Consequences (8 page)

“Damn right. But in the meantime, I'll just milk it for all it's worth,” she said, and that devious smile returned to her lips. I knew deep down she was worried. Acting like she was still large and in charge was Netta's way of making it all better. “I told Jrue I was coming down here to visit with my best friend and he dropped two grand in my checking account this morning. Told me to be safe. I've got precious cargo onboard.”

I sucked my teeth. “He sounds like another lame ass.”

She tossed her head back with laughter. “You know that's how I like them. But seriously, though . . . Jrue is different.” I heard Usher's “Climax” and Trinette reached into her purse and looked down at her cell phone and grinned. “Speak of the devil.” She brought the phone to her ear and walked toward the register.

I shook my head. Some things never change.

 

We made it back to the house just as Donovan was carrying in the steaks.

“Mmmm, something smells good,” Trinette said, and put the bag with the barbecue sauce on the counter.

Donovan lowered the meat onto the stove, then eyed me suspiciously. “Took y'all long enough. What you do . . . go see your other man?”

I laughed and tried to play it off. “Dude, whatever.”

Donovan didn't see anything funny. “Man, I told you she was trying to leave me for another mothafucka. That's what they do. When you're away fighting a war, your wife's out there straddling some other nigga's lap.”

“No, he didn't,” Trinette breathed under her breath.

I looked at her out the corner of my eye and then at Leon, who looked clearly embarrassed.

“Nah, not all women. Don, man, you got one of the good ones,” he said, trying to simmer the tension.

My husband looked unconvinced and tipped his glass. “You can only trust them as far as you can see them. Hell, you should know that firsthand.” He laughed at his joke.

I could see Trinette was ready to go off. Unfortunately, she knew it was true and Donovan knew it too. I quickly hurried to diffuse the bomb that was clearly ticking in the kitchen.

“Why don't we go out onto the patio and eat? I don't know about you, but I'm starving.” I hooked my arm through Trinette's and pulled her along with me.

“You know I was about to snap,” she hissed.

“I know. That's why I grabbed you.” I pleaded with her to understand, and luckily she rolled her eyes and blew out a long breath.

She helped me set the table and before long we were all outside eating and laughing and having a good time. Don was even stroking my thigh under the table and giving me that look that said tonight it was on and popping, and my body radiated with heat. Of course that warm fuzzy feeling only lasted until Donovan's next drink.

“Netta, motherhood definitely complements you well.”

She grinned. “Thanks, Don. We are really looking forward to having our first child.”

Smiling, Donovan leaned back in his chair and glanced around the table. “Well, Leon, at least you don't have to worry if you're the father of her child.”

“What the . . .” Trinette started to cuss him, but Leon touched her arms and shook his head. I knew it wasn't easy. Trinette struggled to keep her composure, although she looked ready to jump her pregnant ass across that patio table and strangle him. And probably would have if Aiden wasn't sitting on her lap.

“Seriously, man, how did you forgive your wife for messing around? How'd you manage to stay together?” he queried.

The table grew quiet.

“Don, I don't even know why you had to even go there,” I snarled.

“Hey, I'm just having a conversation,” he said with a smirk. “I was hoping my boy can enlighten me so when I find out what's really going on around here, I will know how to handle the situation.” He tossed his glass back, then rose. “Anybody else want a drink?”

“No, and neither do you,” I said with a warning glance. I wasn't going to keep playing this bullshit game with him. All this arguing and accusing me of doing shit behind his back had to stop.

And just like that it was like his head spun around like the girl from
The Exorcist
and the sweet Donovan returned.

“Yo, Leon, I'm sorry about that. That was completely out of line. How about we have another toast to congratulate you on the baby?”

Trinette kept that sour look on her face, but Leon's smile returned. As usual, he didn't bother to take Donovan's behavior personal. “Now that's something I can toast to.”

“Let me go get the bottle.” Donovan rose and then as if it were an afterthought, leaned down and kissed me hard on the mouth. “I love you, Nikki,” he said, and I saw so much fear in his eyes I gasped. I had never seen that before. My husband had always been the strongest man I had ever known, and now he almost looked like a scared child. As he moved into the kitchen, tears filled my eyes.

Leon pressed a gentle hand to my arm. “Hey, you okay?”

I shrugged because I really didn't know anymore.

“Hell nah!” Netta exclaimed. Quickly, she handed Aiden to Leon, then leaned so far across the table her belly was practically on top. “Listen to me, Nikki, and listen good. Get that man some help before I break my foot off in his ass!”

