Forever Isn't Long Enough

Chapter 5

Chapter 5
July 2018

Lucy

"Move to the left...no! My left! Pay attention or get the fuck out...Y'all must want me to call Coach? Think I'm playing? I'll turn off the AC and make y'all run laps outside for the rest of the hour." I have to yell at sixty teenage boys just for them to act right.

It's the end of the month and I so foolishly took on the task of teaching the Edna Karr football team ballet. It's a two week crash course so that they are more agile and flexible. But I've quickly forgotten how hard it is to make teenage boys do anything— especially ghetto teenage boys who think ballet is for gay guys.

"Miss Boyd, this some gay ass shit. I ain't leaping like that. Only faggots do that shit." One boy says. A fair amount of the boys agree with him.

"First of all, get the fuck out if you gonna say shit like that— y'all know I don't like those fucking words," I point toward the door and the boy walks out. I stare them all down. They know my rules: no profanity (unless it's me), no racial or homophobic slurs, and leave the toxic masculinity at the door. "I cannot believe y'all. Y'all must need another full day of my rules."

Pleas of "No, Miss Boyd" and "We dont need it, Miss Boyd" come from all sixty boys but I don't budge. "Everyone against a wall. Or on the floor. Squats or six-inches."

They all groan but they listen and pick their poison. Once they're situated, they start repeating my rules over and over until it's time for them to leave.

"Come back tomorrow with a better attitude or it'll be a repeat of today." I tell them as they leave after their snack. They all either hug me or do whatever handshake we came up with.

I lock up the dance studio on my way out. When I get home, the house is empty. Lola is with Luke's mother and Luke is in Atlanta for Star. So it's just me.

"Maybe I should get a dog." I tell myself then I scoff. I barely have time for me, my fiancé, and our growing family. How will I have time for a dog?

I make myself something to eat before sitting down and answering emails, listening to beats Will and Wally made, watching videos from the dance studios, and writing lyrics. It keeps me busy until Luke calls me around 1AM.

"What you up to, Mama? Looking beautiful with all that hair in a bun. Tell me how you glow like that, my Queen?" Luke smiles at me from my phone.

I smile at him. "I'm just writing, Boyd. And I glow because of you, King." I wink at him and his smile grows.

"How's my JR doing in there? He been giving you problems?" Luke asks.

"No, sir. He's sleeping right now. He hasn't moved since earlier today when you called," I say before pausing. The baby kicks as it wakes up. "He's kicking. He knows you're on the phone."

"That's Daddy's baby," Luke smiles. "Lee was talking about getting you on set. You know Jude is pregnant so Star is pregnant. He wants Devon to be pregnant at the same time that Star is."

I roll my eyes as I shake my head. Since season 2 of Star and season 3 of Empire, JKL has stared as Devon, Tyler, and Remi Holmes— a sibling girl group named Infectious. Of course my character Devon Holmes has a child (Lola who in the show plays Demi Brooks) with Luke's character Noah Brooks.

"It makes sense. I bet Star is saying the baby is for Jackson but it's gonna end up being Noah's. Now Noah is three kids deep but still suffering from his own demons. How is he gonna balance raising three kids with two baby mommas, a music career, and his daddy issues with his other demons?" I nod as I send a text to Lee Daniels.