“You need anything?” Brother Mike called out from behind a wall. Not knowing which direction he had disappeared to, Stoney responded with uncertainty.
“Ah, yeah. A cup of water, please,” she replied.
Through the glass, there were pictures of him and his fraternity brothers that were displayed in the medium brown elevated curio. Other photos of the choir members and different conferences they had attended over the years were crowded in as well. Stoney even recognized herself in some of the newer photos. As she glanced at another photo of Brother Mike and who seemed to be a friend, she wondered if he was another frat brother, and out of nowhere wondered if the nameless fellow was single. Thinking he was a handsome something, Stoney’s eyes glistened as she wondered if Brother Mike would even introduce her to someone special.
“Oh my goodness, Stoney.” She scolded herself by slapping her mouth with her open hand. Feeling guilty about thinking that very thought, Stoney blinked her eyes shut and said a quick sinner’s prayer. “Lord, forgive me for my sinful eye and my sinful thought. Amen.”
As she kneeled down to focus on other photos, her lingering question about the guy’s attached status was soon answered as she saw the same guy in a wedding photo with his bride.
My dear Jesus, I was pining for a married man, she prayed to herself, for fear of Brother Mike hearing about her disgusting sin.
That alone didn’t stop Stoney from staring at the photo the best she could with it being housed behind glass. Overlooking her weakness, Stoney needed a closer look, especially at his wife since her face looked vaguely familiar. Just as she was about to open the curio, Brother Mike walked in with most of the choir members trailing him. Too wrapped up in her own hunt, Stoney never heard the chiming of the doorbell.
With her stare evident, Brother Mike welcomed a question from Stoney, once he trailed his eyes to where Stoney’s gaze had been focused.
“You know him?” he asked with his chin almost landing on his chest. He handed her the water she had asked for.
Quickly standing erect from her crouched position, Stoney didn’t dare try to pretend she wasn’t interested. “Uh, no. She…Um, is he one of your friends?”
“Yeah. That’s my frat brother. He lives in Houston, though. You know that’s where I’m from, right? h-Town,” Brother Mike barked as he put his curved hands around his mouth to make his chant louder. Everyone laughed.
“That’s his, um, wife.” he smiled and patted Stoney’s shoulder as he started walking to where the others had gathered. “The wicked witch of the south if I shall say.” he looked back at Stoney with an even bigger smile.
Looking more at the picture of Keithe, but not forgetting his bride, Stoney chose to hold the rest of her questions in until after she and Mike were alone.
CHAPTER 2
Keithe
He stood in one place the majority of the night while his wife made rounds kissing up and making herself seen throughout the party. If there was one thing he was tired of, it was being an arm piece, escort, and a friend with benefits.
Keithe was mad at himself, again, for even considering chaperoning his wife at another one of her shindigs that didn’t do anything for him. For the ten times he’d go out on the town with her, she would accompany him to church only once. But still he tried to be the decent and caring husband.
Although they were in the same profession, Keithe couldn’t care less about being on the social scene. Being a lawyer was all he had ever wanted to be ever since he could remember. It wasn’t for the high-profile cases that often landed on his desk, nor the television spotlights he became a frequent guest on, but it was for what he could do for people: help them. Unlike his wife, who was, had been, and always would be about herself, Keithe was a sincere individual, whereas Michelle was downright selfish.
It had only been two weeks since he and Michelle had made up for the umpteenth time. Or rather, she had promised, sworn, and loved on him in order for him to forget her latest fiasco. But he had. Now he wished he hadn’t.
The rumor he’d been hearing about her having yet another affair, with a judge in the same downtown building, stuck in his stomach as he had eaten lunch one day in a local deli. Just hearing her name released in a paralegal’s conversation was sickening enough. Listening further about her being connected with someone she had said was like a son left Keithe hardly able to swallow what he had in his mouth. Throwing the remainder of his lunch away, Keithe decided to leave before more details were shared.
Never in his wildest dreams did he think loving a woman fifteen years his senior would leave him with as much of a headache, and heartache, as a teenager being dumped a week before prom. Still, Keithe tried. Even up until the very moment when all he wanted to do was leave.
After Keithe closed his eyes for a brief moment, let out a breath, and prayed, “Lord, give me the strength,” he set his Cherry Coke on the nearest table and made his way to his wife. Standing in the middle of two men who seemed to be hanging on to Michelle’s every word, she didn’t realize Keithe was in her presence until they made eye contact.
“It’s about time we head out, Michelle. It’s almost midnight and Sunday school will be here before you know it.” he slightly touched her elbow, hoping she would excuse herself from the disrespectful hounds. He really couldn’t blame them, though, with the beauty his middle-aged wife possessed. Like most people, he wouldn’t be surprised at all if they didn’t even know Michelle was married. Sorta like the whole R. Kelly divorce. Married? who knew?
With the muscles relaxed in her face, the naughty-by-nature, middle-aged woman shot Keithe a ferocious glare. “I’m not ready, dear.” Twirling around, allowing her husband to continue his chat with her backside, Michelle stuffed her sparkling clutch under her opposite arm while trying to pull up her strapless, sequined dress. Not spilling an ounce of her liquor of choice, Michelle downed a shot, threw her head back, and pretended to talk about her profession.
“But we already made plans for church, Michelle.” he closed in to her ear. Figuring he would have to pull out all the stops before she did, Keithe switched to her other two-carat-filled ear and whispered, “Remember the deal. Church.” all he received in return was a hard and stale huff.
He figured Michelle felt empowered since she had been in the driver’s seat for the night. Soon enough, if she didn’t follow his lead, she’d see just how much he really cared.
For the last ten years Michelle had been acting more on a mother level than his wife. The respect that was missing from her as his spouse was worrying his own forty-year-old psyche, making his graying specks more evident, which resulted in his cutting his mane. Loving Michelle was breaking his heart and that too was becoming more noticeable.
At age twenty-five, Keithe had thought the world of Michelle when he first laid eyes on her as she spoke at one of his law school lectures. From the day at brunch when Keithe was brave enough to ask her out, he had been a wide-nosed, eager, and young graduating law student, believing the dreams Michelle had spoken to him.
After a few months of courting and her wining and dining him, Keithe believed Michelle really cared for him. When she started speaking about the circles she could involve him in, the more he fell for her. No doubt at all, if it weren’t for Michelle pulling strings for him, he wouldn’t be where he was career wise.
Just as Michelle
