“That’s better,” Mama said. “It makes me much happier to see you two working together instead of arguing with each other.”
Little more than an hour later, the three sisters sat around a table on the patio at Evelyn’s house, sipping chardonnay and munching on rum cake left over from the party. It was a warm June evening, but Evelyn hadn’t gotten dressed all day long and she was still wearing her white silk pajamas. Beverly had changed into cutoff blue jeans, and Charmaine into siren red shorts.
“Have you talked to Valerie at all since this happened?” Charmaine asked. She kicked off her flip-flops and put her feet up on one of the spare lawn chairs as she looked across the table at Beverly.
Beverly leaned back and looked out over the lawn. She felt peaceful now, sitting and relaxing with her sisters under the glow of the summer moonlight. Certainly she was much calmer than she had been since walking in on Valerie and Kevin the day before.
But no, she hadn’t talked to Valerie, and she shook her head adamantly. “I don’t care if I never see that bitch’s skanky face again.”
“Want me to call her and ask what the hell she was thinking?” Charmaine asked. “I’ll probably end up cussing the whore out.”
“That’s why I haven’t contacted her,” Beverly said. “I’m so pissed, I know I won’t give her a chance to say much of anything. What in the world could she possibly say, anyway, to explain what she did?”
“That was some nasty shit she pulled,” Charmaine added as she took a sip of wine.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been so hurt in all my life,” Evelyn said. “I’ve been fuming all day, wondering how Kevin could do this to me. I don’t see why you all put all the blame on Valerie. Kevin was just as wrong. Hell, he’s even more wrong as far as I’m concerned.”
“I don’t blame just her,” Beverly said. “I know Kevin was being an ass. But why do you say he was more at fault than her?”
“Because he’s a husband,” Evelyn said. “And a father. Yes, Valerie is guilty of betraying you, and me to a lesser extent. But Kevin broke his marriage vows to me, the ones he took before God. Valerie didn’t break any vows to anyone. And I’ve always believed that when a man cheats on his wife, he’s also cheating his children. The separation alone has been hard on Andre and especially Rebecca. How do you think they’ll feel to find out that Kevin has slept with another woman? That he betrayed their mother? All I’ve heard is what a bitch Valerie is. What about what a bastard Kevin turned out to be?”
“Amen to that,” Charmaine said.
“Preach on, sister,” Beverly said.
“Kevin and I may be separated now, but we’re still legally married,” Evelyn added, getting warmed up. “Even if we had already signed the divorce papers, he had no right to mess around with my sister’s best friend. All the women in the world, and he picked Valerie? That was just plain mean.”
Beverly nodded. “Okay, I get it. Well spoken. Kevin’s betrayal is far worse when you put it that way. Still, I’ll never be able to forgive Valerie or trust her as long as I live. Him either, but she was my best friend since college. We talked to each other almost every day.”
“I get that too,” Evelyn said.
“I hear what you’re saying about Kevin,” Charmaine said. “But I think Valerie makes me so mad because men always do this kind of thing. They think with their dicks instead of their brains. Sometimes it seems like they can’t help themselves. But I expect a lot more from a girlfriend who was as close to Bev as Valerie was.”
Evelyn scoffed. “I don’t buy that ‘boys will be boys’ crap. I just don’t. First, they’re not boys. They’re men and they should be able to control themselves better. We buy into the bad-boy myth and let these grown men get away with murder. We’re ready to scratch the other woman’s eyeballs out but barely say anything to the man, our man, the one who cheated on us. That’s wrong on so many levels.”
“I agree,” Beverly said. “Why do you think we do that?”
“Because if we really hold our man accountable for cheating on us, we might have to break up with him. We don’t want to do that, so we tell ourselves that the other woman is responsible and that it wasn’t really his fault. Poor baby, she tempted him and he couldn’t help it. But now that I’ve caught him and he knows I’m aware, he’ll never do it again. Bull.”
