She was backing away with embarrassment and trying to understand the odd expression on Valerie’s face when a man with a shaved head popped up from behind the couch. Beverly froze. The man she had just caught in the act with Valerie was not Otis.
It was Kevin, Evelyn’s husband.
For a second, all three of them looked as if they had just seen a spaceship land in the middle of the living room floor.
Kevin ducked as Valerie scrambled up off him and reached for the skirt lying across the back of the couch. Beverly stared at the empty space where Kevin’s head had once been and swallowed hard. She thought her eyes had to be playing a nasty trick on her and that it really was Otis who had ducked behind the couch. After all, both men had shaved heads. Then she looked at Valerie, hastily slipping into her skirt, and saw the look of utter shame on her friend’s face. That look could mean only one thing. Beverly’s eyes were not playing tricks on her.
Beverly thought she was going to be violently ill. She covered her mouth and backed up, and again tripped over the object on the floor. Only this time she landed flat on her rump. She realized that the thing that had her stumbling about like an idiot was a black leather duffel bag.
Kevin’s black leather duffel bag. Evelyn’s husband’s duffel bag. In her best friend’s apartment.
By the time Beverly scrambled back up with the dress and her purse, both Kevin and Valerie were off the couch. Valerie was buttoning her white shirt, and Kevin was grabbing his jeans off the floor.
“Oh… my… God!” Beverly yelled.
“Bev,” Valerie said as she smoothed her jet black hair down. Valerie kicked something red on the floor, and Beverly realized that it was Valerie’s thong just before it disappeared under the couch. “What… what are you doing here?” Valerie asked. “How did you get in?”
“I… I… how?” Beverly couldn’t get more than a few words out. She could barely breathe. Was this for real? Her best friend and her brother-in-law had just jumped up off a couch and both of them were naked. Now they were standing there together in front of her looking guilty as sin.
“Why are you here, Beverly?” Valerie repeated. “How did you get in?”
Oh no, Beverly thought. Even if Valerie had forgotten that Beverly had a key to her apartment, she wasn’t going to make Beverly feel guilty for letting herself in.
“You bitch!” Beverly screamed. She threw the bridesmaid dress onto the floor. “What difference does it make how I got in? How could you do this?”
Valerie looked down.
“Don’t give me that silent crap,” Beverly said. “Not now. Shit! Any other time, I can’t get you to fucking shut up.”
“I have nothing to say.”
“Too bad,” Beverly said. “’Cause I’m just getting warmed up. Are you really so desperate that you have to sleep with my sister’s husband? Never mind what this does to me. How the hell could you do this to Evelyn? Hasn’t she been good to you all these years?”
Valerie just stared at the floor, so Beverly turned her ire on her brother-in-law. “And you, Kevin. I don’t even know what to say to you.”
“If I tried to explain this to you, you would never understand,” he said.
Beverly glared at him. “You’re right, I wouldn’t. No one understands what’s gotten into you lately. You’re not the man my sister married. Frankly, you disgust me now. Both of you do.”
“We didn’t plan for this to happen,” Kevin said. “We talked and one thing led to another and…” His voice trailed off as if he knew there were no words to explain this. “I’m sorry you had to walk in and see it.”
“Oh, I bet you are sorry, but only because you know I’ll tell Evelyn.”
“If that’s what you feel you have to do,” Kevin said. “I don’t think it’s wise, given her fragile emotional state now, but…” He shrugged.
“You don’t even care if I tell her, do you?” Beverly pointed her finger at him. “You know what? You’re crazy. And you two deserve each other. I hope you both rot in hell.”
“Bev, I’m sorry,” Valerie said. “I don’t know what else—”
Beverly held her hand up to stop Valerie. “You know what? I don’t even want to hear your excuses now.”
“I know there’s no way to explain this,” Valerie said. “I just—”
“I said, save it, bitch,” Beverly interrupted. “I don’t ever want to see or hear from you again.” She threw the keys in her hands at Valerie. Valerie ducked out of the way, and Beverly turned and kicked Kevin’s duffel bag. It was heavy and didn’t move much, so she unzipped and lifted it, turned it upside down, and shook until the contents spilled onto the floor.
