slightly. The liquor languidly sloshed through his body leaving him slightly disoriented.

Kelly watched as her father's fist clenched at his sides. She pulled Solange closer to her turning her face so that she didn't witness anything further.

"BB," he said once more. He was two seconds away from pouncing on Matthew and he didn't want her hurt in the process.

Beyoncé eyed her father and apprehensively rose to her feet. She swallowed deeply when she found her fathers glossed over eyes on her.

"STAY yo ass right here!"Matthew griped causing all of the girls to flinch.

A nervous self preserving smile crept upon Beyoncé's face, "d-daddy just g-

"I said don't mov-" Matthew didn't even see the man cross the room before he felt the entire left side of his face go numb. His jaw went slack with slob as he stumbled back. THWACK! another punch came to the right side of his face this time landing extremely close to his temple.

"You gonna get outta my house one way or another." Lance wrapped his hands around Matthews neck and slammed him to the floor.

"Aaah!" Matthew cried out in pain as a parade of silver and black lights performed a beautiful ceremony before his eyes. The bass in the back of his head provided the beat ass he struggled to catch his breath.

"What's that belt in Ya hand for huh?" Lance threw a jab to the middle of Matthews nose hearing the gristle crumble with the amount of force behind it. "You thought you was gonna beat a little girl in my house? Huh? I bet you was big and bad right?" Lance saw Beyoncé scurry to the foyer as she joined the other girls but that didn't stop him. This had been his dream...his fantasy.

Lance lifted Matthew up by his collar so that they were eye to eye. "You was all up in my daughters face right?" the burly mans fist met Matthews squishy middle causing him to curl over in pain. "Such a weak ass Nigga." Lance chuckled as he licked his lips and cracked his neck from side to side.

"Daddy! That's enough!" Kelly yelled out with both Knowles girls at her side.

"Go to the back! I don't want y'all to see this." Lance yelled loudly before bringing his knee up to Matthews groin.

"But da-"

"Go!"

All three girls took the hint and ran towards the back of the house.

Matthew fell to the ground clutching in between his legs. "You mother fucker!" He gritted out as he rocked side to side.

"Oh I'm the mother fucker?" Lance bent down and punched him square in the face drawing the blood that he conjured up many a times in his sleep. "Ain't you the one in my house late at night Fucking with my kid?"

Matthew managed to let out a hearty laugh. "I told yo ass ain't NON-"

"Say that shit again I dare you." Lance wrapped his hands around Matthews throat and squeezed tight. His gums hurt from how hard he clenched his teeth and his crows feet threatened to fly right off of his face. "I'M the one that was there Nigga not you! I clothed her...raised her. Me!" His vices gripped impossibly tighter around the mans sweaty neck.

"Go ahead and kill me and see where that lands you." Matthews voice was strained as he tried to pull away at Lances grip.

"Lance!" Tina ran into the living room. "You can't do this! This is what he wants!"

Lance let several tears fall down his face as he stared at Matthew. "She's my baby man." His voice cracked as he sniffled. "Mine!" He bared his teeth and began squeezing his neck again.

"Not... for long." Matthew eyed the scattered paper on the floor with a smirk as he struggled to take a breath.

Lance took a look over his shoulder taking in the paper for the first time. He stood up quickly going to the first letter he saw. "What is this shit?" His rage filled eyes couldn't concentrate long enough to process the words.

Matthew stood up and spit blood on the floor. "That is my claim to fame my brother and your daughter is just one of my tickets there." Matthew smiled as he bent down to pick up his belt.

"Oh and this?" The battered man pointed to his face. "Is evidence." He smiled wide.

"I know this is not what I think it is." Lance completely ignored him and looked to Tina in shock. The paper shook violently in his hands. A single salty tear ran down the letter smearing words before it evaporated.

"It is." Tina wiped her now soaked face and sighed.

"Yo! I'm about to kill this ni-" Lance lunged for Matthew once more but Doris stumbled into the house with blood all over her scrubs.

"Doctor, Doctor...I need fixing." Matthew stumbled backwards and pursed his lips with his arms outstretched.

Lance dropped the papers and walked up on Matthew nose flared and eyes red with anger.

"What? You wanna add more evidence?" Matthew smirked and wiped blood from his nose.

Lance grabbed him by his collar and dragged him pass his wife who held her stomach as if she was on the verge of puking.

"If I EVER see yo ass in my house or around MY child again I won't hesitate to help you meet your maker...brother." Lance spat as Matthew tried to find his footing.

"You mother fu-" Doris slammed the door in his face before he could finish his sentence.

"What happened! Doris, are you okay?" Tina had never seen so much blood on a person.

"Not my blood...my patients." Doris never took her eyes off of the closed door as she rubbed her temples.

"What the hell is this!" Lance held up the custody papers in his hand with sad eyes.

"We'll discuss that later." Doris sniped. "Where's the kids?" She took in the crimson blood on the floor that matched perfectly with her bloodied scrubs. The living room was a mess with broken Knick knacks and tattered souls everywhere.

"No! We discuss it NOW!" Lance threw the paper to the floor.

"I need. To see. my children first. Lance!" Doris gritted out. "I need to know what happened."

"Oh I can tell you what happened! That Nigga came over to OUR house Doris. DRUNK off his ass While we weren't here to protect our own kids. He had them screaming and crying running around here chasing them with a damn belt! In MY house." Lance yelled.