Charmaine nodded thoughtfully. “If I can just keep all the other bad women away from him, everything will be all right from now on. Then we get all possessive, watching their every move like hawks. You got a point, Evelyn, I admit.”
“We have to realize that it’s the man who broke the bond of trust that we had with him,” Evelyn said. “Unless she’s a close friend, the woman doesn’t owe us a damn thing.”
“You’ve been doing a lot of thinking today,” Beverly said.
“I had to. Last night after you left, I thought I was coming unglued. I couldn’t stop crying and I literally felt sick. This morning when I woke up I didn’t feel much better. Kevin and I had what I thought was a heartfelt talk just days ago, and I was waiting for him to call this weekend to talk about patching things up. And then this happened. My God! It felt like a door had been slammed in my face. And I won’t lie. I fantasized about driving over to Valerie’s place and whipping her ass good.”
Beverly chuckled at the thought of Evelyn trying to whip anyone’s butt. “You?”
“Hell yeah. I fell into the usual trap of thinking that she was the one who had ruined any chances of us getting back together. Then I realized that he had screwed things up for us and that what I really need to do is move on, get that man out of my life.” Evelyn flicked her fingers contemptuously.
“So it’s over for you two?” Charmaine asked.
Evelyn nodded. “Oh, yes. I was trying to save the marriage, but that takes both people in the relationship. I can’t do it alone.”
“I agree,” Charmaine said.
“This is all so confusing,” Beverly said.
“What is?” Evelyn asked.
“Marriage. Divorce. How does this happen with a man like Kevin? He seemed like a good husband.”
“I wish I could answer that,” Evelyn said. “I can’t.”
“Did he change?” Beverly asked. “Or was this in him all along?”
“It’s in all men, if you ask me,” Charmaine said.
“I hope you’re wrong,” Beverly said as she thought about Julian. “What you’re basically saying is that all men are dogs.”
“Hmm,” Charmaine murmured, then took a generous sip from her wineglass.
“Don’t do that,” Evelyn said, kicking Charmaine under the table. “You’re going to scare her and that’s the last thing we need to do less than a week before her wedding day.”
“I’m just trying to be honest,” Charmaine said. “I really do believe it’s in all men to cheat. Every last one of them. In some of ’em, it’s buried down deeper, but it’s still there. That doesn’t mean they all do it—some need more motivation than others.”
“Do you think it’s in all women too?” Beverly asked. “Because I know I would never do something like that.”
“Sisters are wired different,” Charmaine said. “We need more motivation or temptation than men do, as a rule. There are exceptions, but most women who cheat are desperate for love or affection. Men just want to get it on.”
“I don’t like thinking it’s in my man’s nature to cheat on me and that I have always got to be on alert,” Beverly said.
Charmaine shrugged. “It is what it is. As long as you marry a decent man and keep him happy in the sex department, you should be fine.”
“You’re saying that the responsibility for a man not cheating falls on my shoulders?” Evelyn said with doubt. “And that I have to be ready to put out whenever he wants it. That’s the most ridiculous thing I ever heard.”
“Men aren’t as evolved as women are. So yeah, you have to take some of the responsibility for keeping him from straying.”
Beverly shook her head inc
redulously. “Give guys a bit more credit than that, Charm.” If what Charmaine was saying was even remotely true, it was depressing, Beverly thought. That meant that what happened to Evelyn could happen to any woman, including her, and Beverly didn’t want to think that.
“I really would like to,” Charmaine said. “But men have been cheating on me since my first boyfriend in high school. Then I got smart about it.”
“And started acting like a slut?” Beverly teased.
Charmaine rolled her eyes at Beverly. “No, I learned to spot men who are less likely to cheat. Then I make sure they’re satisfied in every way.”
“Speaking of high school,” Evelyn said. “Guess who I ran into.”
“Who?” Beverly asked.
“You remember Reuben?”
“Reuben Roberts?” Charmaine asked.
Evelyn nodded.
“Get out!” Charmaine exclaimed.
“Who’s Reuben Roberts?” Beverly asked.
