ch.14

Helen pulled up to the cemetery, the cool October breeze brushing against her skin as she held Ethan close. The rustling leaves filled the silence, the only other sound being the crunch of gravel under her boots as she made her way to Caleb’s resting place.

Jules and Hayley were already there, standing beside the headstone with solemn expressions. Jules held a small bouquet of white lilies, while Hayley clutched a handwritten letter in her hands.

Helen took a deep breath, steadying herself before kneeling in front of the grave. She placed the blue roses carefully beside it, along with the balloons that swayed lightly in the wind. Ethan, sensing the moment, rested his tiny head against her shoulder.

"Hey, Caleb," she whispered, running her fingers over his name on the headstone. "It’s been a minute, huh?"

Jules sniffled beside her. "It still doesn’t feel real sometimes."

Helen nodded. "Yeah… He’d be twenty now." She let out a small chuckle, though it was tinged with sadness. "I can already hear him making fun of me for bringing roses."

Hayley smiled softly. "He always said blue was his favorite color."

For a while, they just sat there in silence, each lost in their own thoughts and memories. Helen held onto Ethan, feeling an ache in her chest as she thought about all the moments Caleb had missed—the things they had planned, the future they’d never get to see.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small folded piece of paper. "I—uh, I wrote something," she admitted, feeling a little self-conscious. "Just… something I wanted to say."

Jules and Hayley nodded encouragingly, and Helen cleared her throat before reading.

"You were my first love. My first heartbreak. And even though life moved on, you never left my heart. I see you in little things… in old songs, in the way the sky looks when the sun sets, in the way I laugh when I don’t mean to. I hope you're somewhere good, somewhere peaceful. And I hope you know how much you're still loved."

Her voice wavered slightly toward the end, but she held it together.

Jules squeezed her hand. "He’d be so proud of you, Helen."

Helen blinked back tears, giving a small nod. "I hope so."

She exhaled deeply, placing the note beside the roses. Ethan reached out, touching the headstone with his tiny fingers, babbling something only he understood.

Helen smiled. "He would’ve loved you, little man."

After a while, they all stood up, taking one last lingering look at the grave before walking back toward the car. Helen glanced up at the sky, a soft smile forming on her lips.

"See you next time, Caleb."---

The next day, Helen sat in her home studio, staring at the blank page in front of her. The visit to Caleb’s grave had left a weight on her chest, one that she couldn’t shake no matter how hard she tried.

She sighed, running a hand through her hair before picking up her pen. If there was one thing she had learned over the years, it was that music was her therapy. It was the only way she could truly process everything—her grief, her regrets, her love.

Slowly, she began writing.

"I see you in the sky when it turns that shade of blue,In the songs we used to love, in the things we used to do.But time don’t stop, even when I wish it would,And I’m still here, standing where you once stood..."

Her voice cracked slightly as she softly sang the melody, the raw emotion pouring out of her.

"Are you watching? Are you proud?Do you hear me when I say your name out loud?I still wear the necklace, I still dream of you,But it’s hard to breathe when the world keeps moving too."

Tears blurred her vision, but she kept writing, pouring her heart into every lyric. The song wasn’t just about Caleb—it was about everything she had been through lately. The heartbreak, the loss, the pressure of trying to move forward when so much of her past still weighed on her.

By the time she finished, her notebook was covered in ink smudges from her tears, but she felt lighter. This song—it wasn’t just for Caleb. It was for her, too.

Helen took a deep breath before hitting record, letting her emotions guide her as she sang the song in one raw, unfiltered take. When she finished, she sat back, closing her eyes.

She knew this one was special.

---

As the music video played on the big screen in Helen’s living room, the room was silent except for the soft melody of Blue. The video was a montage of her and Caleb as kids, laughing, running through the park, riding bikes, and playing in the backyard. There was a clip of him grinning at her before pressing a shy kiss to her cheek, his face turning red.

Then came the moment when he had asked her to be his girlfriend—it had been caught on camera by Jules, who had been teasing them about how obvious their crushes were.

Helen sat on the couch, gripping a tissue as silent tears fell down her face. Ethan was curled up next to her, his little arms wrapped around her waist, while Jules and Hayley sat beside her, both crying as well.

