Tiana yawned. It was the middle of her second shift and she was exhausted as usual.
"Order up!"
"Excuse me; can I get a napkin, please?"
"Miss! Where are my eggs?"
The sounds were endless and eventually blended together in a low key murmur. Her tired feet carried her where she needed to go.
As she was bussing an empty table, she heard the bell over the entrance door ring. Tiana looked over with tired eyes to see a trio of her friends.
'Oh great, I'm to beat to talk right now.' She thought.
"Hey Tiana!" Georgia called.
"Hi Georgia, Ruth, Henry." she addressed while setting a plate of flapjacks on her customers table. "How ya'll doin' today?"
"Oh, just fine. Listen, we were gonna go dancin' tomorrow night and we've already decided that your coming with us" replied Georgia.
'They sound like broken records.' She thought bitterly.
"Sorry, I have to work, maybe some other time."
"Oh no you don't!" the chef cried.
"But.."
"No sir-y, not buts, you're taking a break. I see more of you everyday than I do the customers."
Tiana groaned, it seems that this excuse had reached its end.
"That's perfect!" exclaimed Ruth "We'll swing over by your place around 7:30 tomorrow night. See you then!"
And out the door they went.
"Rick, you know very well that I don't know how to dance!" Tiana said disdainfully.
The chef laughed and flipped his flapjacks.
"Heh heh, I know, I've seen you try, and let me tell you it is not a pretty sight,."
"And you know that I've got my restaurant to save up for. I need all of the hours I can get!" she said as she poured a glass of iced tea and placed it on a tray.
"Sure, but working too hard can do damage too. Now listen here, you are going with those friends of your and If I see you around here tomorrow night, you'll definitely be sorry." He threatened pointing his spatula at the waitress.
Tiana was stuck. She need this shift for her restaurant, she was so close. And she had no idea how do dance! Tiana sighed in annoyance.
"Fine, I'll go. But if I become the laughing stock of New Orleans it is partly your fault!"
"Well, don't I know it? Order up!"
The next day, Tiana only went to her fist at Cal's, then took the street car home to get ready for her big evening.
When Tiana arrived home, the first place she went to was her closet.
'Do I even have a dress for dancing?' she wondered.
She didn't have many dresses to choose from, the money she earned went to her restaurant fund, not something silly like shopping. Scanning her closet, she settled on a knee length dress in a lovely shad of medium blue. The black shoes she has are faded and worn but she believes that they will do. Tiana ties her hair back in a low pony tail and stands in front of the mirror to see what the damage is.
"Hm, not bad, baby cakes. Although you could use a barrette."
Tiana turned to see her mother standing at the door way, a hand on her hip and a shining barrette in the other.
"Mama, how'd you know I was going out tonight?" Tiana asked.
"How could I not? It's all you've been grumbling about since you came home yesterday."
"My friends are just forcing me to go out; you don't have to let me borrow anything."
"Well, baby cakes, I haven't seen you do anything but work in a long time. This is a special occasion; I want you to look nice."
Tiana's mother walked over to her daughter and slipped the barrette on the side of her hair.
Click.
Tiana looked back into the mirror. The barrette gleamed in the light. Tiana smiled at her appearance.
"I don't look too bad." She admires.
"No, you don't darlin'" and she kissed her daughter on the cheek.
A knock on the door was heard and Tiana headed toward the sound.
"Hey Tiana!" Ruth greeted with Georgina and Henry. "You ready to go?"
"Yup, just let me grab my bag."
Tiana ran back to her room to grab her frayed purse.
"Bye mama!" she yelled while running out the door.
"Good bye babycakes."
It didn't take long for the group to hop on a street car. Tiana twiddled her thumbs nervously. They hopped off of the car and walked toward and alley. Tiana didn't know of any dance clubs around here, then again, she didn't know of many dance clubs.
"Hey, where are we goin'?" Tiana asked rather loudly.
"SSSSHHHH!!!!!" she friends spat equally as loud.
"What? What's wrong?" she whispered.
"This place is a secret. The feds have been trying to take it down for a while, but they can never find it. We have to keep it quiet." Henry explained.
It hit Tiana like a ton of bricks.
"We're going to a speak easy?!" she whispered loudly once more.
