Karen and her sisters gathered in the hotel lobby, sorting out who would be staying with whom. It had been a long, exhausting day, and all Karen could think about was getting to bed and finally resting.
"So, Dorinda and I will room together," Karen said, checking the reservations with the receptionist.
"Twinkie and I are sharing," Denise added, her voice tired but sharp, as she looked at Twinkie, who nodded in agreement.
"Good, I'll get my own room," Jacky said, always the one to enjoy a bit of peace and quiet to herself.
Mattie stood off to the side with Earl who of course, was going to share a room with her. Karen tried to avoid looking at him, her skin crawling from the way he had been lurking earlier. She couldn't wait to be away from him.
After the rooms were settled, Karen and Dorinda made their way upstairs, dragging their bags behind them. Karen immediately dropped hers in the corner as soon as they entered their room, kicking off her shoes and heading straight for the bed.
"I'm done for the day," she mumbled, flopping onto the bed and pulling the blanket over herself. She could barely keep her eyes open; the weight of the day's events had left her emotionally drained. Drew's comforting presence had helped for a moment, but the thought of Earl watching them made her stomach twist.
Dorinda, more composed but equally tired, smiled as she set her things down neatly. "Yeah, we've all earned this rest," she said softly, sitting on the edge of her bed and taking a deep breath.
It wasn't long before Karen drifted off to sleep, the weight of the tour, the pregnancy, and the tension with their mother and Earl fading into the background.
Hours later, in the middle of the night, Karen was startled awake by the sound of coughing. She sat up groggily, her heart pounding in her chest as she looked over toward the bathroom, where Dorinda was leaning over the toilet, throwing up.
"Dorinda?" Karen whispered, quickly getting out of bed and rushing to her sister's side. She held Dorinda's hair back, gently rubbing her back as Dorinda caught her breath between bouts of nausea.
"Are you okay?" Karen asked, worry etched on her face. Dorinda wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, looking pale and shaken. "I didn't want to tell anyone yet, especially not Mama," she said, her voice weak.
Karen furrowed her brow in confusion. "Tell anyone what?" she asked, sitting back slightly, waiting for her sister to explain.
Dorinda looked at her sister with tired eyes, tears starting to well up. "Karen, I'm pregnant."
Karen's eyes widened, her mind racing. "Oh my God... Does anyone else know? Greg?"
Dorinda shook her head, wiping away a stray tear. "No, just you. I've been trying to keep it together, but I've been so sick. I don't know what to do." She broke down, her voice cracking with emotion.
Karen's heart broke for Dorinda. "Dorinda, I—" Karen stopped, at a loss for words. She could barely handle her own situation, let alone imagine what Dorinda was going through with Greg, especially given the circumstances of their forced marriage.
Karen took a deep breath, pulling her sister into a comforting hug. "We'll figure it out, okay? You don't have to go through this alone."
Dorinda nodded against Karen's shoulder, sobbing quietly. Karen held her, knowing how heavy the burden was, especially with their mother's obsession with appearances and the church's judgment looming over them both.
"We'll keep this between us for now," Karen whispered. "Until you're ready to tell anyone else."
Dorinda nodded again, pulling back slightly to look at Karen. "Thank you."
Karen smiled weakly. "We'll get through this. You've always been there for me, so now it's my turn."
-
Meanwhile, in the room next door, Denise sat on the edge of her bed with the phone pressed to her ear, her voice hushed but firm. She was talking to her fiancé, going over plans she had been quietly making for weeks. She was ready to leave the group after their last show. This wasn't going to be a long tour, and Denise was certain it was the right time to finally break free.
"Yeah, I've got everything packed," she whispered into the receiver, glancing over at Twinkie, who was already fast asleep, the room dimly lit by the bedside lamp. "I just need to make sure the bus is ready when I leave. I'll meet you right after the last show."
Her fiancé's voice crackled on the other end of the line. "Are you sure you want to do this, Denise? This is your family. The church... your mom..."
Denise sighed, her grip tightening on the phone. "You know I love them, but I can't keep doing this. I'm tired of all the church rules, the judgment, and most of all, Mama's bullshit." She paused, her voice heavy with frustration. "I want my own life. I deserve it."
Her fiancé paused for a moment, then spoke gently, "I get it, baby. I'm here, and I'll support you no matter what. Just be safe, okay?"
Denise nodded, even though he couldn't see her. "I will. I'll see you soon."
She hung up the phone, staring at it for a few moments before sighing deeply. It wasn't just her mother's control that she was escaping; it was the church's suffocating grip, the endless rehearsals, the constant pressure to be perfect. Denise had been battling with this decision for a long time, and now, she was more certain than ever that she needed to walk away. She wanted her own life, her own happiness, away from all of it.
Twinkie stirred in her sleep, mumbling something before turning over. Denise glanced at her, feeling a pang of guilt. She loved her sisters, but she knew that staying any longer would only keep her from living the life she wanted.
"Just a few more days," Denise muttered to herself, lying back on the bed and staring up at the ceiling. She could almost taste the freedom.
But as the silence settled around her, the weight of leaving her family pressed down on her. What would happen to Karen and Dorinda? Could they survive without her? Could she survive without them?
Denise's thoughts raced as she drifted into an uneasy sleep, knowing that in a few days, everything would change.
-
Back in Karen and Dorinda's room, Dorinda had finally settled into bed after her emotional confession, her breathing slow and steady as she slept. Karen, however, lay awake, staring at the ceiling with a knot of worry in her stomach.
Two pregnancies. Two sisters, both scared, both carrying a weight they weren't ready for. And their mother? More concerned about her church reputation than their well-being.
Karen sighed, turning over in bed, her hand resting on her still-growing belly. She had always looked up to Dorinda, had always leaned on her for strength. But now, they were both in the same sinking boat, and it felt like no one was coming to save them.
"We'll figure it out," Karen whispered, repeating the words she had said earlier to comfort Dorinda. But as much as she wanted to believe them, doubt gnawed at her heart. Could they really make it through this? Could they survive the weight of their family, their mother's expectations, and the looming judgment of the church?
She squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to sleep, though her mind wouldn't stop racing.
