We Survived.

~ Three

• Four Hours Later

DJ: Mommy, look what I can do!

Dorinda: Go ahead; I'm looking.

DJ attempted to do a backflip but failed and landed on the hard surface flat on his stomach.

Dorinda: DJ

Dorinda ran over to him, worried that he was hurt.

Dorinda: Baby, are you okay?

DJ: Yeah, I'm fine.

He stood up and tried walking away, but she grabbed his hand, pulling him into her arms.

Dorinda: No, let me see. Let me look at your tummy.

DJ: I'm fine.

She lifted his shirt, searching for any kind of bruise.

DJ: Mommy, stop embarrassing me.

Dorinda: Huh?

DJ: I'm a big boy, Ma; I'm strong.

She kissed his forehead.

Dorinda: I know; I just want to see if you're okay, though.

DJ: I am. Wait, where did Jacob go?

DJ looked around, trying to spot his cousin. He ran over to Karen, who showed him which direction her grandson went.

DJ: Thanks, Auntie; I'm going to play Mommy!

He scurried off towards the ball pit with Jacob. Dorinda walked back to the table and saw Karen laughing.

Karen: Girl, that boy is about to be six years old; you're worse with him and Kash than you were with Nikki and Jay.

Dorinda: Kare, please; you sound like Greg right now.

Karen: Well, then he's right too. Listen, I get it; they're your grandchildren, so you want to spoil and coddle them to the fullest, but that's not y'all's situation. They've lived with you their entire lives, and now that y'all are finally going through with the adoption, you and Greg will be their parents forever. You've got to learn how to stop hovering, say no, and put your foot down, because, sister, you're soft!

Dorinda: No, I'm not; I'm just trying to do things differently with them than I did with Nikki and Jay.

Karen: You were soft with them too; you used to make Greg do all the spanking while you gave out two-day punishments.

Dorinda: I just

Kali: Nana, we jump?

Karen: Yeah, baby, let's go jump.

The women gathered their things and then went over to the ball pit to tell the boys where they would be.

Jacob: Can we stay here?

Karen: Yes.

Dorinda: No.

They looked at each other, then back at the boys.

Dorinda: We can't see you from over there.

Karen: Sis, they'll be fine; there's not a lot of people, and we're barely 30 feet away.

DJ: Mom, please?

Dorinda: Alright, but don't go anywhere else without coming to tell us, okay?

Both boys nodded and smiled before turning back to play. And the ladies continued their way over to the kiddie trampolines. When they got there, both girls ran into the relatively empty area, with Kali sitting on the trampoline and Kashmir jumping as hard as she could to make her cousin bounce.

Dorinda: They are so cute. Where is my phone?

She pulled out her iPhone and snapped a few pictures.

Karen: Send those to me.

Dorinda: Okay.

Karen: So, um, did you ever look into those therapists I told you about?

Dorinda: Karen I told you, I don't have time for that stuff right now, I've got a lot going on with the kids.

Karen: D, I know you do a lot, but I just think you've been through so much emotionally, especially with Nikki and everything with Dion and maybe you should see someone about how your feeling.

Dorinda: Can you just drop it, Karen?

Dorinda walked closer to the trampolines, leaving her sister a couple of feet behind. Karen followed behind her, saying:

Karen: You don't think you need to talk to someone?

Dorinda: That's what you and Jacky are for.

Karen: I am talking about a professional.

Dorinda: I'll look into it, okay?

Karen: Will you?

Dorinda: Yes, I will. I've got to use the bathroom; I'll be back.

Dorinda turned around and started walking towards the restroom. When her phone rang, a smile came across her face when she saw who was calling.