“He went to high school with me and Charm,” Evelyn said. “Tall, slim. Played basketball.”
“Is he still hot?” Charmaine asked.
“Yes, he’s still attractive,” Evelyn said. “Maybe even more so, since he’s filled out nicely, in the way older men often do.”
“Oh, I think I remember him now,” Beverly said. “Y’all used to talk about how fine he was all the time.”
“Yep, that’s him,” Charmaine said. “Where did you run into him, Evelyn?”
“At the office. He works in my building. Just moved there recently. We had coffee a couple of weeks ago and lunch last week.”
“Ooh, nice,” Beverly said.
“Not so fast,” Charmaine said. “He got married right after college, if I remember right. What was her name?”
“Belinda,” Evelyn responded. “But they split up recently. That’s one reason he moved out this way.”
“It figures,” Beverly said. “Can anybody stay married these days?”
“It ain’t easy,” Charmaine responded. “What’s Reuben been up to?”
“He’s a tech consultant and he’s branching out on his own. He has two boys, both grown, and I’m having dinner with him on Wednesday.”
“Wow, you’re not wasting any time,” Beverly said.
“Nope. He called this afternoon and asked. I thought, why not? Here I am lounging around in my pajamas feeling sorry for myself because of a husband who doesn’t give a damn about me. Why shouldn’t I go out and have some fun? No crime in that.”
“You should fuck him,” Charmaine said.
“Charmaine!” Beverly laughed. “What the hell’s wrong with you, girl?”
“I don’t pay her any mind when she talks like that,” Evelyn said, waving Charmaine off.
“I’m serious. It would do you a world of good. That’s what I would do. Hell, yeah.”
“I don’t doubt it,” Evelyn said. “But you’re not me. We don’t think of sex the same way. I didn’t even sleep with Kevin until we had been dating for a couple of months, and believe it or not I’ve been faithful to him all these years. For you, Charmaine, sex is like brushing your teeth.”
“Hardly. I’m definitely a one-man woman. I don’t sleep around, but I will get it on with someone once in a while if I’m attracted to him and we’re both unattached. I bet it’s been a while since you and Kevin slept together. Right?”
Evelyn shrugged.
“You know I’m right,” Charmaine said. “And you’re a single woman now. Or almost. If you’re feeling it for Reuben, go for it.”
“But I’m not feeling that.”
“Uh-huh,” Charmaine said doubtfully. “You’re denying your feelings, is more like it.”
Beverly laughed. “Sometimes it’s hard to believe we’re sisters. We’re so different.”
Charmaine smiled. “True. But that’s what keeps things interesting.”
“Now that I can agree with,” Evelyn said.
“Seriously, though, you should think about what I said,” Charmaine added. “Free your mind and do something purely for yourself. I bet when you’re having lunch with Reuben that Kevin is the furthest person from your mind, isn’t he?”
Evelyn laughed as she thought about how true that was.
“See?” Charmaine said, smiling in triumph.
“I admit that being around Reuben is refreshing,” Evelyn said. “But sleeping with him at this point is out of the question. It’s way too early. Besides, I’m still legally married.”
“To a cheater,” Charmaine said.
“We haven’t even begun divorce proceedings.”
“When are you?” Beverly asked.
“I’m going to contact a lawyer this week. I have to after this.”
“When you’re ready call me,” Charmaine said. “I’ll hook you up.”
Beverly sipped her wine and sighed deeply as she listened to her sisters discuss the pros and cons of various divorce attorneys. All she could think was that she fervently hoped she never ended up needing one.
Chapter 27
After leaving Evelyn’s and picking up Kenny and Russell from the movies, Charmaine entered the house and went straight up to get ready for bed. It had been a long couple of days and she was tired. She climbed between the sheets and flipped the television to the Food Network.
When Charmaine was honest with herself, she realized that Kevin’s cheating on Evelyn had unnerved her more than she cared to admit. Yes, she believed all men had it in them to cheat. They were a different kind of beast. Yet she also believed firmly that as long as she picked a good enough man and fulfilled his needs in every way—emotionally, sexually, mentally—he wouldn’t stray.
