The 2 Minute Engagement

Chapter 2

Chapter 2
Lucile

2015

"Of course they got the parts." Kim rolls her eyes after we were told that Lynn, Annie, and Andra were picked to play our mom and aunts in the biopic movie.

"Come on. Be happy for them," Aunt Steph smiles at us. "It's their chance to break into the industry."

"No." I snap and Mom looks at me in shock.

"What?" Mom asks. "What do you mean no?"

"What I said. No, we won't be happy for them," I say. "If we had gotten the parts you wouldn't be telling them to be happy for us. You'd be telling us to encourage them about trying harder next time."

"Lucy's right. You hardly ever praise us but you praise them out the ass for every little thing that they do." JJ crosses her arms over her chest.

"Annie, Lynn, Andra. Y'all go ahead inside. We'll be there in a minute." Aunt Steph says. The three walk inside the studio that is being used to train the actors they want for the movie.

"What's your problems?" Aunt Jacque asks.

"The fact that we don't feel as loved as them. We're your daughters and nieces. We never get that much attention from you," Kim answers with a wobbly lip that she got from Mom whenever she's about to cry but doesn't want to. "We do so much just to get your recognition but we almost never do. They get it. Why not us?"

They just look at each other before sighing. "One day we'll explain everything to you, but until then just know that we love you as much as we love them. There's a reason we may favor them a little more than you, but when we explain it to you, you'll understand." Mom says to us.

"Whatever," I roll my eyes. "I have to go. Mikey wants to take me out to eat."

I leave the studio for the parking lot. I get in my car and drive away from them.

"Hey, Luce," Mikey smiles when he sees me. He gets up from the secluded booth he got for us to hug me. "What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?" I ask as I grab a menu. "Did you order yet?"

"No I didn't. I was waiting on you," he says before picking up a menu. "Did you get the role?"

"No. They did." I snap. I don't want to talk about it and I want him to understand it.

He sets the menu down and I do the same with a sigh. Of course he doesn't understand it. "Baby, it's going to be okay. It's just a role."

"It's not about the role, Michael," I roll my eyes. "It's the fact that they got the roles for something I actually wanted. I don't know about being an actress but I know I'm supposed to play my aunt Stephie. I know JJ and Kim are supposed to be my aunts Jacque and Cassie. Not those three."

"You sound jealous, Luce. It's not that serious. The directors obviously felt that your cousins were the better fit for the movie. You can't complain with their decision," he says then stops to think. "It's their loss anyway. They're missing out on incredible singers and dancers."

"Thanks, Mikey." I accept his try at making me feel better. We eat and talk for some time before he has to leave to do promo for his movie Creed.

"I'll come by later," he hugs me as we leave. "Maybe then we can have a real private moment."

"Yeah. Maybe." I shrug with a fake smirk.