Shopping is something that I didn't realise that my mum loves to do. She's the type of woman that you see in movies who can shop until she drops expect she ain't dropping.
We have been shopping for six long hours and I've been tired since the first hour so the fact that I have made it this far is an achievement.
My mum looks stunning in her white jumpsuit which she has paired with a grey fur coat and shades. I don't know how she isn't sweating with the fur coat because I'm wear a slip dress but it is sticking to my back.
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My mum has been buying me a lot of designer products. She claims to be frugal but she is spending a pretty penny on the stuff that she is buying for me. I don't necessarily need a lot of the things that she is buying for me but I understand that she is trying to make for lost time.
"Ti, we're heading out to dinner with my sisters." My mum says as we start walking towards the car and I smile as she drives over to this boujee looking restaurant. I'm actually happy that Tamar made me dress up for the shopping spree or I would be feeling out of place.
As we are nearing the valet, she throws a blanket over the shopping bags that are in the backset and I let out a small giggle at this. We hand the keys to the valet and she turns to look at me.
"Extra protection. We need to protect our stuff since not everybody is save out here."
As expected, we are late to the dinner.
Everyone greets us before they order their drinks. My mum settles for a dry martini while I get my usual water.
"What's the tea?" My mum gets straight to it as the Braxton sisters eye eachother. "Why you all looking like that?"
They all look at me.
"We just want to get to know more about Tiana." Trina says as she takes a bite out of a breadstick, Toni shakes her head at Trina.
"Trina, I need you to think about how many carbs are in that." Toni states as she looks around the table. "I think that we all need to start juicing, especially Trina and Traci. I want y'all to lose about ten pounds because that stomach hanging over your belt is not cute."
"Trina and Traci read her. She's throwing some shaaaaaaade at you." My mum says as Towanda tries to hold back a laugh.
"Well Toni, I have something that I want to show you." We all look at Trina and we watch as she takes a big bite out of her breadstick. "How about that?"
We all laugh besides Toni who is not impressed. From what I've been told by my mum, she's a super health nut and it's really showing.
After we place our order, I excuse myself to the bathroom because I'm not feeling alright. As soon as I enter a cubicle, I begin to cry as I think back to earlier today where I receive several messages from my biological father.
I pull out the phone that Tamar bought me and I read through the messages again. Knowing that my father has my number scares me because I feel as if he is going to track me down.
Who the FUCK do YOU think you are?!
WHY DID YOU LEAVE?
WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!
YOU'RE DEAD!
I'LL KILL YOU ONCE AND FOR ALL!
I place my head in my hands and I begin to sob because I don't want to endanger my new family. I know people would have asked why I never ran away but I did and I faced the consequences once my father caught me.
My father broke four of my ribs, both of my legs and one arm along with three fingers. Smashing me into the wall, running me over and stepping on my fingers does that. He also beat me so bad that I was in "hospital" for almost a year.
By hospital I mean the guest bedroom that we had at home. I was never allowed out, I was homeschooled and rarely fed. After the whole incident I just did what my father told me and he treated me better. I was now being fed and shit but that meant nothing to me.
I could never tell anyone because whenever I did, I would get beaten up and that person would "disappear." My father joined the police force and he was so loved by his team, nobody would ever believe me.
I sit on the toilet lid for another five minutes before getting up and retouching my makeup. I take a deep breath before heading out only to find my mum and her sisters arguing. They are all really going out at it and I wince as one of the sisters throws a glass in my mum's direction.
Everyone stops and stares in silence.
Not wanting anything to go further, I grab our stuff and lead my mum out of there.
She does a little scream as we get into the car, "Ohhhhh that stupid fat b*tch..."
I want to tell her about the text but I know that now is not the time. My mum needs me and I need to step up and be the daughter that I couldn't be.
