Charlotte didn't just bring Elsa a glass of water, but a roll as well, telling her that putting water in an empty stomach wasn't the best idea. Elsa smiled gratefully, and nibbled at the roll as she observed Tiana in the kitchen. She really was a goddess, doing things with ingredients, pots and pans that Elsa couldn't keep up with.
But then Elsa could burn eggs and that was about the limit of her culinary skills.
The smell of the food and the sound of it bubbling and sizzling was making Elsa's mouth water. It had nothing to do with the beautiful woman in that kitchen, who kept coming out to chat with her and polish the counter when she wasn't babysitting the meal.
"This seems like a lot of work for just three people," Elsa said, when Tiana had joined her at the counter again.
"Some of it is prepping for tomorrow morning," Tiana admitted, absently scrubbing at the same spot on the counter she'd been polishing all night. "I'll be up at seven am, but getting some work done now will save me time tomorrow."
Elsa nodded, studying Tiana's ringless fingers, mind wandering as she did so. She snapped herself out of it and returned her gaze to Tiana's face. "Did you have an idea of where I'll perform? I didn't see a stage."
"We've got somethin' we can wheel in and put together," Charlotte said, sweeping in from upstairs. "Say, that gives me an idea."
"What kind of idea?" Elsa stared at her. Charlotte was an interesting woman, who reminded her a lot of her sister, only less manic. She took that sudden heartache, put it in a box, put the box in a safe and then locked the door in the back of her heart.
"You're the musician aren't ya? Maybe you can figure out where the best acoustics are." Charlotte swept her arms around the restaurant. "Then we can set the stage in the right place."
"Louis always likes the Southeast corner," Tiana suggested, pointing. "He'll play his trumpet in here sometimes."
"Friend of yours?"
"Of a sort."
"He kinda came with us when we moved up here," Charlotte explained. "Been like a big brother to us both."
Elsa nodded, slipping off of the stool and wandering to the west side of the restaurant. Quietly, she hummed, slowly raising her voice in wordless song as she walked around the walls, saving the Southeast corner for last.
As her voice trailed off, she turned and beamed at the two women, "Louis is right, this corner is the best."
Tiana's mouth snapped shut, then she whirled around and rushed into the kitchen to rescue something she'd forgotten about. For her part, Charlotte clapped excitedly. "Maybe we'll make that stage permalike."
"If you keep booking people, it might be a good idea," Elsa agreed. She decided she would be amenable if they wanted Louis to play with her for a set or two. She'd probably have a hard time turning either woman down for just about anything.
"Grubs almost ready," Tiana called out. Charlotte came over and grabbed Elsa's hand, dragging her to one of the booths in the opposite corner. Elsa found herself seated on one side, while Charlotte rushed off.
Tiana was deposited in front of Elsa while Charlotte brought out steaming bowls and set them down, before squeezing in next to her friend.
"Gumbo?" Elsa asked, succeeding in the rare task of averting her eyes from Tiana's pretty face.
"Yep." Tiana smiled, "My father's recipe, with a few tweaks of my own. He always wanted to start a restaurant in New Orleans, but I like to think he'd have been content here."
"It's been a few years since I was down there," Elsa said, picking up a spoon. "But I loved the food." She looked up at Tiana. "Are you content here?"
"Yes." Tiana didn't hesitate, though there was a sadness in her brown eyes that tugged at Elsa's heart. She wondered what it would feel like to be content somewhere.
"That's wonderful." Elsa meant it. She returned her attention to the gumbo and braced herself for heat that would probably be more than what she usually got to eat. It wasn't what she expected; there was a kick, but it enhanced the flavor instead of overwhelmed it. Elsa closed her eyes and groaned in delight.
?
Tiana loved when people enjoyed her food. It was a full seventy percent of the reason she cooked. Bringing the joy and passion she felt in the kitchen to someone else was in a lot of ways the reason she existed. Food was community. Family. Food was friendship. The three Fs.
But something about the sound Elsa made cut her straight to her core, and she shook her head to clear it and focus on eating while also ignoring the look that Charlotte was giving her.
Charlotte wasn't actually giving her a look but Tiana could feel it in her soul and she wasn't going to give her friend the satisfaction.
