“Isn’t that the truth.”
Aunt Emma set the yams onto an iron trivet. “Hey, Curtis.”
“Hey, and thanks for having us over.”
“Of course. Where’s that wife of yours? And why did she leave church so early?”
Curtis scanned the smorgasbord Aunt Emma had prepared—macaroni and cheese, baked ham, mustard greens, sweet corn, fried chicken, home-baked dinner rolls, and banana pudding. “Who knows? She could be just about anywhere.”
Aunt Emma placed her hand on her hip. “Meaning?”
“It’s a long story, but Charlotte has been going out drinking. A lot.”
Anise frowned. “Why?”
Curtis filled them in about everything that had happened, and Anise said, “How pathetic.”
“Now, Anise, don’t you be like that,” Aunt Emma said.
“I’m sorry, Mom, but the truth is the truth. And, Curtis, you’re a good one, because I’m surprised you’ve stayed with her this long.”
Aunt Emma started back into the kitchen but said, “I wish you didn’t feel that way about your cousin, Anise.”
“Mom, you know I’ve felt like this for years. Ever since Charlotte slept with my husband.”
“I realize that, but that was a long time ago, and you and David have been divorced forever.”
“Still, I know who Charlotte is and what she’s capable of. I know she can’t be trusted.”
“She’s still family, and as a Christian woman, you have an obligation to forgive her.”
“I have forgiven her… to a certain extent. But every time I think about my own first cousin, my own flesh and blood sleeping with the man I loved, it makes me sick. Especially since I loved Charlotte like a sister. I did everything with her and for her, and this was the thanks I got?”
Curtina ran into the room, and Curtis was sort of glad because he didn’t want to talk about Charlotte anymore.
“Daddyyyy!”
“Hey, sweetie. How’s Daddy’s girl?”
“I’m good,” she said, looking around the room. “Where’s Mommy?”
“She had someplace to go.”
“Where?”
“Just something she had to do. She’ll be home later, though.”
“Will she be there before us?”
“I hope so.”
Thankfully, Anise changed the subject. “So, where was Matthew’s picnic?”
“Mitchell Forest Preserve.”
“Oh wow, they have all kinds of water activities and some great barbecuing locations.”
“Yeah, he was pretty excited about going.”
Anise set extra napkins on the table. “I’ll bet he and Racquel looked fabulous last night, didn’t they?”
“They did. We’ll make sure you and Aunt Emma get copies of the photos.”
“That would be great.”
Curtina ran back into the den, and Curtis pulled out his vibrating phone to see who was texting him. He got a little nervous when he saw it was from Sharon, because the last thing he wanted was for Anise or Aunt Emma to know he was communicating with another woman. Still, he scrolled through and read what she’d sent him.
C, I just saw your wife at Chelsey’s so I know you’re alone. Please call me.
Curtis slipped his phone back into the leather case attached to his belt and wished Sharon hadn’t confirmed what he already knew. Charlotte was out drinking—at a sports bar no less—and the last thing he wanted was to deal with her madness. He also didn’t want Curtina witnessing Charlotte in a drunken state, so he decided right then he would ask Aunt Emma to keep Curtina overnight again. That way, he could confront Charlotte about her drinking once and for all.
Chapter 19
Curtis waited impatiently, contemplating everything he would say to Charlotte. It was six p.m. and he’d already taken clothing over to Curtina for school tomorrow. Finally Charlotte dragged herself into the house. Drunk as all get-out. Looking worse than some street person. Acting as though she barely knew where she was.
“You just don’t plan to stop, do you?” he said.
“Stop what, Curtis? Doing what I want? You’re just mad… because… you… can’t control… me.”
“I’m pissed off because I’m tired of dealing with this. I’m tired of dealing with you, and if you can’t end this, then you need to leave.”
She held on to the island, squeezing her eyes shut and opening them like she was dizzy. “I’ll do whatever I feel like doin’.”
“You need help.”
Charlotte laughed like a wild woman and pointed at him. “You’re the one with the problem, misterrr.”
“Look, either you stop this or I’m putting you out of here.”
Charlotte laughed louder than before. “I’m not goin’ anywhere. I’m stayin’ right here with my babies.”
“Keep it up and see what happens.”
Charlotte’s smile faded. She looked as though she’d sobered up for just a few seconds. “You’re not the boss of me, Curtis. You got that? I’m a grown woman, and how dare you threaten to kick me out.”
“Like I said, keep it up.”
“I will,” she said, letting go of the island and struggling to make her way through the kitchen and family room and over to the staircase.
“I also better not catch you driving around with Curtina, or you’ll find yourself in jail. I don’t want her in the car with you from now on.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”
Curtis watched her disappear and grabbed his keys. There was nothing worse than being around a drunk anybody, but being around a drunk woman was atrocious. So unladylike and downright repulsive, and Curtis needed to get as far away from Charlotte as possible. He needed to clear his head and settle his nerves, and he knew the perfect place to do that—the one place where he’d be welcomed with open arms. He knew he was exposing himself to unnecessary temptation, but he was tired. Tired of Charlotte and the drama she brought to their marriage every single day now. So, as far as he was concerned, he deserved a night out—he deserved an evening of total serenity, and he would get it.