“Hey!” Kevin shouted as he flew around the couch toward her. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
Beverly dropped the bag and ran toward the front door. Then she remembered the dress. She was damned if she was going to let Valerie keep that dress even if there wasn’t much she could ever do with it. Beverly snatched the dress from the floor, then ran out and slammed the door shut behind her, drowning out Kevin’s protests about his shaving cream and underwear being scattered all over the floor.
She didn’t bother with the elevator. Instead she ran through the hallway, down the four flights of stairs and out to the parking lot. It wasn’t until she reached her car that she paused to catch her breath. She leaned against the Lexus, her head spinning wildly as she tried to steady herself.
Was all that for real? Had she actually just caught her best friend and her brother-in-law screwing? She shook her head. It felt like she was having a nightmare.
But she wasn’t. Beverly had always thought that Valerie had a crush on Kevin, but she never, ever believed her friend would go this far. She thought Valerie was better than that. And despite all the changes Kevin was going through, Beverly would never have imagined that he would betray Evelyn this way. How could she have been so mistaken about two people she thought she knew so well? At times like this, she hated the idea of sex. It made people do wacky things just to feel good for a few moments, things they knew were wrong or deceitful.
She fumbled in her shoulder bag for her car key. As she inserted it in the lock and opened the door, she realized that her hands were trembling. She climbed in, tossed her purse on the passenger seat, and closed her eyes. How was she ever going to face Evelyn and tell her about this? Evelyn was having enough trouble trying to adjust to the changes in Kevin and to his leaving her. Now she had to know that he was cheating with Valerie. Beverly felt guilty herself in a way, since Valerie was her friend.
Beverly gave Valerie’s red Volvo one last evil glare. Her mind flashed back to the time she had almost slashed a cheating boyfriend’s convertible top, and for a second she was tempted to run over and key Valerie’s car. But she had grown past that kind of foolishness. That would only make things worse. Hell, that wouldn’t be a whole lot smarter than Valerie’s stupid decision to sleep with Kevin.
What she had to do now was get up the nerve to drive to Evelyn’s house and deliver the bad news.
Chapter 24
As Beverly knocked on Evelyn’s front door, she almost hoped her sister wouldn’t answer. Then she wouldn’t have to tell her about Valerie and Kevin, at least not now.
No such luck. Evelyn opened almost immediately. And not only that, she looked more upbeat than she had for weeks. She was smiling broadly and was dressed in a chic salmon-colored pantsuit, obviously on her way to or from somewhere.
“Beverly!” Evelyn said with surprise. “I didn’t know you were coming by.”
Beverly realized that she had been so wrapped up in trying to figure out how to give Evelyn the heartbreaking news about Kevin and Valerie that she completely forgot to call Evelyn on her cell phone and tell her that she was on the way over. Beverly had toyed with the idea of calling Charmaine and asking her to meet her at Evelyn’s house to help break the news. But she had decided against that. Evelyn should be the first to hear this.
Beverly step
ped into the house and forced a half smile across her lips. “I should have called first. You’re going out?”
“I was on my way to the mall. Nordstrom is having a handbag sale, and you know how I love handbags. You should come with me.”
Beverly shook her head sadly. “No, not today.”
The smile faded slowly from Evelyn’s face. “Come on in and sit down,” she said, and led Beverly into the kitchen. “Obviously something’s bothering you. I’ll make some tea, and we can talk about it.”
Beverly sat down at the kitchen table and watched as Evelyn walked to the stove to put on the kettle for tea. Evelyn was probably the last woman on the planet who still used a kettle to make hot tea. Beverly was tempted to tell Evelyn not to bother, to just sit down and let her say what she came to say. But she was so nervous, she relished the extra few minutes that making tea would provide. On one hand, Beverly wanted to get this over with. On the other, she dreaded having to tell at all. But what else could she do? There was no way in hell she could live with herself if she didn’t tell Evelyn what she had just seen.
