Relief washed over Sylvia. “Thank you, Pastor. That would probably be best.”
“Is your support group offering what you need?”
“We’ve only had one meeting. In fact, as soon as I leave here, I’ll be on my way to our next meeting.”
“Know that if you need me, I’m here. I’m sure it’s good to be surrounded by a group of women who have similar situations and by sharing you help each other. Just remember God is only a prayer away,” Pastor Goodwin reassured her.
“I do want you to talk with someone who may be helpful to you. My sister, Margo Myles, will be coming to Atlanta next week, and she has a testimony. Her husband, Jefferson, is serving time in Raleigh, North Carolina, for embezzling lots of money to purchase weapons that he and others then sold to a rebel group in Honduras. And he had an affair with his married next-door neighbor. It nearly broke my sister’s heart. My sister chose to stay with him in spite of all these things. Margo is a strong Christian woman. Many women would have let Jefferson rot in jail. My sister loves her husband, but most important, she forgave him.”
“My goodness,” was all Sylvia could say.
“Margo is fine. Her children have been her rock.”
“I’d like to meet her.”
“You may want to invite her to your support group. I’ll set it up if you like,” the pastor offered.
“That will be fine. Again, I apologize for my outburst, and I appreciate your understanding. I was having doubts about leading this group,” Sylvia confessed.
“God always has a way of revealing what we need to know. That was the reason for this meeting, I guess—to show us you weren’t ready for this task, especially since young lives would be affected. God bless you, Sister St. James. Please stop by from time to time to give me a progress report.”
Sylvia stood and shook Pastor Goodwin’s hand. “Thank you again, Pastor. I will keep you updated. Good afternoon.”
“Good afternoon.”
Escape
“Legs carry me up out of here.”
Sylvia was nearly out of breath when she reached her car. She was glad to be away from the pastor’s office. She hadn’t anticipated that her meeting with him would be so nerve-wracking. Instead of talking about the young people she had obligated herself to help, it became an “all about me” occasion. She was so exhausted, exposing herself to Pastor Goodwin that way—sharing all her inner turmoil, the soap opera that her marriage had become.
“Two-thirty-three,” Sylvia said, looking at the clock on the dash. She needed her support group as much as Rachel and Ashley did. She was glad that she had only twenty minutes before she would arrive at Rachel’s house.
EX-posed
Achilled bottle of wine and a box of candy? Or was it a bouquet of flowers and box of candy that made women take notice? Whatever the combination, Marvin wanted it to be perfect. He had a lot of mending to do to get back into Rachel’s good graces. What was he thinking, taking Rachel to his and Denise’s favorite restaurant? He never expected to run into Denise, though. The last he heard, she was still in New York, hobnobbing with the rich and slightly famous. Marvin had to admit seeing Denise last night made him long for her, if only for a moment, because he knew the scorpion’s bite was lethal.
“That will be twelve dollars and fifty-nine cents,” the cashier said.
“Marvin,” came a familiar voice. He looked up to see Mona walking toward him.
“Hello, Mona, what you cooking today?” Marvin asked.
Mona sized Marvin up, taking inventory of his groceries.
“I should ask what you’re cooking with that bottle of wine and box of candy.”
“If you must know, I’m on my way to see Rachel.”
“Rachel? You might not want to go there today.”
“So she’s told you about our date last night.”
“In a roundabout way. Just a little advance warning: She’s called the ladies together to talk about your situation. And when a bunch of sisters get together and they’re dissecting a man, you can rest assured you don’t want to be anywhere near them because they’re sure to draw blood.”
“I can’t believe that Rachel would put our business out there like that. What happened should be between Rachel and myself,” Marvin said angrily.
“Your ex-wife, Marvin? Was she really at the same restaurant you took Rachel to for your very first date?”
Mona looked at Marvin as if he had lost her mind. “Let me say this, Marvin. They are probably wearing your name ouuuuuuut.”
“I’ve got to go, Mona. See you later.”
