Mardi Gras

 

Seung

 

“Oh my God India this is sooooo good!” Desiree says while stuffing .

“If I wasn’t straight as a board, I’d wife you.”

I choke on my juice, and she laughs.

You never know what is going to come out of I swear!

India bursts out laughing, and I grin.

“Well thank you Desi if I swung that way I’d gladly accept.”

“Swung what way momma?” Dylan ask, and I choke on my biscuit.

Desiree turns beet red and India looks like she ate a whole lemon.

“Nothing baby, hurry and finish your breakfast so we can get ready to head out to the parades.”

“Yes!” He says excitedly.

“Are you excited buddy?” I ask.

“Yes! I love Mardi Gras; the parades are always so much fun except for when the people are drunk and rude.”

I look at India and she grimaces.

“Yes, the out of towners always ruin the fun huh?”

She leans close to him and pinches his cheeks playfully and he giggles.

“But we won’t let them this year will we, we are going to eat lots of good food, get lots of beads and have the time of our lives, aren’t we?”

“Yes!” He screams and everyone laughs.

He eats a few more bites, drinks his juice in one gulp and jumps up from the table.

“I am done I will shower quickly so we can head out.” He turns to walk up the stairs.

“Hey, hey, hey, isn’t there something you forgot to do young man?” India asks.

“No what?” He asks looking around.

“Oh.” He smiles sheepishly picking up his dishes and putting them in the dishwasher.

“Put on your grey champion sweats and shirt and the grey and white Jordan’s.”

“Yes ma’am.” He runs up the stairs and I look at India.

She watches him until he disappears then finishes eating her food.

We eat in comfortable silence as I am concentrating on the delicious flavors on my tongue.

“This food is incredible India; you have a real gift.” I say biting into the flakiest, most delicious biscuit I have ever had in my life.

“Look Indy he’s in heaven, you haven’t eaten this good since you left Korea huh?” Desiree asks.

“How did you know?”

“Because you are a bachelor and you can’t cook.” She says pointing her fork at me.

I grin she knows me so well.

“If I were you, I’d get Indy to give me some lessons while you’re living there so when you move out you can at least know how to boil water.”

I look at India and she smirks at me playfully.

“Lessons begin at twenty dollars an hour, and I am a stickler for perfection even Gordan Ramsey won’t mess with you after I am done with you.” She says winking at Desiree.

“Twenty dollars and hour! That’s highway robbery dude!” I yell.

“Dude? Did you just call me dude? Now it’s forty dollars.” She says standing and clearing away her dishes.

“Forty! Oh, naw man! I’ll eat ramen everyday then!” I yell playfully and they laugh.

She shrugs, “Suit yourself young man.” She sticks her tongue out at me and sashays into the kitchen then up the stairs.

I watch her walk up the stairs until she disappears noticing how cute her is in those leggings.

Wait what?

I shake my head to clear away that absurd thought.

I eat my last piece of bacon and look at Desi, she is smirking at me in that devilish way of hers.

 

“What?!"

“Oh nothing.” She chuckles getting up to clear away the remaining dishes.

“We are heading to the French Quarter in two hours, so get a move on!”

“I just need to get dressed I showered already.” I say scrapping my plate clean.

I lay back on the chair and rub my belly, “Man that was so delicious.”

“She can cook her but off, has she always been a good cook?” I ask.

“From day one, she came out the womb domestic.” She chuckles walking into the kitchen and I smile.

‘I’ll just bet she did.” I say to myself.

 

Four Hours Later

 

We have eaten every New Orleans specialty and I am so glad I decided to wear my grey sweats.

My stomach is bulging at this point, but I am so content nothing can spoil my mood.

I want to try everything I see, and India is a lively, knowledgeable teacher.

Watching her come smile and have fun is heartwarming considering what she is going through.

She smiles in my direction, a huge toothy grin that makes my heart flutter suddenly.

What is that about?

She is really a beautiful woman; I am a complete idiot to even allow Caesar to speak that toxic nonsense in my ears.

“Seung? Hello Seung, is that you?” I hear someone say.

I turn around and see Brittany the woman from the airport, rushing over with about six other obviously drunk females.

“Oh lord.” I mutter and look at Desiree.

She is frowning so hard her face looks like a statue.

“What is hell? Is this city not big enough to run into this imbecile?” She says and I sigh.

And it begins.

India watches them approach with curiosity.

“I thought that was you, how are you honey?” She asks pulling me into a hug.

I go stiff, this got awkward fast.

I look at Desiree and she rolls her eyes to her brain.

I tap her on the back awkwardly and look at India she looks at Brittany and I raising her eyebrows in question.

Oh brother, I hope she does not think I like this woman!

“Um hello.” I say

“Brittany, it's Brittany, you forgot my name already?” She pouts sticking her lip out.

“Oh brother.” Desiree says.

She turns then finally noticing my group.

She ignores them and looking back at me she smiles slipping her arm