Read Online GRIND (The Silver Nitrate Series Book 1) by Tiana Laveen - Free Book Online

you makin’ trouble? You know I had to leave work to come over here, right?”
    Suddenly he heard another toilet flush, the bathroom door flung open, and the 5′10 elder emerged. He held his shaky chin high, not a care in the world that a fog of funk now surrounded him like they were one and the same. His thick, silver hair was pulled back in a taut ponytail. Strands of black sprinkled throughout the mane. He dragged his weathered hand, covered in age spots, across his face as if he’d just awakened.
    “I’m not makin’ trouble. They ’re makin’ trouble.”
    “Why didn’t you call Len?”
    His grandfather paused, grimacing. Flipping the sheets back, he settled between the linens on an exhausted sigh.
    “Len got his own thing goin’ on.”
    “And I don’t? Len is your son, Paw. He isn’t even workin’ right now. He has nothing but time on his hands. And didn’t you buy him a car a couple years ago?”
    “Yes…”
    “You done blew up my cell phone with all your hysterical calls and then I get over here, and all that’s goin’ on is you in the bathroom takin’ a dump!” Zenith pointed to the ajar door through which the stench kept drifting, refusing to go away anytime soon.
    “Blew up your phone? I didn’t blow up your phone, or nothing else for that matter! Someone bombed your phone?” The man looked genuinely concerned. Zenith lowered his head and shook it. “I was trying to tell you I’ve been poisoned!” the old man blurted as if now Zenith would finally understand his pain, his anguish, his point of no return. He then tossed his robe open.
    “Awwww, Paw!” Zenith grimaced at sight of him naked. “Put it back on!”
    “No! I need to show you somethin’. Come on over here.”
    “I don’t want to see whatever it is you want me to see. Let me just take your word for it.” Saggy skin hung from the old man’s limbs; his complexion had an ashen cast.
    “I used to be a nice looking stud, but I got old, and one day you will, too!”
    “No Paw, I’m going to stay this good lookin’ forever,” Zenith teased.
    The old man rolled his light brown, heavily hooded eyes and pointed to a deep purplish bruise along his inner thigh. Zenith tried to not catch a glimpse of the long, wrinkled scrotum that was in full view, a few wiry white hairs sticking out like rabbit whiskers along the thing…
    “Look!”
    “What happened, Paw?”
    “That nurse roughed me up. She manhandles me, tosses me around.”
    Zenith rolled his eyes. “You always say that, and from what I’ve seen, they put up with a lot from you and have been pretty nice.”
    “Put up with a lot from me?” The man’s salt and pepper brows furrowed as he pointed a finger at himself. “It’s my money payin’ their way!”
    “That doesn’t mean you can treat people any way you wish. You still have to give respect, Paw.”
    “Who are you to tell me about respect?” The old man reared back like the Heavyweight Champion of the World. “I’m the one that taught you respect! I know all about respect. Aretha Franklin learned how to spell it from ME ! R.E.S.P.E.C.T., find out what tha hell it means to me!”
    Zenith burst out laughing and looked down into his lap.
    “She has some huge jugs now… She hasn’t aged well, but I’d still take ’er on account of those massive breasts. Have you seen them? They remind me of two sandbags. I’d love to get my hands on ’em.”
    “Paw,” Zenith’s laughter now echoed throughout the room. “Please stop it.”
    “Laugh if you want to, but you do have a lot of nerve talking to me about respect. Who raised you?”
    “You and Mawmaw…” Zenith raised his chin a bit higher and looked the man directly in the eye.
    “Ya damn right, Zen! Tellin’ me about respect…” the man muttered indignantly as he snatched his robe closed again. “That raccoon-faced woman came in here and tossed me around like a ball!”
    “Speaking of balls… I can still see yours.”
    The old man looked down