“All right, cowboy. Go on and make it up to your girl.” Mona snickered.
“Why aren’tyou at the meeting?”
“A handsome gentleman is my excuse. I met him at a fund-raiser I catered for the Gordons. Called me up and asked if I would like to go out to dinner. So I’ll get the scoop another time. I wish you all the best.”
“Thanks a million, Mona.”
Marvin dropped his head and walked the few feet to his car. He threw the candy and bottle of wine on the backseat of his Escalade. Drama seemed to follow him, and he didn’t understand why. He was a good man with a good heart, and all he ever wanted was to find a good woman to share his life with, settle down and have a family.
Trying to move on with his life was hard, but participating in a group that would help him get over Denise had seemed the way to go. Who would have thought that while he was lamenting over an ex-wife who didn’t want him that he’d run into a beautiful woman who had also been hurt by love?
Marvin started the ignition and pulled out of the parking lot. Mona was probably right. The women were probably tearing his good name to shreds. Just like females to grab you by the balls and make mincemeat out of you. It was a mistake taking Rachel out when Denise wasn’t completely out of his system. Maybe he’d just go home and drink the bottle of wine by himself.
The EX-clusive at Three
“Hold up!” Sylvia shouted. “We all can’t talk at the same time! I know everyone has issues, but let’s be calm.”
“You’re right,” Rachel said. “I guess I was being selfish.”
“We understand,” Ashley said. “What was Marvin thinking?”
“Or William,” Claudette cut in. “The nerve of him to try and handle Ashley when his girlfriend was standing over there with a pound of baby in her stomach looking stupid.”
“So,” Rachel began, “you ran into William at the clinic and found out that he’s having a baby?”
“How about that,” Ashley said sarcastically. “And of course I had to let him know that I was having a baby, too.”
“Ooooooh, he was some kind of mad,” Claudette cut in.
“Claudette was going to beat him up if I hadn’t stopped her,” Ashley continued.
“Claudette…” Rachel shook her head.
“The man is still in one piece,” Claudette assured everyone. “He’s lucky that Ashley is nonviolent. This sister was getting ready to get it on.”
“He wants to come back home,” Ashley blurted out.
“What?” Claudette and Rachel said in unison.
“His girlfriend lost the baby so he had the nerve to run back home to try and ruin me and my unborn child’s life. I feel bad for the girlfriend, but he made his choice. And guess what, he’s still without a child.”
“You go, Ash.” Claudette laughed.
“What do you propose to do?” Sylvia asked.
“I don’t know. The divorce has been final just over a month. Now that jackass wants to unravel all that he’s done because ‘his wife,’ so he says, is bearing his child.”
Sylvia rubbed Ashley’s back as she curled up into a fetal position on the couch. There was a blank look on Ashley’s face and she finally closed her eyes. A small stream of tears flowed gently down her face.
“Stay strong,” Claudette said. “Don’t let no man dictate to you. He made his bed; he’s got to sleep in it.”
“When I wanted him,
he didn’t want me. Now that I’ve got something he wants, he wants to run home to mama.”
Ashley jumped up from the couch. She looked from one lady to the next and held out her finger as she moved it back and forth in a semicircle like she was taking a meter reading. “William had his chance. I know a child needs his father, but I’m going to raise my baby by myself. What kind of man leaves a woman for another woman, then turns around and leaves that woman, who was pregnant but lost the baby, for the pregnant woman he left in the first place, although he didn’t know she was pregnant. Sounds complicated to me.”
“You’re right. It does sound complicated.” Sylvia laughed.
“I need your support to get through this,” Ashley said. “William is intent on being with this baby and me. The fact of the matter is that I’m afraid—afraid what he might do to me if I refuse to let him come back.”
“You have our support, Ashley,” Sylvia said.
“Mine, too,” Claudette agreed in a firm voice.
“Mine, too,” Rachel said softly.
“You really need to talk with someone, Ash,” Sylvia said. “You need to talk to a professional. This sounds more serious than we may be able to handle. But we’re here for you.”
