MRS. BLACK
“Cinnamon what are you going to do about Brown?” Cinnamon stood looking out at the lake surrounding her home. Malcolm Black, her best friend since high school and former lover stood several yards behind her, asking a question she wasn’t prepared to answer. She and William Brown had been married over thirty years and as with most marriages there had been ups and downs. Brown had been involved in a series of affairs, Cinnamon and Black had been embroiled in a love affair a couple of years ago. However, for the past eighteen months, she and Brown had focused on being faithful. It seemed Brown had fallen off the wagon. She had promised him almost two years ago that if he compromised their marriage again she would divorce him. She had also promised Malcolm she would be his wife if ever that occurred. He had been living a celibate lifestyle waiting for her.
Turning to him, she looked into his handsome, dark chocolate face. It saddened him to see the pain on her beautiful, face. He loved her more than anything in the world, but he wanted her for his own. He had warned Brown, his friend on more than one occasion.
“What would you have me do Malcolm? I have told him to leave our home and he has. Now I need some time to pray and ask God to guide me in this.”
“I understand that, but Cinnamon, you know how I feel about you and I want to marry you, make you my wife…”
“Malcolm, I know that and when I marry again, you know it will be you. But right now my life is crazy. My husband, the father of my children has decided to have another affair. The husband of the woman decided I needed to know, he also decided to try and blackmail me, once he heard about my books, so what I pray is that you're patient with me.”
“Are you considering staying with him, again?” She could hear the pain in his voice.
“No, I’m not, but I need to plan what I’m going to do. I've been married almost thirty-two years. I need to find a way to tell my kids. Aura probably already knows. As the premier attorney in Center City, she might. Muhammad is planning to get married in two months and though Amy is only two years old, she loves her Papoo. I love you Malcolm and a part of me wishes I had been a better woman two years ago.”
“Better how?”
“I wish that instead of having an affair with you, I had left Brown at that time, allowing him to carry on with Khadijah, but I thought I knew best. As stupid as it may sound, I really thought that when he gave up traveling he would be faithful. But, why would he? He has a wife who has looked the other way for decades, taking him back and forgiving him over and over, so now I finally have what I deserve. Not only that but I openly ran around with you and we're still close. My guess is Brown probably doesn’t believe we aren’t still sexual.” Walking over, he pulled the woman he had loved for almost forty years into his arms. Immediately she started crying. His heart broke, because it took a lot to bring her to tears.
“It would be nice if you waited until the ink was dry on the decree before you moved into my house.” Cinnamon and Malcolm pulled apart at the sound of William Brown’s voice. Malcolm stared at his friend, choosing to say nothing. Cinnamon walked over to her husband, getting close to his face.
“William Brown, this is my home, it was bought with Dubois money. Please give me my key and leave!” He flinched at her words, she had never mentioned the fact that the home they lived in had been hers when they married, that and acres of land.
“Cinnamon, Brown, I’m going to leave now. Cinnamon if you need me, call me.” Malcolm prepared to depart.
“That won’t be necessary Malcolm, William is leaving.” Looking from his wife to his friend, William Brown stood his ground. Malcolm nodded to him, placed a kiss on Cinnamon’s forehead, before he walked out.
