“Thanks, son,” Curtis told him. “And if you don’t mind, can you maybe read your sister a bedtime story, and then I’ll be in to get her ready for bed in a few minutes.”
“Okay, Dad.”
Curtis watched them leave and then went and shut the door. “You know, I’m really, really getting fed up, Charlotte.”
“Whatever,” she said.
“Is this ever going to stop? Are you ever going to grow up and stop acting like some self-absorbed child?”
“Not tonight, Curtis, okay? As a matter of fact, I don’t want to discuss any of this Curtina business again. That is, unless you’ve finally made up your mind to move her out of here.”
“You’re sick.”
“No, you’re the sick one. And pretty naïve if you think I’m ever going to change my mind about this.”
Curtis walked away from her. Had to, before he said or did something he would regret.
“Did you hear me, Curtis?” Charlotte asked, strolling behind him as he entered the walk-in closet. “Because I’m not playing with you.”
Curtis turned abruptly, facing her. “And I’m not playing with you. Curtina stays, and this is the last time I’m going to repeat that.”
“So what you’re basically saying is to hell with what I want or how I feel. Am I right?”
“Exactly.” Curtis brushed past her, wearing just his underwear and carrying a plush robe over his arm, and headed toward the bathroom. If Charlotte knew what was good for her, she’d leave him alone and go on about her business.
“Then, to hell with you, too, and to hell with that pathetic little brat you’re so obsessed with.”
Curtis glanced over his shoulder at her and then slammed the door in her face. He couldn’t remember ever being so unnerved or outraged, not since that day a few years ago, when he’d learned about Charlotte sleeping with Aaron. He’d been beside himself, and right now, it was best for him to calm down, take a hot shower, and then go tuck Curtina in as planned. After that, he would retire in one of their guest bedrooms. He would settle into the one farthest away from his crazy wife.
He would do this before things turned even uglier. If he didn’t, someone would be sorry, and the potential outcome would be disastrous.
Chapter 13
Zero. That was the number of times Charlotte and Curtis had spoken to each other this morning before he’d gotten dressed and left the house with Curtina—taking her over to Benedict Arnold’s house. Aunt Emma was currently babysitting that brat every day now, and Charlotte couldn’t understand why she would agree to do something like this. For God’s sake, Aunt Emma was her own flesh and blood.
Then, Matthew had left before them, and Agnes had run out to the grocery store, so Charlotte was all alone. However, as she stood looking across their backyard at some of the snow that still hadn’t melted, she made a decision. She was going on one of the biggest shopping sprees she’d ever been on. Curtis owed her that and then some, and today she was going to treat herself like never before. She would do what always cheered her up and made her happy. She would make Alicia’s former shopping obsession seem like mere child’s play.
After getting dressed and into the car, she called Janine. She was headed to Oakbrook Center, which was about an hour-and-fifteen-minute drive, so she figured this was a good time to chat for a few minutes. Especially since this was usually the hour Janine didn’t have a class to teach, and Charlotte hoped there weren’t any students in her office, trying to get help.
“Can you talk?” Charlotte asked.
“Yes,” Janine said. “How are you?”
“Not too good, but I’m going to be fabulous by this afternoon.”
“And why is that?”
“I’m going shopping.”
Janine laughed. “Uh-oh. That sounds pretty scary.”
“Maybe for Curtis, but not for me.”
“So things still aren’t better with you guys?”
“Nope. They’re worse.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’s not your fault Curtis is being a jerk.”
“What about a marriage counselor?”
“Girl, please. I’m not even going to think about wasting my time with some overrated psychology major.”
Janine didn’t say anything, so Charlotte knew she wasn’t happy about her response.
“I’m not going to any counselor because there’s only one thing that can fix things between Curtis and me: giving Curtina to one of Tabitha’s relatives. But anyway, what I mainly wanted to call you about is a spa day. I thought it would be good for the two of us to get something scheduled.”
