The Devil Wears Stilettos

Twenty-Six

[B]

"You have everything?" Jay asked. I nodded slowly. We were finally leaving Houston. I was so glad to be going. It's been nothing but issues being down here. It drained me so much.

"Mhm, I'm good." I said. He came over, sitting on the edge of the bed in front of me. He loosely grabbed my hand and pulled me closer to him.

"You good?" He asked. I sighed.

"I'm okay," I replied. "I'll be okay,"

"You not gon' shut me out, right?" He asked.

"Shawn," I said softly. He sighed, and the conversation was dropped.

Since the day my father passed, our dynamic has been a bit weird. It's not how we usually are. I don't know how to explain it. It's just, different.

I know it's my fault. I just... I feel like there's so much going on in my head. I don't have room in there to be a good girlfriend to him right now.

I'm doing my best, and it sucks because he deserves better than what I've been giving the past three days. He's just trying to be there for me, and I'm not really letting him.

I don't know how to tell him what's going on, though.

"Can we, um, stop at my mom's place before we leave?" I asked. He nodded.

"Yeah, it ain't a problem. You ready to head out now?" He asked. I looked around before nodding.

"Yeah, I think so."

—

"I'll be quick, just give me one second." I said to Jay as I got out the car.

"You take all the time you need. I'll be here, let me know if you need me." He said. I softly smiled and walked up to my mom's door. I exhaled slowly before knocking.

I waited a few moments, about to leave, when the door began to open. I let out a sigh of relief, seeing Solange.

Who I came to see.

"Beyoncé?" She said.

"Hey, I'm heading back to New York today. I probably won't come back here again." I told her. She nodded slowly.

"I wanted to tell you that you can reach out to me. If I'm being honest, I have a lot of resentment still towards you. But, I'm willing to work at it. I want to have a relationship with my nephew." I said. She nodded, her eyes slightly glossy.

"I'm sorry, Beyoncé. Really," she said softly. I nodded.

"But, I do not want to speak to your mother again. As far as I'm concerned, she may have given birth to me, but she's not my mom." I said simply.

"I'm sorry about her," she mumbled. I sighed.

"Micah, you said his name was?" I asked. She nodded.

"Micah Karim. His dad's name is Karim." She said.

"He still in the picture?" I asked. She shrugged.

"Here and there." She said. I sighed.

"Keep in touch?" I said. She nodded, giving a soft smile.

"Thank you," she told me. I nodded.

"Mhm..."

—

"Are you good?" Jay asked me. We had started our hour and twenty minute drive to the airport. I sighed heavily.

"I'm okay, Shawn. I don't wanna talk about it." I said.

"Bey-" he started.

"Shawn!" I cut him off. "Drop it, please."