I have to dedicate this to my homegirl Strawberry1501 who inspired this idea. Thank you so much love!!!! I read all the comments and when you guys throw out amazing ideas I will not hesitate to send you a DM asking if I can use it lol. So never be afraid to comment your ideas. What you like, what you want to see more of, what you want to change. Y'all been rocking with me since book 1, so this is OUR book. Luh y'all!
-Des
Amb, Aug, Sata and O in the m/m cause y'all haven't seen a pic of them in a while.
Stacy POV-
"Travis wake up you are so rude." I laughed. We were sitting in the chairs lined up at the back of the class for the career day speakers.
Travis was nodding off while this young boy's father was talking about his life as an accountant.
"This man rude making these kids sit through this boring stuff." He whispered. "What they gon do? Leave here and file taxes?"
I tried to control my laughter. These kids were in first grade and had no clue what this man was talking about and he was talking to them like they were in college.
"And that's what an accountant does." The man smiled.
"Give Mr. Walton a handclap guys and thank him for being here." Mrs. Little Sata and O's teacher said.
The class clapped.
"Any questions for Mr. Walton?" Mrs. Little scanned the room.
Sata shot up her hand.
"Yes Assata."
"Can my uncle go up now please?
Travis laughed. "She the rude one."
"Assata we're taking questions for Mr. Walton right now. Are there any other questions?"
The class was a sea of silence and boredom. Some were doodling on their desk.
"Well then thank you again Josiah for inviting your father to speak with us."
The class clapped one last time.
"Now Assata you can come."
Assata ran to the front.
"Octavian come on." She motioned for him to come up.
Octavian came up there.
"Hi everyone. My name is Assata Melione Alsina and this is my bestfriend." She looked at O.
"Tell them your name." She nudged him.
"Octavian." He said shyly.
"And for career day we brought my uncle Travis Labranch. Who is Travis Labranch you say?" She looked at O.
"One of the coolest people I know. How many of you know a real life actor? Well me and Sata do."
"He's been on movie screens all around the world. And today I brought him. He's my uncle."
"And my friend."
"We present to you Travis Labranch." O and Sata said in unison.
Travis blushed shaking his head and went up there. He hugged them and did a fake cry.
"Y'all too sweet. Feel like I won an Oscar or something."
The kids giggled at his fake crying.
"You have pretty eyes." A little girl said.
"Thank you. I like that bow in your head. You got another one?"
"In my book bag."
"Go get it so we can be twins."
"Really?"
"Really." She went to her book bag to get the other bow. This one was pink.
"How it go?" She helped Travis put it on.
She cracked up.
"Y'all like my hair?" Travis asked the class.
"You look like a girl." A boy who looked like Lil Terio shouted out.
The class laughed.
"And you look like you need to lay off the cupcakes."
The class snickered.
"I'm playing buddy. What's your name?"
"Lamar."
"Lamar. What you want to be when you grow up?"
"I don't know." He shrugged.
"Come here."
He came up there with Travis.
"Now I was Lamar's age when I realized I wanted to be an actor. I was a lot skinner. But that's okay the ladies love em big too. You know who Biggie is?"
"No." He shook his head.
"A rapper." Another little boy shouted out.
"Yes and he was round full of love just like you. But he had swag. Say swag."
The whole class said swagg.
"Now you can be anything you want Lamar as long as you have swagg. And swagg doesn't mean clothes or material stuff. It's knowing who you are and not caring what other people say. Okay?"
"Mm-hm." He shook his head okay.
"Everybody stand up."
All the kids stood up.
"Now let's gather around in a circle."
The kids gathered around in a circle.
"Now we're going to play and acting game I usually do as a warm up. So what happens is we go around in a circle and each of us makes an animal sound. As an actor it helps open up your vocal chords and get you loose. The one catch is you can't make the same sound as someone else. Okay?"
"Okay." They jumped up and down and said excited.
"O start."
"Rawr." O said.
"Rawr. That sound more like a baby cat than a lion. Give it to me from your gut boah!"
"Rawrrrrrrrr!" O said loudly.
"Now that's right. Sata come on."
"I don't know what to do." She put her fingers in her mouth shyly.
"Girl you better do something."
"Roof-roof." She said softly.
"Why you whispering?"
"I didn't." she laughed
They went around the room and the other children went except one little boy.
"Come on man go."
He shook his head no.
Travis came over to him and bent down.
"He doesn't talk much." The teacher interrupted.
"Well he gon talk today. What's wrong?" Trav looked at him.
