BRIDGES TO CROSS

Beyoncé had never expected this moment to come. Meeting Dwayne again was something she'd tried to avoid for years.

After everything that had happened between them—after the way their relationship had ended, the secrets kept, and the years that had passed without so much as a word—it was hard to imagine ever being in the same room with him again, let alone speaking with him civilly.

But here she was, standing outside Dwayne's trailer on the set of Moana 2, trying to summon the strength to do what she knew had to be done.

Her phone call to him earlier that morning had been short and to the point: Meet me at your trailer when you're free. Briar's upset. We need to fix this.

The words had felt heavy as she'd said them. She knew it was the right thing to do for Briar's sake. The last thing she wanted was for Briar to continue holding onto this anger. She couldn't let her daughter spiral any further into bitterness, especially when it came to Dwayne.

And yet, as she stood at the door of his trailer, her mind was awash with the same resentment that had built up over the years. Dwayne had been absent. He had chosen to stay away. He had been content to let Briar grow up without him, and now he was standing in front of her, apologizing like it was all so easy to fix.

It wasn't that simple. But Beyoncé, ever the realist, knew that for Briar's sake, she had to try. She had to make an effort. Not for Dwayne, but for the child they had both failed.

When the door to the trailer opened, she was met with the familiar sight of Dwayne. He looked the same in some ways, older, but still with that rugged charm that had once pulled her in. He stood up, his eyes meeting hers with a mix of nervousness and determination.

"Hey," he said, his voice thick with hesitation.

Beyoncé didn't say anything right away. She just nodded, stepping into the trailer, letting her eyes take in the space. The quiet hum of the set seemed so distant in here, isolated from everything else. The air inside the trailer was cool, but there was a heavy tension that couldn't be ignored.

"Thanks for meeting me," she said after a pause. Her voice was controlled, but her eyes held a layer of unspoken anger. She couldn't hide it. Not when everything felt so raw.

"Of course," Dwayne responded, his hands fidgeting by his sides. He looked at her with a kind of cautious optimism, as if he were walking on eggshells. "I didn't think you'd ever want to talk to me again."

Beyoncé smirked bitterly, folding her arms. "I didn't. But this isn't about us, is it?" Her gaze hardened slightly. "It's about Briar."

Dwayne's face softened, his eyes flickering with understanding. He took a step toward her. "I know," he said, his tone quieter now. "I'm not here to make excuses. I just want to make things right for her."

Beyoncé sighed, the weight of the conversation pressing down on her. She ran a hand through her hair, trying to collect her thoughts. "Briar's furious with both of us," she said, her voice tinged with frustration. "She's angry at you for being absent all these years, and she's angry at me for not telling her the truth sooner. I should've told her, Dwayne. I should've trusted her enough to know the truth." Her voice cracked, the guilt threatening to break through.

Dwayne's expression was soft but filled with regret. He nodded, taking in her words. "You were trying to protect her, I get that. But I should've been there. I should've known."

"I don't know about that," Beyoncé said, the edge of her voice sharpening just a little. She was careful to hold her emotions in check, but the conversation was too loaded for them both to pretend there wasn't a deep, unspoken tension between them. "You let me handle it. You let me make all the decisions. And now, here we are—needing to fix something that's broken because of it."

Dwayne's face darkened with guilt. "I messed up. I know I did. I wasn't thinking about what it would do to Briar. I thought staying away was the right choice—thought it would make things easier. But now, I realize that it was a huge mistake."

Beyoncé swallowed, her gaze softening just a fraction. There was truth in his words, and for a brief moment, she felt a flicker of understanding. Maybe, in his way, he had been trying to protect Briar, too. But the damage was done. The years apart had created an emotional gulf that felt insurmountable at times.

"I need you to understand something," she said, her voice steady but firm. "I'm not asking you to suddenly be a father to Briar overnight. I'm not asking you to fix everything, because I don't even know if that's possible. But we need to show her that we can be civil, Dwayne. That we can at least be in the same room without making it worse. She's torn between us. She's hurt, and she's angry. The last thing she needs is for us to be fighting, or worse, for her to feel like we don't care."

Dwayne's eyes softened as he absorbed her words. He took a breath, his shoulders loosening. "I get it," he said quietly. "I know I've got a lot to make up for. But I'm willing to try. I'll do whatever it takes to help Briar understand that I care. I just... I never wanted to hurt her."

Beyoncé studied him for a long moment, her arms still folded across her chest. There was something in his tone, something genuine. It wasn't the apology he'd given her earlier, the one that felt rushed and too quick to heal the wounds of the past. This was different. This was real.

"I'm not going to pretend everything's fine," she said after a beat. "But for Briar's sake, we need to figure out a way to make this work. We owe it to her to try."

Dwayne nodded slowly, his expression serious. "I'll do whatever it takes. I promise."

Beyoncé let out a slow breath, her posture relaxing just a little. "Okay," she said, the word heavy with unspoken agreement. "Let's start there."

There was an awkward pause, the silence stretching between them as both of them stood in the tiny trailer, the weight of their history and their shared responsibility for Briar's well-being hanging in the air.

Beyoncé wasn't sure how it would all unfold. She didn't even know if Briar would ever fully forgive them. But for the first time in a long time, she felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, they could find a way forward—not just for Briar, but for themselves.

"I'll talk to Briar," Beyoncé said, breaking the silence. "We'll figure it out together. But this can't be another empty promise, Dwayne. We both need to step up. And that means making an effort."

"I will," Dwayne said again, his voice firm now. "I'll make it right. For Briar. For all of us."

Beyoncé didn't reply at first, simply nodding as she turned to leave. She couldn't afford to get too emotional. Not yet. But as she stepped out of his trailer, she felt a small weight lifting from her chest. She knew the road ahead would be long and uncertain, but at least for now, they had a plan. They had to be on the same page if they were going to give Briar any chance at healing.

As the door to the trailer clicked shut behind her, Beyoncé took a deep breath, her resolve hardening once more. This wasn't going to be easy. But it was necessary.

And she'd do whatever it took to make sure Briar knew that, no matter what, her parents were both trying—together—for the first time in a long time.