Karen had told her sisters about the New Year's party at The Sheard's home and they immediately agreed to go. She was happy to be able to go with her sisters, but her mother got word of it, thanks to Jacky, and decided she would tag along.
So, here she was in the passenger seat of Glynn's car with Jacky driving. She had put on a red dress that she picked up when they went shopping this week with one of Jacky's heels.
It was a bit low cut in the front and had sleeves that went down to her wrists, but she knew her mother would comment on it anyways. She just hoped the long sleeves would make up for it.
They pulled up to the house and got out of the car after Jacky parked it in her mother's driveway behind Twinkie's car.
The front door opened and out came her big sisters followed by her mother who shut the door behind them.
"Karen," Denise exclaimed. "You look so pretty. Did Jacky do your makeup?" She approached her little sister.
Karen gleamed at the compliment, "She actually let me do it myself. But she sat next to me the entire time." She playfully rolled her eyes.
Twinkie approached her next, "I didn't know the dress looked like this when you bought it," She gave her sister a glance over. "It suits you."
Denise nodded, "It really does. Did you do your own hair too?"
"No," the younger woman shook her head. "Jacky straightened it."
"It's gorgeous," Denise smiled. "You're gonna impress someone tonight."
Karen frowned, "What?"
"I let you take her shopping and you let her pick up something that's flashing all her cleavage?" Mattie's voice rang out in the driveway as she questioned her oldest daughter.
Karen turned towards her mother's voice seeing that she was fuming at her big sister. She said a silent prayer and approached her mother.
"Momma," She said to get her attention. "I'm not 'flashing all my cleavage'! I picked it out for myself and I didn't try it on in the store. They didn't know what it looked like."
"But you did," Mattie sneered. "A couple days out of that place and you wanna do everything that you were taught not to! A red dress and red lipstick? I didn't raise you girls like this!"
"Momma," Denise approached them. "Karen's a grown woman. I mean even I wear red from time to time. It's just a color."
The fury inside of Mattie was fighting to get out but the woman repressed it as she didn't want to entirely ruin the night before it even started.
Her once balled up fists had loosened and she cleared her throat, "Fine, but you're walking a dangerous line." She pointed at Karen. "Let's go."
She took off without another word, leaving her daughters to give each other wary looks. They all stuck to Karen as they walked across the street, rubbing her back and telling her to ignore their mother.
The door to the home of the Sheard's swung open after three knocks given by their mother and Willie Mae Sheard greeted them.
"Mattie!" Willie Mae exclaimed, reaching out for a hug. "Hi girls!" She pulled back and looked behind the woman.
"Hey Willie Mae," Mattie said. "Thanks for inviting us."
"Of course," She smiled. "Come on in!" She started to walk through the house, leaving the family to follow her.
They entered the home to see there was a couple people in the kitchen, and little to no one in the living room. Willie Mae had walked them all the way through the house, straight to the backdoor.
