As the sisters performed, the spotlight was on them, but all Karen could think about was the sharp discomfort radiating through her body. She tried her best to push through, hitting every note with precision. But every time she moved, her hand instinctively went to her lower belly, gripping it as if to steady herself.
"Karen, you okay?" Denise whispered during a brief instrumental break, concern etched in her face.
Karen nodded, though the strain was evident in her expression. She kept singing, but her voice would falter every now and then as a wave of pain washed over her. Denise, always quick on her feet, stepped in seamlessly to cover for Karen each time. The audience was none the wiser, caught up in the power of the music, but her sisters could tell something was off.
When the final song ended and they exited the stage, Karen barely had a moment to catch her breath before the pain intensified again. She hurried toward the bathroom, needing a moment to compose herself and try to figure out what was happening. But just as she was about to reach the door, Earl appeared out of nowhere.
He grabbed her arm roughly, his grip tight and unforgiving. "Where you think you goin'?" he hissed, his eyes dark with anger.
Karen tried to pull away, but Earl was too strong. "Let me go," she muttered, panic bubbling in her chest. She had already felt overworked and vulnerable from the performance, and now Earl was making it worse.
He dragged her into the bathroom, slamming the door behind them. The harsh fluorescent lights buzzed overhead as Earl cornered her, his face inches from hers. "If you lose my baby, I swear to God, I'll fuck you up," he growled, his voice low and threatening.
Karen glared at him, her anger flaring despite the fear twisting in her gut. "Go tell that to Mattie," she snapped, her voice shaking but defiant. "She's the one overworking me, pushing me out there like I'm some kind of show pony. If you care so much about this baby, maybe you should be talking to her instead of threatening me."
Earl's lips curled into a cold, twisted smile, clearly enjoying the power he held over her. "Oh, I'll handle Mattie," he said darkly. "But you- you better keep your mouth shut and do what you're told."
Karen tried to push past him, desperate to get away, but Earl grabbed her again, his hands sliding down to her lower back. Before she could react, he yanked her close, pulling up her dress. Karen froze, her heart pounding in her chest. She felt sick, her body already weak from the strain of the performance and now trapped in Earl's grip.
"Earl, don't," she whispered, her voice trembling. But he didn't listen.
Just as Earl was about to push her further, there was a knock on the bathroom door. "Karen?" It was Denise's voice, sharp with concern. "Are you in there?"
Earl's hands stilled, and Karen used the distraction to shove him away with all the strength she could muster. She scrambled to fix her dress, her heart racing as she darted toward the door.
"Yeah, I'm here," Karen called out shakily, her voice muffled as she wiped her face, trying to compose herself.
Earl glared at her but stepped back, giving her just enough space to slip out of the bathroom. Karen opened the door and hurried out, her breath coming in shaky bursts as she met Denise's worried gaze.
"Karen, what the hell happened?" Denise asked, her eyes darting from Karen to Earl, who was now lingering in the hallway, pretending nothing had happened.
"Nothing," Karen lied, her voice tight. She could feel the lump in her throat, but she swallowed it down, refusing to break down in front of Denise.
Denise wasn't convinced, but she knew better than to press Karen in front of Earl. "We need to get you back to the room," she said gently, wrapping an arm around Karen and leading her away.
As they walked down the hall, Karen's thoughts swirled in chaos. She wanted to tell Denise everything, but she couldn't - not here, not now. Earl was still watching them, and Mattie would side with him no matter what. For now, all she could do was hold on and try to survive.
But deep down, Karen knew she couldn't keep living like this. Something had to change - before it was too late...
