"So, you're going to the beach with Baylor and his friends?" Patricia asks, standing in the doorway of her bedroom.
"Yeah, granddaddy said I didn't have to work, since I'm spending the day with new friends." Diamond explains.
They are not her friends, but she's glad she doesn't have to work at the store today.
"Well, alright. What time are you coming home?" Patricia crosses her arms over her chest.
"I don't know." Diamond shrugs her shoulders. She opens the drawers from the dresser to find something to wear. She doesn't know how these kids are. She doesn't know if they like to dress to impress, or if they don't care what brand you're wearing.
"Did you at least call your mama and daddy?" Patricia asks.
"With what phone, granny!?" Diamond says. She's a bit irritated. Sometimes her grandmother doesn't know how to stop pestering her with questions.
"Don't speak to me like that." Patricia points a finger at her. "If you're living in my house, you're going to show me some respect. You can go to the beach this time, but don't forgot the whole reason for you coming down here. You will go to work tomorrow. And you need to be home before it gets dark. And you can use the house phone. You don't need a cellphone to call your mama and daddy."
With that, Patricia leaves Diamond alone to find something to wear.
Diamond has never been talked to in such a way before. It really gets her thinking. Do her parents not discipline her enough? Is she as spoiled as people back at home say? Does she walk over her parents as if she is the one in charge? Does she lack basic home training?
She opts to wear a grey crop top, jean shorts, and an olive green vest. She never does anything to her hair besides put it up in a puff. She really does not know what to expect, but that is how her whole life has been lately.