The 2 Minute Engagement

Chapter 15

Chapter 15
Luke

2016

I spin my LuLu into my arms as we dance in the backyard of Steph and Johnny's house. The entire cast of the biopic movie— The New Edition and SJC Story— are over for a pre-filming cast party.

Everyone was swimming, eating, playing cards, singing, dancing, and overall having a good time with each other before we start filming tomorrow— the day after the 4th of July.

"Luke!" LuLu laughs as I keep spinning her around and around.

"Lucy!" I laugh. I pull her into my arms and just hold her as we sway side to side. "Y'all have some good parties."

"That's what our family is known for when we're all together. Everything is a party," She smiles back to me. She looks around at the party in full swing and her smile gets bigger. "Especially at the Gill house. Uncle Johnny and Auntie Steph have the biggest house."

"So they have the biggest parties?" I ask.

"Depends," she shrugs. "It's how Tre got so wild."

That makes my LuLu sad. Tre just got arrested for a second DUI. He can't see his long-time girlfriend because her mother doesn't want the bad influence on her daughter. His license was revoked. And Steph whooped his ass like any Black momma would. He sported sunglasses at the BET Awards because of the black eye he had.

"Everything will work itself out," I kiss her temple. "Let's get in the pool."

She smiles up at me before pushing me back and running to the diving board. She jumps up and down before doing an almost perfect dive.

"Man!" Elijah rolls his eyes from the pool. "Why she gotta be so extra?"

"Watch this!" I shout and run toward the pool. I just jump in with a canon ball— splashing everyone and everything within a ten foot radius.

"Come on, Luke!" Myles complains with his soggy food. Everyone laughs as JJ goes to get him another plate of food.

We spend hours in the pool, in the garage playing 8ball, eating, and just having a good time. When it starts to get late, we light fireworks of all sizes and colors.

"You coming over or are you going home?" I ask LuLu as I get ready to go leave.

"I'll be there in an hour. Wally and Uncle Johnny want to tell everybody something. Strictly family." Her smile is apologetic.

"It's fine. I understand," I nod as I watch the Wallace-Gill-Bivins-Bell-Devoe-Brown-Tresvant-(and now) Bennett family pile into the large sitting room. "Chance is family now."

Lucy looks back at Chance following JJ to a sofa. "Yeah. He is," her eyes find mine again. "Don't worry. My mom already thinks of you as her son-in-law."

I just smile at her. "I'll see you later," I lean over to kiss her. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She smiles as she watches me leave.

I walk to my car with a smile. I drive home where I clean up slightly before scrolling through social media as I wait for Lucy to come over.

As I'm scrolling through my timeline, I see Keith posted a video of him, Kim, Woody, Bryshere, JJ, and Lucy at the party. The best friends of the group. Lucy's the only one not looking in the video. Her eyes are focused on something off camera.