She was right. I needed to find some way to save my husband's life.

12

Trinette

I was up out of my seat with the rest of the congregation as the soloist rocked the room. There were thirty people in the choir stand, an organist, and a choir director who was just as good as, if not better than, Kirk Franklin.

My mama had been an active member of Sugarland Baptist Church since recovering from a drug addiction eight years ago. The congregation was large, yet it seemed everybody knew everybody and all their business, so who was I to judge?

Mama was sitting in the pew in front of me and she glanced over her shoulder for the umpteenth time. Pride was all over her face as she clapped her hands and swayed her narrow hips. Two years ago after I had gotten past the anger of my mother being a crackhead and all the consequences of her neglect, I had donated to her one of my kidneys. Since then we'd been slowly building a relationship. I don't think we'll ever be joined at the hip, but it felt good knowing that I finally had my mother back in my life.

“LET THE SAINTS SAY AMEN . . . I SAID, LET THE SAINTS SAY AMEN!!”

“Amen!” I shouted.

The minister rose and walked across the pulpit. Everybody lowered onto their seat and got ready for a powerful sermon. Something about being in church had me feeling all good inside. I laced my fingers with Leon's. He turned his head and grinned, and I smiled back at him.

Nikki and Donovan were sitting to my left. She leaned over and whispered near my ear, “At least the church hasn't burned down yet.”

“You ain't neva lied,” I giggled softly. I had worried about that myself. We both knew good and well I hadn't stepped foot in a church in years. Leon squeezed my hand and mouthed, “Be quiet.” Smiling, I straightened up on the pew and was actually looking forward to what Reverend Williams had to say.

“Saints . . . something has been weighing heavily on my heart.” He paused and dragged a handkerchief across his forehead. “Some of y'all may know someone who's doing this and then again, that someone may be you. I'm talking about sliding under the sheets at night and slipping out the back door before the sun rises. Y'all know what I'm talking about. Can somebody help me?”

“Amen!” the congregation shouted from around the room.

“I know I'm not speaking from experience, but when a man and woman say ‘I do' to each other, they're not saying ‘I do' to all the others.”

“Preach, Rev!”

“Amen!”

“Today's sermon comes from Proverbs 6:32. ‘
But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding.' ”

Oh shit—oops—I meant, oh shoot. My heart leaped nervously and I glanced up at the ceiling, expecting the building to finally come tumbling down. Nikki tapped me on the leg and I looked up and caught her ass trying not to laugh. There was nothing funny about the situation. I kid you not, Reverend Williams was looking directly at me as he preached about the sin of climbing in another man's bed.

“I have been told that we are having a problem here in the church that is starting to cause conflict amongst our members. That at Bible study there was an incident that we need to address before it goes any further, because God don't like ugly in His house!”

“Preach!”

“The root of ugliness in God's house is the devil's work. I don't want to talk long on this subject because I know I'm stepping on some toes here. But this is God's house and His house is sacred!”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“Amen!”

I felt myself trying to scrunch down low on the seat. Why was he staring directly at me? Leon brought my hand to his lips, kissed it, and I started feeling guilty as hell.

“I'd like to begin my message with a word of prayer. Can I have all the deacons and deaconesses come down to the front of the church. Everyone else in the pews please hold hands as we pray.”

I glanced around and watched everyone else rise and realized I had better join in.

“Bow your heads, saints. Heavenly Father . . . I want to come to you in your glory and honor and ask that you look over our church and our church members . . . touch the ones that need it and cleanse their bodies and souls, and bring Jesus Christ in their lives. Because only he can do what we cannot do, and that is save souls.”

Oh, God. I was a sinner. My heart was pounding so hard, I felt like I was hyperventilating.

Why me, Lord? Why did I have to fall in love with a man who wasn't my husband? It was crazy, yet I couldn't deny it. Sure, I've been a slut all my life. Bed hopping and taking men's money had been my favorite pastime. Yet in the ten years Leon and I have been married, I never thought twice about messing around on him because I didn't feel that level of respect and commitment the reverend was preaching about. Then bam! I meet Jrue and I was ready to be faithful to one man. The wrong man. I know it was adultery, but it never felt like such a nasty word until now while I'm standing beside my husband, fingers laced together, in church.

