“Nobody’s trying to do anything.”
“Then why did you tell her it was too late? Was she asking you to come see her?”
“This discussion is over,” he said, standing up.
She stepped closer to him. “No, don’t leave now. As a matter of fact, why don’t you call her back and tell her the rest of our business. You already told her you were done with me and that you didn’t know why I’d turned to the bottle. So why not tell her everything else?”
Curtis had been hoping Charlotte was bluffing when she’d said she’d heard all of his conversation, but now he knew she had.
“You make me sick.”
“I know,” he said. “You told me that earlier, remember?”
“You think this is a joke? You think I’m going to sit around, listening to you talk to other women on the phone about me?”
“I don’t expect you to do anything. Except find a new place to live.”
“You’re sleeping with her, aren’t you? And that’s why you’re so in a hurry to divorce me.”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m not sleeping with anybody.”
“You must think I’m a fool.”
“You know what, Charlotte, this conversation is over,” he said, moving past her and over to the doorway.
“Don’t walk away from me, Curtis,” she exclaimed, but Curtis continued down the hallway and up to his bedroom. He shut the door and kneeled at the side of his bed, praying for his days with Charlotte to be over.
Chapter 17
Charlotte squirmed against the back of the pew, wishing morning service would end. To be honest, she wasn’t even sure why she’d come, what with all the arguing she and Curtis had done. Worse, she still felt hungover. But she was here now and there was no sense complaining about it. It was better just to smile and pretend she was elated. Plus, she didn’t want Janine or her husband, Carl; her aunt Emma; or her cousin Anise suspecting anything was wrong. They were all sitting next to her in the second row, in that order, and Charlotte saw no reason to alarm them.
She listened to the choir belting out one of her favorite songs, but suddenly she wanted to cry. She would do anything if she could take back the words she’d rattled off to Matthew yesterday afternoon, and she wondered if he would ever forgive her. He’d seemed so disgusted prior to leaving for his postprom activities, and he hadn’t bothered speaking to her before she’d left for church a couple of hours ago. Charlotte knew this was all her fault, but she’d still been hoping her son might have a little more compassion this morning. She’d been praying he would realize she wasn’t planning to call him a bastard because she hadn’t. She wasn’t even sure what name she’d wanted to call him, but it certainly hadn’t been that.
Curtis slowly strutted across the pulpit and glanced at Charlotte. “My sermon for today is ‘Obsession, Temptation, and Dire Consequences.’ ”
Members nodded in approval and many said, “Amen.”
“Of course, it is no secret that no man or woman is perfect,” Curtis continued, “and that at some point we all find ourselves dealing with some sort of obsession, but I think when it causes us to act recklessly and we end up hurting innocent people, it’s time to take a closer look at ourselves.”
“You got that right, Pastor,” Elder Dixon replied.
“So so true,” a woman toward the back added.
“I say this,” Curtis said, “because when we act selfishly and don’t check ourselves, there are usually tons of consequences to deal with. We reap what we have sown, and as many of you know, I’m not just talking for the sake of talking. I’m speaking from experience.”
Charlotte wondered where this little message of his was going, but already she didn’t like the sound of it.
“You see,” he said, “what happens is that we become tempted by something, we give in to it, we soon become obsessed with it, and the next thing you know, we’re completely addicted. We find ourselves caught up in ways we never thought imaginable, and we have no idea how to overcome it. We find ourselves caring more about our sinful desires than we do about the people who love us, and that’s when things get messy. The whole scenario ends up becoming a total shame for everyone involved.”
Members shouted, “Amen,” and Curtis stepped in front of the podium. “The other thing I should add, too, is that human beings can become addicted to almost anything. Alcohol, drugs, sex, shopping, Facebook,” he said, and laughter could be heard throughout the sanctuary. “Y’all know I’m telling the truth, though, right? These days, some of y’all can’t live without the Internet. And, of course, let’s not forget about food and how some of us just can’t make it through the day sometimes if we don’t get our sugar fix. Some of us become downright mean if we don’t get that monkey off our backs.”
There was more laughter, but Charlotte sat stone-faced and didn’t see anything funny. She also didn’t like how he’d made it a point to mention alcohol first, because she knew he’d done it on purpose. He’d gotten his jab in on the sly without anyone else realizing it, and it was all she could do not to stand up, march toward him, and confront him in front of everyone. But instead, she grabbed her purse, stepped into the aisle, and went over to one of the side doors. She never looked back and was glad she’d driven separately from her jerk of a husband.
She raced out of the parking lot and couldn’t wait to get home, change into something comfortable, and spend the afternoon with herself. It would have been nice to enjoy some family time with Curtina, especially since Aunt Emma had invited all of them over for dinner, but she would just have to do that another day. If she was truthful, she’d have to admit how she really didn’t want to be around her cousin, Anise, anyway, so it was probably good she wasn’t joining them. It was best she went to her new favorite spot without anyone.
