Sisters and Husbands (21 page)

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.

A
s 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 stepped 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.”

I
s 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.”

Charmaine placed the rum cake on the countertop amid the baked chicken wings and all the other dishes that her mother had
prepared for the festivities that Sunday. “Where’s Beverly?”

“Downstairs with Julian,” Daddy said. He and the boys placed the bags on the counter. Then Kenny and Russell went on down
where the party was happening as Daddy emptied the groceries.