“Sounds good to me. Remember I was just telling you how Carl really wants me to get out more, so just let me know when you’re ready.”
“I’ll check tomorrow for openings, but just so you know, I’m going to schedule the entire works. Hot stone massages, full facials, pedicures, and manicures. Oh, and the entire day is all on me.”
“You know you don’t have to do that.”
“I know. But I want to,” Charlotte said, thinking how Curtis would really be the one footing the bill anyhow. Then, she drove onto I-90 East. “Okay, well, I know your break is almost up, so I won’t hold you.”
“Yeah, I’d better get going, but Charlotte, please think about what I said. You know…about the counseling. I’m begging you.”
“I’ll talk to you later, J.”
“Take care.”
Charlotte ended the call. She knew Janine only wanted the best for her, and she loved her for that. But the whole idea of disclosing her personal business to a stranger wasn’t an option. It wasn’t going to happen.
Charlotte drove a few more miles until her phone rang. It was her mother.
“Hey, Mom, how are you?”
“I’m good. And you?”
“Okay, I guess.”
“I called the house, but when I didn’t get an answer, I decided to call your cell.”
“Yeah, I decided to spend the day at the mall.”
“Are you there now?”
“No, not yet.”
“Oh, okay. Well, since I hadn’t heard from you since you left here yesterday morning, I just wanted to check on you.”
“I’m fine, Mom.”
“Are you sure? Because you didn’t seem fine when you were here. You seemed not yourself, and you know your father is very worried.”
“Why? What did he say?”
“You really wanna know?”
“I do.”
“He’s worried that you might be messing around on Curtis.”
Charlotte raised her eyebrows. She’d known her father had looked at her a bit suspiciously, but she hadn’t thought he was thinking anything like this. It was true that she had messed around, but still…
She tried sounding appalled. “What?! Messing around? Did he really say that?”
“You know your father. He’s never gotten over that affair I had on him years ago and never will. He’s also never going to forget the time you were with that Aaron guy.”
“Well, you can just tell Daddy that he’s dead wrong, and that having an affair is the least of my worries,” she hurried to say. “I would never do that to Curtis again. I would never deceive him that way. Regardless of how bad things are between us.”
“I know, sweetheart, and I’m really glad to hear that.”
There was a second or two of silence and then her mother said, “So have you had a chance to sit down and talk to Curtis more about your situation?”
“Not really. I mean, we’ve argued a couple of times but that’s pretty much it. Oh, and before I forget, Mom, can you believe Aunt Emma is now Curtina’s full-time babysitter? Can you believe Aunt Emma would betray me this way, knowing how much I don’t like that child?”
“I can believe it. I’ve never truly understood my sister, and this just proves she doesn’t have an ounce of family loyalty. She and I have had our differences for years now, but Emma is definitely a diffe
rent bird. Always trying to do the right thing, even if it hurts someone else. I’m really sorry that she’s doing this, sweetie.”
“All I know is that I’m through with her. She’s my aunt, and I love her, but after this, I won’t be speaking to her for a good while.”
“I don’t blame you.”
With there still being this sisterly rift between Charlotte’s mom and Aunt Emma, Charlotte knew her mother would quickly take her side. It was the reason Charlotte had brought the whole babysitting story up. She’d been planning to tell her mom about it anyway, but she decided to do it now as a means to get her off of that your-dad-thinks-you-might-be-messing-around topic.
“But back to you and Curtis. What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know, Mom. I honestly don’t. At first, I thought there was a chance, but now I really don’t see it.”
“So that’s it?” Her mother sounded a little upset. “You’re just going to give up on being married to a good man like Curtis? Without even putting up a real fight?”
Noreen had always been very proud of the kind of lifestyle Charlotte and Curtis lived, and she also took pride in telling everyone who was anyone that the Reverend Curtis Black was her beloved son-in-law. So Charlotte knew her mother didn’t want to consider the possibility of divorce. Not to mention, she knew Noreen enjoyed all the monetary gifts Curtis regularly blessed his mother-in-law and father-in-law with. Charlotte knew her mother wanted her to be happy, but she also loved the perks as well.
