✨Please excuse any typos or grammar mistakes✨
⚠️Mature⚠️
December 22nd 1987
Greg POV
Greg: CAROL, LETS GO!!!
Greg yelled out to his older sister while putting her bags in the trunk of the SUV.
Carol: I'm coming; don't rush me, fool; I've got to get my purse!
She said this, walking back into her house to retrieve her handbag. Greg sighed as he closed the trunk and got back into the car.
Greg: She better hurry up before we miss this damn flight, man!
Nikki: Daddy, how long are we going to be on the airplane for?
Greg: I told you, 9 hours, Nik.
Nikki: Wow, that's a long time, Daddy!
Greg: I know, and we're going to miss our flight if your aunt doesn't hurry up!
Greg blew the horn, causing Jr. to whine and Carol to come walking out of her house.
Nikki:Ooo, it's okay, Jr, don't cry here you go.
Nikki reached over and gave her brother his pacifier. Carol finally made her way to the car and sat in the back seat next to the kids.
Carol: I told you I had to get my purse Greg -
Greg: No, your behind should've been ready; I told you we were coming to get you at 5:30.
Carol: Well, I'm here now, aren't I?
Greg: That's not the point you're making us la-
Carol: Nikki, give Auntie some love, come here.
Greg scoffed while pulling out of his sister's driveway and making his way to the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.
Nikki: Auntie, are you excited for our family vacation?
Carol: I'm so excited, baby girl, and hopefully Daddy won't throw any more temper tantrums, so we can have a good time!
They got to the airport, checked their bags, went through security checkpoints, and now they were sitting at their gate, waiting to start boarding the plane. Greg took Nikki and Greg Jr. to get something to eat, leaving Doe and Carol alone.
Carol: Sis, what's going on?
Dorinda: Huh?
Carol: You've been quiet all morning; what's going on with you today?
Dorinda: Nothing. Your brother and I got into it last night and then this morning, so I just...you know, with my mama being sick, I just want things to be normal again.
Dorinda lowered her head, and tears began pouring down her face.
Carol: Aww, sis, don't cry; it's going to be okay.
Dorinda shook her head and continued to cry.
Carol: Come on, let's go to the bathroom.
Carol stood up and started walking towards the airport restrooms; Doe got up and followed. When they made it to thefairly empty bathroom, Doe began telling her sister-in-law what had happened between her and Greg.
•Flashback•
Nobody's POV
Greg: What do you mean you don't know? You know what, I've got to finish up some paperwork.
Greg threw on his sweats and a hoodie and walked out of the room, leaving Dorinda sad and crying. After about an hour of crying and shaking, Doe decided to go downstairs to Greg's office and talk to him. For a moment, she just stood in the doorway, watching him go over stacks of paperwork, until he noticed her presence.
Greg: What?
Dorinda: Baby, it's almost Christmas; I don't want to fight with you.
Greg: Doe, I'm busy. We can talk about this in the morning.
Dorinda: We're leaving for Honolulu in the morning; remember, we've got to be at the airport by 7:00 AM.
Greg: Exactly, and I've got a lot of work to finish up here, so...
Greg gestured for her to go away. Dorinda came behind his desk and sat on his lap.
Dorinda: Baby, don't be like that; I'm sorry, okay?
Dorinda gave him a kiss, but he didn't kiss back.
Dorinda: Greg, please, I just want to talk.
Greg: You want to talk?
Dorinda: Yes, baby, I do!
Greg: Alright then, let's talk. Let's talk about why you flinched when I went towards you.
Greg looked up at his wife, waiting for a response, but Doe was silent.
Greg: You don't want to talk about that, do you?
Dorinda: It was a reflex baby, I'm sorry
Greg: I've never put my hands on you!
Dorinda: I never said you did
Greg: But you reacted like I did!
Dorinda: And I'm sorry!! Greg please I don't wanna fight with you I just want us to be happy, I mean it's Christmas it's Jr's first Christmas and our first one as a family of four
Greg just stared at Dorinda; all those things she said were not only true but important as well. But right now, nothing was as important as finding out why the hell his wife practically ran away from him, like he was going to Ike Turner her.
