run of the mill.

11th

Everything had to be clean. Not perfect, Beyonce thought looking at her spotless guest bedroom that she had prepared for Debra and Tiny to sleep in. Beyonce couldn't help but to fluff another pillow before they were here. She left the room and went towards the smells coming from the kitchen. Beyonce had sent Rosario home. These were matters of family and family always hosted family. That's the way her father had brought her up and she was a firm believer in that.

Their flight was canceled and so Beyonce had to go home and simply wait for them to come in on the next available craft.

Beyonce opened the stove and checked on her food and then she slid a hand over her plaid, black and white stylish button down and semi tight True Religion jeans. She only had on socks since she hadn't planned on going anywhere once they got here. Beyonce's hair was in a hump style and slightly wavy, her new favorite hairstyle because it was so simple.

She was on her way to check the spare bathroom again when the intercom sounded. "Ms. Knowles, you have guests. Would you like me to show them up or have them wait here?"

Beyonce felt a gurgle of excitement she couldn't hide and she pressed the intercom button. "Send them up please."

"Yes, ma'am right away."

Beyonce looked around the apartment, not realizing how long the elevator took to get to her floor. When it opened and Debra and Tiny appeared in front of her, Beyonce smiled and stepped in to hug them. "Mama," she said lovingly. She squeezed Debra, glad to see a face she knew. She grabbed Tiny and hugged her too. "Hey."

"Hey yourself," Debra said as she stepped inside. Beyonce asked the bellboy to take the bags to the spare room.

"This place it crazy," Tiny mumbled looking around.

"I said the same thing the first time I saw it. But it ain't that big once you get comfortable."

The bellboy came back and Beyonce tipped him and watched him leave. "Yeah, I bet," Tiny mumbled somewhere behind her. She scurried off to find her relatives and spotted Tiny in the living room looking at the DVD and video collection that came out of the wall. "No way."

Beyonce sat on the arm of the chair. Tiny looked over them as if mesmerized. "All these movies. Have you even seen all these movies?"

Shaking her head in response to the question, Beyonce inquired on Debra. "Where's mama?"

Tiny shrugged and didn't bother to look at her. "And their alphabetized!"

Beyonce stood and walked into where she had an idea the older woman had to be. She stepped into the kitchen and found Debra with an oven mitt on checking the boneless roast beef that was cooking with roasted red Pontiac potatoes, red onions, and fresh baby carrots. And a side of garden seasoned collard greens and butter rolls of course.

And molten chocolate cake from scratch served with ice cream and side strawberries.

"Didn't want it to burn," Debra said once she turned around and discovered she'd been busted. "It's tricky to cook vegetables and roast at the same time."

Beyonce nodded and watched her put the lid back on the pot the greens were in. "This looks really good."

"Thank you," she said humbly.

Debra flicked her eyes to her. "You are cooking this? I thought you might have had a maid or something... Rosario. That's her name right?"

Beyonce shrugged in response. "No ma'am. I made it. One of my flashy meals. I don't have many."

Debra laughed and took the rolls out of the second stove atop the other one and immediately began spreading butter over them before Beyonce could finish saying 'you're a guest'. "Don't cook, I'll feel guilty."

Debra shook her head. "Oh hush. The meals already ready. Matter a fact, tell Tiny to go and wash her hands. Go on."

Beyonce shook her head, smiling before she could help it. It was nice to be a kid again. Sure she was grown and living like she was, it was still comforting to be told what to do instead of ordering everyone around all the time. It was refreshing since she was only eighteen.

She instantly wondered if she would be able to give her child that kind of feeling after she gave birth and raised them. She hoped that she would be able to fill her home with the same love that Vivian and Debra filled their homes with. It actually felt warming in her condo now that there was someone there with her. It was s silly notion that two extra bodies on the large space rose the temperature but it was how she felt.

They immediately sat down to eat and enjoy the food and the company. "I can't believe you're pregnant!" Tiny squealed excitedly. "That's so sweet."

Beyonce grinned down into her potatoes, attempting to pay the indirect compliment no mind. "Yeah, it's crazy."

Debra touched her arm. "How is Shawn? He was so excited the last time we spoke I thought he was picking names."

Beyonce nodded her head. "He's still like that. The man was at Bloomingdales choosing nursery furniture at one time." They all laughed at her little antics. "I had to drag him out."

Debra nodded. "You know his father was the same for all his kids."

"Really," Tiny said in a surprised tone. "Daddy be acting like he can't wait for all of us to be gone."

Debra smirked. "Don't get it twisted... we are."

"... Ouch mama... ouch."

They laughed again and Debra asked Beyonce when Shawn was supposed to be in. "Actually, he called and said that his plane landed at nine something. He should be here. I'll call him."

After she gave Tiny and Debra the cakes she excused herself to use the phone. The first time she called he didn't even answer. And the second time he picked up just as she was getting ready to hang up. "He-hello."

"Hey Shawn its Beyonce."

There was some rustling. "Hey baby," he greeted a little warmer than usual. "How you doing?"

"I'm ok. Are you on your way home?"

"What?" Shawn said. Beyonce repeated herself and stepped a little further from the kitchen. "Oh na. I'm heading over to Davone's house with a few other people from the team. There-."

"Shawn, you just got home. You can't go over there tomorrow?" She pleaded. His mother and Tiny were supposed to be a nice surprise for him and Beyonce didn't want to give it away just to get him to come home. She ignored the fact that he had been gone for a month and now he was going to hang out with his friends before he even said hello to her face. This is my monster, she thought bitterly. I gotta live with it. "I wanna see you."

"Chill baby I'm only making an appearance. I wanna see you too."

"And you'll be home soon?"

"Yeah baby," he placated in that damn smooth voice Beyonce loved even when she hated his selfish ways. "Like forty-five minutes."

Beyonce looked at the diamond David Yurman watch on her wrist and decided that that was ok. "Alright, bye."

"Bye."

Beyonce strolled back in the kitchen just and Debra sat back and rubbed her stomach, yawning in content. "Oh that was delicious. I gotta have the recipe for the molten cakes."

Beyonce nodded. "I'll write it down for you." She walked to the table and sat down in front of her cake which was slightly chilled but still delicious. "I just talked to Shawn. He said he'd be home at about," she looked at her watch again. "10:50."

Tiny smiled. "I can't wait to see him."

Debra smiled in content. "Me either."

Beyonce cursed and looked down at her phone again for the hundredth time. She paced back and forward in the master bedroom, having changed into her button down night shirt and some socks. She pressed the call button again and looked at the time blaring from the automatic clock beside her bed.