Sharon shut the door behind Curtis. “This really is a wonderful surprise. When you didn’t text me back, I wasn’t sure what to think, so I’m glad you called.”
“I was at dinner and then had other business.”
“No problem. I’m just happy you’re here. Can I get you anything?”
“Tea maybe?”
“Raspberry?”
“That’ll be fine.”
“Have a seat,” she said, leaving for the kitchen, but Curtis could still see her from the family room.
Curtis sat on the plush, purple sofa and stretched out his legs. He was so worn out, mentally and physically, and he was already enjoying his escape—his time away from reality. He gazed at his surroundings, admiring Sharon’s elegant décor but soon noticed a Louis Vuitton handbag lying on one of the lavender armless chairs. Strangely enough, it was the exact same style Charlotte had purchased a few months ago and now carried to church quite regularly. It was interesting how similar some women’s tastes were.
After a while, Sharon came back into the room, handed him his drink, and set a coaster on the oversized, square ottoman in front of them. Finally, she took a seat next to him.
“It’s hard to believe this is only your second time visiting me. After more than a year. And I’m shocked you came this evening.”
“I needed a place of refuge.”
“Well, you’ll always have that here. But did something happen? Is there a reason I saw Charlotte hanging out the way she was? I mean, I run in there all the time to pick up carryout and sometimes I go there for lunch with colleagues, but it’s not the sort of place most women tend to frequent alone. Unless, of course, they’re looking for men.”
“Her drinking has gotten worse, and it’s starting to be a regular thing. Then, tonight, she was so wasted she couldn’t even drive her car up the driveway. When I left, I saw it sitting on the street in front of our house.�
��
“I’m so sorry.”
“Not as sorry as I am. But it’ll all be over soon.”
“I’m not sure I get what you mean?”
“I’m talking about our marriage and how I’m ending it.”
Sharon turned her body slightly toward him. “I’m not surprised.”
“I’m sure you’re not.” Curtis sighed. “This has been a long, tough road, and while I’ve tried keeping things private, I’m relieved to finally be telling someone other than family.”
“Releasing pain is good for the soul, and talking about it makes all the difference.”
“I know. I’ve always known that, but you have to realize, this whole ordeal isn’t going to affect just my wife and me. It’s going to involve my children, and to a certain extent, it’ll affect our congregation.”
“I agree, but you’ll be okay. It’ll be hard in the beginning, but before you know it, time will pass, everyone will adjust, and you’ll be living a new normal. You’ll realize you made the right decision for everyone.”
Curtis wanted to believe her, and he guessed he did for the most part, but he still wasn’t looking forward to the overall process. He didn’t want to think about the tears Curtina would likely shed or the internal pain Matthew would pretend he wasn’t feeling. He also dreaded having to tell the members of the church that their senior pastor, the man they loyally supported, was getting a divorce—again. Not once or twice, but for the third time. He’d been married to Charlotte ever since they’d founded Deliverance Outreach, but everyone still knew his history. They knew he’d been the cause of his other two marriages falling apart, so he feared they might wonder if this particular split was his fault, too. There was no pretending he was completely innocent, not even in a miniscule sort of way, but he also wasn’t the one who’d caused the grand finale.
Sharon flipped on the DVD player, and they watched some love story Curtis had never seen before, but mostly he thought about his problems, the future, and possible repercussions. He worried about the potential aftermath, because he couldn’t imagine Charlotte leaving quietly—regardless of what any judge had to say about it. She would fight until the very end, and Curtis knew he was in for a spectacle.
Sharon turned her entire body toward him, moved closer, and bent her leg onto the sofa. She rested her elbow on the back of it. “So what are you going to do once you divorce her?”
Curtis would have much preferred she’d kept her distance, so he kept his eyes on the TV screen. “I haven’t thought that far.”
“Will you and I finally be able to spend more time together?”
“Can’t say.”
“Why?”
“Because publicly I don’t want to bring any more shame to my children than I have to.”
“Well, what if we were discreet?”
He finally looked at her. “Why can’t we just enjoy the friendship we have now?”
“We are, but I also wanna know where we’ll stand later on.”
“Wish I could say.”
Curtis didn’t think there was any room left between them, but Sharon moved even closer. She gazed into his eyes and smoothed the hair on the back of his head. Curtis drank some of his tea, purposely not looking at her again.
“You must be the most handsome man I’ve ever seen, and I’m not sure how much longer I can continue fighting these urges—how long I can keep going without.”
Curtis glanced at her in shock.
“What? Did you think I’d been seeing other men?”
“Well, actually, yes. I mean, why wouldn’t you?”
Sharon gently rubbed the back of his head again. “Curtis, Curtis, Curtis. You really don’t get it, do you?”
“What?”
“That I want only you and no one else.”
“I guess I understand now,” he admitted. “But I really wish you would date other guys.”
“Why?”
“Because I can’t guarantee I’ll ever be able to commit to you or see you on an exclusive basis.”
“Are you saying there’s someone else or that there’s no possibility for us?”
