"Therapy" 🌈

"Ok! Everyone has their beverage of choice, right?", Taraji asked the nine girls.

After they all confirmed that they indeed had the beverages of their desire, Fantasia passed them each a bag of chips and the group therapy session began.

"So I decided how I want to do this. Each girl can ask one of the other girls a question and the person asked must answer the question HONESTLY! This is a safe space and judge free zone. I'm asking each of you to be vulnerable. If you need to cry, cry. Don't be afraid to share your hearts. That's the only way you'll be able to heal. Let's start with the oldest. Is there anything anyone would like to ask Rihanna?"

"Girl, I want to know how come you were selling drugs when you were only twelve. Like, that couldn't have been your choice at that age. Or was it?", Onika asked.

Rihanna sighed. "It wasn't....y'all know my mom passed when I was two so my daddy was raising me. Long story short, my daddy was using me to make drug transactions because first of all, the cops wouldn't suspect a child to be dealing drugs. And for the most part, the average person wouldn't shoot a pretty little green eyed girl", she replied.

"So how did you get caught if that's the case?", Beyoncé asked.

"Because I sold to an undercover cop. Luckily, he knew a little twelve year old couldn't have been working alone. Good news is, I didn't have to go to juvie....Bad news is, my dad got sent to jail for using a minor to sell drugs. He got sent to prison and I got sent here", Rihanna explained.

"But I thought this house was for teens only. How did you get in at twelve?", Megan asked. Fantasia answered that question.

"Back then we were first time foster parents and Rihanna was our first foster child. Then Beyoncé was sent to us and we decided to make this a group home for teen girls who had the type of situations that you all are dealing with", Fantasia explained.

"So Rihanna do you hate your dad?", Courtney asked.

"I should....but I don't. He got laid off from his job and his friend talked him into selling drugs and using me to make the transactions. He told my dad it would be quick, easy money. It was stupid and my dad shouldn't have been dumb enough to try it. But I still love him and I can't wait for him to get out of jail. He said he's going to make me proud. He promised", Rihanna said.

"Rihanna, how come you never had a girlfriend? Is it because you only want to do hook ups only?", Kelly asked.

"No....I only act like a player because I'm scared of getting hurt. But having a girlfriend like you would be nice. Especially since I'm eighteen now", Rihanna said. That made Kelly smile.

"Ok, now the second oldest, Beyoncé! Who has a question for Beyoncé?", Taraji asked.

"I do.....babe, do you hate your parents for leaving you? I'm asking because you always seem like you don't care and barely talk about it", Michelle said.

"I can't really hate or love people I don't know, bae. I do wonder how people can just have babies and leave them though. You gotta be a coldhearted person to do that. Especially a mother!", Beyoncé exclaimed.

"Well...my momma gave me away because she was just fifteen and didn't have a place to live. That's what my social worker told me. I don't think that's being coldhearted", Normani said.

"In her case, it's not. But in the case of my sperm and egg donors, it is. Neither one of them wanted me but whatever....", Beyoncé stated.

"How does the idea of them not wanting you make you feel, Beyoncé?", Taraji asked.

"I don't know....I don't even care because you and Momma Tasia are my real parents anyway. Not them. They forced my grandma to try to raise me and she did the best she could. I don't blame her for sending me here to get help. Y'all are my mothers", Beyoncé said.

"I'm happy you feel that way about us, Bey. But it's ok if you feel a little resentment towards your biological parents. Allow yourself to feel however you're feeling. You don't always have to be tough, daughter", Fantasia said.

Beyoncé hid her face in Fantasia's lap and started to cry. Everyone spent a few minutes comforting Beyoncé. Then moved on to Michelle....

"You used to be a church girl selling drugs....HOW and WHY?!", Rihanna asked.

"First of all, I only went to church because my daddy was the CORRUPT pastor and he forced me to.... Let's start there! But in all honesty, I purposely was being rebellious to piss him and my momma off. I started hanging out with my older cousins that they couldn't stand. I joined the gang they were a part of and did whatever they did. Which was sell drugs. I'm actually glad I got caught and sent here. My parents only cared about having a bunch of church services to pimp people out of their money anyway", Michelle explained.

"Is that why you hate your parents?", Courtney asked.

"That's only part of the reason.... I also hate my dad because of what he used to do to my older sister. She told our momma and she said my sister was making it up. Which is why I hate her too. She's just as crazy and sick as he is", Michelle replied bitterly.

