What About Yout Friends

Jenna

JEM'S had its grand opening about a month and a half after the renovations began. I had decided against dancing the first night - opting instead to mingle and walk around. From 10 - 2, I had male dancers performing. King said that I wasn't going to have a lot of people show up because "women didn't go out like that" to see male dancers.

JEMS's was so crowded that I had a line outside.

He had come over to see how things were going and was surprised to see that it was packed. Women were drinking, laughing, and eating, and money was flying. I was walking around, talking to some of the women and thanking them for coming when I saw him slip into JEM's through my office. He stood by the door and just looked - his face showing his complete surprise.

"Girl!" Mel grabbed my arm as I passed her.

"Hey!" I smiled at her.

"Girl! I thought this was going to be cheesy as hell! But these men.... girl!! They had me over here contemplating my loyalty to Anissa!"

"Melissa!" I laughed as I hit her arm.

"Where did you find these men? My goodness. Your husband is cool with them being in here because.... girl," she sat back as she crossed her legs.

"He's back there," I nodded towards the back.

She looked over her shoulder at King for a moment before turning back around. "He's smart. He's not leaving that spot until the women show up. Where did you find them?"

"They auditioned," I replied honestly.

"Well, I am so glad they did."

I looked over at Talia, who was sitting on the other side of the table - clearly enjoying the show. She had come with Carmen - who was nowhere in sight. In the past month and a half, Talia and I had actually become friends and I liked her. She said that she still needed a bit more time to be around King because of everything that happened, but she and I were friends, and had we had found ourselves hanging out more and more. 

"If you need anything, let me know," I said. "I need to make my rounds and make sure everyone else is OK and enjoying themselves."

Talia grabbed Mel's arm as she leaned back. "I think I need to meet homeboy in the back to the right."

"What about Malcolm?" Mel looked at her.

"All we do is text. It's nothing serious. I can meet homeboy in the back," she let Mel's arm go.

Mel looked at me as she shook her head. "Carmen is sitting up in the front drooling over the dude in the front center."

I looked at the front and sure enough, Carmen was sitting at a table in the front with some women and was clearly trying to get the male dancer's attention. I just shook my head and walked on, checking in with everyone else.

I finally made my way to my office and leaned against the wall next to my husband. "What do you think?"

"I think you're opening night is going to do much better than mine. We'll have to celebrate your success Monday."

I looked at him and smiled.

"So... these guys are a regular thing?"

"Mmhmm," I nodded my head. "Opening weekend I am showcasing all of my JEMs. From 1 to 2 we'll have both men and women dancing. Then the men leave and it's just the women. I have to work out the schedule, but I want to see how they do this weekend. Tomorrow, the women dance first and longer."

"The women are going crazy," he looked around. "I really didn't think they would."

"Women love looking at men just like men love looking at women," I tilted my head to the left as I observed the women. Carmen had managed to get up on the stage and was dancing with Eddie - the dancer that she had been drooling over. "I've made it 100% clear that there is to be zero sex taking place here, though. If any of them want to do that - they have to leave."