"This is so good," Elsa said, between enthusiastic bites and Tiana considered walking outside into the cold rain.
"I'm glad you like it."
Elsa grinned, and slowed down to a more reasonable pace. She wiped her mouth with a napkin. "I've been meaning to ask." She pulled at the collar of the t-shirt she was wearing, "Who's the fan?"
Tiana jabbed her spoon at Charlotte, "This one dragged us to that concert."
"It was Naveen's idea!"
"Naveen?" Elsa asked.
His name brought a familiar pang to Tiana's chest. "Uhm. My late husband."
"Oh. I'm so sorry." Elsa looked down at her bowl.
"It's all right. It was two years ago." Tiana realized she wasn't really lying either. It wasn't all right, because it never would be. But it was also all right, because she was still alive. Day after day, she was alive.
Elsa flicked her tongue over her lip, "I lost my parents when I was fifteen. It's been nearly fifteen years and … most of the time it's okay. But sometimes, that old hurt kind of comes up out of nowhere."
"Would you believe that's reassuring?" Tiana asked. "That it'll be okay, but I won't forget."
Elsa nodded. "Sorry if I sound like I'm … I was just trying to emphasize."
"It's okay," Tiana assured her. "I think that grief is something that's all too familiar to most people."
"Do y'all have other family?" Charlotte asked, voice gentle.
"A sister, but I haven't seen her in three years."
Tiana tried to imagine not talking to Charlotte for that long. And she couldn't, "... Too much traveling?"
"Yes. And no." Elsa paused to take another bite and chewed slowly before she answered. "We had a fight. I haven't been back since."
Wow, Tiana thought. This conversation had gotten personal. Something possessed her to reach across the booth and put a hand on Elsa's arm. "I know it's not my place, but have you considered calling her?"
Elsa stared at Tiana's hand, but made no move to shake it off. "Every day."
Charlotte picked up on Tiana's mental plea, "What's stoppin' you, sugar?"
"I'm afraid." There was surprise on Elsa's face, as though she hadn't meant to disclose that.
Tiana squeezed her arm, then pulled it back. "Take it from someone who wishes she could call someone and think about it. Okay baby?"
Charlotte's foot kicked her shin under the table, and Tiana blinked twice in rapid succession before she very smoothly spooned a too-big spoonful of gumbo into her mouth.
Elsa wasn't the only one currently lacking any sort of filter, it seemed. Tiana wondered what Naveen would think; a distressing habit she had any time she met someone she was attracted to.
"Please tell me ya know Blue Bayou," Charlotte said, leaning forward and giving Elsa her very best most perfect puppy eyes. Tiana wanted to kiss her for changing the subject.
"I do," Elsa said, the shadows in her eyes fading as she smiled at them. "Any other requests?"
"Surprise me," Tiana replied.
"She wants to hear you croon, honey," Charlotte interrupted. Tiana took back the desire to kiss her for changing the subject.
After dinner, Elsa insisted on helping with the dishes, which Tiana was in no mood to try to talk her out of. She didn't want to leave anything for her staff in the morning to have to do extra, since it wasn't really fair.
Once she was satisfied, she led Elsa upstairs. The apartment over the restaurant wasn't huge, but it wasn't cramped either, except for the laundry room. Tiana and Charlotte each had a bed room, there was a living room that Tiana had always considered cozy, and then a third bedroom that had wasn't much bigger than a closet and filled with assorted odds and ends.
Charlotte found a comforter and an extra pillow and brought it over to the couch. "Not gonna lie, sugar. I've fallen asleep on that couch more times'n I can count. It's mighty comfy."
"Thanks." Elsa hugged the pillow to her chest, eyeing both of them.
"The iron is in the laundry room," Tiana told her. "You can steam out your dress tomorrow. We won't need you on stage until six."
"I can help with the stage," Elsa offered.
"That'd be lovely." Yawning, Tiana waved and headed into her bedroom. She was out almost as soon as she'd changed and her head hit the pillow.
?
The clock on the wall read a little after four am, though it took nearly a minute for Elsa's groggy eyes to register the position of the hands. Her dreams had been unpleasant, and she wondered if Tiana was right about her calling Anna. Maybe she should.