Greg: You keep going around the question Dorinda, I asked you why you-
Dorinda: I told you, I DON'T KNOW!!!
Greg: HOW THE HELL DON'T YOU KNOW?!
Dorinda got off of Greg's lap and walked over to the couch, in the middle of the room. Greg watched as she undid her robe, spread her legs and calmly spoke to him.
Dorinda: Baby, come here
Greg: I told you before, all that sex stuff isn't going to work anymore
Dorinda: Baby just come-
Greg: Fuck! Dorinda I'm working okay?!
Dorinda stood up, grabbed her robe, and walked over to the door.
Dorinda: You're such an asshole!
Greg: And you're a bitch!
Dorinda: What the fuck did you just call me?
Greg: A bitch!
He was fed up! How dare she come into his office with her bullshit lies? Greg stood up and walked over to Dorinda, grabbing her arm and closing the door.
Dorinda: Get off me!
Dorinda snatched her hand away from him, then tried to open the door to leave.
Greg: Stop, go sit back down on the couch!
Dorinda: NO! You want to call me a bitch just because I flinched when you came at me? I never said you hit me or that I was scared of you; it was a natural reflex, Gregory!
Doe swung the door open, pushed past her husband, and walked out of the office. Greg followed right behind her into the kitchen, then the back porch.
Greg: Put your robe on!
Doe looked down, noticing that she was still naked. She turned her head, looking up at the night sky, then back at her angry husband.
Dorinda: It's 11:00; no one's coming back here. I'm fine.
Greg: Put. Your. Robe. On. Now.
Dorinda: I said no.
Dorinda threw her robe on the ground and smirked.
Dorinda: What are you going to do about it?
Greg: What is wrong with you? Are you trying to pick a fight with me or something?
Dorinda: Just get away from me; you want to call me out on my fucking name over something you did!
Greg: What are you talking about? I didn't do anything to you, Dorinda.
Dorinda: You the one that came at me like you were going to do something!
Greg gave her a confused look.
Greg: Don't try to turn this around on me, Doe! I'm not sure what's gotten into you lately.
Dorinda: Well it certainly ain't your dick, Mr. "I'm busy Dorinda"
Greg: You know damn well we have sex all the time!
Dorinda: That weak little 1 position for 6 minutes isn't cutting it, homeboy; ever since Thanksgiving, you've been acting like you don't want me anymore!
Greg: I've been telling you this since you got pregnant with Jr: I'm tired of your bull, Dorinda! I work my fucking ass off so I can give you and my kids the best, but what thanks do I get from you, Doe? You pick the stupidest sh*t to argue with me about, or you say and do things that confuse the hell out of me, and when I question you about things, you find some way to flip the script on me!
She paused. Greg had her game down to a tee. That's exactly what she's been doing for the last two months. In the following weeks after Mattie's stroke, Doe found herself thinking and then fantasizing about Drew again. She absolutely hated herself for it, but she couldn't help it. She missed him. The fights, the sex, even the abuse in a way What they had was too complex to explain or understand.
Dorinda: Whatever Nigga
Dorinda walked out further into the backyard, towards Nikki's swing set.
Greg: Woman, you're going to freeze; put this on!
Greg picked up her robe and handed it to her. She rolled her eyes and snatched it from him. Doe was pretty cold, though.
Dorinda: Happy now?!
She said it sarcastically, pointing at her body.
Greg: If you want hypothermia, then be my guest and take it back off.
Dorinda: Oh, so now you care about me?
He didn't even respond, he just walked back into the house, slamming the screen door in the process. Gregory was enraged; these last couple of weeks had been hard. Greg knew that Mattie being sick was stressful and scary for Dorinda, and he was trying to be as supportive as he could. But it seemed like all Doe was doing was picking unnecessary fights and trying to blame them on his attitude instead of her actions. He lay in bed for about 20 minutes before Doe walked into the room and then into the bathroom. Greg stood up and walked towards the restroom, but before he could touch the knob, Jr. began crying.
Greg: Damnit, I'm coming, son!
Greg left his bedroom and walked down the hallway to Jr.'s nursery.
Greg: What's wrong, Jr.?
Greg Jr. hollers while standing up, holding on to the side of his crib.
Greg Jr.: Mama!