"Baby, you never told me and Bey that part....", Onika said.

"I know....Only Momma Tasia and Momma Taraji knew the real reason I got sent here. It wasn't really about me selling drugs. It was because my sister went to the police about my dad when she turned eighteen. She was scared that once she left for college he would start doing stuff to me. So that's the real reason I got taken away from them", Michelle admitted sadly.

Her girlfriends, Bey and Onika comforted her....

"I'm glad you were able to open up about that Michelle. You didn't really have to but now you'll be able to confide in Onika and Beyoncé if you're ever feeling some type of way about that", Taraji said. Then they moved on to Kelly.

"Kelly all we know about you is that you kept beating people up in your old foster homes. What was up with that?!", Beyoncé asked.

"Man....I was violent because I came from a violent home. My daddy used to beat on me and my momma. One day I came to school with a black eye and that's when I got taken away from them", Kelly shared.

"So your momma is still with him?!", Megan asked.

"Yeah.....which is why she can't have custody of me. She chose him over me basically", Kelly said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"How does that make you feel, Kelly?", Taraji asked.

"Honestly, I feel sorry for my momma because she's weak! She's letting that man abuse her and she's too weak to let him go. She's not even strong enough to leave him so that she can have her daughter back. I'll be eighteen next year so she might as well not even bother now", Kelly said.

"Do you want a relationship with your mother, Kelly?", Fantasia asked.

"I do, but she has to want one with me too. And I want her to leave my dad. I can't be around her if she's still with him. But like Beyoncé said, y'all are our real parents anyway. We don't need our biological ones", Kelly replied. Then said, "But enough about me. Onika, what's your story?"

"Well....I can't say my parents are bad people because they're not. They just had to put me in a place where I could get help for my bipolar stuff. And since I've moved in here, I really have improved. I'm not cutting myself anymore or doing drugs. And I went from a 2.0 grade point average to a 3.9. Plus my girlfriends give me balance. Beyoncé is tough....she puts me in my place when I need to be checked. Then, Michelle is my nurturer. She stays on me about taking my medicine and stuff like that. So I can honestly say I'm in a good place despite my mental illness", Onika said.

"That's so good, Onika! Now, I think Megan is next. Any questions for Megan", Taraji asked.

"I have a question for my sister....do you resent having to be more like a mom to me than a sister since our mother is not really a parent to us?", Courtney asked.

"After grandma died I felt like I couldn't just be a kid. Our momma was always too high and drunk so I felt responsible for myself and you. I do resent her for forcing me to grow up too fast by her behavior. And I resent my daddy for every time he said he would bring us money or food but he never showed up. But, I want you to know that nothing is your fault. I'm your big sister and I never mind taking care of you, Coco Bean", Megan replied as she gave her sister a hug.

"That's so sweet!!!!", Kelly exclaimed.

Next up was Normani....after sharing all the details of how she was sexually abused as a child, why she choked that girl out in the restroom of the school she used to go to and why she threw boiling hot water on that boy....They all regretted how they used to treat her. The ones who called her psycho anyway.

"Normani, please forgive me. Your story got me over here crying. It makes me think about my sister", Michelle said sincerely.

"I forgive everybody. And Michelle I'm sorry about what your dad did to your sister", Normani said. Then hugged Michelle.

Next up was Courtney. Reneé asked her....

"Do you still deal with that one situation you told me about? I won't say what it is....I just need to know you're ok..."

"I have my days....To those that's wondering what she's talking about, after me and Meg's grandma passed away, I got real depressed and started having suicidal thoughts..."

"Coco....why didn't you tell me?!", Megan asked.

"I was ashamed. But I'm ok right now. I'm taking it one day at a time", Courtney replied.

"Well we're all here for you, Courtney. Please talk to me or my wife if you're ever feeling that way again", Taraji said.

"Well, any questions for the baby girl?", Taraji asked. Referring to Reneé.

"Hell yeah! Why did you try to shoot your stepmomma, girl?", Rihanna asked.

After Reneé explained that entire situation, the girls owed her an apology as well....

"How come your real mom's family never reported her missing? And why didn't they take care of you?", Onika asked.

"The only family my mom had was her grandparents. They raised her. They passed away when I was five though", Reneé said.

"Well guess what! We're your family now and we're not letting this slide. I'm contacting a detective friend of ours and asking him to look into what actually happened to your mom. True healing won't start for you until you know", Taraji said.

Reneé started crying and hugged Taraji....the search for her mother was on!