Evelyn placed dainty white teacups and saucers on the table in front of each of them and sat down across from Beverly while waiting for the water to boil.
“So what is it?” Evelyn asked. “Is Julian all right? This isn’t about the wedding, is it?”
Beverly nodded. “He’s fine. We’re both fine. I came to tell you something else.”
Evelyn raised her brows in anticipation.
“I just left…” Beverly paused and cleared her throat. “Um…”
Evelyn glanced down at Beverly’s hands on the table. It was unlike her baby sister to be wringing her hands. Something must be dreadfully wrong. “What is it, Beverly? I just talked to Ma, and she and Daddy were fine.”
“No, it’s not them.”
“Then what is it? Just come out and say it.”
“It’s about Kevin.”
“Oh. I was over there earlier this week, and we had a good heart-to-heart talk. He really opened up to me for the first time in, I don’t know how long. Said he was going to call me this weekend so that we can…”
Beverly held a hand up to stop her sister. “Evelyn, I just saw him.”
“Saw him where?”
Beverly swallowed. God, this was as hard as she thought it would be. This was going to turn Evelyn’s world completely upside down. It would likely be the worst news Evelyn had ever had, and Beverly hated being the one to deliver it.
“What is wrong with you, Bev?” Evelyn asked. “You have this weird look on your face. You’re scaring me.”
“I saw him at Val’s apartment and… they were… they were, you know.”
Evelyn stared at Beverly blankly.
“Getting it on.”
Evelyn continued to stare at her sister in silence for a moment. She had heard the words, but she wasn’t sure what they meant. She had an inkling, but she wasn’t going to allow herself to go there on just a hint. “What do you mean, Bev? Getting what on?”
Beverly was silent, and Evelyn noticed that she actually looked to be in physical pain, as if she was having a real tough time saying what was on her mind. Getting it on. Getting it on. The words echoed in Evelyn’s head. She didn’t like the sound of that. No, she didn’t like the sound of that at all.
The kettle pierced the silence with a loud whistle, and Evelyn stood abruptly. Her leg bumped the table, and the cups rattled in their saucers.
“What are you trying to say, Beverly?”
Beverly stared at her fingers as the whistle grew louder. “They were having sex,” she said, raising her voice to be heard over the kettle. “I walked in on them and they were having sex.” Beverly exhaled loudly. There, she had said it. And now she wanted to cry.
“You…” Evelyn paused and touched her forehead. “You saw them together?”
Beverly nodded. “I’m so sorry.”
Evelyn laughed nervously. She didn’t know why but she found the thought of Kevin and Valerie screwing horribly funny. Kevin and Valerie fucking? She held her belly and laughed out loud. Before she knew what was happening, her laughter had morphed into sobs and she was crying hysterically.
Beverly stood and moved close to comfort her. She wanted to turn the damn stove off, the kettle was so loud now. But Evelyn needed her more.
“Oh, my God,” Evelyn said as she rested her head on Beverly’s shoulder. “Why would he do this?”
“I don’t know.” Beverly rubbed Evelyn’s back soothingly. “I don’t know why either of them would do this.”
Evelyn sank back down into her chair and plucked a napkin from the holder. She sniffed and blew her nose loudly. “Tell me what happened. Tell me everything. Did you talk to him?”
Beverly turned off the stove, picked up the teakettle, and poured water into both of their cups. She placed the kettle back on the stovetop and sat down. Evelyn took a sip of tea, and Beverly noticed that her lips were quivering.
“Ma called this morning and told me that the bridal salon wanted someone to pick up Valerie’s dress because they were going to be closed this afternoon and next week for repairs. I couldn’t get Valerie on the phone for hours, so I drove out to Baltimore, got the dress myself, and took it to her apartment. We had exchanged keys years ago, in case one of us got locked out, and I used her key to let myself in.” Beverly paused and closed her eyes at the memory. “They were in there on the couch. I thought I would pass out.”
