Girls Love Beyoncé

75

THIRD POINT OF VIEW

The sun was slowly setting as families gathered around, eating and laughing.

Beyoncé had come downstairs a few hours ago, and people still couldn't stop talking. The orange dress hugged her just right, flowing around her legs like poured silk, and with her hair high back and earrings catching the light, she looked stunning — soft, elegant, and impossibly grown.

"So Beyoncé, baby, we've been seeing you almost everywhere. Your mom was telling me you're dropping an album?" her uncle asked. He was impossibly nosey, leaning forward like he couldn't wait to hear it from her own mouth.

She still couldn't get over how big her family really was. Huge — but she hardly saw them, and that threw her off more than she wanted to admit. She nodded politely, trying to distract herself with her aunt's newborn.

He was fat and chunky and that's all Beyoncé cared about in the moment. She tickled his tiny feet, smiling when he giggled.

"So you're singing again? I never thought I'd see the day — aw, my Beybey," her aunt pouted, which made her smile, just a little.

"You thinking about college?" someone else asked. Beyoncé nodded, though truthfully she was still all over the place. She knew she needed to start applying soon, but she'd been putting it off.

"I am," she said.

Family at the table was quick to jump in:
"Which ones?"

"What'll you major in?"

"An HBCU, right?"

"And what happened to your little friend? Y'all were two peas in a pod..."

That last question made her freeze.

"Let's not," her mom cut in quickly, giving the table a look. They didn't understand; they couldn't. Beyoncé glanced at Kelly for help, but Kelly looked too nervous to say anything either.

"Do you think music is gonna take you far?" another cousin asked.

Beyoncé shrugged. To her, it was always something for fun, a way to express what she couldn't say out loud. It wasn't supposed to get this big, this fast.

"You haven't said a word — I'm gonna need you to start talking," her uncle said, eyeing her hard.

She forced a nervous smile. "Sorry. I'm just thinking about life. I don't need all these questions right now, respectfully. I'm figuring it out."

They didn't love her answer, but she wasn't going to sit there and let them keep digging.

"I need to step outside. Is it okay if I bring him?" she asked her aunt, nodding at the baby cooing in her arms.

"Of course, honey."

Beyoncé stood up, heading to the door quickly. Kelly and Solange slipped out right behind her.

She stepped onto the porch, breathing deep, the cold air hitting her skin. Holding her little cousin close, she whispered to him, her voice soft.

"I want one of you one day. But it's a lot... I don't know. I think you're worth it, though." She smiled, kissing the top of his tiny head as he giggled.

"They talk too much," Solange groaned, leaning against the porch railing.

"Exactly. Nosey old people," Kelly added, sinking into one of the chairs.

"It's okay. It's not their fault... we don't see them often," Beyoncé said, focusing back on the baby.

She opened her mouth to say something else, but Solange cut her off. "Woah! Look at all these nice cars. When did these people get here?"