"What?" Doris' face crumpled. She couldn't even begin to imagine.

"I'll go check on the kids." Tina walked off quickly. She's never been so embarrassed and terrified in her entire life.

"Yeah." Lance continued as he stared at his wife in disgust. "I walked in just before shit hit the fan...thank God. You really know how to pick'em don't you? If you didn't go around fucking random ain't shit ass Niggas none of this would've happened. We wouldn't have none of this bullshit in our lives if you would've just kept your vows! AND your legs closed." Lance was now out of breath.

Doris backed up at his harsh tongue. He'd never in his life spoken to her that way. "Well you know what! I don't regret it. Yes I regret that night! Hell yes I wish I could change our circumstances and make everything all better! But I can't Lance! I can't! If I had to go back and do it all over again I will!"

Lances face contorted in anger "what!"

"Yup, I'd go through feeling disgusting and dirty and wrong and worthless all over again because even after all of THIS! I don't regret having my daughter. I don't regret my decision to keep my baby although I spent weeks upon weeks deciding if the seed that was growing inside my belly by some mystery man was worth my marriage. My answer was final then and it's final now and you or nobody else on EARTH will ever get me to feel guilty about being brave enough to bear life although my own that I'd worked so hard to build would be put in jeopardy." Doris' chest heaved up and down.

"You could've had a baby girl...with ME! She would've been ours!" Lance let tears run down his cheeks.

"She IS ours!" Doris reasoned.

"Not according to DNA! And apparently she won't be for long after reading over those documents. Why didn't you tell me?" Lance leaned against the threshold and rubbed his forehead. Doris noticed the blood that riddled his knuckles.

"DNA doesn't matter! And I only found out two days ago! I was gonna tell you." Doris felt tears swell in her eyes.

"When? Huh?" Lance walked up to her face. "When? In 15 years?" His bottom lip trembled as he did his best to maintain an angry face when really he just wanted to burst out in tears. Get on his knees and ask the Lord why?

"You held that secret in for FIFTEEN LONG YEARS Doris." Do you know how that shit makes me feel? Lance could feel the vein in his neck pulse hard as he eyed his wife intently.

"I-" Doris started but was cut off by her husband.

"Betrayed. Hurt. Angry. Heartbroken." Lance stared coldly in his wife's face. "I never thought of you to be...a whore Doris."

He was expecting the loud smack that landed hard across his face. Feigned for it actually. It was the only sense of spark they had in their marriage in a long time.

"You wanna talk about whores?" Doris' face was now covered in tears as she nodded and reached into her pocket. Her heart felt like it physically broke at her husbands bitter words. She held up the voice recorder and Lance breath caught in his throat. She recognized the familiarity in his eyes as he watched her finger move to the small device.

Doris pressed the play button cringing at the sound of a woman's terrified voice coming through the speakers.

"Mr. Rowland no! Please! Please STOP! Get your hands off!"

Lances' eyes softened as he watched his wife look at him with confusion and fear written all over her face

"Dor-" she held her index finger up and shook her head.

"But you're married! No! Please stop!"

Lance was at a loss for words. Where did he begin?

"Before you come to me about your heartache...your hurt and betrayal...make sure you let your whore know." She nodded at the visible hickey on his neck "that your wife is a highly intelligent physician who can make a clear distinction between fraudulent calculated fear." She made air quotes "and raw, authentic foreboding despair." She threw the voice recorder at his chest. "Because I see it every damn day when I look in the mirror."

"Doris."

"I'm gonna go check on my children." She walked towards the staircase but turned around before she took her first step.  "Really? Knock off Chanel Lance?" She scoffed. "Oh, You really know how to pick'em...And tell your cheap delusional whore to stay away from my place of work. I don't mix business with pleasure." She grimaced at him looking at him up and down. "it's unprofessional." She made her way slowly up the stair case leaving Lance surrounded in piles and piles of scattered documents sent all the way from Atlanta, Georgia.

The ship had indeed tipped and was slowly sinking to the bottom of the ocean capsizing with all of the fallen debris and tiny little fires.

This was the end of a beautifully tragic love song.

-

Doris decided to take a quick shower to get rid of all of the bad energy she had pulsating through her veins. Plus, she didn't want the kids to see her all covered in dried blood. Not after such a crazy night. She made the long trek to Kelly's room even longer by dragging her feet across the cold wooden floorboards. Her mind raced with possible soothing statements. 'Everything was gonna be okay'
'You can get through this'
What was she was going to say?She didn't even really know exactly what happened.

She heard Beyoncé's voice through the slightly ajar door. "What's gonna happen mama?" Her voice came out airy.

"Only God knows baby." Tina's voice was certain but full of frustration. "But what I do know is that all three of you girls are strong a-

"I'm stwong too see! Leo's tiny voice came from behind the door. Grrrrr Doris could only assume that he was attempting to show off his non existent muscles again. She smirked as she leaned her head against the wall and sighed.

"But I d-don't wanna be strong mama. I just want you." Beyoncé spoke above a whisper.

"You ain't got no choice but to be strong sweetie. It's already in you...and plus you gonna always have me baby." Tina's voice came out soft.

"Knock. Knock." Doris entered the room with a fake smile on her face and her eyes immediately landed on her daughter who laid in her bay window with her back facing her.

