head as she walked over. I didn’t fail to notice that she didn’t bother speaking to Felise.
“Ain’t nothing natural about a man dying so young.” She squeezed my hand. “But you be strong. I know you may not believe me, but you will make it through this.”
I heard what she was saying. I just couldn’t, for the life of me, see how I’d ever be able to do it.
19
Felise
I GROANED AT THE SIGHT of my sister, Mavis.
“What? Don’t give me that look,” she said, pushing past me and into Fran’s living room. I knew that she wouldn’t be able to keep her nose out of my business. After all, Mavis made her living minding other people’s business.
“Have you come to your senses and confessed yet?” She glared at me through judgmental eyes as she plopped down in the recliner.
Fran took my arm and pulled me inside since I was still standing there with the door wide open.
“Mavis, don’t come over here starting nothing,” she said. “If I had known you were going to be doing all of this, I wouldn’t have even invited you.”
I glared at Fran. “Why did you invite her?”
“Because Mama’s gone and I have to be the voice of reason,” Mavis said, cutting her eyes at Fran. “Because obviously your little sister is not.”
“Whatever. Don’t try to make me feel guilty.”
“You are guilty,” Mavis said. “And you are going to end up in the pen right along with Felise.”
“I’m too cute for the pen,” Fran said, striking a pose. “The guards and the prisoners would be fighting over me—men and women. Unh-unh, I can’t be doing all that. Shoot, I can’t even visit the pen, which is why we need to make sure Miss Guilty Conscience sticks to the plan.”
Mavis crossed her legs like she was getting comfortable, which wasn’t a good sign. I’d come over here to get my head together. If Mavis was here, that meant I was in for a long lecture.
“So for real, Felise. What are you going to do?” she asked.
“She’s going to do exactly what she’s been doing,” Fran said, snuggling back into her seat on the sofa. “Play it cool.”
“How can you live with yourself?” Mavis asked. “I know the guilt has to be eating you alive. I mean for God’s sake, you’re the godmother of her child.”
“Thanks for reminding me, Mavis,” I mumbled. “I can always count on you to make me feel better.”
“You know how I do,” Mavis replied. “I am going to make you feel better. But I’m going to make you feel worse first. Maybe that will keep you from making this mistake again.”
That elicited a painful laugh. “Trust me, I won’t be sneaking up to my best friend’s husband’s hotel room ever again. I won’t be sneaking to any man’s room, not after last time,” I said.
Fran frowned and pointed a narrow finger at Mavis. “Don’t start beating her up! She beats herself up enough. Now, here you come. That’s why don’t nobody like having your judgmental self around! Every time you open your mouth, you always want to talk about somebody else.”
“Don’t get mad at me because the two of you act like you don’t have any common sense!” Mavis snapped right back.
I couldn’t take it anymore. I let out a groan. “Ugh! Would you two shut up already?” I looked at Mavis. “Of course the guilt is eating me alive. I feel awful. I never planned for this to happen. I can’t imagine how Paula would feel if she ever found out.”
Mavis raised an eyebrow. “If? No, honey, that’s when she finds out, because I’m sorry, but she will find out.”
“Not if Felise plays her cards right,” Fran said.
“I’m sorry, Ms. CSI . You watch a couple of episodes and think you know the perfect way to cover up a murder.”
“First of all, it’s not a murder. Secondly, yes, I do watch CSI , which is why I know—”
Mavis cut her off. “Why you should know that the criminal always gets caught.”
“I’m not a criminal,” I muttered. Mavis looked at me, her eyebrow raised
“Ain’t nothing natural about a man dying so young.” She squeezed my hand. “But you be strong. I know you may not believe me, but you will make it through this.”
I heard what she was saying. I just couldn’t, for the life of me, see how I’d ever be able to do it.
19
Felise
I GROANED AT THE SIGHT of my sister, Mavis.
“What? Don’t give me that look,” she said, pushing past me and into Fran’s living room. I knew that she wouldn’t be able to keep her nose out of my business. After all, Mavis made her living minding other people’s business.
“Have you come to your senses and confessed yet?” She glared at me through judgmental eyes as she plopped down in the recliner.
Fran took my arm and pulled me inside since I was still standing there with the door wide open.
“Mavis, don’t come over here starting nothing,” she said. “If I had known you were going to be doing all of this, I wouldn’t have even invited you.”
I glared at Fran. “Why did you invite her?”
“Because Mama’s gone and I have to be the voice of reason,” Mavis said, cutting her eyes at Fran. “Because obviously your little sister is not.”
“Whatever. Don’t try to make me feel guilty.”
“You are guilty,” Mavis said. “And you are going to end up in the pen right along with Felise.”
“I’m too cute for the pen,” Fran said, striking a pose. “The guards and the prisoners would be fighting over me—men and women. Unh-unh, I can’t be doing all that. Shoot, I can’t even visit the pen, which is why we need to make sure Miss Guilty Conscience sticks to the plan.”
Mavis crossed her legs like she was getting comfortable, which wasn’t a good sign. I’d come over here to get my head together. If Mavis was here, that meant I was in for a long lecture.
“So for real, Felise. What are you going to do?” she asked.
“She’s going to do exactly what she’s been doing,” Fran said, snuggling back into her seat on the sofa. “Play it cool.”
“How can you live with yourself?” Mavis asked. “I know the guilt has to be eating you alive. I mean for God’s sake, you’re the godmother of her child.”
“Thanks for reminding me, Mavis,” I mumbled. “I can always count on you to make me feel better.”
“You know how I do,” Mavis replied. “I am going to make you feel better. But I’m going to make you feel worse first. Maybe that will keep you from making this mistake again.”
That elicited a painful laugh. “Trust me, I won’t be sneaking up to my best friend’s husband’s hotel room ever again. I won’t be sneaking to any man’s room, not after last time,” I said.
Fran frowned and pointed a narrow finger at Mavis. “Don’t start beating her up! She beats herself up enough. Now, here you come. That’s why don’t nobody like having your judgmental self around! Every time you open your mouth, you always want to talk about somebody else.”
“Don’t get mad at me because the two of you act like you don’t have any common sense!” Mavis snapped right back.
I couldn’t take it anymore. I let out a groan. “Ugh! Would you two shut up already?” I looked at Mavis. “Of course the guilt is eating me alive. I feel awful. I never planned for this to happen. I can’t imagine how Paula would feel if she ever found out.”
Mavis raised an eyebrow. “If? No, honey, that’s when she finds out, because I’m sorry, but she will find out.”
“Not if Felise plays her cards right,” Fran said.
“I’m sorry, Ms. CSI . You watch a couple of episodes and think you know the perfect way to cover up a murder.”
“First of all, it’s not a murder. Secondly, yes, I do watch CSI , which is why I know—”
Mavis cut her off. “Why you should know that the criminal always gets caught.”
“I’m not a criminal,” I muttered. Mavis looked at me, her eyebrow raised
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