Chapter Text
Interlude
“Coming right up!” Said the energetic female voice to the customer.
It was a Friday night around 8 o’clock and Tiana’s place was booming. The food was hot and fragrant, the patrons laughed, and Louis was playing the trumpet like it was nobody’s business. Big daddy and Charlotte were over at table 8 waiting on a fresh batch of Beignets to come out of the fryer. Naveen was goofing around with some of the chefs in the kitchen. And Tiana was serving up her new fried catfish dish to the customers at table 5. Everyone was exactly where they were supposed to be. Yet, something felt off. An ominous presence lurked around the restaurant. Nothing visible, but it made the atmosphere around you feel thick if you thought about it too long. Other than that, Tiana’s heart felt full of love. All was right in New Orleans.
Célestine Pov
“C’mon now. Do I look like I’d lie to ya?” My smile reached from ear to ear as I switched the cups around on the table.
The man in front of me watched patiently, eyes tracking the cup he just watched me put the red ball under. A crisp fifty dollar bill was sitting on the table between us. This is the third time this man has doubled down on his bet. I let him win the first two to give him a false sense of security. Now it’s time to ensure my win. I skillfully lifted the red cup off of the table just enough to throw the red ball into my sleeve without him noticing a thing. Then my shuffling comes to an abrupt halt. I gesture to the cups, signaling the man to choose with absolute confidence.
“Ha! This is as easy as taking candy from a baby!” He exclaimed as he pointed to the middle cup. I lift it equally as eager to reveal what’s beneath.
“Looks like I've won this one sir!” I say as I place my other hand on the right cup and slowly roll the ball under it before I lift it too.
“That’s bullshit! Gimme another round all or nothing!” He shouts as his hands hit the table.
I know this type of man all too well. Can’t stand losing, even if it’s a childish game. Unfortunately for him I know when it’s time to pull back. I can almost smell the aggression on him, if I continue he will only become rowdier. And making too big of a scene is bad for business.
“That’s all the time I got for today, but I’m sure I’ll catch you round next time I’m out.” I say as I take the money and stash it in my bag along with the cups and ball.
“No, you will give me another round! Unless you’re cheating you haggling bitch!” He’s now stepped around the table to yell in my face. Great, this is getting out of hand quickly, time to use my escape route.
“You kiss your mother with that mouth? Because obviously she’s never taught you how to speak to a lady.” I say as I dig in my bag. “Lesson number one. We don’t like being called bitches!” I take a big scoop of black pepper out of my bag and blow it directly in the man’s face.
Before I know it he’s sneezing and coughing while yelling every profanity in the book at me. I make quick work of running down the back alleys. It’s not the best route to take home, but it’s the quickest. I weave through corners with practiced ease. These streets have become way too familiar this past year. I stop once I’ve gotten a good distance away from the shouting. I go through the pack on my back to make sure I still have everything. Spirits knows I can’t afford to lose anything else.
Just as I resume walking I hear footsteps following behind me. I’m automatically on high alert. Many young girls have gotten snatched off of this street and never seen again. I yet again pick up the pace as I hear the footsteps slowly start to fade. When I finally reach the little abandoned apartment I call home I’m exhausted. I keep the place as neat as I possibly can, so I kick my muddy shoes off at the door. I walk over to the small cott that I call a bed and plop down on the hard mattress. I rub the sweat from my brow and roll over on my side to reach for my bag so I can count my earnings.
“This is pathetic.” I say as I look at the mere $100 I’ve made off of hustling today. At least I can afford to get food for the next few days. I shouldn’t be living like this! I am the daughter of the most powerful voodoo man in all of New Orleans! There’s no way my father would settle for swindling people on the side of the street for pocket change. Alas, here I am. I look over to the small wooden box I keep near my cot. I retrieve the key from my necklace that’s been tucked into my shirt for safe keeping. The key is a skull with green gems for eyes. Father said that it reminded him of me. After all a black girl with eyes greener than the brightest of emeralds is a rare sight. I stick the key into the lock in the center of the box and carefully twist. Once the lid is opened I carefully remove the photo that I keep at the top of the box. It was taken a little over a year ago now, the last picture I took with my father. To most he was Dr.Facilier or the shadow man, to me he was papa. He only did the things that he’d done to help keep us afloat after momma got too sick to work. Standing beside us in the picture is a beautiful woman with a breathtaking smile, yet a skinny frame and sunken face. The bags under her eyes were dark and heavy looking like she hadn’t had a good night's rest in days. The only thing that looked amiss was the slight protrusion of her abdomen. “Way too small for a seven month pregnancy.” , According to the doctor. She died soon after my father got dragged off by the spirits. I never got to meet my little sibling. And now here I am. Freshly 18, and rejected by the children services organizations for being “too old”. Just the thought of that social worker's face as she told me there’s nothing she could do for me pissed me off.
I tossed the unlocked box to the side of my cot and it kept sliding until it hit the floor. A little green necklace slid out a little further than the rest of the trinkets in the box. It was some stuff I picked up and stuffed in the box before they could put me out of the house a few months ago. I picked the necklace up and started to dust it off. Picking up that necklace solidified my resolve. Whoever did this to my parents was going to pay. I’d make sure of it. Suddenly my vision started swirling around me and a green-isn mist started flowing into my room.