"Mommy!" Leo jumped into his mothers arms but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't match his energy.

"Hey honey." She hugged him tight. "Isn't it past your bedtime?" She fluffed out his Afro.

"The pow-uh-wange-juhhs don't have a bedtime." Leo spoke seriously.

"Well you definitely do...go pick out a bed time story sweetie." She put him down and gave his bum a pat silently telling him that it wasn't up for debate.

"Okay but it's gonna be a wheeely long one." Leo ran off to his room.

Doris turned back around seeing Tina sitting on Kelly's bed with Beyoncé's head in her lap. "Where's Solange?" The Doctor asked.

Tina nodded towards a lump in the comforter and shook her head. Doris simply nodded.

"And I'm not coming out...EVER!" a small muffled voice could be heard from underneath the covers. "I don't care if there's a meteor shower, or if aliens invaded planet Earth, or even if by some magical powers BB finally gets rid of that tired ponytail."

Beyoncé kicked Solange and Tina gave her a stern look.

"Ow! That was my head!"

Doris made her way over to Kelly who stared into the night sky. The stars seemed to shine extra bright tonight. "Baby." Doris started.

"I already told auntie Tina I'm fine." Kelly muttered without turning around.

"Kelly I re-" Doris started but Kelly held up her hand cutting her mother off.

"I SAID I'm fine now leave me alone." Kelly curled up on herself even more. Doris' heart broke for the second time that night. She eyed Tina who stroked Beyoncé's hair as they both watched the situation. Tina made a face that meant 'Girl, get your baby'

Doris took a seat at the corner of the window and watched the stars along with her daughter.

"You see that star right there? The brightest one all the way up to the right?" Doris pointed and Kelly rolled her eyes before taking a peek at the star her mother referred to.

"Yeah" she huffed out and placed her hands between her knees.

"Its called Sirius and it's the brightest star in the night sky." Doris gave a toothless smile as she attempted to embrace her daughter who angrily pulled away from her. Doris gave a tired sigh before continuing.

"Sirius is apart of a constellation called Canis Major." Doris gazed at the stillness of the night sky. "Otherwise known as laelaps, the highly esteemed Greek dog." She chuckled. "He reminds me of you."

"A dog?" Kelly glanced up at her mother with her lip turned up and then laid back down.

"His spirit." Doris corrected. "It's said that Laelaps was so determined to catch up with Taurus, the bull that he ran for miles on end for decades never stopping no matter what got in his way. He ran so fast for sooo long that Zeus himself elevated him up to the skies."

Kelly sat up on her knees. She loved Greek Mythology. "Really?" She squinted harder out of the window. "How can you spot it?"

Tina smirked a little at the exchange.

"Can you guys take this elsewhere? I'm in need of my beauty rest." Solange mumbled from underneath the covers.

Doris looked towards the small lump on the bed and continued. "You remember Adhara? the smaller bright star I told you about?" Doris asked her daughter as she pulled her into her lap.

Kelly squinted out of the window. "Yeah it's right there just underneath Sirius" Kelly settled her head against her mothers chest.

"That's right. That's how you spot Canis Major you see how it looks sort of like a stick figure? Sirius at the top and Adhara at its rear end?" Doris placed her chin on top of her daughters head.

"Mmhmm." Kelly stared at the constellation imagining the determined dog running night and day for years in hopes of achieving something essentially unattainable. "I really remind you of Laelap?"

"Through and through." Doris chuckled and glanced down at her daughters arm noticing a bruise starting to show its face just above her elbow. "What's this?" Doris hopped to her feet scaring Beyoncé who had just closed her eyes in her mothers embrace.

"Did that man put his hands on you?" Doris asked causing Kelly to lay back down and ignore her again.

Solange peeked her head from underneath the covers to see what was going on.

"Did he?" Doris looked over to Beyoncé who hid her face in her mothers chest not wanting to see the side of Doris that she had just heard downstairs.

Doris turned her eyes to Solange who ducked back underneath the covers.

"Let me see." Doris gently grabbed Kelly by her waist and sat her up so that she was facing her. The teenager let out a loud groan.

"Don't touch me!" Kelly swatted her mothers hands away as the woman examined her entire body. "Stop!" Kelly yelled as her mother attempted to turn her around to examine her back. She recalled Lance saying that Matthew had a belt.

"Doris." Tina called out as she stood to her feet. "Let the girl be...at least for now." 

Doris turned around quickly. "You can raise your children how you want them to be raised but my child should never know the feeling of a man thats supposed to love her put his hands on her...no matter WHO he is." Doris turned back to her child. "Hold out your arm so I can take a picture." She pulled out her cell phone. When Kelly didn't hold her arm out she reached out to grab it.

"I said STOP!" Kelly stood up and ran over to Tina who held her close. The two women glared at each other from across the room. Beyoncé sat on the bed cross legged clad in a t-shirt and pajama shorts. From where the Doctor stood she could see a red bruise on Beyoncé's wrist and walked up to her.

"Did he do this?" Doris asked sternly and pointed towards her wrist.

Beyoncé looked confused as she looked down at her hand. She had totally forgot about how Chelsea grabbed her wrist at the video shoot. The pain was almost non existent now.

Beyoncé shook her head no.

"You don't have to lie Beyoncé. Did he do that?" Doris spoke softer knowing who she was dealing with.