Malachi, Sophie, Kylie, Javon, and Ddot were all there too, watching the video unfold. The last clips showed Caleb hugging her tightly, then laughing as they raced down the street together. The final frame was a still shot of Caleb, smiling directly into the camera.

As the song faded out, the room remained quiet.

Helen sniffled, wiping her tears. “I—I don’t even know what to say…”

Jules let out a shaky laugh. “He would’ve loved this.”

Hayley nodded, hugging Helen tightly. “Yeah. He would’ve been so proud of you.”

Javon, sitting across from them, looked at Helen with soft eyes. “This song… it’s beautiful, Helen. It really is.”

Ddot, for once, wasn’t teasing or joking around. “Yeah. You did him justice with this one.”

Helen swallowed the lump in her throat, looking around at her friends—her family. “Thank you, guys. For being here.”

Malachi put an arm around her. “Always.”

Sophie smiled. “We love you.”

As the video restarted in the background, Helen took a deep breath, letting the warmth of her loved ones surround her. This song had been her goodbye to Caleb, but it was also a reminder that he would always be a part of her.

No matter how much time passed, some people stayed in your heart forever.

‐--

Helen spent days perfecting the lyrics, pouring her emotions into every word. She titled the song Dear Daddy, a heartfelt tribute to her father, Tupac, mirroring the raw honesty and love he had expressed in Dear Mama.

When the video was finally complete, she gathered everyone—her friends, Ethan, Blue Ivy, Jules, Hayley, and even her mom—to watch it together.

The screen lit up, and the video began with old clips of Helen as a baby in her father’s arms, his smile soft and full of love. Then it transitioned to her as a toddler, running toward him, arms outstretched.

Lyrics played over the visuals, her voice full of emotion:

"You taught me how to stand tall, even when the world got rough,Told me never fold, even when life got tough..."

The clips continued—Tupac helping her ride a bike, holding her hand on a beach, kissing her forehead before a show. Then, grainy camcorder footage of him playfully rapping to her as she giggled in his lap.

The room was silent, the weight of his absence heavy in the air. Tears welled in Helen’s eyes, but she kept watching, her heart full.

When the video ended, no one spoke at first. Then, Blue Ivy whispered, “That was beautiful.”

Helen turned to see her mom wiping away tears. Jay-Z nodded in approval.

Javon, Malachi, and Ddot all looked moved, while Sophie and Kylie held onto each other.

Ethan, too young to understand fully, tugged on Helen’s sleeve. “Mommy, was that Grandpa?”

Helen smiled through her tears and kissed the top of his head. “Yeah, baby. That was Grandpa.”

And as she sat there, surrounded by love, she knew—her father’s legacy would never fade.

---

The energy in the stadium was electrifying. The crowd roared with anticipation, the beat of The Real Slim Shady booming through the speakers. Helen stood backstage, dressed in her father’s signature style—baggy blue jeans, an oversized white T-shirt, and white Air Forces. She took a deep breath, gripping the microphone tightly as she heard her dad hyping up the audience.

“And now,” Marshall’s voice echoed through the arena, “I got someone real special to bring out. Y’all know who she is… My daughter, Helen!”

The crowd erupted into deafening cheers as Helen stepped onto the stage. The lights flashed, cameras zoomed in, and for a second, she could swear she felt her dad’s younger energy radiating through her.

As the instrumental played, she smirked at her dad before jumping into the first verse, rapping with the same raw attitude that made The Real Slim Shady iconic.

"May I have your attention, please?"

Her delivery was sharp, her confidence undeniable. She strutted across the stage, engaging with the hyped-up crowd, pointing at fans as they rapped along with her. Her dad stood beside her, nodding with approval, watching his daughter dominate a song that once solidified his legacy.

When she hit the chorus, Marshall joined in, both of them rapping in sync.

"Cause I'm Slim Shady, yes I'm the real ShadyAll you other Slim Shadys are just imitating!"

The moment was surreal—father and daughter, side by side, carrying on a legacy through music. Helen could see how proud he was, the way he watched her with a mix of nostalgia and admiration.

By the time they reached the last verse, the entire arena was shaking. Helen pointed at the audience, amping them up as she finished strong.

