A Dollar And Dream. Carl Weber

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СКАЧАТЬ what’s on your mind?”

      She pulled me over into a corner. “I looked at my calendar again and I’m busy this weekend.”

      “Okay. What about next weekend?”

      “I’m pretty much busy from now on where you’re concerned, Paul. I can’t fuck with you. You’re too cheap for me.”

      “Why, Kerri? Just because of the champagne? Because nobody cared. They drank every last drop outta all six bottles.”

      “I care, Paul. I told you what I wanted and you couldn’t live up to those standards.”

      “Come on, Kerri. Give me a chance. Let me make it up to you,” I pleaded.

      “I already gave you a chance, Paul, and you blew it.” She walked away and Jordan walked up behind me. He handed me a glass of champagne.

      “Man, fuck that chick.” He waved his hand at Kerri’s back.

      “I’m gonna do just that, Jordan my man. Just you wait and see. She don’t know it, but soon enough Miss Kerri’s gonna be begging me to give her some.”

      “What? You plan on dying and coming back as Denzel Washington or something? ’Cause that chick’s all about the money.” He finished off what was left of his champagne. “So did you hear the news?”

      “What news? My mind has been on nothing but Kerri the last day or two.”

      “You ain’t hear? Whoever hit the lotto bought their ticket over at the Quick-Mart across the street. Somebody from around here is walking around with fifty million dollars in their pocket.”

      “No shit. Get the fuck outta here.”

      “For real.”

      I reached in my pocket and pulled out five lottery tickets as casually as I could. “Damn, I ain’t even check my numbers yet.”

      “Man, what the fuck you waiting for?” Jordan seemed more excited than I did. “Hey, Kerri,” Jordan shouted. “You got today’s newspaper?”

      “Look on the kitchen counter,” she shouted back.

      Jordan and I walked over to the kitchen counter and I flipped through the paper until we found the page with lottery results.

      The first two tickets didn’t even come close. But the third ticket made me look at Jordan and say, “Look at this ticket and tell me if I’m seeing what I think I’m seeing.”

      Jordan looked down at the paper, then at the ticket, and did a triple take. Then he looked up at me with this astonished, glassy-eyed look.

      “Nigga, you just won the motherfuckin’ lottery!”

      All I could do was smile. I stood frozen and speechless, staring at the ticket. Jordan was jumping up and down, screaming his head off like he’d just won instead of me.

      “Paul just won the lottery! Paul just won the motherfuckin’ lottery, y’all!”

      By the time he finished screaming, everyone in the room had surrounded me.

      “Stop lying. He ain’t hit that shit,” Rodney snapped.

      “Yeah, he did. Show him the ticket, Paul.”

      I handed Rodney the ticket and he checked it against the newspaper.

      Rodney looked up with the same astonished look that Jordan had when he first realized I’d won. “Goddamn, this motherfucker really did hit the lottery,” Rodney exclaimed.

      Everyone was congratulating me and shaking my hand. Everyone but Rodney, that is. He was still holding my ticket like it was his.

      “Hey, Rodney.” I stuck my hand out.

      “What?” Rodney looked like I snapped him out of some serious daydream.

      “Can I have my ticket back, please?”

      He looked around at all the people staring at him, and then sighed as he handed it over.

      9

      Kerri

      I looked at the clock and decided it was time to make my move. I took a quick shower and made sure I smelled good in all the right places. I applied some gloss to my lips and then slipped on the kimono that Paul was checking me out in the other night. I still couldn’t believe he’d won the lottery. After doing a quick mirror check, I eased my door open and crept across the hall. I gently tapped on the door and posed in the hallway. It took him a few a seconds to answer the door.

      “Kerri? What’s up?” he asked.

      “Nothing. I couldn’t sleep so I decided to see what you were up to. You weren’t busy, were you?” I asked him innocently.

      “No, I was about to watch a movie I rented.”

      “Can I watch it with you? I can’t sleep.”

      “Sure.”

      I walked into the dim apartment. I knew all of the units had the same layout and size, but for some reason Paul’s seemed much bigger. His living room held a black African-print sectional with a coffee table shaped like a panther. The walls were covered with masks and African artwork. The brother had taste. There was a mahogany entertainment center holding a big-screen TV and a stereo, and instead of lamps, he had what looked like lanterns burning candles instead of light-bulbs. I was impressed. Maybe I should have got with this brother a long time ago.

      “This is nice. I like it,” I told him.

      “Thanks. I’m glad you do. I didn’t think it would impress someone as high maintenance as yourself. I know how you hate to be disappointed.” He smiled smugly.

      “Touché. Look, I’m sorry about everything I said earlier. I’m just used to getting my way.” I sat on the sofa and rubbed my hand across the sleek material. “So, what movie were you about to watch?”

      “Red Dragon.” He sat near me, but not too close.

      “Oooh, scary. I wouldn’t dare watch that by myself,” I said. “I get afraid of the dark.”

      “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you from the bogey man.”

      “I’m sure I’ll be safe with someone like you around.”

      He picked up the remote and hit Play on the DVD player. I eased closer to him and put my hand on his leg. He didn’t move. I knew he was playing hard to get but I was about to play even harder. I had one goal and one goal only: get the money! I also had the advantage in knowing how bad he wanted to get with me. There was no way he was gonna miss out on an opportunity like this, and neither was I.

      “Have you seen this?” I looked up at him and let my hand linger on his thigh.

      “Yeah, I rented it a couple of times,” he answered СКАЧАТЬ