"SSSSHHHH!!!!!" the three warned in unison.
"Come on, Tiana. It'll be fun!" Ruth practically begged.
"But they're illegal." She countered.
"So? Don't worry, we've been here before. And the police don't even know the password to get in."
Tiana was uneasy. Her first night off in a long time and she could get arrested. She would definitely be on her toes for the remainder of the evening. And no alcohol, just in case.
They approached the intimidating rusted metal door. Henry stepped forward and knocked three times. A little window slid open and a pair of brown eyes stared at him.
"Joe sent us." Henry stated.
'Who's Joe?' Tiana thought.
A loud click later and the door swung open. The four friends stepped inside to see another doo.
"Come on in, enjoy your evening!" he mysterious man said as he opened the second door.
Loud jazz music flew at Tiana like a gust of wind. Laughter and the like of heels rang in her ears. Glasses of illegal alcohol clinked in the background.
'This looks like a happening place.' Tiana thought with a smile on her face.
"Come on girl, let's dance!" Ruth yelled.
'Well, here we go!'
Ruth and Georgia grabbed both of Tiana's hands and pulled her onto the dance floor along with dozens of other men and women. The women started to Charleston with ease. Tiana watched their every move with a curious eye.
'Step, kick, step, back.' She noted. She also noticed how their hands swayed from side to side in unison with the moving feet.
'That doesn't look to hard.' She thought as she attempted her first Charleston kick.
Not even two seconds into her dancing, she swiftly kicked the man in front of her in the rear.
"Ow!" he yelled in shock and pain.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she yelled over the music.
Ruth and Georgia were giggling hysterically. Tiana gave them the sternest look she could muster, but her embarrassed blush said otherwise.
"Here," Georgia said "watch us"
Georgia and Ruth slowed down with the beat to help Tiana with the steps. She kept her eyes on their feet and her feet alike. Slowly but surely, she started to understand the steps and she could dance to the tempo of the song. She even mastered the arm swaying.
"There you go Tiana!" Georgia cried.
"Alright, now watch this." Ruth challenged.
They both switched to a Lindy Hop, a more difficult dance move. Step back, kick forward, kick forward, kick back, step step.
"That's a whole other story, isn't it?" Tiana joked.
Her friends laughed and continued. Within a few minutes, she was able to mimic the steps and managed not to kick anyone.
"See Tiana? You're a natural." Georgia exclaimed.
Tiana's confidence grew, perhaps she could pull his off. Th music ended with a final crescendo and the dancing stopped, the audience gave a round of applause while the musicians took a bow.
"Let's get something to drink." Georgina suggested. The three ladies made their way to the bar through the crowds of people.
"Three cocktails, please!" Georgia ordered.
"Better make it just two" Tiana said.
Ruth and Georgia turned on their heels to give Tiana a look.
"I'm not much of a drinker." She defended. 'And I would rather not get arrested on the way out.
"Hm, alright then, two cocktails and water." Georgia ordered.
"Comin' right up." The bartender replied and began to mix their drinks.
The girls stood near the bar watching the others dance. Henry was kicking his heels with a pretty, young woman, having the time of his life.
"Do you come here all the time?" Tiana asked.
"Not all of the time," Ruth explained "But as often as we can!"
"Here are your drinks ladies" the bartender said placing their glasses on the flat surface.
"Ah, thank you" Georgia replied as she set a few dollar bills down.
"Georgia, I could have paid for my own drink." Tiana said feeling guilty. She took a sip of her water.
"I know, but you saving for your restaurant. We took you out tonight, consider it my treat."
"Thank you." Tiana said.
The music changed into a slow jazz piece. Couple came together and started to sway.
"Well, Miss Tiana, look who's making eyes at you." Ruth said with a giggle.
Tiana looked to see a dark haired man of tall height and strong build stare at her and then look away awkwardly.
"Looks like you've got an admirer" Georgia teased.
"Oh, stop." Tiana said playfully slapping Georgia's arm.
"Oh, Miss Tiana! Look who's coming this way!" Ruth practically sang.
The dark haired man was making his way through the crowd over to the trio. Ruth and Georgia made a side glance at each other and erupting into another fit of giggles.
