“I can’t tell you what to do, Felise,” she replied, taking my hand. “I’d never be in that situation because no way I’d get involved with my best friend’s husband—”
“Way to make her feel better, Mavis,” Fran said, cutting her off.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” Mavis clarified. “What I’m saying is I can’t tell you how I would react, but I can tell you one thing: what’s done in the dark always comes to light.”
“Not always,” Fran said. “Because nobody still knows about that time you and Elijah Reynolds—”
“Fran, would you shut up,” Mavis snapped. “This isn’t about me.” She turned her guns back on the guilty party. “Whatever you do, sis, you need to take to your knees and repent.”
“Okay, on that note, I need to go,” I said, rising. I felt bad enough as it was. The last thing I needed was Mavis preaching to me.
“See,” Fran said, “you always bringing God into the equation. Now you got her all spooked.”
“Honey, God is always in the equation,” Mavis replied, “whether I bring Him or not.”
I knew how this was going to go, and I couldn’t do the two of them bickering right then. That’s all they’ve been doing for as long as they’ve been alive. Usually, I played the peacemaker, but I was so not in the mood.
“Okay,” I said. “Both of you are right. Mavis, I need to pray. And Fran, I do need to pull it together.”
They both nodded their heads in agreement.
“So, do you want to tell me how you ended up in the hotel room with Steven?” Mavis asked.
I shook my head. I wasn’t standing for Mavis’s opinion on what happened between us.
“She just finally got fed with the neglectful husband of hers,” Fran replied.
Fran liked Greg, but she’d been telling me for years that I deserved better. She couldn’t stand his obsessive ways and how he devoted so much time to work.
“So how long have you and Steven been having an affair?” Mavis asked.
“We weren’t having an affair,” I protested. “We both happened to be in the same place. We both were upset at our spouses. We had been drinking.”
Mavis tsked. “Unh-huh, that devil’s juice will do it every time.”
Fran rolled her eyes as I continued. “I tried to turn away once I got to the room, but it’s like this little voice was pushing me forward.”
“Unh-huh. Satan has a little voice,” Mavis said.
“Okay, Pope Mavis,” Fran interjected. She turned to me. “Seriously, pray about it, ask for forgiveness, and move on. You’re not doing anyone any good if you keep beating yourself up about it.”
“I agree,” Mavis said sternly. “I’m not going to tell you what you need to do, but you need to come clean.”
“No, she doesn’t,” Fran said.
“You know it’s the right thing to do,”Mavis continued. “You don’t need me or Fran to tell you that.” She patted my arm. “But whatever you do, I’m by your side, okay? Even if it’s seeing you through divorce court and your trial.”
“Mavis!” Fran exclaimed.
Mavis quickly apologized. But she was right. That’s exactly where I’d be if Greg ever found out.
10
Paula
I’D FINALLY GONE TOO FAR. In all our years of marriage, Steven had never gotten so mad that he’d stayed out all night, let alone all the next day. But as I rolled over and saw my husband’s untouched side of the bed, I realized that’s exactly what had happened.
After spending the day with the kids, I’m come into my room to lie down, hoping Steven’s warm body would wake me up as he eased into bed next to me. He’d apologize. I’d apologize. Then I’d show my husband how much I really loved him.
I threw back the covers and stood up. It was almost ten p.m. I couldn’t believe I’d been asleep all evening. I eased downstairs, hoping that Steven had come in and didn’t want to wake me. But to my dismay, the living room was empty, the space where he normally dropped his keys was clear, and when I opened the garage door,
“Way to make her feel better, Mavis,” Fran said, cutting her off.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” Mavis clarified. “What I’m saying is I can’t tell you how I would react, but I can tell you one thing: what’s done in the dark always comes to light.”
“Not always,” Fran said. “Because nobody still knows about that time you and Elijah Reynolds—”
“Fran, would you shut up,” Mavis snapped. “This isn’t about me.” She turned her guns back on the guilty party. “Whatever you do, sis, you need to take to your knees and repent.”
“Okay, on that note, I need to go,” I said, rising. I felt bad enough as it was. The last thing I needed was Mavis preaching to me.
“See,” Fran said, “you always bringing God into the equation. Now you got her all spooked.”
“Honey, God is always in the equation,” Mavis replied, “whether I bring Him or not.”
I knew how this was going to go, and I couldn’t do the two of them bickering right then. That’s all they’ve been doing for as long as they’ve been alive. Usually, I played the peacemaker, but I was so not in the mood.
“Okay,” I said. “Both of you are right. Mavis, I need to pray. And Fran, I do need to pull it together.”
They both nodded their heads in agreement.
“So, do you want to tell me how you ended up in the hotel room with Steven?” Mavis asked.
I shook my head. I wasn’t standing for Mavis’s opinion on what happened between us.
“She just finally got fed with the neglectful husband of hers,” Fran replied.
Fran liked Greg, but she’d been telling me for years that I deserved better. She couldn’t stand his obsessive ways and how he devoted so much time to work.
“So how long have you and Steven been having an affair?” Mavis asked.
“We weren’t having an affair,” I protested. “We both happened to be in the same place. We both were upset at our spouses. We had been drinking.”
Mavis tsked. “Unh-huh, that devil’s juice will do it every time.”
Fran rolled her eyes as I continued. “I tried to turn away once I got to the room, but it’s like this little voice was pushing me forward.”
“Unh-huh. Satan has a little voice,” Mavis said.
“Okay, Pope Mavis,” Fran interjected. She turned to me. “Seriously, pray about it, ask for forgiveness, and move on. You’re not doing anyone any good if you keep beating yourself up about it.”
“I agree,” Mavis said sternly. “I’m not going to tell you what you need to do, but you need to come clean.”
“No, she doesn’t,” Fran said.
“You know it’s the right thing to do,”Mavis continued. “You don’t need me or Fran to tell you that.” She patted my arm. “But whatever you do, I’m by your side, okay? Even if it’s seeing you through divorce court and your trial.”
“Mavis!” Fran exclaimed.
Mavis quickly apologized. But she was right. That’s exactly where I’d be if Greg ever found out.
10
Paula
I’D FINALLY GONE TOO FAR. In all our years of marriage, Steven had never gotten so mad that he’d stayed out all night, let alone all the next day. But as I rolled over and saw my husband’s untouched side of the bed, I realized that’s exactly what had happened.
After spending the day with the kids, I’m come into my room to lie down, hoping Steven’s warm body would wake me up as he eased into bed next to me. He’d apologize. I’d apologize. Then I’d show my husband how much I really loved him.
I threw back the covers and stood up. It was almost ten p.m. I couldn’t believe I’d been asleep all evening. I eased downstairs, hoping that Steven had come in and didn’t want to wake me. But to my dismay, the living room was empty, the space where he normally dropped his keys was clear, and when I opened the garage door,
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