Why Does Dee Want The Quilts In 'Everyday Use'?

Dee Samuels goes through things no one should. After discovering betrayal by her criminal husband, she chooses revenge to punish him and those he surrounds himself with.

There's this thing that my mom keeps repeating to me. "I love my children equally. I will always treat you and Brielle the same." It's true that I get everything my sister, Brielle Montgomery, has since we were children. If Brielle has a new backpack, I do too. If Brielle goes for piano lessons, I'll be given the opportunity to attend the same lessons. When I go home for the holidays, my mom digs out two beautiful shopping bags sporting luxury brand logos. With a smile on her face, she hands them to us. "I specifically went to the store to buy you nice coats. Both of you get a coat each. I'll have you know that coats with wool linings are worth thousands of dollars. I don't even have the heart to wear one of these coats. I only bought these coats for you two." As I gaze at the expensive-looking coat, I feel warmth surging into my heart. But when I try on the coat, I feel a weird, scratchy sensation coming from my armpits. After flipping the coat inside out, I notice a few strands of long, dry hair tightly entangled among the seams. I even smell a faint trace of mold mixed with a strong hint of rot that can't be covered up by the cheap fragrance on the coat.

Julian Carter orders me to clean up his childhood sweetheart's new home when I'm still recovering from childbirth. "Everyone knows you're good at home economics! Things will be much easier for us with your help." I'm wrapping things up when I feel something dampen my pants. The discharge trickles down my leg and onto the floor. Nadine Stephens covers her mouth and cries dramatically, "What's that? It's so disgusting!" She even bends over and pretends to gag. Awkwardness and shame wash over me, making me want to dig a hole and hide myself. However, Julian grabs me and scowls. "I told you to come here to help. You're causing trouble on purpose, aren't you?" It's Valentine's Day, but he chases me out and tells me to go home. I wait for him for the whole night with our child in my arms. He only returns the following day with love bites on his neck. That's when I know we won't have a future together.

The summer of 1954 brings forth changes and realizations to two girls who find themselves separated by race, family, friends, and society. Rosalie Johnson must confront the demons of her past to move forward. Ida must find who she is in a changing world. Will love be enough to challenge a society unwilling to accept them? Can they accept each other? "You aren't scared?" She asks me and I know what she means. Of course I am scared. I am terrified of my mother finding me here, wrapped up in the arms of a woman. I am terrified of someone finding Ida in my arms and burning her home to the ground. Every component outside of this hill was terrifying. "Of loving you? Never."

In the middle of a hurricane, I rush into the sea and save Simone Parker, an heiress from Kingstone who has fallen into the water and lost her memories. Right here, in this little seaside town of Faircove, I work three jobs to pay for her medical bills. I take a bottle to the head while saving her from some thugs. And when she falls sick, I carry her on my back through the storm to find the local doctor. Everyone says I'm utterly devoted to Simone—and that I would even sacrifice my life for her. Even she believes that to be true. Therefore, when she regains her memories and heads back to Kingstone to take over her family's company, she asks me what I want in return. When I ask her to grant me a wish, her expression turns icy. "I can give you a lifetime of wealth and privilege, but don't even think about asking to be my husband. The only man in my heart is Conrad." I wait in silence, choosing not to refute her. On the day Simone is formally made the chairwoman, I feel a weight lifted off my shoulders. I say, "Please give me a statement of forgiveness, Ms. Parker." She looks thrown at first, and for some reason, her expression turns cold. "Why do you insist on employing such manipulative tricks, playing hard to get just so you can get under Conrad's skin?" I'm completely dumbfounded. How am I being manipulative and playing hard to get when I'm just asking for a statement of forgiveness? The only thing I want is to finally free my unlucky wife from the detention center.

Pine Hollow has followed the same wedding custom for more than a century: the groom must hand-stitch a pair of bridal shoes for his bride to wear during the wedding send-off. If the shoes fit, it means the ancestors have blessed the couple with a lifetime of happiness. I tried on six pairs, but each one was either too large or too small. Every wedding had to be canceled. Each time, Cole Bennett promised me guiltily, "Audrey, wait for me. I swear I'll make you a pair of bridal shoes that fits perfectly." I believed him. Then, at our seventh send-off, I put on the shoes and my toe tore straight through a hole in the front. I froze, but Piper Dawson, who had come with the groom's party, pointed at me and burst out laughing. "Sorry, Audrey. I didn't know the pair I bought this time would be so poorly made. They're even worse than the first six!" I stared at Cole in disbelief. "She bought all the shoes? We prepared for seven weddings, and you let her turn every one into a game?" He frowned and looked at me as though I were the unreasonable one. "Piper is a tomboy. Why are you making such a big deal out of this? You already waited through six weddings. What difference does one more make?" Then he stroked my hair and spoke casually. "Stop making a scene. I promised Piper I wouldn't marry you until she turns twenty-five and can live independently. "I promise I'll stitch the next pair myself." I watched him in silence. He had forgotten that I no longer had the right to make a scene. In Pine Hollow, seven failed wedding send-offs marked a bride as ill-fated. Within three days, she had to enter an alliance marriage with someone outside the community. And she was forbidden from returning home for seven years.