Curtis thought about Tanya, but said, “No, I’m not saying anything like that.”
“Then if it’s okay with you, I’ll take my chances. I’ll wait for as long as I need to.”
Curtis gazed into her light brown eyes but quickly regretted it because they were more mesmerizing than ever.
“Let me show you how much I love you, Curtis.”
“Love is a very strong word. Especially for two people who haven’t shared much more than phone conversation.”
“Lots of phone conversation. Many times, every week over the last year. Enough for me to know I’m in love with you. So come on.”
“You know I can’t do that.”
“Come on, baby. Please don’t keep denying me. Don’t make me suffer the way you have been,” she said, caressing both sides of his face.
Chills trickled through his body. Then she slid her hand across his chest and onto his lap.
Curtis slowly pushed it away. “This is wrong.”
“If you didn’t want me, baby, you wouldn’t be here.”
“That’s just it—I do want you,” he said, slightly laughing and standing up.
“Then stop fighting me. Stop trying to delay our fate.”
Curtis thought about all the scriptures he’d been reading, those that had prevented him from committing adultery, but tonight, he felt weak and like he couldn’t control himself. Like he couldn’t restrain the sinful desires of his heart. Lust consumed the forefront of his thinking, and he was frightened by it. For four straight years, he’d been faithful and free of a cheating spirit, but now he found himself at a crossroads, and he was confused.
Sharon left the sofa and grabbed him around the neck. “Baby, this is our destiny. You and I were meant to be, so let’s not try to change that. Let’s do what you know you came here to do in the first place.”
Curtis fixed his eyes on her and knew he had to make a choice—and then he’d have to live with it.
Sharon held him tighter and said, “Plus, it’s not like your wife was alone when I saw her. She was sitting with some guy.”
Curtis swallowed hard, not knowing how he should feel about this latest newsflash. For months, he’d told Charlotte their marriage was over, but now that he was hearing about another man, it didn’t feel so good. Not because he was planning to change his mind about divorcing her, but maybe it was because they had so much history. They had children, they’d lived a full life together, and truth was, he’d gotten used to what he’d gotten used to. With Charlotte, there had always been a certain sense of security and comfort through good times and bad, and this was the first time he’d seriously thought about the end result—what life would be like as a single man with no companion.
Over the next couple of minutes, he replayed Sharon’s words but knew this had been bound to happen. He’d been sure Charlotte would ultimately give up on him, because after all, he’d been repeatedly encouraging her to do so. But he couldn’t deny that this news about her and some other man had caught him off guard.
“Baby, come on. Let’s go in my bedroom,” Sharon said, clasping her hands inside his, and Curtis realized he still had a choice to make. Clearly, there were only two viable options, though: escaping this place as quickly as possible or sleeping with a woman who craved him.
So what was a man to do?
Chapter 20
Yesterday had certainly been a close call, but Charlotte was glad she hadn’t slept with Greg—even though she’d sort of wanted to. She knew it was a disgrace even admitting something like this, even to herself, but it was true: She had seriously considered accepting an invitation over to his place and had fantasized about what it would be like making love to him. She’d almost told him yes, because she’d wanted to be close to someone—she’d needed a strong, handsome man to love, appreciate, and make her happy. She’d longed for intimacy and attention, some
thing she no longer received from Curtis.
Charlotte peered into the bathroom mirror and couldn’t remember ever looking so run-down. Well, maybe she had that one time when she’d caught some nasty, two-week virus, but that was it. Today, however, she looked exhausted, unsightly and pale, and she knew it was because of how drunk she’d gotten. She’d already downed a couple of drinks by the time Greg had joined her, and he’d bought her three more. Soon she’d become a lot more than tipsy. In fact, she’d consumed so much it hadn’t been until this morning that she’d sort of remembered it was Greg who’d driven her home. He’d insisted she was too intoxicated to get behind the wheel, and Charlotte had agreed. Although, now she was mortified about her decision because what if Curtis had seen another man driving the Mercedes he’d given her as a gift two years ago and parking it in front of their house? What if he’d seen Greg helping her out of the car and then waiting for her to make it safely up the driveway before taking off in another vehicle with his friend? Worse, had she actually been careless enough to allow a stranger access to their security gate remote controller? She wouldn’t have. Would she? But if she hadn’t, how had she been able to enter the driveway and walk up it? Sadly, she couldn’t recall one way or the other but prayed that maybe the gate had somehow already been open, and Greg hadn’t had to use it. She prayed the controller would still be in her car when she went outside, and now she was sorry she hadn’t programmed the signal into one of the buttons on the overhead console of her car the same as she had for the garage.
She left the bedroom and went downstairs, and as she strolled closer to the kitchen, she heard Curtis, Matthew, and Agnes laughing. However, as soon as she entered, there was complete silence until Agnes said, “Good morning, Miss Charlotte.”
“Good morning.”
Matthew scooped up some of his grits and never looked at her. Curtis did his usual reading-the-newspaper thing so he wouldn’t have to acknowledge her either.
Still, Charlotte sat down and said, “Good morning, Matt.”
He looked straight ahead but at least mumbled, “Mornin’.”
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