Not at four in the morning, obviously but … She groaned and kicked the comforter off, then clambered to her feet. The bare skin of her legs and arms pimpled in the chilled early morning air.
In the kitchen, she found a clean glass and poured herself some water. Elsa drank about half of it before setting it down, when she heard a sound. Tiana was standing in the doorway, leaning against one side of the frame. She was dressed for sleep similarly to Elsa, in a thin nightshirt that left long, silky legs exposed to Elsa's eyes.
She tore her eyes up to Tiana's face, "Uhm. I was thirsty, Did I wake you?"
Tiana shook her head and stepped into the kitchen. Her voice was groggy and thick, her accent heavier from sleep, "I was already up when I heard you moving around. Are you sleeping well?"
Elsa couldn't see where Tiana's eyes were directed, and she almost wished Charlotte's shirt was a little longer. Or shorter. She couldn't decide which and after Tiana brushed past her she had a hard time thinking of anything. "I've slept on worse. After ten hours on the road, anything soft is welcome."
She could see Tiana's lips turned downward as she got a glass of water for herself. "I'm sorry. I should have given you my bed."
"What? No." Elsa frowned, "I couldn't put you out like that."
Tiana took her hand, fingers dancing across the tattoo on her wrist. Elsa's breath caught in her throat and she didn't know if she should flee or stay, or which precisely she wanted to do.
But instead of saying anything, Tiana led her out of the kitchen, across the hall and into her bedroom. Like the living room, it was cozy, warmly decorated, with a queen-sized bed in the corner.
"Uhm," Was all that Elsa's sleep-addled brain could come up with as she watched Tiana crawl into the bed, her shirt riding up enough to expose the curve of the underside of her ass.
"Come to bed," Tiana said. "We both need sleep."
Sleep the last thing on Elsa's mind, she merely nodded and sat on the bed, then laid down stiffly on her back. But slowly, steadily, the warm softness of the bed and the comforting heat of Tiana's hip against her own made her relax, and she drifted off.
?
Elsa had cold feet. Like, really cold feet. But Tiana didn't want to move at all. Her legs were warm and smooth, tangled with her own and sometime during the night she'd ended up with her face buried in Elsa's chest.
It was a very nice place to be, all told.
Tiana moved her head just enough to see the clock, her cheek pressing into one of Elsa's breasts. She stifled a groan - the alarm would be going off in about twenty minutes and she'd have to start her day.
One of Elsa's hands trailed through her hair and then down her back and Tiana contented herself with the fact she had twenty whole minutes to enjoy this. Even if maybe she shouldn't be enjoying this as much as she was.
But what, really, was wrong with that? They were both adults, and it wasn't like Tiana had to feel guilty about Naveen. Except she did, a little.
He'd want you to be happy Charlotte's voice reminded her, in her head.
They'd talked, once. After a friend had passed away. It was probably the only reason Naveen had had a will.
If you find someone he'd said. Don't let me get in the way. Don't let it go without trying, no?
It was a stupid thought to have about a woman she'd just met, but that didn't stop Tiana from wondering what it would be like to be with a woman. That sex was on her mind wasn't really much of a surprise, considering. But there were other things. What would it be like to date? Would it even be safe to hold hands in public?
She had no fears about Charlotte, of course, nor any of her staff and most of the regulars at the Palace. But it was still a terrifying thought.
Pushing all that out of her mind, Tiana shifted closer to Elsa, her hand drifting dangerously close to a bare leg. Charlotte's shirt wasn't really long enough to work as a night shirt but Tiana wasn't going to complain. From how wonderful Elsa smelled, Tiana was going to have a hard time letting Charlotte take the shirt back.
"Mm?" Elsa moved in her sleep, rolling partly onto Tiana. Tiana shivered, sliding her hand to Elsa's hip and managing to keep it there.
"Go back to sleep, honey." Tiana whispered.
Elsa's fingers slid back up her spine and Tiana arched a little, out of breath by the time those fingers reached her hair and raked through it. Oh god.
"Mm." Stretching, Elsa lifted her head and peered down at Tiana with bleary eyes, yawning, "What time is it?"
Tiana trailed her hand up Elsa's back. "I gotta be up in like twenty minutes, but you can sleep in."
