Chapter Forty-One
Daphne
I was gathering up my laundry to take it down to the laundry room when there was a knock on my door. I felt a tickle in my belly. I was hoping it was Jace since he knew I had the day off. I pulled it open with a big smile and found Bethany standing there. “Oh…hey!”
She raised an eyebrow. “Who were you expecting?”
“No one, come on in.” She walked in and looked around like she was looking for someone. “I really wasn’t expecting anyone. You want some coffee?”
“I’d love some.” While I got the Keurig ready, she said, “What was the big, cheesy smile about when you opened the door?”
“I’m just happy. What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing wrong with it,” she said. “It’s just unusual.”
I laughed. “Really? Am I usually that miserable?” I pulled out one cup and handed it to her and fixed the next cup for me. She poured sugar and cream into her drink and stirred it while she stared at me. “What?”
“Why would you see someone and not want to tell me?”
Giggling nervously, I said, “What are you talking about?”
She sighed. “I came by last night. I was parking, and I looked up and saw you letting a man in here. Then today, you act like you’re expecting someone and you’re really happy about it. I thought we were friends. Why are you holding out on me?”
“Jesus, Beth! We are friends, best friends. Look at all you did for me, getting me this job and helping me find this apartment. I love you.”
She carried her cup over to the table and sat down. I finished fixing my coffee and went and sat down with her. “Then why don’t you want to talk to me?” she asked with a pout.
“It’s not that I don’t want to tell you… I’m just… It’s just…”
“Oh, Daphne, please tell me it’s not the priest. Please!”
I made the mistake of telling Bethany about Jace one drunken night. Then I also made the mistake of introducing her to my church…Jace’s church. I didn’t think it was a big deal until now. She was taking church serious...like I should be.
“It’s not. I told him that was over…”
“When?”
“Right afterward.”
“You’re lying. You told me afterward that you were still thinking about him.”
I guess I had told her the same things as I did Carla.
“Why are you pushing this? It’s not like you to get so involved in other people’s business.”
“First off, you’re not just ‘other’ people, Daph. You’re my best friend. Second, this is a priest. You should not be having sex with a priest. Do you know what kind of horrible sin that is?”
“Yeah, I do. That’s why we’re not still seeing each other.”
“I hope you’re not lying to me. It still doesn’t explain who I saw coming in here last night.”
“He was just a friend, that’s all.”
“What’s his name?”
“Ryan.” Jace’s brother was the first man who came to mind.
She was still looking at me suspiciously. “Your face is red. I love you, Daph, but I think you’re lying. Honey, you know I’m no prude. I would have no argument with you going out and getting a little. But, baby girl, you cannot be having sex with a priest.”
“I heard you, Bethany. I told you-”
“I know what you said. I don’t believe you. This is so wrong.”
Jesus. This is what I get for recruiting Catholics, I guess. “Bethany, it’s really over. I need you to not tell anyone it ever happened, okay? You’ll ruin his life and possibly mine. If you won’t do it for him, please, do it for me.”
“You have to promise me it’s over. I can’t sit in church every week and listen to him saying mass and know he screwed you the night before.”
I was on the verge of both losing my best friend and being exposed for sleeping with a priest.
I wanted so badly to tell her that at least I was only sleeping with one man. At least I didn’t sleep with every man I went out with, but I knew even in spite of the fall-out that might bring about, it was wrong.
I did love Bethany in spite of her wild lifestyle and I wasn’t going to use that against her. “I promise, Beth. Please promise me you won’t say anything.”
She looked reluctant but she said, “Okay…fine, I promise. But Daph, if I see you two together-”
“You won’t, okay? You just won’t.” She stayed and finished her coffee, but things were weird between us when she left. I regretted ever telling her. She could ruin Jace, and in the process, me.