The final beat dropped, the crowd went wild, and Marshall pulled her into a side hug, ruffling her hair like he used to when she was a kid.

“She killed that, didn’t she?” he shouted into the mic, and the audience screamed their approval.

Helen, still catching her breath, laughed and held up the mic. “Like father, like daughter, huh?”

Marshall grinned. “Damn right.”

The moment was legendary, one for the books, and Helen knew—this was just the beginning.

---

A few months later, Helen finally returned home from filming The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. It had been an emotionally draining experience, but one she was incredibly proud of. Now, she sat in the living room with her dad, friends, and family, all gathered to watch the film for the first time.

As the movie played, everyone was silent, completely absorbed in the tragic and heartbreaking story unfolding on screen. Helen watched herself, knowing the intensity of the scenes she had filmed, but seeing it all put together made it hit even harder.

Then, the moment came—the scene where she had to break down in uncontrollable sobs. Her performance was raw, her cries piercing through the silence of the room. But what caught everyone’s attention was the blood trickling down from her nose, mixing with her tears.

“Wait… was that real?” Sophie asked, leaning forward in shock.

Helen chuckled softly, rubbing the bridge of her nose as if she could still feel it. “Yeah… I cried so hard during that scene I actually got a really bad nosebleed. But they thought it looked so intense that they just kept filming.”

Everyone stared at her, some in awe, others with concern.

“That’s dedication right there,” Malachi said, nodding in approval.

Javon, who had been quiet the whole time, shook his head. “You better not be hurting yourself for a role again.”

Helen smirked. “Relax, it wasn’t on purpose. It just… happened. The emotions were too much.”

Marshall watched her with a look of pride and concern mixed together. “That’s some real method acting, kid. But don’t push yourself too hard.”

Blue Ivy, who had been watching intensely, whispered, “You were amazing, Helen.”

Helen smiled at her. “Thanks, Blue.”

As the movie continued, the weight of the film’s story settled over them all. By the time the credits rolled, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Helen wiped a few stray tears from her face and turned to her dad.

“So, what’d you think?” she asked, her voice softer now.

Marshall sighed, shaking his head as if trying to process what he’d just watched. “I think… I just watched my daughter deliver one of the most powerful performances I’ve ever seen. I’m proud of you, kid.”

Helen’s heart swelled at his words. This was more than just a movie—it was a testament to how far she had come.

---

As Helen sat there processing everything, her phone buzzed with an email notification. She glanced down, expecting it to be another press update about the movie. But when she opened it, her breath hitched.

Subject: Congratulations on Your Academy Award Nomination!

Her hands shook as she read the email out loud.

"Dear Helen Shakur, we are thrilled to inform you that you have been officially nominated for Best Actress at the Academy Awards for your performance in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Your work has touched hearts worldwide, and we look forward to celebrating this achievement with you. Congratulations!"

The room went silent for a moment before it erupted into chaos.

“NO WAY!” Sophie screamed, grabbing Helen’s phone to reread the email.

“Bro, you got an OSCAR NOMINATION?!” Malachi yelled, shaking her by the shoulders.

Kylie and Javon were clapping, cheering, and throwing pillows in excitement, while Ethan, sensing the hype, started clapping along, giggling.

Helen sat there in shock. “I— I actually got nominated…”

Javon smirked. “Told you.”

Sophie wiped a fake tear. “Our girl is really out here making history.”

Helen shook her head, a huge smile creeping onto her face. “I need to call my dad.”

She immediately FaceTimed Marshall, who picked up within seconds. “What’s up, kid?”

Helen grinned. “Dad, I just got nominated for an Oscar.”

Marshall blinked, then leaned closer to the camera. “An Oscar? Like, the Oscar?”

Helen nodded, biting her lip to keep from screaming.

He sat back, exhaling deeply before breaking into a proud smile. “Damn. You really out here winning everything, huh?”

Helen chuckled, feeling the weight of the moment settle in. “Guess I gotta start planning my Oscar speech.”

Marshall smirked. “Just don’t forget to shout out your old man.”

She laughed, feeling an overwhelming rush of happiness. This was only the beginning.

---

Thank you so much for reading 💘💘💘