Greg: No, not Mama, it's Dada.
Greg picked him up and bounded him up and down, trying to end his crying. But Jr. wasn't letting up; he wanted his mama.
Greg Jr.: Mama..Mama!!
Greg: She's in the shower, baby.
Jr. slapped his hands on his father's face, almost like he was saying "Nigga, please just take me to see my mommy".
Greg: Ouch, okay, let's go see mommy. Sugar Ray Leonard
He laughed. The father and son walked back into the master bedroom, heading straight to the bathroom door. Greg tried to open it, but the door was locked.
Greg: Dorinda!!
Greg Jr.: Mama mama!
Greg: Dorinda, he's crying for you!
After a few moments, Doe finally opened the door, once again naked. She rolled her eyes at her husband, then smiled at her son.
Greg Jr.: Ma!
Jr. reached for his mother, practically falling out of his father's arms.
Dorinda: You couldn't hold him down until I got out of the shower?
Greg: He was crying for you.
Dorinda: Whatever, come here, baby boy
Jr.'s tears faded immediately, and he began to giggle as his mother made a few funny faces at him. Doe slammed the bathroom door in Greg's face, quickly locking it, then walking over to the huge mirror to make more faces with Jr.
Dorinda: You want to take a bath with Mommy?
Greg Jr.: Ba
Dorinda: Bathe
Greg Jr.: Ba ba
Dorinda: We'll work on it, Bubba.
Around an hour later, Dorinda and Jr. left the bathroom and laid next to Greg, who appeared to be sleeping.
Greg Jr.: Da
Dorinda: Shhh, Daddy's sleeping baby.
Greg turned around and looked up at his wife and child.
Greg: Daddy isn't sleeping; come here, bubba.
Greg took the baby out of Doe's arms and sat him up on top of his stomach.
Greg: You smell good, boy. You took a bath?
Dorinda: Are you going to put him back in his crib?
Greg just ignored his wife's question and kept on playing with his son.
Dorinda: Hello?
Greg: Son, tell mommy, "Leave my daddy alone; he doesn't want to talk to you"!
Dorinda: Mhm, Jr., tell Daddy that mommy said, "Get the panties out of your ass and hold a conversation like an adult should."
Eventually, the couple and their son fell asleep. When they woke up early the next morning, Greg and Dorinda continued fighting, but because Nikki was awake, they had to be discreet about it.
•Flashback Over•
When she was done telling the story, Doe was in tears again. Things had been so great just two months ago, and now their marriage was on the rocks once again.
Carol: Aww, sis, it's going to be alright; don't you worry.
Dorinda: No, Carol, I don't think it is.
Carol: Why do you say that?
Dorinda: Because I just don't.
Dorinda wanted to be honest with Carol: "Because as much as I love your brother and my kids, I still miss and love my brother-in-law, who is also your "nephew's" father." But that wasn't going to happen.
Carol: Well, why?
Nikki: Mommy?
Carol and Dorinda opened the stall door and saw Nikki coming into the bathroom, holding a bag from Dunkin Donuts.
Carol: What's wrong, Nikki?
Nikki: Nothing, Auntie; I got you and Mommy a donut!
The 7-year-old said so, grinning.
Dorinda: Aw, baby, that's so sweet.
Nikki: Mommy, why are you crying?
Nikki's grin turned into a frown. Dorinda quickly wiped the tears from her face and gave her daughter a little smile.
Dorinda: I'm okay, baby girl.
Nikki: Are you sure, Ma?
Carol: Momma is fine. Nik, we'll be out in a minute, and we'll come eat our donuts, okay?
Nikki: Okay, I love you guys.
Carol and Dorinda: I love you too.
Nikkia ran out of the bathroom. Carol turned to Dorinda and pulled her into a tight hug.
Carol: Everything's going to be alright; we're all going to have a great vacation and a merry Christmas, you hear me?
Doe just nodded; she prayed Carol was right.
Favorite part about this chapter?!💭🧐
How y'all feel about Doe missing Drew?😒
Greg's family will be in the next chapter...get READY!!!🤪
Pt.3 Coming soon Y'all ❤️🌹
Sending love and light ❤️💕🫶🏾
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