"N-no." The blonde spoke truthfully.

"Does it hurt?" Doris asked softly and Bey shook her head no.

"Let me take a look at it." The Doctor grabbed Beyoncé's arm with a little too much force. "Owww!" Beyoncé cried out at the sudden shock of pain that shot up her wrist. Her wrist only hurt to the touch.

"You see!" Doris stood up "conditioned to lie. That won't be my child."

"I'm n-not lying!"Beyoncé cradled her wrist in her hands as tears fell down her face. "It didn't h-hurt at first."

Tina stepped in front of her daughter setting her mouth to the side. "You can say a lot of things about me Mrs. Doctor Doris Rowland but a bad mother I am NOT. I ain't never sit back and watch a man BEAT my kids." Tina folded her arms and sat into her hip.

"These kids ain't never been beaten in they life besides a normal whooping here and there. Yeah Matthew has a mouth on him but he knew DAMN WELL not to try me OR my kids." Tina took in the faces of both of her children and a tear ran down her face.

"Now I don't know what happened between then and today with that man because he's no longer my concern. I'm a free single woman now and trying my damnedest to keep things above water. You may not understand my struggle but I for sure will not sit here and be judged by you." Tina leaned forward and whispered "you have no capacity for it."

She flipped her blonde hair and raised her voice to a normal speaking level. "What I do know is I don't take kindly to people calling my child a liar and I sure as HELL don't take kindly to NOBODY putting they hands on my damn kid. I think you know by now Doris that I'm a true southern belle." Tina winked "and I can sure as hell prove it too. Back up please."

Is it possible for someone's heart to break three times in one day? Doris bad began to see Tina as her best friend after all this time. She trusted her with her children...hell they've spent practically the last month with her because of her job. It was Matthew that brought out this other side of her.
"I'm sorry Ti-"

"Aht! Aht! Back up. An Angry man is the same as a drunk man. They tell no lies. Now I know how you feel...great. Come on girls...Y'all gotta get to bed." Tina turned to her daughters.

Solange still had the cover over her head as she watched the entire exchange. She made her way to her mothers side and held her hand

"Tina I didn't mean to s-" Doris tried.

"Come on...let's go put some ice on that wrist." Tina grabbed Beyoncé's good hand and walked towards the door.

"Bye baby." She turned to Kelly and kissed her cheek before turning back to her kids. "Okay, y'all go get y'all bags and everything y'all came over here with. Y'all won't be back for a GOOD while." Tina eyed Doris as she exited the room.

"Bye Kelly." Beyoncé hugged her sister tight.

"Bye." Kelly rubbed her back.

"Bye Kelz." Solange hugged Kelly's waist as all three of them shared a hug.

"Bye baba." Kelly chuckled knowing she only allowed Beyoncé to call her that nickname but the young girl didn't protest as she normally would.

Kelly watched as her estranged siblings and her auntie descended the staircase. After a few seconds Solange ran back upstairs with a huge pink book bag on her back.

"Thank you for protecting me." She squeezed Kellys waist tight.

"Come on Solange!" Tina yelled from downstairs and the child took off as she waved her final goodbye.

Kelly waved back and waited until she heard the front door close.

"I hope you're happy." She turned around to her mother and slapped at her thighs. "You've spent my ENTIRE life wondering who I got my behavior from. Why I react a certain way to things. Why I am the way that I am because you had no CLUE who my real father was. All you had was a name and a washed up hazy memory." Kelly paced the floor as she ran her fingers throw her curls.

"You made me feel like I was INSANE for simply being me. You dragged me around from therapist to therapist since I was SIX YEARS OLD! Pondering where I learned to sweep things under the rug. Why I put a smile on my face during the most heartbreaking and chaotic events? Why I'm such a push over? Then you turn around and pass judgment on Ms. T like you're mother of the year?" Kelly stopped in front of her mothers face.

"When are you ever going to face the reality that I am the way I am because of YOU! It's because of who YOU are. I never learned how not to be a people pleaser because that's all YOU'VE been your entire life! That's what you RAISED me to be. You were my only example of what a woman was for 15 years ma! You keep everything inside and dawn a smile hoping that the pain would just go away one day. I was your dirty little secret for 15 years mama." Kelly's tears ran like a faucet.

"No, You wer-" Doris tried.

"You wanna talk about conditioned to lie?
'Yes everything's fine honey'
'No, your grand daddy didn't hurt me he's just...your granddaddy'
Oh here's a good one how about 'No Kelly your father is your actual father and you don't have an ENTIRE FAMILY a jump,hop, and a skip away!" Kelly ranted. She was on the verge of a panic attack if she didn't get this off of her chest.

"I didn't know how to tell you Kelly." Doris stated simply as tears rushed down her face.

"There you go again with the lying mama! You're a psychiatrist. Your job is to TELL! Your job is to KNOW! You knew how...you just didn't want to ruin this perfect image that you had in your head. You tell me not to put you on a pedestal yet you keep building stages! Mama." Kelly pulled her hair to the side and sat on the edge of her bed.

"You went out and found a man who acted just like granddaddy did and because of your unhealed problems it was ME who had to deal with a drunken home invader that I'm to know as my father. It was ME who had to look this man in the face while he berated my sister. It was ME who received the fall outs of YOUR LIES! Your life doesn't change by this. Your identity wasn't taken from you. At least you KNEW who your actual father was." Kelly took in a deep breath and sobbed into her hands. She stopped and looked up eyes filled with fire.