He just put his head down.
"Forget him." Someone said.
"No we not forgetting him. He's apart of the class like everyone else. What's your name buddy?"
He didn't say anything.
"If you don't tell me a name imma give you one?"
The little boy still didn't say anything.
"It's Aaron." The teacher said.
Travis picked him up and put him on his neck.
"We a giraffe so make a giraffe sound."
Aaron laughed.
"Come on now. You hurting my neck."
"What sound do they make?"
"I don't know make something up."
He did a sound and the class clapped.
Trav put him down.
"Hi five." He held his hand out to him.
"Too slow." He said as he did it causing the little boy to laugh.
"Okay now I want to teach you guys the first poem I ever learned that made me want to be an actor. I said this when I was your age At my black history assembly. I'mma say a line then you say it okay."
"Okay." They said ready.
Trav says a line then they repeat.
Hey Black Child
Do you know who you are
Who you really are
Do you know you can be
What you want to be
If you try to be
What you can be
Hey Black Child
Do you know where you are going
Where you're really going
Do you know you can learn
What you want to learn
If you try to learn
What you can learn
Hey Black Child
Do you know you are strong
I mean really strong
Do you know you can do
What you want to do
If you try to do
What you can do
Hey Black Child
Be what you can be
Learn what you must learn
Do what you can do
And tomorrow your nation
Will be what you what it to be
~ Countee Cullen
"Is he a teacher?" Mrs. Little asked me as Trav continued to talk to the kids.
"No, why?"
"He's very good with children. Half these kids never speak up in class and to see them fully engaged is inspiring. Aaron never talks or participates."
"Wow. Yeah it's his personality I suppose. He's real silly."
"Since he's an actor he should look into teaching courses for kids I think he'd get a lot out of it."
"I'll talk to him about that."
We turned our attention back to the kids who were crowded around Trav asking questions. Sata was sitting on his lap.
"Alright guys we have to rap it up. It's time for lunch."
"Aww man." The class collectively sighed.
"Mr. Labranch could you have lunch with us?" Aaron the quiet little boy asked.
"If mrs. Little doesn't mind."
"I don't mind."
"Yay!!!" The class said excited.
Mrs. Little got the kids to line up and they went off to the cafeteria.
"Good job baby." I kissed him.
"Thank you."
"You know Mrs. Little said you should think about maybe teaching children acting classes. You get to do what you love, make money and give back until the work comes in. On top of that you're good with kids."
"I never thought about that."
"Think about it." I kissed him one last time and we went to follow the kids.
-----------
Amber POV -
"How was it today?" I asked Trav and Stac who were seated opposite of me and Aug.
We had took them out to dinner for their last day here and to celebrate their marriage.
"Pretty cool. The kids wanted me to stay with them for lunch and asked me to come back."
"Oh wow." Aug said sarcastically.
"Don't you dare." I looked up at him he had his hand around me in the our part of the booth we were seated.
"August stop hating." Stacy blurted out.
"Travis has always supported you. From raising Sata while you were in school on down."
"He didn't raise my daughter. He babysat. I raised my daughter. And I'm not hating. I said oh wow as if saying that was impressive."
"You said it sarcastically. Keep the negativity to yourself." Stacy grabbed her fork and started twirling her pasta around it.
"What are you getting upset for? Damn. Niggas is sensitive for no reason." Aug said defended himself.
"Stac he's not phasing me and he shouldn't phase you." Trav told her while eating his steak.
"I'm glad it went well Trav. You are great with kids so I can imagine they loved you."
August rolled his eyes.
"Thanks Amb." Trav said.
"Their teacher even said he should teach acting classes to kids." Stac added.
"Oh wow Trav! You could even have your own acting studio. You being out there in LA I'm sure you would get plenty kids. This might be your alternative plan. Right Aug?" I looked at him.
"I'm not saying nothing so it can be taken the wrong way." He ate his lobster.
"You are so jealous of Travis it's ridiculous." Stacy spat.
"I can never win." Aug shook his head and chuckled.
"You didn't even congratulate us on our wedding."
Stacy obviously was in her feelings about not getting Aug's full support.
"What do you think this is? I'm paying for the meal you chomping on ain't i?"
"I don't need you to pay for shit for me. I have money. You not doing me no favors."
I sighed. Here we go. I forgot how they used to go at it sometimes.
"What the? Where is this coming from? I listened when you called me crying. I chewed him out because of it, got into a fight with my wife because of it, and now you mad I didn't congratulate you? I offered to buy a ring he didn't want it. It just happened yesterday. So what are you talking about?"
