Chapter 15 #3
I leave my water on the bar counter and Klaus trots by our feet.
Trixie slips her arm through mine and leads us toward the side of the stage.
“Okie dokie, this is where you’ll be shakin’ your toosh.
We do a lotta group numbers, so I’ll get you to learn a few eight counts for me later and see how you fare.
But everybody does solos, too. I like have little themes, you know?
Makes the guys and gals holler louder if there’s a story.
I’ve got a doctor, a football player, a tiger, a superhero, hell, even an alien who comes to ‘probe’ all the sexy earthlings.
” She titters to herself as she pulls me backstage.
But then she frowns. “We used to have a cop who arrested folks, but that didn’t sit right with me no more.
So now one of my boys does this whole routine with a metal grinder, making actual sparks fly. Ain’t that neat?”
“Wow, yeah,” I agree. “I, um, actually really liked making up characters and stuff at my old place. But the manager hated it. He said I was overthinking something simple and customers just wanted me to take my damn clothes off.” He actually threw in the usual homophobic slurs as well, but I don’t want to bring the mood down like that by mentioning it.
Trixie snorts. “Let me guess? He was straight, white, and cis?” I nod and she tuts.
“Well, we’re all about bein’ camp around here, sugar.
Life’s too short not to live your truth and live it damn loud.
People come here to the Tavern for a fantasy.
Just like folks do in Vegas. It’s supposed to be escapism.
So you have a think on some ideas. The more ridiculous, the better. I wanna hear them.”
“I actually had a cowboy act before, if you can believe it,” I tell her with a shy laugh.
“Well ain’t that somethin’?” she cries. “That seems like fate to me you’d end up here then.” We open a door into a noisy space that’s half dressing room, half rec room. “Okay! So this is where you’ll hang with the rest of my boys. Hey, y’all!”
A couple of the dancers are rehearsing. Others are stretching, eating, or on their phones. There are more than the ones I saw previously on the stage. They all call out in a cacophony of voices.
“Hey, Mama!”
“Hey, Trixie!”
“Oh, is this the new guy?”
“Of course it’s the new guy.”
“Ooh, a dog! Does the dog come with the new guy?”
“Can I pet the dog?”
“Can I feed the dog?”
She waves at them as Klaus looks around at the men admiring him. “Hush, now. This here’s your new brother, Jesse, and you’ll meet him properly later. I’m gonna finish showin’ him the Tavern, then we can have a lil dance, okay?”
“Okay, Mama!” they agree cheerfully and wave us off.
I look down in bemusement at Trixie as she starts escorting me toward the hotel part of the building. Klaus is glued to my side like he knows I still need his reassurance.
“Somethin’ on your mind, cowboy?” Trixie asks.
I chuckle and shake my head. “You haven’t even seen me dance yet, but you’re acting like I’m already hired.”
She hums. “Do y’all have two left feet?”
“No, ma’am.”
“Then I reckon the job’s yours, if you want it.” She pats my arm where she’s holding it. “You seem like you belong here, Jesse. Am I wrong thinkin’ you’re lookin’ for a second chance?”
“More like a hundredth chance,” I mumble, that shame threatening to creep back in. But Trixie squeezes my elbow and when I look down, she beams up at me.
“Some folks just don’t know they’re in the wrong place until they’re in the right one. Magnolias don’t grow in the shade, now do they?” She tilts her head and considers me. “You know why I picked up sticks from Louisiana, hon?”
I shake my head because I’ve only just met the woman, so how could I know? But I sense this is all part of her storytelling.
“I have a lil boy, Jesse. His name is Max. Now, where he was born, some folks were confused and liked to think he was a girl, despite him bein’ very clear with me since he could talk that he was a fella.
Some folks even had the nerve to try and make him be a girl.
Now I wasn’t havin’ that. His daddy was never around in the first place, and my family weren’t nothin’ to brag about, so the two of us started driving and didn’t stop till we found this ol’ shack. ”
She slaps one of the walls as we head down to where the hotel rooms are located. I realize there’s a lump in my throat which I try and swallow so I can speak. “You’re an amazing mom,” I say softly.
But she huffs and scowls at me. “I did what any mama should do and shame on those who don’t. Your blood is your blood and only a fool turns their back on their kids when they need them the most.”
That lump isn’t budging. In fact, I can’t stop myself from sniffing and hastily rubbing my eyes. Klaus whimpers and thumps his shoulder against my leg.
“Oh, sugar,” Trixie says softly, stopping and wrapping her arms around me. Seeing as she barely comes up to my shoulders, I chuckle wetly and tuck her under my wing to hug her back. She sighs against me. “I’m sorry if someone let you down. But…yeah. I reckon you belong here, all right.”
For a few minutes, she just hugs me until something feels just that bit lighter in my chest. “Thank you,” I mumble.
She leans back and cups her hands around the sides of my face.
“Of course. If you’re gonna be one of my boys, that means Mama Bear Trixie comes as part of the package.
Now, let me show you one of my rooms. I decorated them all myself, you see, and I like showin’ them off.
Then we’ll go round up the posse and do a little number to road test those feet of yours.
Did you know I was head cheerleader at Louisiana State?
Those pom-poms got me a full ride and a business degree. Ain’t that some’in’?”
“It sure is,” I agree with a laugh, getting what she’s implying.
This isn’t a job I should be ashamed of. It’ll be something to be proud of.
All my previous fears don’t seem so scary anymore, and I think I’m almost definitely going to accept Trixie’s offer.
And I can’t wait to tell Rico all about it.