"And it was me who had to process the information that this stranger might take me away from the only family that I've ever known because my own MOTHER Dr. Doris Rowland the FAMOUS public speaker didn't have the words or the COURAGE to tell me who I am?" Kelly stood back up.

"If I remember correctly it was Ms. Tina who stood up for you with granddaddy and grandma. It was Ms.Tina who wiped away your tears even AFTER you slept with her husband and had a bastard child. She invited you into her home. She fed your kids while your were at work. She held me in the hospital for HOURS after I found out my entire life was a lie. While her own kids was at home dealing with YOUR mistake as well. She tended to my bruises when the nurses were too busy. She sat and taught me how to sew. She listened to me not like a doctor but like a mother. Never questioned my every move just let me be me. She showed me what it was like to be a woman of her word. A woman who spoke the truth nomatter how ugly and harsh it may be. How DARE you fix your mouth to disrespect her?"

Kelly had never in her life been that upset before. She'd never told her mother exactly how she felt about her until now. Although they had a pretty close relationship they'd always teeter around that subject. Never wanting to hurt each other's feelings.

"I'm so sorry Kelly I never would've imagined that we'd get to this point." Doris sobbed.

"Yeah, me neither but look at me...dealing with it and I'm still alive and well. Like I said before...I'm fine. Unlike you." Kelly walked towards her bathroom to run a shower.

"Please Kel-"

"I would like some privacy now." Kelly gave her mother a knowing look.

"Baby, I can't begin to tell you how sorry I a-" Kelly slammed the bathroom door in her mothers face.

"I love you." Doris leaned her head on the door.  "More than I love myself." She whispered before exiting her child's room.

-
NEXT DAY

All three members of Destiny's child sat on AOL video group chat discussing last nights events.

"Yes, and then he pulls out these papers and tells me to read them." Kelly played Tetris on her cell phone as she told her side of the story with her feet on her desk.

"And what you say girl?" Michelle stuffed her mouth with a bowl of popcorn as she stared at the screen like she was watching a scary movie.

"I said hell no!" Kelly sat up and rolled her neck and Beyoncé smacked her lips knowing she was lying.

"She ain't say it like that Bey? Y'all know I require sound details!" Michelle stared at them with a stale face.

"No she just shook her head and then he made me read it." Beyoncé placed her cheek to her fist as she pouted. She hated not being able to go over Kelly's house.

"Do I gotta pull it outta y'all! What did it say!" Michelle stuffed more popcorn in her mouth.

"That he getting custody of all three of us...or at least he trying to." Kelly still couldn't believe what she was saying.

Bey and Kelly noticed Michelle's non reaction and Beyoncé raised her eyebrow. "Did you not hear her Michelle?"

"Yeah I heard her then what happened?" Michelle wanted them to fast forward to the good stuff.

"Hold up! hold up! Kelly leaned into the screen to examine Michelle's face and  Michelle pretended that she was looking for something off screen.

"You knew?" Beyoncé asked as she too leaned in to the camera.

"Don't tell me you knew Chelle." Kelly bit her bottom lip.

Michelle continued 'searching' for this mystery object and turned her nose up like she was the Queen of England.

"Michelle!" Beyoncé and Kelly yelled at the same time.

"HELL YEAH I KNEW!" Michelle threw herself back in her chair. "I was trying to get some food one night and I heard y'all mamas just a whispering so Of course I had to snoop..it's law!"

"Oh my God." Beyoncé shook her head.

"And you didn't think to tell us?" Kelly's face was turned up.

"I thought about telling y'all but then I talked to God and he was like just mind your business Chile. Finish that paper and mind ya business." The brunette stuffed more popcorn in her mouth.

"Just like that?" Bey giggled.

"Just like that." Michelle nodded.

"Okay fast forward give me the tea! I need the tea! What happened?" Michelle scooted closer turning the volume up to her computer.

"So basically he started chasing Solange around the house with a belt." Beyoncé shook her head.

"I don't see a problem there that child is-" Michelle looked around her room like someone was watching her. "Crazy." She whispered.  "But y'all ain't here that from me." She smacked loudly on the popcorn. "I don't want no problems with miss Solo okay!"

"Yeah but not beat with a belt by a man that's drunk off his ass crazy." Kelly rolled her eyes.

"You right." Michelle agreed and took a sip of water.

"So I stand up Like you not just about to hit my little sister with no belt." Kelly went back to the game on her phone.

"Oooh! No you didn't! Girl no you didn't!"Michelle gagged. "And where was miss Beyoncé?" The girl looked Beyoncé up and down in judgement and the blonde eyes dropped to her hands. It should've been her to stick up for Solange.

"That's not important." Kelly waved her off knowing Beyoncé felt bad about it already. "Girl why my daddy walk in and whooped his ass! I'm talking about blood girl!"

"Wha-" Michelle threw herself to the floor and got back up quickly. "Y'all lying!"

Beyoncé shook her head sheepishly.

"Girl no!" Kelly died laughing

Michelle fought the air "dang! Why everything always gotta happen when I'm not there! Something told me to come back for my hot wings but I was too lazy to make that drive." Michelle shook her head disappointedly.  Then snapped her head back up quickly. "I know y'all didn't eat my hot wings!"

