Читать книгу A Dollar And Dream - Carl Weber - Страница 13

I’d just stepped out of my apartment and headed downstairs to pick up a few things for my party tomorrow night when I ran into Paul coming up the stairs. I gave him the once-over, and I had to admit, in a suit and tie he looked much more respectable than I thought.

“Hey, Paul.” I smiled. “Don’t forget the party. Oh, and I checked my calendar. I’m free for dinner on Saturday.” He started to grin from ear to ear but then his smile disappeared.

“Kerri, do you think we could do it next weekend?”

“Next week? Why, you got something to do?”

“Well, actually no, but I had them fax over the menu from this Legal Seafoods place to my job, and well, it’s kind of expensive. I’m gonna be a little short on funds till payday next week.”

“Damn, you trying to tell me buying dinner is gonna break you like that?” I was starting to think Katrice was wrong. His broke ass was not for me.

“No, not normally, but Katrice asked me to help her out and pay my rent a little early. None of us wanna see her lose the building.” He was right, but that was beside the point.

“Paul, I’m not gonna lie to you. I don’t deal with disappointment very well. I was really looking forward to going out with you this weekend and sharing a little one-on-one time in my apartment after dinner, if you know what I mean.” I winked at him and he swallowed hard, looking like he was going to melt. I continued to walk down the stairs with a wide smile. When I got finished with him, he’d come through even if it meant pawning everything in his apartment.

I got to the front of the building and Freddie was sitting on the step drinking a forty-ounce like there was no such thing as an open container law in our town.

“Freddie, what are you doing? You know you’re not supposed to be drinking out here. If Katrice catches you, she’s gonna skin you alive.”

“Well, I guess I better finish this off so I don’t get caught,” he slurred. “Cheers, Kerri.”

He lifted the bottle in a salute to me then tipped it toward his lips. He finished most of what was left in one long, impressive gulp, then burped loudly, straightening up his back.

“Excusssssssse me!”

“Damn, Freddie, that’s nasty!”

He grinned and I had to let out a laugh. That Freddie sure was a character.

I looked down the block to my left, then to my right. “Damn, I could have sworn I parked it right there. Where the hell is it?”

“Something wrong, Kerri?” Freddie asked from his seat on the step.

“I could have sworn I parked my car across the street.”

“You mean the red Honda Civic that was parked over there?”

“Yeah, that’s my car. Where is it?”

“It’s gone.”

“It’s gone? Gone where? What happened to my car, Freddie?” My eyes were as wide as silver dollars.

Freddie shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know where they took it. But they took it.”

“They, who? Who took my car, Freddie?”

“The cops took it. Or was it the sheriff?” He scratched his head, looking confused. “I’m not really sure, but it had something to do with tickets. They said you owed a lot of tickets. That’s why they towed you.”

“They towed my car for tickets.” I felt like I was gonna faint and the tears just started rolling down my face.

“You a’ight, Kerri?”

“No, Freddie, I’m not all right.”

“Freddie! What the hell are you doing on my stoop with that bottle?” I looked up. Katrice was getting out of her car and she looked hot. Freddie, obviously not a stupid man, jumped up and was running wobbly down the block. Katrice followed him a few steps then stopped, turning back toward the building.

“Kerri, you seen that fool drinking on my stoop. Why didn’t you stop him?” I didn’t answer her and she walked up closer. “Did you hear me, Kerri?” When she got close enough she said, “What’s the matter? Why you crying? What happened, Kerri?”

“They towed away my car, Katrice.”

“Oh Lord. When it rains it pours, doesn’t it? I just found out they’re gonna sell this building on Sunday if I don’t come up with ten thousand dollars.”

My problems seemed miniscule compared to hers. “I’m sorry, Katrice.”

“It’s all right. I’ll make a way. How much do you owe in tickets?”

“I don’t know. Probably about seven hundred dollars.”

“I told you about parking wherever the hell you please. You can’t flirt your way out of tickets if you’re not there when they write them, Kerri.”

“I know. I was gonna pay them next week.” Katrice gave me this skeptical look like she knew I was lying.

“Come on in the house so I can get out of this uniform and I’ll make you a cup of tea.” Katrice and I drank tea with brandy in it for almost forty-five minutes before Jordan came in the house.

“What time is it?” he demanded.

“Almost ten o’clock. Why?”

“’Cause they’re getting ready to give the lottery results.” Jordan ran in front of the TV and turned it on.

“You buy any tickets, Kerri?” Jordan asked as Katrice and I walked over to the sofa.

