~c.1925, Louisiana, United States, Labyrinth Café~
Benjamin "Benny" LaFitte was not one to be commonly seen in bars, but cafés were a different matter. The Labyrinth was known for its quiet atmosphere and good food. Sometimes, all he needed was a cup of coffee and a couple laughs with some other guys with lives like him. It was comforting, his routine. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday the Labyrinth would welcome Benny through their door with the quaint silver bell above it. The other days were filled with just a little less laughter and a little less chatter. Benny brought certain happiness to the Labyrinth, and the owner Robert Harvello.
The most recent change to the Labyrinth was their singer. With the rise of jazz, especially in the South, Robert found a singer to "liven the place up." In most of the customer's eyes the Labyrinth was just fine, but Robert refused to listen and said "I found a girl who can sing her grocery list and make it sound like the angels above." So Evelyn joined the evening crew at the café. She was of average height, and often made up for it with her bursts of strange confidence. This was a fact many customers learned their first time meeting her; Evelyn was not one to mess with.
Benny was one of the few who learned to leave her alone by watching the others who failed. He often would stay a little after her fantastic performance and observe her smoothly executed packing up of her music. Occasionally he would consider approaching her, not to have a romantic relationship, but to see if Evelyn was really as great a person as she seemed. It never ceased to amaze him how good Evelyn was at singing, it was a well-known fact that Robert Harvello had a habit of over-exaggerating things. Many believed that his new singer was one of those things. She wasn't.
One beautiful summer night in July, one of those nights that was just the perfect temperature, when the sun was setting beautiful golden tones that fell like gold splatters against the pavement. As the pitter-patter of rain fell on the slanted roof of the Labyrinth, Evelyn finished her last song early so anyone waiting for her to finish her last song could head home before the monstrosity that was rain in Louisiana hit. It was this day that Benny finally gained the confidence to go up to Evelyn and tell her how gorgeous her voice was. By complete coincidence it happened that Eliza Richardson's 7th birthday was happening the next day, and Amelia Richardson had been begged by her almost-but-not-quite 7 year-old daughter to get Evelyn to sing at her party. Amelia approached Evelyn just as Benny was getting a second coffee for her. He figured that she'd need it after singing an hour and a half straight. Benny approached at just the right time to hear the question Mrs. Richardson put to Evelyn "Evie darling! How are you" aforementioned singer's response was cut off the ever happy and joyous elder woman "Good, that's marvelous! So it's little Eliza's birthday is next week and she was positively on her knees at the possibility of you gracing my-our- humble abode with your magnificent voice, darling."
Evelyn looked mildly shocked still that her state of well-being was ignored, but none the less responded politely "Oh, hello Mrs. Richardson! It's good to hear about Eliza. Hope she's doing brilliantly. If I were to perform at her party, what time would I be expected to arrive, and what would my requirements be?"
"Oh nothing magnificent darling, just a nice dress and a few appropriate songs Eliza would be overjoyed!" the elder stated airily twirling a hand with a pearl-studded purse hanging from it.
Evelyn easily replied, "I'd love to Mrs. Richardson. What time would I be expected to arrive though? You neglected to mention that."
"Oh! Silly me, arrive somewhere around noon darling. Muchos Gracias!" The flamboyant woman strolled away, though at the moment it appeared to be more of a strut to Evelyn. She despised Mrs. Amelia Richardson. The woman was very clear that she was the picture of perfect female precision, and that every other woman in the county should be like her. Amelia glowed in the spotlight. Evelyn was still in her mental rampage against the foul woman when a sandy-haired man approached her rather bashfully, holding a mug of steaming coffee.
When he was close enough, the cup of proffered to her and Evelyn's hand wrapped carefully around it. Sipping it, Evelyn let out a sigh of ecstasy, just what she needed after her performance. Then a thought struck her. She'd seen this man multiple times in the crowd and had vaguely mentioned him to a waitress who had giggled and told her a little about him. All the waitress had told Evelyn was that his name was Benny and he came to the Labyrinth three days a week. He ordered the same thing every time, one cup of coffee, milk and two sugars. This "Benny" seemed nice enough, and anyone who gave her coffee was good in her book.
"Hello sir" Evelyn, who had only been told the man's name, coffee preferences and his attendance to the café, felt just as bashful as the man in front of her seemed to be. Her voice cracked a little the second time she spoke," Can I help you?" Benny grinned and introduced himself.
"Hello Ma'am. My named Benjamin, but everyone calls me Benny. Pleasure to meet you at last Miss!"
In her excitement, Evelyn exclaimed "Black coffee, milk two sugars." Her right hand slammed over her mouth and her shoulders slumped forward, in a defensive position. Benny's head tilted to the left, and the same grin fell across his face.
"How'd you know that Miss?"
"I asked my friend who you were. She told me." It took Evelyn a minute to realize the hole she was digging herself into. The sentence she'd just uttered sounded just creepy enough that it could drive Benny away. He simply chuckled and gestured to a table that was recently washed and it glowed in the amber light of the mix-matched shards of glass in the lampshade. He drew out a wooden chair for her, and as she shifted in her seat, Benny sat in his own scooting closer to the shiny table. For a strange reason, Evelyn found it extremely difficult to meet his blue eyes. So instead she focused on his reflection and his soft smile at her shyness. For someone portrayed as so confident this Evelyn was acting very out of character. So Benny took the opportunity to examine Evelyn at this close angle.
Her hair swung about her shoulders, a nice auburn shade, and her eyes were downcast, but looking up at his eyes, they seemed to be a nice blue-green color. "So" he began "You born here?"
A smile finally lit her face, bringing it up to meet his "No, actually born in Lincoln, England." At Benny's open face, Evelyn continued "I moved here a few years ago with my brother. I've been here for six or seven years now." A corresponding smile grew on the countenance of Benny "What about you Benjamin?" Evelyn used 'Benjamin' as she felt that Benny should not be used out loud until she knew more about him.
The duo continued their chat for a while longer than either expected, Benny informing Evelyn of the most scenic places for a picnic and for eating and in return Evelyn offered the best stories she had about her life in England. As they spoke she became less shy, and more like the woman that Benny had been told about by Robert in preparation for her arrival. Her outbursts were first met when Benny told a story about Mrs. Richardson, who he's picked up Evelyn did not like, had run out into the street when her, then three-year-old, daughter had picked up a pair of dull scissors and ran at her mother to show her. At some point, maybe after the 3rd cup of tea, Robert came out to inform the pair that closing time was soon, and the two exchanged goodbyes and Benny departed, silver bell tinkling overhead. Evelyn smiled at Robert and then her own chair screeched on the tiles of the Labyrinth and the bell rung a second time as she left the café.