The Keepsake (Love at the Crossroads) by Pat Simmons Read Free Book Online Page B

having sex with that whoremonger, Brenda Johnson.” Her outburst shut him down, but she didn’t feel victorious about it.
    “Desi, you have no idea how sorry I am.”
    “No, I don’t.” She was fuming as she balled her fists.
    Pastor Reed intervened. “Sister Bishop, I sympathize with your feelings of betrayal and hurt.” He turned to Michael. “Brother Bishop, are these accusations your wife has made against you true?”
    “Yes,” Michael said in a low voice.
    That one word brought back memories of the moment of truth when she confronted him and that simple three-letter word complicated her life.
    “How did the affair start?”
    Desi had seen the pictures the investigator had taken of him and the home wrecker hugging, kissing and undressing as they closed her front door. She was feeling nauseous just thinking about it.
    “First, let me say that I meant my vows and I love my wife.”
    Humph. Desi folded her arms and stared him down. Ooh, how she wanted to step out of her Holy Ghost and go ghetto on him.
    Michael gave his version of what happened. “Did you hear warnings from the Holy Ghost?” Pastor Reed asked.
    Michael bowed his head. “If God whispered, I ignored it. While waiting for our food, she asked if I was married and I said yes. I bragged on my wife as a signal that I loved my wife.” His brown eyes pleaded with her. “She returned one more time and then was waiting for me one night when I closed the store.”
    “Unless you’re color blind, you should have seen red flags all over this woman. I can’t believe you were that gullible, weak and stu—”
    As she was about to unload her ammunition, Pastor Reed asked her to let him finish. “When did you have sex with this woman?”
    “The night she was waiting in the parking lot. I was about to get in my car. She called my name. Surprised and suspicious, I asked her what she wanted. I don’t remember what she answered, but the next thing I knew she kissed me.”
    “And you didn’t know how to push her away?” Desi gritted her teeth in disgust.
    “Sister Bishop, please,” the pastor said calmly, “please allow Brother Bishop to finish.”
    Michael cleared his throat. “This is so embarrassing, but the kiss seemed to overpower my will to say no and before I could protest, she began to undress me. I unlocked my door and I had sex with her in the back seat.” He looked at her for a reaction. “That wasn’t planned, Desi. I didn’t deliberately set out to cheat on you.”
    She threw her arms up in defeat. There was no way she could ever trust this man again. “You broke your vow, had unprotected sex with a woman who wasn’t your wife, and you love me. Tell me how all three are connected?”
    “Brother Bishop, what happened after that?”
    “She dressed, got out and left.” Michael slumped over in the chair and stared at his hands. “I don’t know how long I sat in that parking lot, stunned about what happened and what I had just done. I guess Desi got worried about me and called. I told her I had the most miserable day in my life. When I got home…” Michael was silent.  “I showered and made love to my wife to erase what I had just done.”
    Desi gasped and before she knew it, she was out of her chair and slapped Michael so fast and hard, it shocked him and the pastor. “You’re disgusting. You could have given me a life-threatening disease.” She shivered at the thought.
    “Sister Bishop, please. I know you’re upset inside, but you have to let Brother Bishop confess this if you two are to ever reconcile.”
    “Pastor Reed, I’m sorry that you had to witness my behavior, but reconciliation is not an option. I’ve heard enough. Michael Bishop is lower than low. If he cheated on me that easily, then what’s to stop him from doing it again? Praise God that He spared me of any sexually transmitted diseases; I know because I got checked out.” She gathered her things. “Thank you, pastor, for your time.”
    Without another