Big Girls Drama (25 page)

As my guests arrived, I allowed them to arrange their items on the tables I had set up. Each table had an item for them to sort their things out. One table was for shoes, one for jewelry, then tops, bottoms, bags, and then jackets. Each table was running over with items, which I was excited about.

“Ladies, ladies, calm down. We have enough items for everybody, plus some,” I said looking at the women rummaging through all the pieces brought for the clothing swap party.

Not only did my girls show up, they came with their hands full of nice things. Vivian was here, and she brought her boss Julia, who also brought items with her. Kellie was here with Victor, and the two of them brought bags, jewelry, and shoes. Sonya was here and brought a new friend, and both of them came with a lot. I also invited a few other ladies to be a part of this day, thinking, the more, the merrier.

“We have some really nice items here,” Sonya said, picking up a silver necklace.

“I know, right? I'm excited,” Vivian added.

“We are not going to fight, push, shove, or scratch each other's eyes out for these items, ladies. Do you hear me, Kellie and Sonya,” I said, pointing.

“No, you didn't bring the shade,” Sonya joked.

“Just making sure you ladies are good.”

“I told you, we've made up. We've hashed out our issues,” Kellie said.

“I know we've told her this before, Kellie, but Monica doesn't want to believe we are good,” Sonya said, holding a pair of silver Stuart Weitzman stilettos.

“You know you can't walk in them,” I told Sonya.

“I can learn because these bad boys are hot,” she retorted, sticking them in the ecofriendly bag I provided for all the ladies.

I was happy to see my friends were back to being friends again.

“I got food in the kitchen, along with drinks, if you all want some,” I announced.

“Please, tell me you have some wine, honey,” Victor said.

“Now, what would a party be without wine, Victor?”

“I knew I loved you for some reason,” he declared.

“You love anybody who will supply anything free,” Kellie added.

“That too,” Victor said, laughing. “While you ladies get your rummage on, I'm going to the kitchen to make myself at home.”

Looking around at everyone in my home made me feel like things were back to normal. My event was a success. I knew these past few weeks had been difficult for all of us. As many things that happened, we had no other choice but to vent to one another or we were going to explode. I believe even Sonya was happy to get some things off her chest.

Vivian and her husband Sheldon were in a great place. She told us that the woman her husband was with that day in the restaurant was a psychiatrist he was seeing, but she didn't want to go into the details of why, and we all respected that. We were happy they were happy. Vivian was bragging about all the good sex she was getting now. In that area, I was jealous.

Kellie did finally file for divorce from Jeffrey who was fighting really hard to get her back. Why, I don't know. We thought he just messed up giving her the STD, but boy, there was more. Kellie told us everything that happened, down to finding him with another man and Victor telling her this man had AIDS. We were all shocked by this news and afraid for our friend. Kellie's situation could have been any of ours, so we supported her in what she was going through. Kellie confronted Jeffrey on this bit of news, and he said he was in the clear. This was the same man who denied giving her gonorrhea, so nothing he said could be believed. He wasn't ready to make his marriage work because if he was, he still wouldn't be playing those games with Kellie. All that mattered was my friend was healthy. I knew further tests would show she's okay also. I was praying that over her life. Kellie was a strong woman, who, I believe, was keeping a secret of her own from us in the form of a man. Each time we asked her if she was seeing someone, she blushed. As long as she was happy, I was happy for her.

As for Sonya, she was going back and forth between two men, Kegan and Damon. As handsome as both of these men were, I felt like Sonya needed to choose one and stop playing with both of their emotions. She, of all people, knew going back and forth between two individuals was going to have some repercussions eventually. Kegan called off his wedding from Imani, who was still threatening Sonya for being the reason why he called off the wedding. Sonya was unfazed and happy about her situation because she felt wonderful for the first time in a long time. Two men wanting her and both vying for her attention . . . what more could a woman want? Maybe to be a grandma. That's right, Sonya was about to be somebody's grandma. Meena was expecting. Sonya took her to get checked out after she caught Meena sleeping with some boy. Sonya was rightfully upset, like any mother would be, but a part of her was excited about this little one who would be arriving in six months. One thing for sure, this pregnancy brought her and Meena closer.

As for me, my identity was still a secret. I'm glad, because that afternoon when Sonya and Kellie got into it after we went to church that Sunday morning, I was planning on telling my friends who I really was. I felt like I needed to. But fate wouldn't allow that to happen, which worked for me in the end.

I got what I wanted. Devin was still living with me. He decided not to sign the divorce papers, but I knew he would make that decision. He didn't want everyone to find out he'd been sleeping with a man all this time. Who would ever believe he didn't know? Everyone would look at him like he also played a part in this farce of a marriage and went along with it to satisfy his Christian parents. I knew when he married me, he thought I was a woman. I knew he loved me too, but somewhere in our marriage that changed. I've known this for a while but convinced myself we were going to be okay. That was, until he verbally expressed not loving me anymore. Then it was real, and something I had to face head-on. I could no longer hide behind my own delusion of what I thought our marriage to be.

Finally understanding what he wanted was devastating. Devin thought he could divorce me and move on with his life with Georgiana, but I wasn't going to have that. Was I wrong for blackmailing him? Yes, I was. Did I still believe he loved me? I knew he didn't. But that didn't matter to me anymore. As long as Georgiana couldn't have him, I was happy. I knew that was crazy, but I'd rather him be unhappily stuck with me than happy with her. Served him right for breaking my heart and thinking he could treat me any kind of way.

Now, Georgiana was out of the picture. That poor woman was devastated when Devin had to break it off with her. I made him put the conversation on speaker so I could hear it. He didn't want to, but he had no choice in the matter. Georgiana wept uncontrollably as she pleaded for him to take her back. I could see the internal struggle he was having with himself, but he had to do what was best for the sake of our marriage.

When his parents found out, all hell broke loose. They could not believe Devin chose me over Georgiana. I knew they were ticked off by his decision, especially his mother, Isabelle. I have to say, Devin was very convincing when he told them why he was staying in his marriage. He told them his vows meant something to him, and as Christians, they should understand that. Little did they know their son was trying to spare them the embarrassment of a scandal. Was I afraid Devin would do something to me? No. You had to have a backup plan to your backup plan. If anything ever happened to me, you best believe this big girl would be the talk of the town.