Lovers & Haters by Calvin Slater

Author:Calvin Slater [Slater, Calvin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp.
Published: 2014-06-20T16:00:00+00:00

“Xavier, you need to talk to your brother about his schoolwork,” Ne Ne prodded. “Take this.” She brought a plate of food to his bedroom, loaded with fried chicken and mac and cheese. “He got one of those behavior reports from the new school. Oh yeah, I need some money to get my hair and nails done.”

“Ne Ne,” Xavier said, “Alfonso’s your son. Why do I have to talk to him about his schoolwork?”

She stood there with her hand out. “Because you are his brother, the genius who reads Shakespeare—that’s why. Now give me money. My hair and nail appointment is in fifteen minutes.”

Xavier hadn’t been home a good minute before she’d started in on his pockets. Though her attitude toward Xavier had dramatically softened after he started making some cash to help float her new lifestyle, she still managed to delegate her responsibilities. She gave Xavier the respect that a woman would give a man who was footing her bills, but she still didn’t have time for her baby boy. In fact, since Xavier had started getting money, her parental neglect had worsened. He and Alfonso had taken a backseat to her reckless ways of partying, drinking, and now she had started experimenting with marijuana. Xavier had smelled the sweet, bitter fragrance on her clothes when she’d stumbled into the house out of the darkness a few times, just barely beating sunrise. It was his money that seemed to be aiding in her destruction. But he needed the money, or else his family would be back to the stench of the ghetto.

And that wasn’t gonna happen!

Xavier hesitantly went into his pocket and removed a hundred-dollar bill. Ne Ne snatched the Benjamin Franklin just as he got it out of his pocket. The continual honking of a car horn out front let them know that Nate had arrived, with no patience as usual.

“Why doesn’t that fool come in the house anymore?” Xavier asked.

“Because he’s jealous. Mad at me for not telling him how you are getting money. I told him: ‘Hell, I don’t even know, not my business. I’m just happy that a sista is finally getting the help she deserves.’”

“Ouch—right in the manhood, huh? You don’t hold ’em up, do you?”

“Nope. Ne Ne don’t have any respect for a man who is not taking care of his business, and I am said business.”

Xavier was amazed. Just a month ago, Ne Ne was all over him about not carrying his weight and she was practically throwing rose petals at Nate’s feet and worshipping him for the little change he’d sprinkled on her every now and again. Now she was cold dissing the dude. Xavier had become Dr. Frankenstein and his mother was his latest creation. She would go along with whatever he said or did, as long as he kept the green stuff flowing.

She even kissed Xavier on the crown of his head before leaving his room.

“Thank you for the money, son. I love you and I will see y’all in a few hours.

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