This time it was Elsa's turn to arch under a touch. "Can I help?"
Face warm, Tiana shook her head, even as she sat up and pushed Elsa back down onto the bed. From this angle, with Elsa's hair halo'd on the pillow and her eyes half opened, she was the most attractive thing Tiana had seen in years. "I'll let you know if we need anything, okay?"
She needed to get out of this bed, get her legs clear of Elsa's, get away from Elsa's scent and how she looked and sounded and felt. With great effort, she did just that, stumbling to her feet and tugging her nightshirt down. She looked over her shoulder at Elsa, who's sleepy gaze was very obviously fixated on her ass. "You can take a shower if you want, and Charlotte will find the iron for you."
"Mm," Elsa replied, eyes snapping up to Tiana's face. "Thank you…"
Tiana pulled some clothing out of the closet and left her bedroom to get dressed. It wasn't anything Charlotte hadn't seen before anyway, and she was suddenly too embarrassed to put a show on for Elsa. Somehow? That idea felt a whole lot different.
Dressed and refreshed, Tiana rushed downstairs. Half the staff was already in, and she quickly set about preparing for the breakfast rush. "Mornin' everyone!"
"Morning, boss." Benny, her sous chef and the only person she trusted in the kitchen beside herself, favored her with his best, most brightest smile. He jerked his chin towards the front of the restaurant. "Know who's bike that is?"
"Our new singer," she replied. "She saved my butt last night when the Mustang broke down. Paid her back with a little bit of gumbo."
His grin spread, "She's got good taste."
"Yeah," Tiana peered at the motorcycle through the window. "She does."
They were a few minutes before opening when Elsa came downstairs. Her hair was still a little damp from a shower, and she wore a white tank-top and the same bellbottom jeans from last night. Tiana was smart enough to put her knife down while she watched the woman move through the restaurant.
Benny cleared his throat, and Tiana jumped. She coughed. "Uhm. Elsa! Come over here, I want you to meet everyone."
She pointed her knife at Benny, "That's Benny. He's my sous chef and makes a gumbo better than I do."
"I find that hard to believe," Elsa said, smiling at the dark skinned bald man. "But there's only one way to find out."
"I like her, princess," Benny said.
Laughing, Tiana gestured to an older woman with greying brown hair and matching skin, "That's Evangeline. She's been serving here since we opened."
"Morning, sweetheart." Evangeline smiled toothly, "I love your hair."
Elsa touched her hair, flushing, "Thank you."
Lastly, Tiana pointed at one of the corner booths. "The old coot on the left is Evangeline's husband Ray, and the slightly younger coot on on the right is Ray's boyfriend Louis. They don't actually work here 'cept when Louis plays, but they like to show up for morale support."
Ray lifted a hand in greeting. He was a reed-thin older man with whispey white hair and lightly tanned skin. Louis, in contrast, was twice as big around and his skin was darker than Tiana's.
"Nice to meet you both," Elsa said, both seeming to relax and yet not looking entirely clear on if Tiana was joking about the boyfriend thing or not. She rubbed a finger over her wrist absently.
Some of Tiana's early morning fears evaporated in the light of day and the glow of her friends' presence. Louis was beloved in this town, so why would it be any different for her? "Still want to help out?"
"Yes!"
Grinning at Elsa's eagerness, Tiana pointed at the door. "Wow I'm doin' a lot of pointing today. Uh. Flip the sign to open and turn the lock, please."
"I'm on it," Elsa said. "Did you want me to move the motorcycle?"
"Oh no," Benny called out. "Leave it there! It'll help drum up business."
"You heard the man," Tiana laughed.
"Okay then." Elsa did as she was told, then turned around and planted her hands on her hips, "Where else do you want me?"
Tiana fumbled a spoon, but Louis waved her over to his booth, "Why doncha come over here an' we can talk music?"
Elsa gave Tiana a small smile, then wandered over to Louis's both and took a seat next to Ray.
Thank god, Tiana thought, that Charlotte was still upstairs. She steadfastly ignored the curious look Benny gave her, and focused on her cooking. At least the breakfast and lunch rushes would distract her from pretty blondes and their tank-tops.