“Just the ones that sorry-ass Charlie left when I found out he was married.”

“Would it be funny or what if he left you the winning ticket?” Katrice laughed.

“No, it wouldn’t be funny,” Jordan added, “’cause that would mean my tickets aren’t the winner.”

“Kerri, run get your tickets so we can see if you won.”

I knew it was a long shot, but I ran upstairs to grab the handful of tickets. I was glad I didn’t burn them like I started to. I made it back down to her apartment just in time to see the blond woman with the plastic smile announce it was time. Katrice had her own line of tickets spread on the table in front of her and so did Jordan. He looked like he must have spent two or three hundred bucks. I arranged mine on my lap.

“And the first number is nineteen,” Blondie said as the plastic ball with the one and nine filled the television screen. I looked down at my tickets and scanned for the number. All of a sudden, I saw it. It was right on the next to the last ticket.

“I got that,” I said.

“Me, too.” Jordan smirked.

“Not me,” Katrice mumbled.

“The next number is twenty-six.”

I scanned the ticket and saw that I had it on two tickets, including the one that held nineteen.

“I got that, too.” I frowned at the ticket and picked it up to be sure. Maybe my luck was changing.

“I ain’t got that shit on any of these,” Jordan snapped.

“Fifty-four.”

My heart began to beat so fast, I was squirming in my seat.

“Girl, you got that?” Trice looked at me. I couldn’t answer her. I just nodded.

“Oh shit,” Jordan yelled. “If you hit, you gonna split it with us. Right, Kerri?” I didn’t answer him. I just waited for the next number.

“Fourteen.”

I glanced at the ticket and started screaming, “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

“That’s four, Kerri. You can do it,” Katrice encouraged.

“Kerri, you gonna split it with us if you win?” Jordan asked again, and again I ignored him.

“Thirty-three.”

I looked at the ticket, hoping thirty-three was there, but it wasn’t.

“Damn.” I sighed.

“Don’t worry. If you get at least five numbers, you still get a couple grand,” Katrice told me, still excited.

“And the final number is…nine! If your ticket has the following numbers, nineteen, twenty-six, fifty-four, fourteen, thirty-three, and nine, you are the winner of the fifty-million-dollar jackpot.” She smiled her plastic smile.

“Did you get five out of the six?” Trice asked.

“Yeah, I did.” I nodded.

“You did?” Jordan’s eyes got huge.

“I got all six. Problem is, they’re on three different tickets. Four numbers on one, two on the other, and one by itself.” I was frustrated and balled the tickets up in a tight ball.

“Well, I guess I’m gonna lose this building. Thanks to my husband gambling up the rent money.”

“Don’t fucking start, Katrice,” Jordan cursed.

“I wouldn’t have to start if you didn’t fuck up my money, Jordan!” She rolled her eyes, almost daring him to reply.

Jordan didn’t say another word. He just grabbed his coat and walked out. Katrice sat back and folded her arms. She looked like she wanted to cry. Hell, if she did, I’d probably join her. But I knew she wasn’t in the mood for company anymore, and I really didn’t want to be there either.

“Girl, I’m gone,” I told her, and turned to leave.

“Where you going?” she murmured.

“Upstairs to bed. Maybe my life will be better in my dreams.” I walked out and closed the door behind me before she could say anything more. I was so fucking depressed that I didn’t see Rodney coming out of his place and bumped right into him.

“I take it you ain’t win, either.” I pointed at the small slips of paper in his hand.

“Fuck, naw. I ain’t win shit. And you need to watch where the fuck you going.” He glared at me. I really didn’t know Rodney all that well, but I did know that he and Paul had some words on more than one occasion. I tried to stay clear of him, but I wasn’t going to be disrespected either.

“Whatever. You bumped into me, remember?” I turned to go up the steps and I heard him mumbling something.

“What did you say? I know you ain’t say nothing about me,” I said.

“I said shit around here ’bout to get real crazy and you motherfuckers better watch the fuck out. I’m getting tired of everyone around here’s mouth. And I better not find out any of y’all got that envelope.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means exactly what I said.” He looked at me like I’d stolen something. I didn’t know what he was talking about and didn’t want to know.

I just looked him in his eyes and said, “You better not do nothing stupid.”

He pushed the door so hard that it hit the other side of the building. I shook my head. That’s why I don’t do thugs. They’re more moody than a woman on her period.

I didn’t even bother taking off my clothes when I got in my apartment. I just climbed in my bed and tried to sleep my bad luck away.