We Survived.

~ Thirteen

• Flashback

• Saturday, December 6th 1985

Mattie: So, where's he taking you?

Dorinda: I told you we're just going out for dinner; I'll be home before midnight, Ma.

Mattie: Midnight? Girl, you have church in the morning and you talking about midnight; you need to be back here by at least ten thirty.

Karen: It's already seven o'clock right now.

Dorinda: Exactly.

Mattie: What's your point? Instead of running after that grown man, you should focus on going back to school and getting more involved with the church.

Dorinda: He's only a few years older than me, just like Daddy was older than you.

Mattie: Girl, don't you mention that demon in this house! And anyway, Satan was only three years older than me; that man is almost ten years older than you.

Dorinda: He's six years older than me. And why does it matter? He treats me right; he's sweet; he's got a real good job; he's

Karen: He's rich!

Dorinda: That too.

Mattie: Did you clean that bathroom, little girl?

Karen: Yeah, but the floors are wet, so don't go in there.

Mattie: Doe, did you sweep those stairs?

Dorinda: Yeah, I did the entire downstairs.

Karen: Ma, why do we have to cleanup every time Jacky and Glynn come over?

Dorinda: Right, like Jacky didn't live here in this same house for fifteen years, before she got married.

Mattie: I'm not explaining myself to y'all.

Jacky was Dorinda and Karen's oldest half sister and Mattie's child from her first marriage. Jacky was undoubtedly the favorite, perhaps because their mother never got over the love and affection she had for James (Jacky's father). On the other hand, Mattie despised Elbert, the father of Dorinda and Karen, even when they were married. It always appeared as if she couldn't bear his presence. To be fair, Elbert had numerous affairs, which resulted in the birth of their other half sisters, Denise and Twinkie. Denise was a year older than Dorinda, while Twinkie shared the same age and birthday as Karen. However, despite being siblings, the four of them were not close at all. Mattie never allowed them to visit their house, and the other mothers shared the same mindset. In fact, it had been  seven years since Dorinda last saw her other siblings. When she was thirteen, their father took them all to the movies and then out to dinner as an apology for missing all their birthdays.

Karen: I'm just saying-

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Dorinda jumped up, trying to make her way out of the kitchen and to the door before her mother, but to no avail. Mattie swung the door open, revealing her newest enemy for the past few months, Gregory.

Greg: Evening Mrs.Clark, I'm here to pick up DD.

Mattie: Well, I believe you have the wrong house; no one named "DD" lives here.

Dorinda: Mama, please. Hi hon, just let me get my things.

Dorinda snatched her coat and purse off the coat rack, swiftly making her way outside and ushering Greg down the steps.

Mattie: Where are you taking my baby?

Greg: Wherever she wants to go.

Mattie: A man without a plan for the day is lost before he starts.

Greg: Lewis K. Bendele said that, right?

He replied with a smile. Mattie rolled her eyes, looking him up and down. To her, he was such a smart ass.

Dorinda: Let's go, baby; I'll see you later, mama.

Mattie: Mhm, yeah, I'll see you at ten o'clock, Dorinda!

Dorinda: I love you too. Bye!                          

Greg opened the car door, and Dorinda slid in. When he got in the car, he reached into the backseat, grabbing a beautiful bouquet of red roses and handing them to his date.

Greg: Pretty flowers for a pretty lady.

He moved closer for a kiss, and Dorinda joyfully kissed him in return. While they were leaving the house, Doe glanced at her lap, tallying the roses. She counted twenty-one, representing the weeks they had spent together.

Dorinda: Aww, thank you!