Legacy First

you're next

Clark took his seat and said, "Take your food to your rooms. I need to talk to Dorinda and Karen."

Jackie, being the oldest, is the protector. "Daddy, please don't hurt them, they're young and dumb, they won't do it again, just please grant them mercy."

Clark sick of Jackie; " if you don't take your ass upstairs, and mind your damn business. With his voice raised, he said YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR HUSBAND. Suppose I hear anything sassy coming from your mouth tonight. You're next."

Jacky, Denise, and Twinkie hesitantly returned to their room with their food.

Mattie looked at Clark. "Karen said she would rather be homeless than in this beautiful family, so I slapped her and told her she would get married soon."

Mattie assumed that if she mentioned she had hit one kid, Clark wouldn't hit either of the girls. While her actions didn't prove it, Mattie loved all her children; however, abuse and torment were engraved in her since her marriage to Clark.

Clark laughed because he didn't care what Mattie did; she was weak towards the kids. He always had to prove his strength via action, and without a doubt, he got up, went to Karen, pulled her hair, and punched her face twice.

As Karen fell to the ground, screaming in tears and pain. Dorinda ran toward her baby sister and tried to shield her from their father. All the sisters adapted this mechanism to try to save the other sister.

It didn't work, not for the anger within Elbert Clark as soon as Dorinda came close to Karen. Elbert grabbed Doe and smacked her down so hard her body went limp. So, Elbert returned to beating Karen all in front of a scared Mattie.

Karen screamed, "Mommy, stop him, please-"

Clark slammed Karen's head into the ground. After that, all the screaming and begging stopped. At that moment, it scared him because he thought he had killed her, but she was breathing.

He looked at both of his youngest daughters, his anger evident. "They're going to learn what obedience is. Mattie, check on Jackie and talk to her about keeping her marriage".

Mattie, looking at her daughters on the ground, unconscious, said, " I don't want you to hit them. They don't trust me, and your hits knocked our babies out cold. Please, I'll handle the whooping. I know the family must go forth, but not like this. You promised me after the incident with my pregnancy with Jackie that I would handle the beatings; however, he never kept his promises regarding violence.

Clark looked at Mattie and said, "Shut up with all your whining. You'd better be glad I allowed you to have her; she's not my flesh and blood. You're weak and allow them to do anything," he said, angrily approaching her.

" I am sorry, you're right, but Clark, you sold me. Yes, it was my fault because I wasn't obedient to your will. That's how I got pregnant with Jackie because of that night.

I never cheated. I never wanted any of that. I know I have to be better at punishing them, but my love allows me to handle it. I'll get better."

Mattie continued as she bowed her head to him and said " thank you for allowing me to keep her and raise her with your guidance and last name." she walked up and kissed him being submissive, hoping it would calm him down.

Looking at her daughter's low-key, hating herself and her life, but what choice did she have? Her husband was the mini-god of Detroit.

If she had the guts to leave with her children, he would sell her again as punishment; she hated feeling like a prostitute, but it still hurt that she couldn't make her children's lives better.