Ashley sat back down on the couch and crouched in a corner, guarding her stomach for dear life.
“Rachel, why don’t you go ahead?” Sylvia said, sensing Rachel’s mood.
“No, I feel selfish in light of what Ashley’s going through.”
“I think we have all been through a lot in the past few weeks,” Sylvia began. “In fact, Rachel and Ashley may have saved me from emotional suicide last night. Your telephone calls interrupted my anguish, while I probably didn’t do anything to help yours.
“I was having those damn dreams again, and I swear Adonis was right there in the room making me relive that scene over and over again—the moment he walked out on me, telling me that he didn’t want a fat woman and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I can’t take it anymore. I want peace. I don’t want to be afraid to move on, to be alone, to enjoy someone else if they should come along.”
“Uhmm-hmmm,” Rachel sang. “Sylvia is seeing someone from her past on the sly. Just found out about it myself. Yesterday.”
“Good for you,” Ashley said.
“This was a no-good man,” Rachel interjected.
“Hold it, Rachel. You don’t know Kenny now and I don’t appreciate you making remarks like that about him,” Sylvia said.
“Ohh, so defensive. I’m sorry, sis. It’s your life.”
“And don’t forget it—after all, you haven’t always been the best judge of character.”
“I guess I deserved that.”
“Well, what happened to you, Rachel?” Claudette cut it.
“Yeah, what’s your issue?” Sylvia asked, miffed.Don’t know what to do with a man , she thought, but refrained from saying out loud.
Rachel flew into her story about how wonderful the evening started out, with Marvin taking her to the quaint French restaurant. “It was so romantic,” Rachel cooed. “We spoke French to each other; about the only thing left was to French kiss. I was already dreaming about what I’d be dreaming that night when out of nowhere the ex-wife is standing over Marvin when I came from out of the bathroom.”
“No!” everyone said in unison.
Ding-dong, ding-dong.
“I’ll get that for you,” Sylvia said. “This is juicy, and I don’t want you to miss a beat.”
When she opened the door, her face went blank and she glanced back quickly toward the group. “Marvin!” she announced so that everyone could hear.
“Are you all having a meeting…without me?” Marvin asked as he stepped inside.
Sylvia closed the door behind them. She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes at the predicament Rachel now found herself in.
“Uhh…well, we were just…”
“There’s no need to lie, Rachel,” Marvin said. “Let me guess…you were right in the middle of a private matter between you and me.”
“Hold on, Marvin,” Sylvia interjected. “This is what this group is about. We get together to support one another in an effort to move on past our hurt and pain.”
“I thought I was a part of this group. It makes perfect sense to me that if Rachel’s problem involves me and I’m a part of the group, I should be part of the solution. Maybe it’s best that I resign,” Marvin added. “I don’t think I want to be part of a group of hypocrites anyway. I think I was better off before I met you all.”
“Now hold it, Marvin,” Rachel finally spoke up. “Don’t take it out on the group. You’re right. I should have been woman enough to discuss this with you first.”
“Well, that’s on you. I was prepared to say something else—to apologize—but right now I don’t feel like it. Ladies, continue. I’m leaving.”
Rachel wanted to run after Marvin. She wanted him and she wasn’t about to let the best thing that had come into her life in a long time walk away from her. But Sylvia would say she was weak if she did. Who cares what Sylvia thought? It was her man. Rachel slumped to the couch, her mind in turmoil.
“Not running after your man, Rachel?” Sylvia inquired.
“Kill it, Sylvia. I should not have been talking about what happened at that restaurant. I don’t believe Marvin expected to see Denise. He was as shocked as I was.”
“So why aren’t you going after him?” Claudette asked.
“Good ones are hard to find,” Ashley chimed in.
“I don’t want him to think I’m desperate,” Rachel admitted.
“You are desperate. We’re all desperate for one thing or another. Why are you sitting over there like you lost your best friend?” Sylvia shook her head at Rachel. “I would have been gone.”