“You walked in on them, right in the middle of it?”
Beverly nodded. “I didn’t see much since the back of the couch was facing me, but yes. They were both undressed.”
Evelyn turned up her nose. “That’s sickening. What did Kevin say?”
Beverly smacked her lips and rolled her eyes. “That it just happened. That’s what they both said. And he didn’t seem that worried when I told him I was going to tell you.”
Evelyn threw her hands in the air with finality. “That bastard. Why Valerie, of all people? If he doesn’t give a damn about how I feel, he should realize that this doesn’t hurt just me. It hurts you, Andre and Rebecca, our whole family. But no, the only person he thinks about anymore is himself.”
Beverly was silent. What could she say?
“And what’s gotten into Valerie?” Evelyn asked.
“I have no idea,” Beverly said, shaking her head sadly. “We’ve been best friends since college. I can’t pretend to understand what she was thinking.”
“I’m actually more surprised about Valerie doing this than Kevin. I don’t put anything past that man anymore. But you and Valerie have been so close for so long. I would never have thought she’d do this to you.”
“In a way, I feel like this is partly my fault,” Beverly said.
“Of course it’s not your fault.”
“If Valerie wasn’t my friend, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“Get that idea out of your head, Bev. In no way, shape, or form is this your fault. This is Valerie’s doing. And Kevin’s. Stop blaming yourself.”
Beverly sighed deeply. “I hear you. What are you going to do about him?”
Evelyn shook her head with despair. “Nothing right now.”
“Nothing?” Beverly repeated.
“You heard me.”
“You have to do something,” Beverly protested. “At least call him and cuss him out.”
Evelyn shook her head firmly. “That’s silly. What good will that do?”
“Not much. You’re right. Then I guess it really is over between you two after this, right?”
Evelyn hesitated. “That’s the million-dollar question,” she said. And one she couldn’t answer yet.
“You can’t seriously still be thinking of trying to work it out with him after this, can you?” Beverly asked.
“I don’t know what to think,” Evelyn said. She leaned her elbow on the table and rubbed her forehead. “I don’t even want to try to figure anything out now.”
Chapter 25
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Is Evelyn here?” Charmaine asked as she stepped across the threshold and into her parents’ house. She was holding two cake dishes, and Kenny and Russell followed with several Safeway bags full of beverages, chips, and homemade cookies. “I didn’t see her car outside.”
“Not yet,” Mama said as she took one of the cake dishes from Charmaine. Daddy went to the door to help Kenny and Russell with the grocery bags. “She said she was coming, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if she doesn’t after what happened yesterday.”
“Isn’t it awful?” Charmaine said. “Beverly called around midnight and woke me to tell me that she had walked in on Kevin and Valerie.”
The night before, Charmaine had been sulking in bed, bone weary after a long day baking for the party and feeling miserable about Tyrone’s departure. But she was so startled at the news that she had bolted straight up out of bed and yelled, “What? You’re lying.”
“No, I’m not,” Beverly had said. “You heard me right.”
“That bitch! Just because Evelyn and Kevin are having problems doesn’t mean it’s open season on Evelyn’s man. If I ever see Valerie’s sorry ass again I swear I’m going to kick it back to Africa.”
It was only when Kenny came running into the room wielding a baseball bat that Charmaine realized how loudly she was shouting. She mouthed the word sorry and waved him back to bed.
“Stop talking trash, Charmaine,” Beverly had said. “That would only make things worse. Evelyn wants to let it be and it’s her call.”
Charmaine had nodded on the phone. Beverly was right, but she was still aching to put a hurt on that woman.
“I guess this means Valerie isn’t going to be the matron of honor in your wedding, then,” Charmaine had spit out, her voice full of irony.
Beverly had scoffed. “Hell, no. That’s one reason I’m calling. I wanted to ask you to do it. Evelyn is going through so much now.”
“No problem,” Charmaine had said. “You know I will.”
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