What's Done In the Dark(55)

“What happened on your anniversary?”

He was stumped for a moment. “You mean she didn’t tell you?”

“No.”

“Oh, wow, that’s strange. I thought she told you everything.”

“I thought she did, too.”

Greg then relayed the story of how Felise had laid our rose petals and he’d cleaned them up because he wasn’t thinking and had forgotten all about their anniversary.

“She was really upset that night,” he said once he was done with the story.

I didn’t know whether to be upset or shocked that Felise hadn’t told me. But then the significance of the date dawned on me. That was the same night Steven died.

“Oh, she probably was going to tell me, but everything happened with Steven,” I said. “I really hate to hear that you guys are having problems.”

“So, you see how I wasn’t in much of a party-planning mood, but I have booked the room, paid for it and everything.”

“Well, don’t worry. I got this, and we’ll make sure she has a fantastic affair.”

I was actually excited. For the first time in I don’t know how long, I felt like my life had purpose outside of the home.





38


Felise


I WONDERED WHETHER THE BANK teller was pushing the silent alarm because I had to look like someone who was up to no good. My hands were shaking, and beads of sweat were trickling down my face.

“Yes, may I help you?” the teller asked, eyeing me suspiciously. I saw her cut her eyes over at the guard as if I were a bank robber. But I guess my nervous demeanor made her nervous.

“Yes, I’d like to make a withdrawal,” I said.

“Do you have an account with us?”

“Yes.” I nodded as I handed her my driver’s license. She handed me a withdrawal slip, and I quickly scribbled down my information. She took the slip back, punched my info in, and relaxed as the account appeared the screen. That let her know that I wasn’t a bank robber.

“Yes,” she read my slip, “so you didn’t write down how much you want. Are you withdrawing it all?”

“How much is in there?”

“Twenty-three thousand, one hundred and forty-six dollars,” the woman said.

I took a deep breath. We’d been saving for Liz’s college education since she was a baby. What kind of mother was I that I was about to wipe my child out in order to cover up my wrongdoing? How low had I sunk to be here about to do this?

“Ma’am, did you hear me?” the clerk said, once again looking at me strangely.

“Y-yes.”

“So, how much are you withdrawing?”

I squeezed my hands together. Greg checked the accounts on the first of every month. That gave me twenty-two days to get the money back in. I shook my head. No, even if I worked triple shifts, I couldn’t get the money back in in time.

“Ma’am?” The clerk was getting agitated.

“I–I’m sorry. Yes, I need to withdraw . . .” My daughter’s college fund. The words would not come out of my mouth. I scribbled on the withdrawal form and pushed it toward her. “Just give me five thousand dollars,” I hurriedly said.

She gave me a fake smile as she began counting out the money. “Would you like an envelo—”

I snatched the cash, along with my license, and hurried out of the bank. I just wanted to get out of that place. I wanted to forget how low I had almost sunk, wiping out Liz’s college account. I told myself I would pay back the money in installments.

I prayed all the way to the Four Seasons. I couldn’t believe Sabrina was making me meet her here, but leave it to Sabrina to continue torturing me. She’d texted me this morning and told me what time to meet her. I had to pray that she would take the five grand and let me send her the rest.

I made my way inside, only to find no sign of Sabrina. I sat in the lobby, nervously drumming my leg for about fifteen minutes.

I was about to take out my phone and call when she came waltzing in.

“Hello, my dear friend,” she said with a big cheesy grin.

I wanted to slap that smile right off her face. “Save it. Where do you want to go?”

“Well, because it is a large transaction, I thought that we’d go somewhere private.” She pointed toward the elevator. “Follow me. I don’t need any of these people around here seeing what I’m doing and getting all in my business. And I definitely don’t want anything caught on tape.” She smirked.

I followed her in the elevator, wondering why we couldn’t duck in a bathroom. This trick had the nerve to put her earphones in and belt out a Mary J. Blige song as we waited on the elevator to go up. Finally it stopped on the fifth floor. She didn’t say a word as she got off the elevator. I followed and was just about to tell her how ridiculous this cloak-and-dagger thing was until she stopped in front of room 527 and put the room key in.