One Way or Another Read Online Free

thousand square foot property, including the living room, the beautiful den off the kitchen, and the three massive bedrooms.
    As Jasmine glided through the second kitchen with them trailing behind, Afrika caught Toni’s eye. “Aren’t you gonna say something?” Afrika mouthed.
    â€œYou know I’ve been trying to stay out of Trey and Jasmine’s business,” Toni whispered, shaking her head.
    â€œI know, but are you seeing all of this?” Afrika whispered back “This place must cost a mint. I know your brother makes good money, but I didn’t know it was this good.”
    â€œGirl, please, we’re in a recession,” Toni muttered dryly. “Ain’t nobody’s money this good.”
    â€œSo, what do you think?” Jasmine asked as they stood in the front foyer again at the end of the tour. “Think this is the house for me and Trey?”
    â€œToo fancy-pants for me,” Afrika said, blowing a bubble with her gum. “But hey, I’m just a little black girl from Grove Park. What do I know?”
    Jasmine rolled her eyes and turned to Toni. “Well?”
    â€œ ‘Well’ what?” Toni hedged.
    â€œWell, what do you think of the place?” Jasmine asked with exasperation. “Could you see me and Trey here?”
    Toni sighed. Maybe if your dad kicked the bucket early, was the answer she had on the tip of her tongue.
    She was a speak-the-truth-and-speak-it-immediately kind of girl, which was what got her in trouble most of the time. And if she said what she really thought, this time would be no different.
    â€œWhat do you think of the place?” Toni deflected.
    â€œI love it.” Jasmine’s eyes were brighter than the floodlights in the soccer-field-sized backyard. “I think Trey would love it here too. He really appreciates high quality in a home.”
    Toni wrinkled her nose.
    â€œWhat?” Jasmine said, her tone changing. “You don’t think he’ll like it, do you? ’Cause you know so much more about what Trey likes—more than me, his own wife, who he comes home to every night.”
    Out the corner of her eye Toni saw Afrika shake her head and give her a don’t-go-there look. Too late.
    â€œI actually don’t think Trey would like all this.” Toni folded her arms. “And I don’t know why you think he would. You know how mellow Trey is. All the bougie stuff just makes him uncomfortable.”
    Jasmine narrowed her eyes. “You mean my bougie stuff.”
    Toni shrugged. “Hey, you said it, not me.”
    â€œWhy are you always trying to class down your brother? You think just because you have to be everybody’s homegirl that he wants to be ghetto too?”
    Toni turned to look at Afrika. “Did she just call me ghetto ?”
    Afrika rubbed her eyes tiredly. “T, she probably never meant it like—”
    â€œOh, she meant it like that.” Toni glared at Jasmine. “She still thinks she did our family a favor by marrying Trey. Like we weren’t doing fine on our own before she tried to spend my brother into debt.”
    â€œExcuse me?” Jasmine stepped back, hands on her hips. “So because I want nice things I’m spending my husband into debt? In case you forgot, I work and make my own money too. But I guess I’m supposed to wear Walmart clothes to make you feel better.”
    â€œPlease, Jasmine, you couldn’t find a Walmart if it was in your own backyard,” Toni replied. “And nobody’s saying you gotta be cheap, but sometimes you gotta bring it down. Everything can’t be the Ritz all the time.”
    â€œBut it isn’t,” Jasmine protested.
    â€œReally.” Toni smirked. “So tell me, what’s the price on this house?”
    â€œHuh?” Jasmine stuttered, caught off guard.
    â€œWhat is the price on this house?” Toni spoke slowly and deliberately. “You know, since