Une Fleure Fanée

Week 6 Part 7 (Saturday)

     "My kid's not gonna stand in front of you and chew gum," Ms. Joanne complains.

     The moms are laughing as Ms. Abby ignores her, continuing to blow bubbles that are the size of my head. It gets stuck in Ms. Abby's hair.

     "Karma's a bitch," Ms. Joanne blurts out as Ms. Abby momentarily struggles to get the gum out of her hair.

     "Please don't swear in front of the children," Ms. Abby condescendingly reminds Ms. Joanne, who's fixing GiaNina's hair.

     I begin doing over splits and stretching on the coffin as Ms. Abby continues.

     "Now, Snooki was kinda known for her slippers," Ms. Abby says before pulling out big lavender fluffy unicorn slippers.

     "Wait, what is that?" Ms. Joanne asks, looking disgusted and confused.

     "These are... well, these are in now. You know, the kids love these stuff," Ms. Abby reasons.

     "I really don't want the slippers," Ms. Joanne complains to Ms. Abby.

     "I know you don't. That's why I want them even more!" Ms. Abby squeals, laughing before she continues, "When are you going to figure that out? The more you don't want something, the more I want it."

     Ms. Abby is really pushing Ms. Joanne's button's today. GiaNina joins her mother, fixing her ponytail. I don't want her to wear the slippers because there isn't any traction on them and she could fall.

     "Why do we have to put the slippers on and make a mockery of her?" Ms. Joanne argues.

     I feel so bad for GiaNina. She practices her jazz dance that's once again, making fun of her mother.

     "I don't understand that I'm gonna fight, I'm gonna fight with you about slippers," Ms. Joanne says.

     "Yeah, I know. You're stupid," Ms. Abby comments, and that sends Ms. Joanne off the rails.

     "My kid's not going out there wearing slippers. Okay? Okay, that's not happening," Ms. Joanne announces, sitting on a black metal chair.

     "That's your final answer?" Ms. Abby asks.

     Wait? Is she really going to scratch GiaNina's solo if her mom says yes?

     "That's my final answer," Ms. Joanne repeats back.

     "Okay. She doesn't dance. Decisions made," Ms. Abby says.

     "I want to do the dance," Gia whispers to her mom.

     "I want you to do the dance, too, Gia, okay? I don't want you in stupid freaking slippers," Ms. Joanne whispers.

     "I'll do whatever I have to do to stay on this team, you're not getting me kicked off," GiaNina states to her mom.

      "You won last week. You beat Brady. Is she gonna kick you off the team? No way!" Ms. Joanne reminds Gia.

     "She is," Gia says, convinced that Ms. Abby will send her back to Jersey if she doesn't do the stupid jazz solo.

     "If you want to do the number in slippers, Gia, go ahead," Ms. Joanne backpedals, now wanting GiaNina to do the solo.

     "It's not your decision to make. It's my decision, and I've made it," Ms. Abby states, making it clear that GiaNina isn't dancing.

     "Over slippers," Ms. Joanne clarifies.

     "No, it's not over slippers, Joanne. It's over your mouth," Ms. Abby explains.