We finally lowered back to our seat and the pastor's powerful voice boomed off the church walls. I think I flinched a couple of times. All around me, everybody was listening intently to his sermon. Leon draped an arm across my shoulders, drawing me close. Even Donovan was nodding his head and getting all wrapped up in the Word. Mama was in front of me dabbing her eyes with a tissue, probably remembering all the husbands whose dicks she had sucked while turning tricks. I cringed at the thought, because I truly was no better than her. I couldn't even count all the men I have slept with. I figured as long as I used a condom, I never had to see them again. The longer I sat there, the guiltier I felt, until finally I couldn't sit still a moment longer.

“I need to go to the bathroom,” I whispered to Leon, then tiptoed past Nikki out of the pew and down the aisle. For some reason, I suddenly started to feel hot and decided that I needed to go and get some air. I hurried over to the other side of the church and went into the bathroom and splashed water onto my face and took several deep breaths. Goodness, what the hell was wrong with me? I was reaching for a paper towel when Nikki walked through the door.

“Netta, you okay?”

I blew out a long breath. “Girl, I had to get out of there. All that talk about fornication and sleeping with someone's husband, I felt like the walls were closing in on me!”

Her eyes sparkled with laughter. “I wonder why?”

“It was just more than I could handle. That's why I don't like coming to church, because I always walk away feeling so guilty.”

Nikki moved in front of the mirror and gave a rude snort. “Then maybe that's an indication that it's time to change.”

Damn. She was as bad as Reverend Williams.

“I know I'm not living my life right and I need to get it together, but everybody does things on their own terms. But really I felt like the preacher was talking directly to me.” Goodness, I definitely needed a drink right about now. Too bad I couldn't have one.

Nikki was primping in the mirror and laughing at the same time. “You reap what you sow,” she said between chuckles.

Oh, no she didn't. “Uh-huh, and those without sin may cast the first stone.”

Her head whipped around so fast it was a wonder it didn't snap from her neck.

“Don't act like I'm the only one who's committed adultery,” I hissed. I know I was being mean, but I hate when others try to judge me.

“Whatever,” Nikki mumbled under her breath, but I could see the fear in her eyes. She practically jumped six inches off the ground when the door swung in and Mama stepped into the bathroom.

“Nikki, honey, your husband is at the altar on his knees, turning his life over to God!”

Her eyes were wide and wild before she took several deep breaths and Mama's words sunk in. “What? Praise the Lord!” She bolted out of the bathroom. I would have been right behind her if Mama wasn't blocking the door.

“Netta, honey, what's going on? Is something wrong with my grandbaby?”

I grinned down at Mama. She looked so pretty. Her face was fuller. Her natural hair was cut in a low fade. She was wearing a beautiful blue suit I had gotten her for Mother's Day. Ever since the kidney transplant she had been living a healthy drug-free life, and I was proud of her.

“Mama, I'm fine. I was just feeling a little light-headed,” I lied and waved my hand like it was no big deal.

“Uh-huh. The minister was hitting home with his sermon this morning, wasn't he?” She gave me that knowing look that only a mother had permission to give.

“Yeah, it was definitely deep.”

She stepped closer and gave me a suspicious look. “You're not doing anything you're not supposed to be doing, are you?”

I don't know why everyone thinks they know me so well. “Of course not. What would make you think that?” I denied.

“Because you're a Meyers, and I know how Meyers women think,” she replied, then walked over and turned the lock on the door. Immediately I knew it was going to be something I didn't want to hear.

“When you were at my house this morning, I noticed the way you kept looking at your cell phone, texting and grinning. Now, Leon is a good man, Netta, and good men are difficult to find, and even harder to keep.” I started to turn away, but Mama grabbed my arm. “Listen to what I'm telling you, Netta . . . whatever or whomever it is, it ain't good, so leave it alone,” she warned. I hated to see the worry I had caused on her face. Was I that obvious?

“If I haven't been able to give you anything, please let me just give you that bit of advice. Like Reverend Williams said, you gotta pray about it.”

“I hear you, Mama.” I hugged her close. She was all up in my business, yet part of me was glad that I finally had her around to nag me the way Nikki's mama had always done for her. I had every intention of finally getting my life right and being dedicated to one man. And I planned to do just that just as soon as this baby was born and Jrue left his wife.

I decided it was time to change the subject. “C'mon, Mama. Let's get back inside. I want to personally witness Donovan's day of resurrection.”

Who knows? Maybe today might be the start in the right direction for both of us. I hoped so. At least for Nikki's sake.