But with Tyrone staying at his mama’s, his emotional and physical needs weren’t being taken care of—at least not by her. And that was a prescription for marital disaster. Unless she wanted to end up like Evelyn, she needed to patch this thing up with him ASAP.
She picked up the phone on the nightstand and dialed Tyrone’s cell number. It was late, after ten o’clock, but this was important. When he didn’t answer, Charmaine dialed his mother’s house and got Anne, Tyrone’s mom, on the line. Charmaine had never gotten along well with Anne. Tyrone was a bit of a mama’s boy, and Mama expected her son’s woman to treat him like Moses coming down from the mountaintop, which went against every fiber of Charmaine’s being. Pleasing her man emotionally and sexually was one thing, catering to him like a servant was another. Tyrone was perfectly capable of pitching in around the house since both of them worked. So Charmaine wasn’t at all surprised by the cool tone in Anne’s voice when she realized that it was her daughter-in-law who was waking her up.
“Sorry to disturb you, Anne,” Charmaine said. “Can I speak to Tyrone?”
“He’s not here.”
Charmaine frowned. Where would he be so late, when he had work tomorrow? “What time are you expecting them back, if I may ask?”
“He didn’t tell me, but he might have told Tiffany. Hold on and let me ask her.”
An alarm went off in Charmaine’s head as she waited for Tyrone’s mother to return to the phone. So Tyrone was out and Tiffany wasn’t with him? Where the hell was he? And who was he with?
“Charmaine,” Anne said when she came back to the phone, “Tiffany said he went to meet a friend at a bar and grill.”
“I see,” Charmaine said. She didn’t want to push too much by asking who this friend was and whether it was a man or a woman. Besides, Anne was unlikely to give up the information readily even if she knew. Charmaine cleared her throat. “Can you have him call me when he gets in?”
“It will probably be pretty late by the time he gets back. I might be asleep.”
“Can you leave a message where he’ll see it, then?” Duh!
“I guess I can do that.”
Charmaine slowly placed the receiver back into the cradle. This was exactly the kind of thing she was talking about at Evelyn’s house tonight. Let your man stray too far and you might not be able to
rope him back in before some bitch got her claws into him. Tyrone might be out with his buddies. Then again, maybe not. By letting him go, she had left the door wide open for another woman.
She was going to have to make it her business to catch up with Tyrone tomorrow and have a good long talk with him. It would be hard to find him since he moved from one building to the next as an electrician and kept his cell phone turned off while working. But find him she would. If this marriage was going to work, it was time for them to move beyond the nonsense.
Evelyn kicked off her slippers and slid beneath the bedcovers, still wearing the same white pajamas she’d had on all day. She pulled the blanket up to her chin and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to blot out all thoughts of those two people together. But it was impossible, and the vision of Kevin and Valerie having sex with each other literally made Evelyn feel nauseated. It was gross enough to think of him being with another woman, but the thought of him with Valerie, someone she knew so well, was disgusting. If she lived to be a hundred years old, she would never be able to wrap her mind around the idea of the two of them together naked.
Yet in a strange way he had done exactly what was needed to knock some sense into her head. Kevin had obviously decided that their marriage was over a long time ago. He was just biding his time until she realized it. Well, she had. She didn’t need any more signals from the bastard. She understood with complete clarity that it was over between them and that she had to start planning a life without him.
And poor Beverly. This had been devastating for her too, for different reasons. Evelyn could remember when Beverly and Valerie were in college together and Valerie would sometimes come to the Jordan house to stay during school breaks. The two of them would run giggling up to Beverly’s room and talk and laugh until the wee hours of the morning. When they weren’t together, they were yakking it up on the phone.
After college, Valerie got a job in Washington, D.C., and moved here with her daughter Olivia. Over time the relationship between Beverly and Valerie had evolved as they started spending more time with the men in their lives. Yet through everything, they had always had each other for consolation and advice.
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