The atmosphere at Chelsey’s was as relaxing as always, and Charlotte didn’t mind how noisy all of the men were, those who were consistently rooting and yelling whenever their favorite basketball team scored. It was actually pretty exciting, and Charlotte now considered Chelsey’s the place to be. She saw it as a safe haven so to speak, and it was the kind of spot that cheered her up pretty quickly.
She drank the rest of her wine and pulled out her phone when she heard it ringing. It was Janine, and as she pressed the Ignore button, she told her usual waitress, Amber, who was passing by her, “If it’s okay, I’m going to step outside to make a call.”
“No problem. Your table will be right here waiting for you.”
Charlotte passed by a row of men sitting at the bar, and one of them smiled at her. However, all she did was smile back and keep going. When she got outside where it was quieter, she called Janine back.
Her best friend yelled at her as soon as she answered. “Girl, where are you? And why did you leave without saying anything? I just figured you were going to the restroom.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t say good-bye, but I needed to get out of there.”
“And you didn’t think we’d all be worried sick about you when you never came back?”
“No, I guess I didn’t, and I apologize.”
“Charlotte, what’s wrong? I mean, you never called me back on Thursday when you left Chelsey’s, you never returned any of my phone calls from the weekend, and you really didn’t say much to me before service started this morning.”
“I know, but it’s all very complicated, J. I’m going through a lot right now, and I have a ton of stuff on my mind.”
“Like what?”
“It’s nothing for you to worry about or nothing you can help me with. Just something I need to work out on my own.”
“Girl, this is me you’re talking to. Your best friend, remember?”
“I know, but I’ll be fine.”
“You don’t sound fine, and now that we’re on the subject, you didn’t look fine when I saw you earlier. You looked exhausted and upset about something.”
“Wow, thanks a lot,” Charlotte said, not realizing s
he looked so terrible.
“I don’t mean that in a nasty way. I’m just saying I know something’s wrong. I know you’re troubled about something, and I wanna help you.”
“I’ll be fine, J. I know you don’t believe that, but I will.”
“Where are you?”
Charlotte had hoped she wouldn’t ask that again because she hadn’t wanted to lie to her. “I’m outside of Chelsey’s about to get in my car.”
“So you already ate?”
“I did.”
“Do you want to meet at Starbucks or something? Carl is already watching a game and isn’t planning to go out, and Bethany’s napping.”
“That would have been great, but I have a few errands I need to run, and then I’m heading home.”
“Errands on a Sunday? And why are you heading home when your family is over at your aunt Emma’s?”
Charlotte hated being questioned like this and wished Janine would take no for answer and leave it at that. “I’m getting some things done today so I won’t have so much to do next week.” Janine didn’t say anything, so Charlotte said, “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”
“Fine.”
“Talk to you later.”
Charlotte dropped her BlackBerry in her tote and walked back into the restaurant. She truly was sorry for lying to her best friend and for being short with her, but right now, she didn’t want to be bothered with anyone. She just wanted to be left alone for the rest of the afternoon.
She slid back into her booth, and Amber walked over. “So, can I get you anything else? One of our sandwich or salad specials maybe?”
“No, I’ve already eaten,” she lied. “But I will have a mango margarita, please.”
“I love those, too. I’ll be right back.”
Charlotte looked up at the large flat-screen television and saw that it was halftime. Just then, the guy who’d smiled at her strolled over.
“Mind if I join you for a few minutes? Just until the game comes back on?”
“Why?”
The tall, broad-shouldered man chuckled, and Charlotte couldn’t ignore how handsome he was if she wanted to. “You were sitting here all alone, so I figured maybe you wanted some company.”
“No, I think I’m good.”
“Oh,” he said, glancing at her left hand. “I see you’re married.”
“Very.”
The man took a couple of steps back. “I’m sorry I bothered you, then, and please know I meant no disrespect.”
“No problem,” she said. “It was an easy mistake. I guess.”
“What? You thought I saw your ring up front but still tried talking to you?”
“You tell me.”
“Okay,” he said, smiling. “You’re right, I admit it. I saw that monstrous rock as soon as I came over here.”
Charlotte shook her head, smiling.
“So, please accept my apology. Although, I will say this, your husband is a very lucky man.”
“You think so, huh?”
“For sure. He’s also a little naïve.”
Charlotte’s heart skipped a beat, and she wondered if he recognized her or knew Curtis. Chelsey’s was local, but since she’d been coming there, she hadn’t seen anyone familiar and hadn’t thought anyone knew her either. This wasn’t the kind of place a lot of Christians would prefer spending time at, and it was one of the reasons she loved it. “Why do you say that?”
“Shoot, a beautiful woman like you and he’s letting you come out to sports bars without him?”
Charlotte exhaled. “Well, first of all, I’ve always come here mainly for the food and not for the setting.”
“Really?” he said as Amber walked up and set her drink on the table. “Then that must be virgin.”
Charlotte smiled at her waitress. “Thank you.”
“You’re quite welcome.”
“So, is it?” the man continued.
“Do you have a name?” Charlotte asked, sort of teasing him.