"Whatever August." Stacy wiped her tearing eyes.
"Stac what's wrong babe?" I asked her.
"It's just you be there for friends all the time and they never show you that same respect, but whatever."
"What?" August laughed confused.
"You have never fully been there for me August. Ever since you moved back to Georgia. Not once did you call to see how my practice was going. You didn't even come to the opening we had. I have talked more to Amber than I do you. You barely call me."
There was obviously some stuff Stac had bottled up.
"Stacy first off I've been respecting my brother's space. You're his woman. I'm not finna be he-heing and haw-hawing with you till midnight like we used to do in college. Or poping up randomly cause I wouldn't want no nigga doing that with my wife I don't care how close they were before.
And two, when you had your opening me and Amb was going through a load of shit. We sent you the biggest bouquet of flowers we could find. And you know whenever you needed me I was a phone call away. So why you getting sensitive I don't understand. I appreciate you Stac. I love you and I am proud of you. That's why I went clean off on Trav when I thought he was taking advantage of you."
"He did Stac. And I was about to dust the floor with his skinny ass too." Trav took a sip of his wine.
Stacy wiped her eyes.
"I appreciate y'all man. You the reason I'm with Amb Stac. You kept me from fucking up the best thing that I ever had in my life. And I love and respect Trav too. There was only one person on the planet I wanted to be as a kid besides Mel and that was Trav. All my friends loved him. All my girls. He was well built while I was skinny. He was funny. So yes I was being petty because I was jealous. I always have been. Shit. I want the hazel eyes too." Aug laughed.
And so did everyone else.
"But I'm happy for y'all. I love y'all and I want nothing but the best for you guys. And I can't wait to see this real ceremony Bobby Ray gon do this summer."
"We are not having Bobby Ray." Stac said.
"Don't do my cuz. He's a reputable preacher." Aug said.
"I should really kick yo ass for that." Travis told Aug.
"Well I want to do a toast to you guys." I held my glass. Everyone else followed.
"To Stacy and Trav I wish you guys a long and prosperous marriage. I pray that you have the strength to endure the rough times. The stamina to keep it hot in the bedroom. And to Stacy the patience to deal with one of Mama's Shelia's boys because hunty you gon need it."
"That stamina in the bedroom is the reason you got all them damn kids. Y'all need to chill." Trav said.
"Oh my God Amb you're pregnant again?" I didn't realize I didn't tell Stac.
"Yes."
"How many months?"
"Almost three right now."
"We having one and that's it." Trav told Stacy.
"No babe I want three like Amb."
"You better adopt one that be on them commercials where you send a dollar a day. "
Me and Aug laughed. Stac hit Trav.
"What is the top piece of marriage advice you'd give?" Stac asked
"Keep her away from bald head niggas." August said and drank some of his wine.
I straight faced him.
"What?" He laughed.
"What's wrong with bald head niggas?"
Trav laughed.
"Nothing." I looked at August angry. I knew his ass wasn't trying to play me by putting our business out there.
"I'm playing baby." Aug tried to kiss me I muffed his face.
"Keep tissue around cause his ass is always crying but claims he's a real nigga."
August straight faced me.
"I was just playing but if you want me to put the shit out there I will. Don't fuck with me Amb." He snapped.
"Don't try to play me then cause you not perfect." I got up and walked out the restaurant.
Aug followed behind me saying stuff but I tuned him out.
Travis POV-
We waited for like 15 minutes and Aug and Amb never came back.
"Umm are they still gon pAy or..."
I asked Stacy.
"Travis." She laughed.
"I'm serious. Imma go find them. We were promised a free meal and thats what we gon get."
I walked to the parking lot of the car to see the windows fogged up.
Are these niggas...?"
I tapped on the car window. After about a minute or two Aug got out and closed the door. He had lipstick all over his mouth, and he was buttoning his short. His zipper on his pants was unzipped.
"Just pay with my card." He handed me his credit card.
"I'm not riding in the back seat with no damn juices." I snatched his card.
"Nigga we was just talking. Give us ten minutes."
He got back in the car and I walked back in the restaurant.
"Where were they?" Stac asked as I sat back down.
"Out in the car freaking." He whispered and rolled his eyes.
Stac laughed.
"I guess the third lesson is - spontaneity?" She said.
"The third lesson is don't take marriage advice from them fools."
Me and Stacy shook our heads at the foolery and paid for the food.