Forever Isn't Long Enough

Chapter 6

Chapter 6
August 2018

Wally

I nod as I concentrate on the sixty teenage boys in front of me. Of course Lucy has too much on her plate and won't admit it. My favorite cousin has roped me into helping her teach sixty ghetto teenage football players ballet and hiplet.

It's bad enough being called gay and a faggot by guys my age but teenage boys? That's some low shit.

But Lucy has them under control. Not one homophobic comment has left their lips since I started working with them last week. They're doing pretty good for a bunch of people who didn't know how to dance prior to this.

"What you think, Mister Gill?" Devonté, the mastermind behind me being here, asks after they've ran through the routine for the umpteenth time tonight. The other boys look at me for confirmation.

"I think y'all got the hang of it. Y'all gonna have the ladies on y'all for sure," I say and they laugh. "I'm serious. First of all, they gonna be staring because y'all gonna be wearing a leotard."

"What the hell is a leotard?" One asks.

"It's a bodysuit. And stop cussing." Lucy snaps from her seat in the corner. She's been working on music the entire practice. They all utter apologies.

"It's a tight bodysuit. We got them customized with y'all jersey numbers. They'll make y'all look good...if y'all got any muscle." I tease them. They start roasting me.

"More like if they got anything down there," Lucy says and they start talking about how they got 'big packages' that make all the girls go wild. "First of all, y'all ain't shit and y'all dirty. Don't no girl want y'all," they try to argue with her. "Dusty hoes from the Lower 9 and the Fisher don't count."

That sends the room roaring with laughter. Lucy smiles behind a look of pain.

"Miss Boyd, you okay?" One of the boys asks once it gets quiet.

"Yeah, Tyrell. I'm fine. The baby is just moving." Lucy waves them off.

"Y'all go ahead and get a snack out of the kitchen. One more practice before the performance in two days," I smile. They smile back before grabbing their stuff and leaving. I walk over to Lucy when the room is clear. "Are you sure you're okay? Do you need your doctor?"

She shakes her head. "No. I just want to lay down. Once the studio is closed we should go get something to eat. Lola's still in Atlanta with Luke. It's just me and you."

"Me, you, Yasmine, and Jasmine. I told you they wanted to see New Orleans. Tourist shit, Luce. You shouldn't be walking around Bourbon and stuff." I shake my head as I help her gathering her things. We leave the room and wait for all of the kids to be picked up.

"You can't walk Bourbon with a baby. Leave Jasmine with me and go out with Yasmine. I'm sure she won't mind some alone time." Lucy suggests.

"Actually," Yasmine walks up with Jasmine who was in dance class with the two and three year olds. "I don't want to walk Bourbon period. You know I don't drink, Stephan," she kisses my cheek before smiling at Lucy. "Plus I wanna spend some time with you, Lucy. You're Stephan's favorite cousin."

"I don't wanna keep you in. You're finally in New Orleans. Go explore with Stephan." Lucy teases me. Yasmine's the only person who calls me by my first name. Everyone else calls me by the nickname my mom gave me when I was a baby.

"Nope. We're staying in and you're gonna let me cook for you. End of discussion." Yasmine picks up Jasmine and walks out to the car.

Lucy looks at me with a smile. "She's a keeper," I follow my cousin out to the car and we drive to Lucy and Luke's house. "I've been thinking about getting a dog."