“Greg Parker, but you still haven’t answered my question.”
“Why are you so worried about it?”
“I’m not.”
“Sounds like it to me.”
“You’re funny.”
Charlotte held the straw and sipped some of her drink.
“Oh well,” he said. “I guess I’ll head back over to my boys. But it was nice meeting you… although, I still don’t know your name.”
“Maybe that’s a good thing.”
“You take care,” he said, looking her up and down and walking away.
Charlotte watched him and was glad he hadn’t insisted on taking a seat, because deep down, she’d wanted some company. She hadn’t thought so when she’d first arrived or when she’d spoken to Janine, but now she was lonely. She felt good thanks to the very tasty spirits she’d been drinking, but it would have been nice laughing and talking with someone, too. It was the reason she got Greg’s attention and summoned him back to her booth with her forefinger. He obliged and sat down in front of her in seconds.
Chapter 18
Curtis hadn’t bothered calling Charlotte, because his gut told him exactly where she was. Not specifically mind you, but he knew she was somewhere getting toasted. Fortunately, Curtina had ridden home with Aunt Emma, and though he was on his way there, too, he’d just answered a call from Janine.
“What’s wrong with her, Curtis?”
“She’s drinking.”
“What? Liquor?”
“Yep. And it’s excessive. She’s come home drunk twice now, and that was just in the last three days.”
“No.”
“Yep, and my guess is she’ll be arriving the same way tonight.”
“I’m stunned.”
“So am I. You should have seen the way she clowned yesterday, right before Matt left for his prom. It was ridiculous.”
“Oh my God. What happened?”
Curtis told her the details.
“This is too unreal. She actually said those things?”
“Every one of them.”
“But why?”
“She was drunk, and she didn’t care how she addressed any of us.”
“But why is she drinking so heavily?”
“I’m sure it’s because I won’t change my mind about divorcing her. She hasn’t told you about it?”
“No, she told me things weren’t good, but I had no idea you’d made a final decision.”
“I did that a long time ago.”
“I’m really sorry to hear that, Curtis. I was so sure things would be okay. Are you positive? Are you sure you can’t reconsider?”
Curtis wished everyone would stop asking him that. “I am.”
“I’m not saying I don’t understand your reasons, but I also don’t want to see your marriage come to an end. I don’t wish that on anyone.”
“Neither do I, but if I stay with Charlotte, things will only get worse, and the next thing you know, we’ll end up hating each other.”
“You do know how much she loves you, though, right? I know she’s done a lot of horrible things, but that’s the one thing that’s never changed with her.”
“Doesn’t matter. And it’s like I told her, sometimes love isn’t enough.”
“Curtis, you know I love you like a brother, and Charlotte is the best friend I’ve ever had, so this really breaks my heart.”
“It breaks mine, too, but it is what it is. These problems between Charlotte and me have gone on for years. Almost our entire marriage, and it’s time we ended it.”
“I disagree, and regardless of what final decision you feel like you’ve made, I’m going to keep praying for something different. I’m going to do what I’ve heard you say for years.”
“I appreciate your concern, Janine, but put yourself in my shoes. What if Carl slept with another woman, had a child with her, and then in return, you went out and had an affair and had a child with another man?”
“I’d say we both made two huge mistakes but that we
’re also even. I’d expect us to work things out and go on with our lives.”
“Exactly. But what if after all the time you spent reconciling and forgiving each other, Carl went out and had two additional affairs? What would you do then?”
“I don’t know. I’d like to believe I’d have a forgiving heart and that I’d still be able to honor our vows. I’d like to think we could get past anything, even if just for Bethany’s sake.”
“That’s easy to say when you haven’t actually experienced what I just described.”
“I agree, but, Curtis, I know you still love Charlotte.”
“That’s true. I won’t deny that, but we’ll get along so much better once we separate.”
“Maybe that’s all you need to do. Maybe if you separate from her, you’ll realize how much you miss her.”
“I wish it were that simple. I wish I had better news, because I know you really care about us, but…”
“What about the children? What is Matt saying? And what about poor little Curtina?”
“Matt knows what’s going on, and he’ll be fine. Curtina will be, too.”
“Gosh, Curtis, I wish there was something I could say.”
“I know. It’s not a pretty situation, and I’m hoping things don’t turn even uglier, but if Charlotte continues on her drinking binges, it will.”
Janine didn’t comment.
“Well, I guess I’d better go. I just drove into Aunt Emma’s driveway, and I’m sure they’re waiting for me.”
“You take care of yourself, Curtis.”
“You, too, and please give Carl my best.”
Curtis ended the call, parked his SUV, and went to the front door. He rang the doorbell twice, and Anise let him in.
She held the door open, waiting for him to walk past. “Mom and I are almost finished warming everything up and setting it on the table, and Curtina’s in the den watching a DVD.”
“Figures, and thanks so much for looking after her.”
“Of course. You know she’s more like Mom’s granddaughter than she is her great-niece. The two of them are like twins.”
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