“Whatever.”
I’m every woman…sang Claudette’s cell phone. “Y’all like my ring? Hold on a moment. I don’t recognize this number…What? What did you say?”
Claudette’s eyes got round as saucers. She shook her head—hard—her braids flying as she made a fist. Fresh tears fell from her eyes. “Jesus, Kwa-me! Hell, why did you…”
“What’s wrong, Claudette?” Ashley asked.
Everyone gathered around Claudette. She slammed the phone shut. Her voice was subdued. “Gotta go. Kwame was picked up about an hour ago.”
“What?” sang the chorus of three as they smacked their hands over their mouths.
“Yeah, they’re holding my baby at the jail. I can’t talk about it now.”
“I’ll go with you, Claudette,” Ashley offered.
“No, Ash. I’ve got to do this by myself. I’ll call T when I get in the car.”
“Let us know what’s going on,” Sylvia said. They huddled together and hugged Claudette.
“He burned my shop down. My livelihood. My independence. My shelter from the rain. My shop, my shop, my shop!” Claudette wailed. “My damn shop!”
Blame it on the Rain
Marvin drove blindly through the streets of Atlanta. How could he have given his heart so easily only to have it broken so fast? He wished that Mona had never told him about the support group.
Raindrops began to fall on the windshield. He was driving much too fast, but he wanted to get home. The sound of a siren brought him back to his senses, and the fire engine that flew by made him grab the wheel and cherish life as he knew it.
Twenty minutes passed and Marvin was glad to be away from the hustle and bustle of the city. A couple of blocks more and he would arrive at his subdivision. He glanced through the rearview mirror at the bottle of wine that lay on the backseat along with the box of candy. It would be his meal for the evening because the lady didn’t deserve it.
The bark of a neighbor’s dog announced Marvin’s arrival as he rolled up the driveway of his spacious house in an upscale neighborhood. He drove the Escalade into the four-car garage and turned off the ignition. Marvin got out and looked around, then reached back in for the wine and candy.
The two-level house sat at the edge of a man-made lake. Tall pine trees stood like tall wooden statues all around Marvin’s estate. A tennis court sat on the property nearest the lake and a swimming pool with Jacuzzi occupied the other end.
Marvin entered the kitchen through a door off of the garage. Brown granite countertops flowed throughout, stained kitchen cabinets set the right tone for the room with its modern appliances completing the décor. Marvin got a wineglass and went into the entertainment room.
ESPNthe magazine, Sports IllustratedandBlack Enterprise littered the tabletop of the marble coffee table. Marvin slumped on the brown leather couch and set the wine, the glass and the box of candy on the table next to the magazines. He picked up the remote and flipped through the channels until he found a golf tournament. He was going to learn to play golf one of these days, he thought.
Marvin filled the wineglass until it almost overflowed. He sipped until the glass was empty, then poured some more. Wrappers littered the floor as Marvin devoured the candy piece by piece.
Ding-dong. Ding-dong.
Marvin looked at his watch. It was only six-thirty in the evening, but it felt like ten. A smile formed on his face. Rachel had found him and wanted to make amends. He straightened his shirt and quickly picked up the wine and candy and set them in the kitchen, tucked away out of sight. Marvin smoothed his mustache and went to the door.
Ding-dong. Ding-dong.
When he opened the door, his smile turned to a frown.
“What are you doing here?”
“Are you going to let me in?” Denise asked as she brushed past. She wore a gold-flecked burnt-orange silk chemise that molded to her body, matching her four-inch heels and clutch.
Denise scanned the room half-expecting to see someone else.
“Go home, Denise.”
“The place looks the same as I left it,” she said, tossing her bag on the couch.
“Don’t flatter yourself. I’ve been busy or otherwise I would have made some changes.”
“Don’t pretend with me, Marvin. I know it’s been hard without me.”
Ex-Terminator Life After Marriage Page 13