Read Online In Times of Trouble by Yolonda Tonette Sanders - Free Book Online Page A

tired. I don’t feel like arguing any more than you do.”
    Lisa couldn’t help but laugh. If her mother being tired was the only reason they didn’t get into it about Chanelle tonight, then thank goodness for fatigue! She quickly dialed RJ’s cell. “It’s me. . . I’m calling to let you know I’m home.”
    â€œI’m glad you made it safely. Did you have fun?”
    â€œYeah, we had a great time.”
    â€œThis um. . .friend of yours, did he have any trouble finding the place?”
    â€œNot that it’s any of your business, but my friend was actually a she ; and no, she didn’t have any problems getting to Metamora. It’s not the first time we’ve been.”
    RJ sounded somewhat relieved. “Since you seem to be a regular tourist, maybe one day we can ride down there. . .the two of us and Chanelle, of course. It’s been a long time since we’ve done anything as a family.”
    The nerve he had to suggest family time made Lisa sick to her stomach. “You have yourself to thank for that. Anyhow, I just wanted to tell you that I’m back. What time are you bringing Chanelle home?”
    â€œUm, baby—”
    â€œYou mean, Lisa. ”
    He sighed in defeat. “Whatever. . .I dropped Chanelle off hours ago. She should be there.”
    â€œWhat!” Just as Lisa was digesting RJ’s statement, Chanelle walked through the front door. “I have to go. She’s here now.” Lisa hung up the phone and turned toward her daughter like a lioness ready to attack its prey. “Where have you been?”

CHAPTER 9
W.W.O.D.?
    A fter talking to—rather going off on—Chanelle, Lisa found out that she’d snuck out with Kyle once more. This time he had picked her up and they went out to a movie, so Lisa was told. Chanelle’s plan was to pretend that she had still been with RJ. Apparently, she had been banking on the lack of communication between her parents and was downright stunned when Lisa confronted her. To Lisa’s surprise, instead of copping an attitude, Chanelle had been more cooperative about getting busted for being out with Kyle this time than she had been previously. Any order Lisa barked was immediately fulfilled without question or hesitation. The girl probably knew she was treading on thin ice. Had Lisa not already spent a lot of money planning this graduation party, she would have been tempted to cancel it to prove a point.
    â€œGirl, I don’t know what I’m going to do about Chanelle,” Lisa confessed to Olivia who had dropped by her office Monday afternoon after coming from her weekly board meeting. “Punishing her is not working. She’s graduating in a few weeks and will turn eighteen in August. And on top of that, she’ll be living on campus when school starts. Nothing I say or do fazes her because sherealizes she’ll be moving out soon. I have no idea how to keep her from this boy.”
    Liv sat across from Lisa’s desk as calm as still, blue waters. She’d been listening to Lisa vent for at least forty minutes now and as irritated as Liv was about Chanelle sneaking out with Kyle again, she had yet to break a sweat. Olivia’s ability to stay composed under pressure was one of the things Lisa loved about her best friend. Dressed in a pastel green short-sleeved silk shirt, cream dress pants and a pair of open-toe Manolos, Liv was beautiful. At age forty-nine, she didn’t look a day over thirty. Her caramel brown skin was wrinkle- and surgery-free.
    After patiently listening to Lisa’s woes, Liv finally spoke up and said, “You’re going to have to take a more drastic approach if you want to keep the little bum out of her life.”
    â€œGirl, I’m open to any and all suggestions. Short of ordering a hit, I’m not sure what to do.”
    â€œA hit can be arranged if need be.” Olivia smiled