Eternal Love

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Luke
March 2018

"So this is what we've thought of so far," Lucy hands out folders to me, Chance, Algee, Kim, JJ, her mom, her aunts, and the members of Tank and the Bangas. "With Cold Case's amazing success, JKL has concocted another headlining tour. The Cold Case Tour will be world wide. We have three stages to the tour. We'll be moving from city to city in the U.S for two months— April to May. We'll have a few weeks break in June to recover and the second stage will be two months for Europe and Asia— July to August. The third stage will be Africa and South and Latin America— October to November."

"I'm just happy you invited us to open again." Tank says and her band smiles.

My mind starts to wonder as Lucy and the others discuss the logistics. I can't help but wonder what touring will do to Lucy and the baby. The last time she went on tour, she was dealing with postpartum depression and anxiety. She can't tour while pregnant. She'll be having the baby in October.

It won't work.

"Luke? You ready to go get dinner?" Kim asks me with a smile. I look up to see everyone getting their things.

"Y-yeah. I'm ready." I nod and get my things together. We step out in the warm Atlanta weather. Us three couples— Kim and Algee, JJ and Chance, and me and Lucy— leave together while SJC and Tank go their separate ways.

"We'll meet y'all inside?" JJ says once we all get to the restaurant. She gives me a hard look and a quick nod before going inside with her husband, her cousin, and her cousin's fiancé.

"Luke, I know what you're thinking," Lucy says after a moment of silence. "I'm scared too, but I won't get better unless I try to do the things I'm supposed to do for my career. You're supposed to go on tour after the release of an amazing album. Cold Case has done amazing on the charts. It's number one right now on both the R&B and Pop charts. I have to."

I shake my head. "You don't have to do anything, Lucy. All you need to do is get better."

"I know," she grabs my hand and kisses it. "That's why we have you coming on tour with us. I know with Star you won't be there every step of the way, but at least you'll be there for most of it. Baby, I'm scared but I have God and I have you. I'll be alright."

I turn and lean my forehead against hers. "I've looked at houses on the Westbank. In New Orleans? They aren't as great as those in the East or Metairie or even Uptown. But they're where you want to live. Right down the street from Karr."

"I have no worries about you finding the perfect house for us. You did it with the current one." Lucy smiles and kisses me softly before opening the door and getting out of the car. I follow her into the restaurant where we sit and have a great meal with our family.

"So Algee and I have decided to have the wedding in April. No particular reason. We just wanna get it over with as soon as possible." Kim smiles at Algee as we get our desserts. This is Kim's second dessert.

"Ready to have the last name, huh?" Chance teases her.

"Yassss!" Kim sticks out her tongue with a goofy smile. "Mrs. Kimberly Lori Smith. Yes sir!"

"I thought you wanted to do Tresvant-Smith?" Lucy asks her sister. She makes a face as she tries to eat her crème brûlée. Lucy looks at me and rolls her eyes in disgust before pushing the dessert toward me.

"I did at first but I just realized the hassle of having two last names and still only being called by one. So I just decided Smith was best for me." Kim shrugs.