I couldn’t help it. Being in my sister’s arms felt safe, even though I knew I was far from that. “I messed up, Mavis,” I cried.
“Yes, you did, baby girl,” she said, stroking my hair, “but it’s going to be okay.” She pulled back and examined me. “So, what did the police say?”
I looked over at Fran and didn’t respond.
“See, my mouth isn’t that big. I didn’t tell her everything.”
Mavis’s eyes grew wide. “Tell me what? What is there to tell?”
Neither Fran nor I said a word. Mavis’s hands went to her hips. “I know somebody better get to talking.” She narrowed her eyes at me. “What did the police say?”
“I–I . . .”
“She left without reporting it, okay?” Fran said.
“Excuse me?” Mavis asked in horror. “You left the scene of a crime?”
“Mavis, leave her alone,” Fran snapped. “There was no crime. He died in his sleep. I got this handled.”
Mavis threw up her hands in exasperation. “You don’t need to be listening to Fran. You know she got the devil in her.”
Fran gave Mavis the hand. “You better go somewhere with that, or you’re about to see the devil rear its ugly head.”
“So, you really think I should tell that I was there, Mavis?” I asked.
“Girl, don’t listen to Mavis,” Fran said. “Tell for what?”
Mavis sat down next to me. She had a way of adding things up quick, and I could see that turning myself in was no longer her first option. “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.”