D'Andra Simmons: LeeAnne Is the Master of Kicking You When You Are Down
"I have had my own issues in the past, but alcohol wasn’t one of them."
Hey, Y'all!
This week really lasered in on the drama, am I right?! Sorry, I had to.
Last week, we left off with LeeAnne and me getting a bit heated with each other, to say the least. I was even getting tired of listening to myself trying to dig to the bottom of why LeeAnne and Rich didn’t have a wedding date yet, so I understand why she walked away. I was never trying to look for something negative in LeeAnne’s relationship with Rich at all. I was trying to help since nothing had progressed in two years and rumors were starting to make their way to even me!
However, I do take great offense at what LeeAnne told Rich about Brandi and me being drinking buddies and not trusting someone who drinks. I’m sorry, did IQs just suddenly drop from the last episode? I had one lunch in three months with Brandi…yes…you read that correctly—one lunch! We are NOT drinking buddies and have NEVER been drinking buddies. Neither one of us has time to sit around and drink as we have careers and/or families to attend to! Meanwhile, LeeAnne is sipping a margarita at lunch with Rich as she so pointedly makes this revelation?? Now, that is the pot calling the kettle black if I have ever seen it! And, for the record, I heard what Brandi said last week to LeeAnne.
That was Brandi speaking, not me. If she is referring to the “You are jealous of D’Andra” comment made by Brandi, which she says came from me, that is a FLAT-OUT LIE. I never said this to Brandi or to anyone. When LeeAnne says that everything Brandi is saying came from me, she is reaching and exaggerating again. It's simply NOT true!
After talking with my mom at the office, I realized Mom was right! I shouldn’t care what LeeAnne and Rich are doing, especially when I have my own empire to run. I still care what happens with LeeAnne and, of course, I wanted to be a part of her special day. So, I decided to lay off caring too much and just be there for her when she is ready to talk. But I am learning that sometimes you just have to be done with people. Not mad or upset...just done!
Skip to the opening of Cary’s laser center, and I was so excited for her! I am a big advocate for women in business, and I am so happy that she can have something to call her own. She was already very successful with Mark’s practice, and now she has her own “baby” to work from basically the ground up. You go, girl!
Alas, we, of course, had to have sidebar drama instead of just letting Cary enjoy her moment. I know I contributed to that, so I’m sorry Cary! When LeeAnne pulled me aside, I was honestly glad. I wanted to jump in and apologize for what happened between us the week before and let her know that I would stop digging and just let her come to me when she needed me. I thought that’s where we were ending the conversation, but LeeAnne never fails to surprise me with the one-up game!
It shocked me to hear her bring up that she believes I am drinking too much when I am with Brandi. To be completely transparent, I have a long history of alcohol as the DAUGHTER OF AN ALCOHOLIC. My biological father was an alcoholic and took his own life because of this disease coupled with ataxia. It’s a painful memory for me.
LeeAnne’s claims that I am an alcoholic are totally unprecedented. I have had my own issues in the past, but alcohol wasn’t one of them. Her below-the-belt comment was completely unwarranted and unnecessary except for one reason: DEFLECTION with the purpose to hurt me. She is nasty and premeditated, and this was done for no other reason than to try to destroy me. It’s good for me to have people in my life watching out for me, but I found LeeAnne’s timing to be rather strange and obviously planned.
She is always saying, “Listen to the words you choose.” Well, she needs to take her own advice and keep her mouth shut!
The parallel of LeeAnne accusing me of having a drinking problem while we are trying to discuss her relationship, and the flashback of Brandi telling LeeAnne that she has a bad habit of deflecting onto others when she doesn’t want the focus on herself, rings loud and clear.
We were talking about OUR problems, not just mine. I heard LeeAnne when she asked me not to talk about her relationship with Rich or their impending wedding with Brandi. I didn’t want her discussing my finances with Cary either, but she already did that before I could tell her not to. I didn’t know I needed to give her a primer for our relationship!
So, why did LeeAnne feel the need to bring up that she feels I am escaping through alcohol when we were talking about Rich and her? Why did she feel the need to bring up Brandi’s marital problems from two years ago, when they were talking about Rich and her? Anything to distract from what SHE doesn’t want to discuss is fair game. When a toxic person can no longer control you, they will try to control how others see you by using misinformation about you.
I was extremely hurt, confused, and angry after this conversation. It really wasn’t my intention to even say anything to the other girls about what happened, but when they asked, it just sort of poured out. Opening up to the rest of the group about what happened with my dad was very cathartic, but it’s always difficult to be vulnerable. It’s been a long time since I spoke of this tragedy in my life and the pain that ensued. As for the girls, I wasn’t thinking about how they would react at the time, because I was so upset over LeeAnne’s insinuation, but I am so thankful that they were so warm and accepting of me and my past. I want to believe that Cary is right and that LeeAnne and I had a miscommunication over what she was trying to say, or where she was coming from. Watching it back, however, I truly believe that LeeAnne brought it up for no reason other than to deflect from what was going on in her own life, and just to hurt me. She is the master of kicking you when you are down.
Tune in next week for a DOG’S RIP of a good time with Mama Dee and me in the kitchen! Oh, and to see her and LeeAnne RIP into me!
Love, D’Andra
