Chapter 9: A Year Later
2011
A year has passed since Ronnie gave up doing drag and got a regular job, he worked with Lance almost every week and got to know him so much more, his favorite things, his dreams, he even went to clubs with Lance when he was in the mood! Lance an Ronnie practically were inseparable but recently Lance dropped a bomb on Ronnie.....he was gay too, he said he never been with anyone, he came close to having a relationship a couple times but it just didn't work out. Ronnie knew he was attracted to Lance, but he didn't say anything because he wasn't in the mood for love, and Lance didn't exactly know about Ronnie past with Lucky, and the abuse that happened, Ronnie just didn't like talking about it. One night Ronnie was about to go home when Lance asked him to come to his house to try some new sauces he came up with for the restaurant, and Ronnie never been to this man’s house before so he was kinda nervous, but he knew Lance wouldn't hurt him! When Ronnie got there Lance had this cute chef hat on, it looked so cute on him!
"Omg you look like ratatouille (laughs)" Ronnie said
"I do don't I (laughs) kinda embarrassed but I'm glad you here I got like this super-hot sauce it's like perfect for these po boys I made for us,"
"Ooooh this looks good, and I snuck a bottle of vodka from the bar so we gon get fucked up!" Ronnie said
Then Ronnie poured the booze in these glasses and mixed it with fruit punch an added lemonade, and once he had the sauce on the sand which it was soooo good! Ronnie couldn't stop eating it, and the drinks kept flowing till the bottle was gone! Both boys were on cloud 9 at this point, but then Ronnie stared at the TV and the news was playing, a man was arrested for sexually assaulted a 16 year old boy....and it instantly gave Ronnie flashbacks of the abuse he endured with Lucky, and Lance noticed that Ronnie wasn't feeling right.
"Ronnie, you okay?" Lance asked
"Can I tell you something...."
"You can tell me anything!"
"When I was doing drag, I had this manager named Lucky and he didn't do right by me financially so my mom was deep in debt and I asked him for my money and he'll give it to me if I let him fuck and um....(crying) he hurt me so bad, he would hit me too and when he did it to me (crying) I felt so terrible and I got my revenge when I beat him up but.....I JUST WANTED HIM TO STOP!!" Ronnie cried as he broke down
Lance held Ronnie as he was crying his eyes out! Lance kinda shed a few tears after hearing the secret and gave Ronnie the longest hug ever! Lance felt so bad that he was crying too, and he did his best to comfort Ronnie, and when Ronnie cried on Lance's shoulder, he really felt closer to him like never before and saw how caring he was. The next morning Ronnie woke up from the drunken slumber, the tears were dried up and Ronnie decided to let himself out while Lance was still asleep, as Ronnie got back to his car he sat there for a few minutes, thinkin about Lance, but Ronnie didn't want to be in a relationship just yet tho....
Later that evening Ronnie was going for a stroll down the street in his neighborhood when he saw a billboard advertising the GAYfest down in the quarter, and that's when Ronnie kinda felt depressed, he wondered if it was the right thing to give up being Renee Harvey sometimes, he knew he was still hurting from what Lucky did to him but that was over a year ago, he thought he would be over but he still felt the pain and wanted to stay away from the entertainment industry! As Ronnie was walking he still kinda felt down about all the things that happened when he heard something....
"OPTIMISTIC!!" Shouted some random hobo with a Jamaican accent
"Say what!"
"I SAID BE OPTIMISTIC MAN!"
"Um look sir I don't know what you talkin bout I'm fine!" Ronnie said
"Oh no you ain't man, you lookin quite down, what's a wrong with ya?"
"Just a lot in my mind that's all,"
"You know what you need man.....HAPPINESS, GO OUT AN FIND YOUR HAPPINESS!"
Then Ronnie reluctantly gave the man $10 and went for his stroll, and as he put the headphones back in his ears the radio playlist landed on a song by Sounds of Blackness titled ....."Optimistic", and as he was listening to the uplifting lyrics Ronnie took what the man said to thought, he needs to be happy again, life is too short and he was determined to not let his past get the best of him! Ronnie went to work the next day and saw Lance, and while they worked together Ronnie had an epiphany!
"Lance I just want to say thanks for being there for me, I really needed that."
"You welcome I'm sorry you had to go thru that, hey if you ever need me, I'm here."
Then as Ronnie was about to reveal his feelings to Lance, on the tv there was a show called "Work It Sis!" Which was basically a drag queen competition hosted by DruPaul, the most famous drag queen of all time, it was in Las Vegas and Ronnie would sometimes watch it, and Lance noticed that Ronnie was watching...
"You miss it don't you?"
"Huh, what you mean?"
"Don't act like you slated the stage as Renee Harvey, Ronnie you have talent, don't bad experiences from some sick bastard steer you away from your dream!" Lance said as he encouraged Ronnie
When Ronnie got off work he called his mom, and told her that he was considering going back to drag,
"Are you sure honey?" Delilah asked
"Yes mom, let's just say I wise old man told me to follow my happiness, that stuff with Lucky was all in the past and i need to move on, and get my life back!" Ronnie said
"I know baby, I just don't wanna see you hurt again,"
"Well I'm thinking, maybe I should go on DruPaul’s show, I just know I'll make it on there!"
"DruPaul, ain't he in Vegas sweetie, how you gon get there you know that Honda you got ain't gon make it!"
"Well maybe I'll go with Lance he has a nicer car,"
"Um who is Lance?"
"He's a friend I met here in New Orleans, we work together and mom.....I think I have feelings for him,"
"What gave you that conclusion?"
"Well when I was with him the other night I kinda told him what Lucky did to me, and when I cried he held me and I just felt so....so...I don't know mom I can't explain it but I think he's more than a friend."
"Honey don't you rush things, wait till he tells you his part, you just never know, the worst way to end a good friendship is reveal you crushing on em!"
Then after listening to his mom Ronnie decided to take it slow, and wait till Lance opens up.....which he would very soon. Lance was in his house when Ronnie came over and told him the news!
"I wanna go on DruPaul! Miss Renee Harvey been gone too long!!"
"Yesss Ronnie you need to be on that show you shut that shit down!"
"Can you come with me?"
"Ronnie I'll go anywhere with you, besides you need somebody who knows his way around Vegas cause I use to live out there!"
Then Ronnie packed his bags, brought back all the gowns he put away and put them in Lance car, they decided instead of flying to Vegas they drive cross country it was more scenic! As the boys hit the interstate, stopping at rest stops and sleeping in the car when they got tired, Ronnie felt even closer to Lance, and while being with Lance Ronnie just felt so happy....he was in love! And as Ronnie looked out the window, all he could think about was Lance, but pretty soon Lance would tell Ronnie something that would blow his mind....