shenandani posted in blueridgeschool:

Grandmother Quentin sighed as Dani went on her tirade about Alex. "Danielle, enough. You've got to stop blaming your shortcomings on those more well mannered than yourself," she said cuttingly to Dani. She turned on her son. "And you Markus, you let your daughter sulk there and talk like that?" she rose an artfully crafted eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest.

"Aint blamin' none of my shortcomin's on that piece a..."

"Dani!" Markus barked. "We're sorry mother. Woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," he smiled at his mother and smacked Dani in the back of the head. "You really need to think before you speak Danielle, you're hurting your cousin's feelings," he looked at the other girl sympathetically. "Danielle was promptly punished for that digression at school Alex," he reassured her. "She knows that it was unacceptable to attack you..."

"Bitch fought back! Like a fuckin' banshee too! Fuckin' she-devil with her..."

"Grandmother Quentin!" Jada said coming up from behind. She threw her arms around her mother-in-law, hating every second of it, but pasting on that fake smile like it was the last thing keeping her on earth. "It's so good to see you! You're looking well," she knew very well that she was interrupting another fight. She hoped, very much, to divert.

Grandmother Quentin wasn't fooled but she took the bait regardless. "Jada, so glad to see the whole crowd could make it... well Jaden..." she had never liked their middle child, he was always causing trouble or making a fool of himself.

"He'll be along any minute," Jada said dismissively, waving her hand. "What's on the agenda for today?"

"Tea first. Then that barbaric game quodpot. The boys insist," she said as if they word itself left a sour taste in her mouth. "Dinner afterwards and the traditional ladies parlor time after dinner," she explained, finally leading them through to the sitting room where they had all been sitting.

Dani sighed and grumbled, but a little elbow to her side reminded her that this was not the time. She followed quietly even if her skin was crawling.