“Mom, my hands are tied, so unless you know what I can do, then . . .”
“There has to be something. Something that will make this problem of yours go away. And maybe your only choice is to give Curtis an ultimatum. Maybe the only chance you have is forcing him to choose between you and Curtina, once and for all.”
“I’ve already done that to a certain extent.”
“No, I mean letting him know, nicely and calmly and not in an angry rage, that if Curtina stays then you’re going to leave him for good. Because if Curtis really thinks you’re serious about leaving him, I think he’ll choose you. He’ll choose his wife and be fine with visiting his daughter whenever he can.”
Charlotte wanted to believe her, but she didn’t see it. “I don’t know, Mom.”
“I know it’s a gamble, but what other options do you really have?”
Charlotte sighed with frustration. “I guess you’re right. Although, it’s not like I really want to move out of our house or be without Curtis, so what if he calls my bluff?”
“It’s possible, and if he does, then you might have to leave to really get his attention.”
“I don’t know. I’ll have to think long and hard before I confront him with this.”
“I understand that. I will say this, though. You and Curtis have dealt with so much marital strife and public humiliation that I don’t think he would want to risk having any of you go through that again. He wouldn’t want that for either of you, and he certainly wouldn’t want to embarrass Alicia and Matthew again.”
Charlotte changed lanes and drove through the I-Pass toll area. “Maybe.”
“Well, either way, you can’t keep going on the way you are because I know you’re miserable.”
“I’ll figure out something,” Charlotte said.
“I hope so. I really do.”
Charlotte and her mother chatted for a few more minutes and then hung up. She pondered all that her mother had just said. But it wasn’t long before she tossed Curtis and his daughter out of her mind. She wasn’t about to let either of them ruin the rest of her day or the wonderful time she was going to have in Oakbrook. She was going to enjoy herself and worry about them later.
Chapter 14
There was no place like Neiman Marcus, and Charlotte felt better already. Just the idea of stepping foot inside their department store was enough for her. She didn’t even have to buy anything and would still be happy. But she was going to buy something, starting with the three Armani pantsuits she’d just finished trying on and was now ready to pay for. Gilda, her assigned shopping consultant, had taken them from the dressing room and was now ringing them up.
“Such beautiful choices,” Gilda told her. “All of them are so very much you.”
“Why thank you.”
“You’re quite welcome. Okay, then, that’ll be thirty-six seventy-eight.”
Charlotte pulled out her American Express card and passed it across the counter. The total had come to just under four thousand dollars, so now she wished she’d tried on a skirt suit. She still had some more shopping to do in both the jewelry and shoe departments, though, not to mention a couple of other stores she was planning to go in before leaving, so she would just shop for skirt suits another time.
She signed for her purchases and waited for the consultant to place her suits under plastic.
“Also, just so you know,” Gilda said, “we’re going to begin carrying a couple of new designers next month, so I hope you’ll stop back in.”
“I definitely will, and thanks for letting me know.”
“Of course.”
Gilda finished bagging Charlotte’s items and handed them to her. “As always, we really appreciate your business, and I’ll see you next month.”
“Take care.”
“You, too.”
Charlotte browsed a couple of dress racks, looked at some blouses, and then went on to the jewelry section. She loved, loved, loved David Yurman and went straight to his collection. She loved his style and was due for a new bracelet and a pair of matching earrings.
“Good afternoon,” the distinguished-looking salesman said. “May I help you find something?”
“Yes, could I see the bracelet toward the middle?” she told him, pointing at it through the glass.
“This one?”
“Yes.”
“The Pave Diamond Waverly is absolutely divine. It’s one of my favorites.”
Charlotte removed the diamond bracelet she had on and held out her arm. The salesman placed the David Yurman piece around her wrist.
