Political Gratification (Interracial-BWWM Novel)

Chapter 2: Catch Phrase

Preston above.

$$$

"Cherie, someone come to see you. He says his name Preston Phillips", Nelly heard her father's voice beside her and turned away from the fun and children around her.

"The Senator of Virginia is here?" She clarified with her father, because surely he must be wrong. A man of Senator Phillips' pedigree would not be in the likes of this neighborhood.

Little Haiti. A neighborhood Nelly took pride in being a part of. Although their home was deleterious for most and riddled with gang activity, she still loved it here, because of the camaraderie and the richness of the cultures that came together in the neighborhood. Houses were laden with decor that sought to remind its residents of home. What was lamentable was that the Haitian culture was now associated with violence and neighborhood terrorism. Her family lives in the safer part of it, but they still saw some action.

The people in her neighborhood were lively and did their best to fight against the drugs and the gangs that distributed them. Tenacious in her belief that all children deserve a future in spite of their socio-economic circumstances, Nelly refused to let the vulnerable children of her neighborhood get pulled down by the waves of oppression that their society threw them under.

That's why at that very moment, Nelly was soaked from head to toe with water. She wanted to give these kids something to be happy about when every other thing is giving them a reason not to be. Keeping them busy is the only way to not force them to have to make a choice.

Sell vs. school. Gangs vs. freedom. Giving up vs. giving it a chance.

Making it so they don't have to choose is the only way to keep herself and her community from having to go to another young person's funeral.

So when she turned around to see the spoiled Senator of Virginia standing there staring at her behind, it was more than surprising, more than perplexed. But what was more bewildering was that the asshole had the audacity to not even attempt to conceal his leering. Along with him was his campaign manager, Samuel Leisenburg and two men who Nelly could only suspect to be his Secret Service personnel.

"An ale non!" She heard her father's frustrated voice exclaim, successfully yanking her out of her thoughts and springing her into action. (Translation: Let's go already!)

"Hold on!" She said in return, with a furrow of her eyebrows. Nelly turned around to face the young children she'd been entertaining, feeling the Senator's stare continue to burn a hole in her back.

"Alright, guys, I think it's time to go home," Nelly groaned along with them. The kid in her was screaming at her to stay and have fun in the sun. This was the warmest day they'd surprisingly had that winter.

"Can we have fun tomorrow?" I heard Sebena, a 7 year old, whine.

"No promises," I said and heard groans all around the circle of little girls and boys. "But maybe". At that they all screamed and cheered and ran from where we were playing in the street. I grinned at all of them and imagined my own children doing the same thing.

"Bye, Nelly!

"Bye, my babies!" I said as I picked up the bucket contraption I'd made with my father's drill. I turned and saw that the group was no longer standing there staring. I thanked God for that as it started creeping me out how intense those pair of light brown eyes were.

I started to make my way into the house with my dripping hair, black tank top, and black shorts when I heard my mom start screaming for me to stay outside. I walked back out and my mom came out with a towel.