"No Michelle they still there." Beyoncé chuckled.

"Aww okay. Just checking go ahead and finish." Michelle unwrapped a blow pop and stuffed it in her mouth.

"So Bey daddy get thrown out but by this time we upstairs but we could hear everything. Then my mama come upstairs trying to check me for bruises and stuff. Like really doing the most with it but I wasn't in the mood." Kelly huffed.

"Okayyy." Michelle moved her hands as if to say 'annnnd'

"Basically her mama and my mama got into it because Doris accused my mama of letting my daddy beat us and she pulled my wrist which really hurt and now we not allowed to be at each other's house." Bey spewed out.

Michelle's face was stuck with her mouth open. She didn't even blink and it didn't look like she was breathing.

"Chelle." Kelly called out.

"Michelle!" Beyoncé looked concerned.

Michelle dramatically fell out of her seat like someone's was slowly pushing her over. She hopped back up. "God TOLD ME to get them cheese sticks. He told me!" she wagged her finger and shook her head. "I should've listened because this is some tea Chile! Not Doris and Ms. T!"

"Yup! Then I told my mom about herself and as of today I start my vow of silence with her." Kelly nodded her head proudly.

"Gir-" Michelle waved her off "so what y'all gonna do now?"

"I don't know. My mama taking me and Solange on a spa day today." Bey smiled wide and slightly bounced in her seat.

"Oooh fancaayy." Kelly wiggled her shoulders.

Bey tried to hide her smile. She'd never been to a spa before.

"Well I'm not doing anything today. My daddy is on patrol walking up and down the hallways 'wishing a Nigga would' the teen made air quotes. "Michelle you wanna come over?"

"Uh-uh count me out Chile call me back when that house has been blessed with holy water, saged or something. Plus, I'm going on a date with Cameron today." Michelle blushed.

"OooOooh!" Beyoncé and Michelle spoke at the same time.

Suddenly there was a knock on Kelly's door.
"You want breakfast sweetie?" The teens heard Doris' disembodied voice in the back.

Kelly simply stared in the direction of the voice until they heard a deep sigh and the sound of a door closing.

"Y'all really need to get it together." Michelle pointed her blow pop at the screen.

"We will just not today. I love my mama." Kelly  glanced down at her hands.

"Then act like it." Michelle raised an eyebrow. "Be glad you have one. I gotta go. I need to plan my outfits for today."

"Outfits? Plural?" Beyoncé bit at her thumbnail.

"Yeah girl gotta keep'em on they toes." Michelle stood up. "Alright I'll talk to y'all tonight and tell y'all about the date."

"Okay, bye." Beyoncé waved.

"Have fun." Kelly smiled weakly as Michelle chat disappeared.

"I guess I'll go hang out with Leo then. Haven't did that in a while." Kelly sighed. "See you Bey."

"See you."

CHAT HAS ENDED

-

2 hours later

"This doesn't look like a spa." Solange kneeled in the back seat of the car as she scrunched her face up at the local police station.

"I have to make a quick stop first then we'll head there. Stay in this car and don't be talking to no strangers. This shouldn't take long." Tina unbuckled her seat belt and stepped out of the car Putting on her dark shades in the process.

"Okay." Beyoncé slouched down in the front seat.

"If we die from this heat at least you'll already be at the right place." Solange smiled sarcastically and Tina rolled down the windows with an eye roll.

"Alright 20 minutes at best." Tina locked the doors and walked into the police station.

As she entered she noticed that there weren't many people inside. "Thank God."  She thought to herself. Her and her girls had a spa appointment in about two hours and she didn't want to miss it. Especially for this.

About 10 minutes passed by and she was basically in the same spot as before. The blonde peaked towards the floor to ceiling  windows seeing her girls in the car parked out front talking about something. She smiled and turned back around. The line began to pick up and little by little she was at the front ready to be called.

Tina felt heat on the left side of her face and couldn't resist the urge to see who was staring her down so hard. She turned to her left slowly trying not to be obvious.

Doris was in the line directly next to her dawned in black jeans, a white t-shirt, big dark shades, and black red bottom stilettos. The tall woman snapped her head forward noticing that she had been caught staring red handed. Tina snapped her head forward surprised at who it was. The nerve. The AUDACITY.

"NEXT!" The police officer in charge of Doris' line called and she sneakily stole a glance at Tina before walking up. Tina caught it and rolled her eyes, thank God for the shades that she wore.

"NEXT!" A chubby white police officer Called Tina forward. She walked up standing nearly elbow to elbow with Doris.

"How may I assist you today?" The man asked Tina. The woman took her shades off 

"I would like to file a restraining order against Matthew Knowles." Both women spoke simultaneously to their respective officers.

Doris looked over at Tina.
"I guess you owe me a soda huh?"

Tina stared straight ahead as she watched both officers get up and grab the appropriate paperwork.

"Tina." Doris tried again.

Tina ignored the woman as she bounced her shades on her index finger with stoic posture.

"I'm sorry." Doris took off her glasses and glanced behind her. There weren't many people in the station but still.

"Here you go ma'am you can start filling out the report here. The judge has to approve of the restraining order later on." A tall lanky police officer handed Doris her paperwork.