Elsa seemed to get along with the men. Evangeline and Benny would scoot in with them on their breaks, and Tiana could hear their laughter occasionally. Charlotte popped in on occasion too, checking on both Tiana and Elsa before disappearing back upstairs.
Tiana couldn't help but stare at Elsa, watching some initial nerves lesson as she relaxed around the people that were practically family to Tiana.
Around four, Ray and Louis started setting up the stage, rolling in the frame and then making sure everything was steady and safe. Tiana came out of the kitchen, sitting across from Elsa and leaning down to rub her aching feet. "Everyone seems to be smitten with you."
Tiana regretted her choice of words immediately.
"They're really nice." Elsa rubbed her index finger in a pattern on the table, "Ray is hilarious, too. And I think I accidentally agreed to a game of baseball with Benny."
Tiana counted on her fingers, "With all of us and Benny's son Jake, that's eight. Four versus four for practice and that's probably enough if we wanted to play against someone else. Guess that makes you the final piece in his grand dream."
Elsa laughed. "I can't say that I'm any good, but I think it will be fun." She looked at Tiana with too-bright eyes, and Tiana wanted to know more about her. Where she'd come from, what she was running from, where she wanted to go.
She reminded Tiana of herself in a few ways, not the least of which was a determination to make her way through her own hard work.
"Why don't you get ready for tonight." Tiana placed her hand over Elsa's. "Nervous?"
"Now that you've asked, yes." She flashed a smile, then slid out of the booth.
Lord, Tiana thought, eyes fixed on Elsa's butt, but she was in trouble.
"Ya know it's rude to stare dontcha?" Charlotte leaned over, her face suddenly obstructing Tiana's view.
"I'm not- how's the stage?" Tiana huffed, getting up and brushing past Charlotte.
"Checks out."
Ray tapped the microphone, leaned in, and started to belt out a Conway Twitty song. He wasn't a bad singer, and to Tiana's ears everything sounded right, but he frowned after a few lines and went to adjust the speakers.
"It would be so much easier if we could jus' keep that set up, Tia."
"It would." She put an arm around her friend, "But we lose two booths and a table."
"That ain't ever filled all that often an' the extra business we've been bringing in with these bookings more than makes up for it." Charlotte batted her eyelashes at Tiana, "I done the math, honey. Now, if we have an act, like say a real pretty singer with an ass to die for an' a couple folks on instrumentationals … "
"Subtle," Tiana retorted. "Why don't you get to hosting and let me handle Elsa, okay?"
Charlotte opened her mouth, got a good look at the expression on Tiana's face, and wisely closed it. That didn't prevent her from winking before she flounced off, but Tiana took what victories she could.
"I love that woman but god is she exhausting."
Besides, she couldn't leave Benny all by himself in the kitchen and she needed to check on what was cooking.
Tiana quickly fell into routine, only half paying attention as tables filled. Louis took the opportunity to play on the stage and Tiana found herself tapping her foot along to the familiar jazz and blues coming out of his trumpet.
She heard someone coming down the stairs, and something possessed her to set her knife down. Elsa stepped out of the stairwell in a blue dress. It was bare at the shoulders, and shorter on the left side than it was on the right, leaving most of a leg bare. There was a subtle shimmer to it, too, like it was something that belonged on a stage in some old speakeasy.
Benny always called her Princess, but Tiana had the distinct impression a Queen had just walked into Tiana's Palace.
Ray whistled, and Evangeline smacked him in the shoulder; then promptly whistled too.
"I've got this," Benny murmured, before nudging her away from her station. Tiana wiped her hands on a towel as she walked out of the kitchen, transfixed as Elsa started to sing the first, soft notes of Blue Bayou, much to Charlotte's delight.
She knew this song very well, Charlotte listened to the cassette at least once a week and they'd seen it live. And yet Tiana wasn't quite prepared for how powerful Elsa's voice was.
By the time the last note died out, the entire restaurant was as enraptured as Tiana was. Someone clapped, and then others joined in, and Tiana whistled. She nearly fell over when Elsa met her eyes, a bright smile on her face.
"Oh my gawd," Charlotte said, appearing next to Tiana as Elsa called for Louis to join her on stage. "We have to keep her."
"I need her," Tiana breathed, then shook herself, "I mean, yes, yes we need to keep her."