The 2 Minute Engagement

Chapter 8

Chapter 8
Lucy

2016

"So what's so big that you had to talk to us separately?" Kim asks our mom and aunts as she, JJ, and I sit at Aunt Steph's house in her personal living room after eating lunch. They sent our uncles and dads away from the house along with our brothers and cousins.

"What we're about to tell you is something that will not only help you portray us in the movie but is extremely important to our and your lives." Auntie Jacque says.

We wait for them to continue.

"We weren't born in 1966 and '67," Auntie Steph says. She doesn't pause to let the ridiculous information sink. "We were born in '98 and '99. Our moms are Michelle, Nicole, and Lori Wallace. We're originally cousins. "

Auntie Steph stops and lets Mom talk. "When we were 18 in 2017 we were put back in 1985 to replace our moms' cousins. We were placed back in 1985 to be with the men that God had crafted for us and to do what our cousins didn't."

Auntie Jacque picks up. "In 1997 during the Home Again tour when your dads and uncles were fighting, Brooke had a heart attack. While we were helping him, God sent His archangel Gabriel to give us a choice— of going back to 2017 or staying in 1997. If we had gone back, we wouldn't be your mothers. If we stayed, we'd continue to live the life that we have. We obviously stayed."

When they finish, we stare at them as if they were crazy. I start laughing at the same time that Kim and JJ do. "That was funny." I says in between forced giggles.

"We're serious. We can show you our birth certificates from 1999." Mom says and we stop laughing.

"So what?" JJ jumps up. "So what about Lynn, Annie, and Andra? Who are they? Are they you?"

"No. They are themselves. I know it's hard to wrap your head around at first, but it gets easier. When we were put in 1985 they were put in our places in 2017. When we decided to stay, they were born in our places in '98 and '99." Auntie Jacque answers.

"Do they know who they are— were?" Kim asks.

Mom nods. "They remember. God gave them that. He wanted them to remember what He gave them and what they could've had. But they've grown up in the early 2000s. It's hard to act like you don't know, that you aren't any different from the rest when you've lived through the time."

"Fuck," JJ curses.

"Watch your mouth." Auntie Steph snaps. JJ ignores her.

"That's why y'all favor them," I continue. "They're you and you're them. You have an understanding with them that we'll never have with you."

"It's not like that," Auntie Jacque shakes her head. "They need someone to guide them through this. It's still new to them. They remember a lot of their childhood in the '80s but it gets mixed in with the '00s. It's harder for them."

We roll our eyes. Everything is always harder for them. "Does Daddy and Uncles know? Our cousins?" Kim asks.

"Your dads and uncles yes. I'm sure they're telling the boys." Mom answers.

"So what now?" I ask with an attitude. "We act as if we don't know this?"

"You use it for the movie. We...we had to tell Abdul about this in order for him to get an idea of how our lives went. He's under a contract that keeps him from talking about it to anyone. We had to approve the script before Chris ever saw it to make sure it didn't contain anything about us. It's why we have a more hands-on approach than NE." Auntie Jacque says.