Clemency. ✓

17

Beyoncé Knowles,

The silence was so intimidating.

My parents and Lori's had the six of us sitting face to face at the dining table of our home just like I said they would. I honestly had nothing to say because I didn't start the fight. It's sad because it's literally all over the internet right now.

We've only been home for two days and within that time span, Lori took all that bullshit to the internet to call me out on her stories. However, I've been the bigger person that my mother has taught me to be. Although I'm eager to post my thoughts on the situation, I'll just continue to post my photos with Shawn and call it a day.

"So neither of you are gonna explain why you both were fighting on your trip to Miami?" Mrs. Marjorie asked. "What the hell is going on with you posting all that mess about Beyoncé, Lori?"

Neither of us said a word.

"Beyoncé?" Mama questioned. "What is going on?"

"I don't know. I'm clearly unbothered and unfazed." I shrugged.

"You do know what the fuck you did." Lori mumbled.

"Excuse me?" Her mother questioned. "Why are you using that language?"

Lori clenched her jaws, shaking her head.

"I don't know what the issue is with you ladies, but it needs to be resolved immediately. Y'all were the best of friends and now all of sudden you are going back and to at each other and on the internet like you have no training as well." Mama said. "What is the issue?"

"That stupid ass nigga, Shawn, is the issue." I heard Brandon say coming into the dining area. "Yeah, I said it."

"Go back upstairs." I said.

"Nah, cause I'm done with this nigga, bro." He said. "This nigga been with Beyoncé ever since Dad fired him. He won't stay away from her cause he knows he finna be broke as hell in a couple months. That nigga don't even want you like that."

"Okay, I'm done with the games, alright." I said. "I've been with Shawn long before Dad fired him. We've always been together. We've had feelings for each other and we recently started dating. I don't really care what y'all think, what Lori thinks, what my brothers thinks. All I care about is me being happy with who I'm with. If anybody has a problem with that, then that's your issue. It's not gonna change anything between us."

The room was silent.

"So I'm guessing that's the reason you're talking about her all over the internet. Is it Shawn?" Marjorie asked Lori. "Lori, I raised you so much better than that. It's not even about you doing it, it's about you knowing that boy ended what y'all had for the simple fact that he felt like the relationship was forced because you became pregnant."

"He got her pregnant on purpose." Steve said. "He knew what he was doing."

"And that's why I don't want him around my daughter." Daddy said. "He's sick!"

She looked at my father and then her husband, Steve, then to Brandon and the rest of my brothers, who came into the room being just as nosey as always.

"You know?" Marjorie started. "Tina and I have been talking about Shawn lately and it's really be hard for us to prove the wrong he has done with it came down to being in relationship with you and him being a father to his child. I don't recall a time he has feel short of his responsibilities when it came to Lori and Shai. Never. He has expressed times where he had little to no money and may have needed some extra time or some help from us, but when has Shawn ever neglected any of you, disrespected any of you first, or put you in a position where you had to keep an eye on him at all times?"