"Oh, you two…" Tiana started.
"Hi" The man id, startling Tiana. The giggles immediately stopped.
"Hello" Tiana said, unsure of anything else to say.
"Um, I was wondering, would you like to, er, dance?" He stumbled. For a strong looking man, he seemed awfully shy.
"She'd love to!" exclaimed Ruth pushing Tiana forward.
"Great!" he man cheered. He grabbed Tiana's hand, leading her to the dance floor.
She would have to get Ruth and Georgia back for this later.
The man settled on an 'open' space, took her waist and started to sway.
"I must warn you," she started "I'm not much of a dancer, I kicked a man earlier."
"I know, that was me." He said as Tiana brought a hand to her lips "It's okay, I'm not the best dancer in the world either. I've stepped on plenty of toes. How 'bout we learn together."
He lifted an arm and Tiana walked under and back into position.
"So, what's your name?" she asked.
"Daniel, and you?"
"Tiana"
"Well, nice to meet you, Tiana. And might I say, you're a lovely dancer." He complimented, one he relaxed, his nerves flew away.
She laughed.
'What a nice man' she thought.
She oked over to her friends at the bar to see Ruth and Georgia giving her a thumbs u and Henry giving her a wolf whistle.
Daniel looked over and laughed.
"Those your friends?" he asked.
"Not for long." She joked.
They continued to dance as the music swelled around them. Daniel attempted to dip Tiana back, but with so many people around, it became an awkward lean. On the final note, the music ended and the dancers applauded once more.
Georgia, Ruth and Henry walked over to the new expert dancers.
"Tiana, it's time to leave, it's getting late."
"Just a minute. Thank you for the dance, Daniel." Tiana said with a sincere smile.
"Do you think I could take you out sometime? Not to a bar or anything, but just, um, dinner?"
Tiana's smile had fallen a little.
"I'm sorry Daniel, but I don't think I can. I work two jobs everyday and tonight was my only night off in a while. I'd love to, I really would, but I don't think I'd be able to. I'm sorry." She explained.
Tiana was lying a little. She really liked Daniel, but she felt that everything was a little over her head. She didn't need any distractions from achieving her dream.
"No, that's okay! I understand, times are hard and you need to do what you can, right?"
"Right. Thank you for understanding. Maybe I'll see you 'round?" she asked.
"Sure, maybe"
Tiana hesitated, but then gave him a quick peck on the cheek.
"Come on Tiana, time to go." Georgia hurries as she grabbed Tiana's arm. They headed toward the door. She looked behind her to see Daniel staring at the floor, a sad look upon his face.
As they waited for the street car, Georgia and Ruth begged for details.
"So what happened?"
"Is he nice?"
"He's so handsome!"
"Girls!" Henry intervened "Let her breathe!"
"He was nice. His name is Daniel and he asked me out to dinner one of these nights." She replied quietly, her ears were ringing.
"Ooh! And you said?" Georgia asked.
Tiana sighed "I told him he was a really nice man, but I have to work."
"Tiana!" the girls groaned.
"I'm guessing that that's the opposite of what you should have done." Henry guessed.
Tiana was silent for the rest of the ride; she looked down at her lap. When they reached Tiana's home, she stood, thanked them for the lovely evening and stepped out of the car.
Tiana opened the door to see her mother sitting in her chair hemming a dress.
"Hey, babycakes, did you have fun?" she asked.
Tiana put a smile on her face "Yeah, it was fun, I'll have to do it again sometime."
"Sounds wonderful. Now go to bed, you look tired.
"I always look tired. Night, mama"
"Good night, babycakes."
Tiana dragged her tired feet to her room and fell in a heap on her bed, not bothering to remove her shoes.
Thoughts of Daniel made her feel terrible, but she soon succumbed to sleep.
She did have work the next day, after all.
No Facilier? Are you mad woman? No, i enjoy writing for all characters.
Phew! That was a loooong one.
History lesson! In the 1920's alcohal was illegal so people created secret 'clubs' if you will that sold bootlegged alcohol. Al Capone anyone? He bought a majority of that that alcohol from Canada to sell in the states.
I made a reference to a musical here, if any of you find it, you get a cookie.
I really hope you enjoy it, reviews would be lovely.