Beyoncé
20 years before
Mama picked Solange and I up after school. We bicker back and forth about a tv show as my mama unlocks the door.
"Girls, quiet down."
We run to the kitchen for lunch as my mama lets her purse down by the door. She finished her shift at the salon and got us right after. I wouldn't be surprised if she was tired.
"Y'all two, sit down, please."
She slides our plate towards us and we got to eating.
"How was school? Y'all had fun?"
"Good." We both parrot back.
"That's it?"
I nod. Solange just eats the food sloppily with a little giggle.
Mama gives us kisses and grabs our backpacks to put them up. She made us pasta with sautéed vegetables and steak. She's the best cook.
Right as Solange goes to mess with me, the front door shuts hard. It's my dad.
Then Solange clutches my hand.
I finish swallowing and begin to lead her up to the bedroom. That way we can lock ourselves in a room out of safety.
We don't make it up the stairs until I feel Solange resist. I look down to yell at her and see that Matthew has her other hand.
"Bey!"
"Let her go!" I yell out.
Matthew simply snickers. I go down a few steps, kick him in the balls and that buys time to shove my sister into her bedroom and she locks the door, a click filling up the hallway.
"Getcho disrespectful ass ova here, Beyoncé!" Matthew yells and I feel tremendously scared.
"Don't touch my daughter!" My mama appears at the bottom of the stairs with him and they go out it.
Fighting like boxers. I feel stuck. Unsure if I should bolt for cover into my bedroom, or protect my mother. I choose the latter when I can see that he's winning.
I dive down the stairs and jump off his back. I'm barely tall enough to reach him and barely strong enough to punch him, but I hit him on the head as much as possible.
"Beyoncé!" My mother screams.
Matthew begins to slam his back into the wall, so that means I get slammed into the wall.
"Ow, mama!"
"Let my daughter go!" My mama yells.
She tries to get past Matthew's raised fists but eventually the man slams me enough times the wind in me gets knocked out, and I fall to the ground, losing consciousness.
The last thing I hear is Matthew cackling like a villain and my mama trying to reassure me.
"Baby, I'm so sorry."