"Thank you." She smiled tightly and sat the paper down in front of her. "Tina I really didn't mea-"

"Thank you officer." Tina took her paperwork and began filling it out silently.

Doris huffed and began filling out her own paperwork. After about five minutes she couldn't take the silence anymore

"I don't wanna lose you as a friend." She whispered.

Tina simply turned her paperwork over and began on the back side.

Doris smacked her lips and went back to filling in the information.

The itch to speak came over her again after a while.
"I was just concerned for my kid." Doris turned to the shorter woman with pleading eyes.

Tina began writing her statement. "See, that's where we differ Doris." She hadn't bothered to look up. "I was concerned for both of our kids." She tilted her head as she continued writing.

Good she was talking. More than she could say for Kelly.

"I was concerned for both of our kids too." Doris' heart was racing. It was in this moment where she truly came to know that Tina was indeed her best friend.

"Mmm." Tina went on to another page as Doris began writing her own statement. "Seemed like you were only criticizing my parenting skills." Tina pursed her lips together as she continued writing. "I guess I just threw my kids to the wolves."

Doris slammed her pen down on the counter. "Now Tina you know that I would never say that." She whispered.

"Well That's what I heard." Tina gave the police officer her paperwork and his pen back.

Doris tried to hurry and finish her paperwork so that they could talk. She was sure that her hand writing was chicken scratch."I'm sorry." Doris signed her name at the bottom of the paper and handed it to the tall man in front of her.

"I'm sorry Tina okay?" Doris faced the woman now but Tina stared straight ahead as she waited on her copies with her arms folded. She tapped her stiletto clad foot loudly.

The police officer soon returned with her copies. "There you go ma'am. Have a nice day and stay safe." He smiled at her.

"Thank you sir you be blessed." She smiled at him as she took her paperwork and turned to walk away.

Doris turned to her officer who seemed to be having a little trouble with the copier as she watched Tina getting closer to the door.

Hurry up

The officer handed Doris her papers and she unintentionally snatched them as she took off behind Tina catching her just before she opened the door.

"Tina! I'm sorry I was stressed out. I know you would never allow your children to be hurt. I know they mean everything to you. I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that." Doris stood in front of the blonde unintentionally blocking the exit.

"Please move out of my way. My children are waiting for me." Tina stated simply. She didn't even bother to look Doris in the eye.

"What do you want me to say Tina?" Doris slapped her thighs in frustration.

"All I'm wanting is to return to My car and retrieve my children." Tina opened her glasses. "Now if you would excuse me we have a spa appointment to make." She placed her shades on her face and waited for Doris to step aside.

Doris sighed and held the door open for the lady. "Oh who knew you had some southern hospitality?" Tina smirked and stepped out of the police station. "Be blessed." She walked off towards her car.

Doris stood dumbfounded in the middle of the street as she watched the blonde pull out into traffic like a maniac. She held back her laugh as Tina honked her horn and tipped her shades as she passed.

-

3 hours later

Tina and her girls sat poolside as they held tanning foil reflectors up with cucumbers over their eyes. Their hair was wrapped in towels and their body covered in sun screen.

"Thank you for bringing us here mama." Beyoncé smiled at the content silence. They of course opted for the more private section for for...celebrities.

"You welcome baby. We all needed it." Tina inhaled deeply breathing in the soothing scent of lavender.

"I know that's right." Solange muttered. "That massage was everything."

"I feel so...relaxed." Beyoncé smiled wide.

"We should start doing this all the time." Tina sighed.

"For sure." Beyoncé nodded.

"Somebody is blocking my light." Solange sat up and took her cucumbers off of her eyes staring into the smiling faces of Kelly and Doris.

"What are you doing here?" Solange eyed Doris.

Tina and Beyoncé sat up removing their cucumbers as well.

"Kelly!" Beyoncé hopped up and hugged her sister like she hadn't seen her face in months.

Tina's tongue grazed over the inside of her cheek as she tried to maintain her cool at the sight of Doris. "This is a private area." Her face scrunched up.

"Yeah we know that's why we told them we're family. Don't mind us we'll just be over here." Doris smiled and walked to  some pool chairs two seats down. She placed her purse down and waved Tina's way.

Solange looked to her mother and Tina rolled her eyes before placing her cucumbers back on them.

"Maybe she's sorry?" Solange suggested.

"Stay out of grown folks business." Tina crossed her legs and picked up her tanning reflector.

Solange shrugged and placed her cucumbers back on her eyes. She was really trying to get her zen on.

20 minutes later

Beyoncé and Kelly sat next to each other with their feet in the water as they spoke quietly.  Tina and Solange had fallen asleep to the soft music that pumped through the spas speakers.

"Girls." Doris whispered and they both turned towards her. She used her finger to call them over.

Kelly whispered in Beyoncé's ear and Beyoncé turned to Doris nervously.

"Sh-she said that she's still not talking to you." Beyoncé wrung her fingers and her eyes flitted back and forth between Doris and the ground.

Doris sighed and pulled out two $100 dollar bills. "I have a proposition for you ladies." Doris whispered.

Kelly eyed the money and held her neck straighter as she refused to take it. Doris tilted her head to the side. She's really gonna make me work for it.  The woman pulled out two more Franklins and held them out. Beyoncé almost reached for it but Kelly nudged her and shook her head no. They're worth way more than $200 each.

