Excuse any mistakes, filler ✨
Dorinda
"Girls I—."
"Mama no, no you don't get to say a word. How dare you put us through that." I said with my arms folded, replaying Karen emotions just spiraling out of control. She's never and I mean never lost her cool and this, this just struck her so hard.
"Mama, what you've sat up here and done holds no explanation. Look at how you hurt Karen, did you not see that anger in her eyes? Or hear the pain reeking in her voice. Mama was daddy telling the truth, you owe us that."
"Yes, yes he was."
"Oh my god."
"Really this how you do us! Karen was right you don't care about anyone but yourself! My god how was I so blind."
"Look y'all can we just put this up for a moment. We still have to sing tomorrow."
I looked at Jacky like she was crazy, but I knew as much as I don't want to, I knew we had to.
"After this mama, it will be different understand. Now excuse me I'm gonna call Drew to see how's Karen doing.
"You girls hold on for one minute! Now I've put up with Karen but I'm not putting it up with you girls. I did what I had to do to keep my marriage, so you girls could have a father."
"Really, we ain't got no father now do we? You did what you had to, so you could keep your reputation up."
"Your daddy would get drunk and would try to beat the crap out of me.."
"So you'd send him our way, is that what you're saying?"
"Yes! I mean No! I didn't know that's what he'd go up there to do."
"But the fact you let him go up there in general. You ain't right mama and you better hope Karen and Denise come."
I looked at her, before going upstairs having a full breakdown.
God this here hurt, I don't even know where to begin when it comes to moving forward. I just really need some guidance..
Drew
10 at night and my baby still crying, It hurts me that I can fix it for her. I feel useless, for once I can't do anything to help her and it pains me so much.
Denise has been in and out to ask what happened and all I could say was she spazzed out. I told kare that she needed to let it out before it got this bad.
I held her face in my hands staring at how beautiful she still looked in the midst of all this..
She's so strong and think she can take on the world. She doesn't like to show a slight sign of weakness and this is her downfall.
"Hey Drew, Karen?" My mom walked in seeing Karen still in a distraught and stressed state. She sighed as she walked in taking a further look at things in my room.
"Sweetheart, sit up. Come on baby, you're my daughter now." My mama held Karen hand as I wiped her tears.
"Listen, I don't know what all you went through, I don't know what all was said, but baby you can not let this get to or get you down; for weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning. Honey I know it hurts, it hurts bad, but you released it. All of what you've been holding on to has finally came out of you. Cry as much as you need tonight but in the morning you get up with your head held high and don't let nothing of today wear you down. Baby let Drew be here for you, honey he loves you and whatever my son loves I love. You're a sweet, pretty girl, ever so gentle. Give it sometime honey break away from the hurt and the pain and start a new. We'll be here walking you through and through, whenever you're ready to talk I'll open my arms up and let you in. Don't be afraid Karen, you're ok here, you're safe."
My mama hugged her tightly as the tears fell once again. "What happened mamas, please tell me."
"She's divorcing my dad John and it just seem like every secret fell clean out. Mama know what he was doing to Dorinda, she claim she didn't know about what he would do to me."
"Karen you're saying he t—."
"Not where you go but almost. He'd rub my arms, go through my hair and thighs. He'd be drunk and mama knew he was drunk she let him go in there with Rinda but didn't know he would come to me too. He said she would talk down on me, Rinda, and Niecy. He knew mama was cheating on him, he found out that mama had a hand in getting home out the chair. He also said that I was a slip up child it was just so much... I never felt so out of place, almost like a stranger, it hurt so bad. How could she do us like this, her girls. That's all she'd ever scream, her girls her girls, well this how you repay us , your girls."
Little did we know Denise was standing there. "Karen I'm so sorry."
She came in and mama moved out the way allowing Denise to get near her. I looked in Karen eyes for the first time in a couple of hours. She looked so empty, my baby.
"Karen, you don't have to go home. I don't want you in that no more. Look how she got you, I get it, that's your mother honey but you don't deserve this, to be treated like this. Matter a fact I'm going to have a talk with her." My mother said seeing that Denise and Karen were truly affected by this.
"Mrs. Sheard I appreciate it but don't, it's
not worth it. I'm fine I promise, thank you."
"No Karen you not gone push this under the rug. I'm going to her woman to woman, mother to mother. What she's doing is making a mockery of her supposedly Christ like life and throwing away her opportunities of raising her girls, though all y'all bout grown now so it's her fault if y'all choose to stray away from her and in actuality I don't blame you."
"Karen we have to let go, we can't continue to hurt like this. I know you love mama, so do I, but this here ain't love at all. Love her from a far, maybe then she'll get it. Mrs. Sheard I appreciate you for stepping in and helping us, that really means a lot."
"What my boys love, I love too. Y'all aren't bad girls it's just your mother that I can't deal with. I understand your situation all to well Denise, so for anything that I've said to hurt you I sincerely apologize."
"All is well Mrs.Sheard." My mother hugged the both of them, kissing Karen in the cheek.
" she think you two don't have anyone in your corner she got another thing coming, y'all my girls now."
"Thank you."
"Now I'm gonna leave you two alone and as for you Denise, let's go have a conversation with Ethan."
"Wait kare, the convention. We still gotta sing for her. Plus Dorinda and ear surgery."
"I'll be there for Dorinda, but to sing for mama is a maybe. Cause that woman is just unbelievable." Denise nodded her head in agreement before leaving out the room.
My mother left out the room and Karen sat still almost statue like. "I'm sorry." She said quietly as she somehow managed to blame herself.
"No no no, don't apologize babygirl. Come here, come to me mamas." I grabbed her pulling her in my lap giving her a kiss.
"You have nothing to apologize for, you did nothing wrong. Hold your head up, stick your chest out, let Mattie know she hasn't beaten you, that she can't hurt you. Your more than what her words say, more than what harm they've done to you. You're a strong woman don't let the weight of the situation get you down. I got you, I love you..."
"I love you more, so much more baby." She looked me in my eyes as a tear slipped. I knew she loved me it was all over her. I just want her to be sane with this mess, to be ok, to not let this me change her.."
"Take a nap with me?"
"I'll do anything with you." We got comfortable in bed as I took my shirt off. Her hands rubbed over my chest as I rubbed her back.
"Give it to god in prayer you'll get through this..."
And that's the truth, she will get through this and overcome it as well... for I believed in her, I loved her....
