Angela had been standing before the area of which the television rested, pressing random buttons on the remote that controlled the television. On the counter next to it, she saw a cream colored envelope with a gold ribbon tied around it. "Wonder what this is?" She picked it up, motioning for Idris to come into her direction. Once he reached where she was, she opened the envelope and began to read a letter left inside.
"What does it say?" The husband asked, eyeing his wife with curiosity. He then placed his pupils onto the letter.
"Apparently we have some kind of meeting to go to," Angela replied, wondering of what they needed to possibly meet about. "Says here the wives and husbands will meet separately. Us by the lake, y'all by the resort's entrance. Both groups will get to meet special guests."
An expression of astonishment fell upon Idris's face all as his nose wrinkled of confusion. "Wait, really? Does it say when?"
"Yeah," The woman placed the letter back into the envelope, then sat it back onto the counter. "One hour from now, actually."
The man smacked his lips, sucking his teeth. "In one hour?" He watched as Angela's head moved in an up and down fashion. "Yeah right, you need at least two just to get ready."
Instantly, the couple bursted into uncontrollable laughter. In fact, Angela chuckled so diligently at what her husband joked about, that she almost felt as if she were having shortages of breath.
"You alright, baby?" Idris asked his wife, noticing the hold she had against her chest. He saw that her face had reddened a bit and that her eyes had began to water. "Come sit down."
"I'm okay. I think I um..." Angela's words faded in and out all as she had been led to the bed by her husband. "Maybe I just...need to rest here for a moment," She placed herself on the very edge. "Y'know? Just before we head out."
"Hey, if you're not feeling well we can just stay back here in the room," Idris said back, also seated on the rear of the bed. "I'll be happy to let the others know, Angie." He then glided the palm of his right hand upon the woman's backside, providing to her comfort. Honestly, he had been truly worried about whether or not his wife felt her best. Solely due to the fact that he knew her health hadn't been the most promising lately. But, Angela being the kind of woman she was, she'd always say she was okay even if she knew she really weren't.
"No no," the wife said, her head moved in a motion that disagreed. "We're gonna go, okay?" Regathering herself, she added, "I just–I just don't want any of them to suspect anything. So, I have to make sure to participate in everything and be—"
"When are you gonna tell everybody?" Idris asked, impeding the woman of her words. Knowledgeable of what he had been referring to, she looked at him as if he had completely lost his entire mind, but he didn't care. On a recent trip to her doctor for an appointed physical, Angela had received news of her health that wasn't exactly too light to carry. It was the kind of news that gave her no choice but to grow closer to God than she already had been. Now, Idris knew that it was completely up to his wife to disclose such news, but he just felt that because what was happening with her health was so heart-wrenching, that everyone deserved to know.
"When I feel the time is right," she said back. "Besides, you know how Whitney is when you tell her stuff like that." The woman allowed her head to move in a fashion that displayed disbelief. "That damn girl is so over dramatic." Her eyes rolled. "You tell her you 'den got a fever and she gon' get to falling out, stomping all around, talking 'bout how it ain't nothing but the devil. I don't have time for that foolishness."
Idris showed that he understood, releasing short laughter. Angela had definitely described their friend for exactly how she was.
Given the time they had left, the couple only talked for a little while longer about the woman's health until they began to get dressed for their scheduled meetings.
Three
Start from the beginning