Doris smacked her lips and pulled out two more $100 bills. Kelly chanced a look out of the corner of her eye but didn't budge. Doris shrugged her shoulders and put the money back into her purse.

"Okay.okay. What is this proposition?" Kelly whispered as she took the $400 from her mother and handed Bey $400 as well

-

"One...two...THREE!" Kelly yelled out as she pushed a sleeping Tina's pool chair into the water and Beyoncé pushed Solange's.  They both surfaced and let out screams.

Beyoncé and Kelly died laughing at their shocked faces. Doris sat to the side like she had nothing to do with it.

"Y'all ruined my hair!" Solange screamed as she swam over to Beyoncé.

"I think you hair is beautiful just the way it is." Beyoncé smiled wide.

"Oh really?" Solange climbed out of the pool and pretended as if she was reaching for a towel but the child quickly turned back around and pushed Beyoncé face first into the water.

"I like your hair like that too." Solange did a curtsy and sat at the edge of the pool clad in her red and white two piece.

"Kelly! Oh I'm gonna get you girl!" Tina marched towards the edge of the pool and tugged on Kelly's legs who did her best to stay on the ledge.

"It was my mamas idea!" Kelly spoke in between her laughter.

"Oh really?" Tina looked to Doris as she grabbed Kelly by her waist attempting to drag her into the water.

"What happened to never reveal your exec!" Doris called out.

"Mama help me!" Kelly laughed hard but Tina was stronger and under the water she went.

Tina got out of the water and walked over to Doris who sat with her shades on and dawned an all black bikini. The blonde stared at the woman until Doris caught onto what she was thinking.

"You wouldn't." Doris sat up.

Tina nodded seriously as she tried to hide a smirk.

"Girls!" Tina called and they all looked to her. "A little help here!"
They all ran over each grabbing a long limb.

"This is non sense!"Doris squealed. "My own daughter!" She looked to Kelly who held her by her middle.

"You didn't help me!" Kelly giggled.

"I paid you $400!" Doris squeaked as she flailed her limbs every which way.

"Hush with the fussing! Throw her in!" Tina laughed as they were at the edge.

"Not you." Doris looked to Bey who was laughing so hard she snorted.

"Sorry Doris...but my mama said."

"Three!" Tina yelled and they all dropped her into the water.

"This is a $500 weave!" Doris squealed as she resurfaced.

"No it ain't cause I do your hair." Tina folded her arms and they both stared at each other before bursting out laughing.

"Alright where's my $400 y'all know I don't work for free." Solange held both hands out to everyone around her. "Somebody need to hit my hand with something."

Kelly smacked her palm before jumping into the pool with her.

"On three mama?" Bey looked to her mom with a dimpled smile.

"On three baby." Tina took her daughters hand.

"Une"

"Deux"

"Trois."

They jumped into the water feeling more free than they had in a long time.

Tina and Doris sat back watching their kids play in the water.

"I really am so sorry Tina I feel terrible." Doris stared straight ahead as she let her legs float in the water.

"As you should." Tina nodded as she watched Solange do a back flip into the water. "No more of that flipping!" She yelled out catching her daughters attention.

"Dèsolè mama." Solange giggled as she swam over to her sisters.

"Can you please forgive me?" Doris shook her head as she recalled the things she said and did yesterday.

"I already have." Tina looked towards Doris. "I'm still mad as hell but you're forgiven." Tina nodded as she turned her attention back to her kids. She eyed Beyoncé closely noticing that her smile had so much more feeling behind it. The mother welcomed the warmth that filled her chest.

"I am?" Doris smiled wide.

"Yup, you've been prayed over and all. Thank God for my growing patience." Tina picked up Beyoncé's in ear and dried it off with a towel.

Doris let a tear fall down her cheek and Tina glanced over. "Aww don't start the water works."

"I'm just grateful for you Tina I really am." She hugged Tina tight. "I don't think I would've gotten through most of this without you. You're a Godsend." Doris sniffled.

"That I am." Tina joked but hugged her back. She took in a deep breath as they separated. "My kids are just my everything. I'd go to the end of the world for'em"

"I know." Doris shook her head.

"At least you know how to swim now and I ain't talking about in this pool." Tina nodded.

"My ship sank Tina...but I'm learning how to float." Doris looked towards Kelly who had just come from underneath the water.

-

"Mama when we get home can you straighten my hair?" Solange licked her ice cream as she walked the strip mall with her family.

"I'm not about to keep putting all that heat in your head." Tina sipped a lemonade and browsed some sun hats.

"Ma, how does these glasses look on me?" Kelly turned to her mother as they stopped at a random street vendor.

"Cute." Doris nodded her approval.

"I'll take two." Kelly handed the man $40 and gave Beyoncé a pair.

"Oooh fashionISTA" Bey twirled down the street with the huge glasses on her face. "Gone with the wind fabulous!"

"Oh my God Beyoncé? Kelly?" The teens turned around and looked into the face of Chelsea.

A/N

*enters room nervously* hey y'all🤣🤣🤣

So if you made it this far there are complimentary Advil's and bottles of water in the back please feel free to take one on your way out.

Your thoughts on Matthew?

Doris?

Tina?

Least/fav scene?

ANY REQUESTS FOR THE NEXT CHAPTERS??

AS ALWAYS THANKS FOR READING!

HOLLA! 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾

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