“This is perfect,” she said. “I love it.”
“We do have matching earrings, if you’re interested.”
“Really?”
“Yes, and by the way, I’m Bartholomew, but you can call me Bart.”
“Nice to meet you, Bart. I’m Charlotte.”
Bart pulled the earrings from the case, and Charlotte said, “You can just go ahead and ring those up with the bracelet. No need for me to try them on when I already know how wonderful they’re going to look.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yep.”
“Okay, then, what else can I get you?”
“Mmm,” she said, scanning a couple more jewelry lines. She saw some cultured pearls that she sort of liked but told him, “I think that might be it for now.”
“Sounds good.”
Bart took both pieces over to the counter behind him, boxed them up, and then entered the purchases into the system. At first, Charlotte had thought about asking him the price, but if she wasn’t mistaken, she’d already seen both the bracelet and the earrings online. If so, the bracelet was twenty-five hundred, and the earrings were just over a thousand.
“With tax, your total is three thousand six dollars.”
How ironic that the amount wasn’t much different than what she’d just spent upstairs, Charlotte thought, and then gave him her card. Once the charges were approved, she signed her name. Bart gave her the jewelry and she placed the bag in her tote.
Another three hours passed, and by the time Charlotte had finished up in Neiman’s she’d bought herself a whole new set of expensive underwear, two pairs of jeans, and two pairs of three-inch, pointed-toe leather boots, one pair black and the other brown. She’d easily spent ten thousand dollars in there, and had spent another fifteen thousand in Tiffany’s, which was what her new diamond necklace and diamond earrings had cost her. Today was by far one of the best days she’d had in a whil
e, and she was glad about it. Glad she’d gotten away from Mitchell and the life she was no longer content with.
Charlotte took her purchases to the car, locked them inside her trunk, and then walked back over to The Clubhouse. This was one of her favorite restaurants, and she rarely came to Oakbrook without eating here. Before she opened the door to go in, however, she scanned a row of less expensive specialty stores. She hadn’t had to shop at any of them for so long, she could barely remember what kind of merchandise they carried. This was another reason she didn’t want to separate from Curtis. Although, if he pushed her, she would sue him for as much alimony as the court system would allow her. She would sue him for half of everything, the same as any other intelligent wife who had been wronged by her husband—she would do it on purpose and then consider her huge settlement as just punishment for Curtis’s sleeping around on her in the first place.
As Charlotte sat waiting on her Caesar salad with no croutons, she pulled out her BlackBerry and signed onto Facebook. She scrolled through her wall postings but then got excited when she checked her inbox and saw a message from Michael Porter.
Hey,
Look, I know I’m probably completely out of line, and since it won’t do me any good at all to beat around the bush, I’m just going to say what’s on my mind. Ever since we communicated last night, I haven’t thought about anything else. I’ve even thought about the wonderful times we once spent together, and I can’t deny that all these amazing memories have now stirred up a lot of old feelings. Feelings that really don’t seem all that old anymore. Yes, I know you’re married, and yes, I’m married, too, but…Anyway, if this note somehow offends you or you never want to speak to me again after reading this, I will totally understand. And I apologize. Still, I couldn’t help being honest with you.
Hope you are well.
Michael
Charlotte’s hand shook. Worse, she felt the kind of intimate sensations married women should feel only with their husbands. She took a deep breath and reread the note, then set her BlackBerry down on the table. She examined each area of the restaurant, almost as if she were afraid someone might be able to read her mind or peep at the note on her little mobile device. She didn’t know how or if she should respond to her ex’s message. Deep down, she knew she shouldn’t and that she should end all contact with him immediately. But there was also this aching part of her being, the kind that desperately craved individual attention from a strong, smart, gorgeous-looking man. What she needed was the kind of attention Curtis had once given her, right before Curtina had been dumped smack-dab into their lives.
Love, Honor, and Betray Page 7
