CW: mention of suicide
"Change is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke
Four loud bangs on the door brought Malia up from her midday nap with a start. She sat up, brushing her ratted hair to the side as she tried to recalibrate what time, day, and century it was. Her thoughts are interrupted by another four loud hits and the familiar voice of the overzealous manager from the cafe downstairs.
"Come on, open up! I brought beignets and coffee," Nelle sing-song'd.
Malia wiped the sleep from her eyes and hurried to the door. On the other side was her friend and two new faces.
"This is Birdy," Nelle began to push her way in, thrusting the beignets and coffee into Malia's hands are she passed. "My incredibly gorgeous partner."
Birdy smiled and gave a slight nod in greeting.
"And this," Nelle points to the girl next to Birdy. "Is Ellie. Ellie, Malia. Malia, Ellie. I figured the two new girls simply must be introduced."
"Hi," Ellie gave a slight wave.
"It's so nice that you've all come while I'm looking my best," Malia threw a playful glare toward Nelle and pressed down her ratty hair a bit more.
"It's 6 in the evening, Malia," Nelle responded without missing a beat. "Why are you even asleep right now?"
Malia sighs and takes a big drink of coffee.
"These late-night gigs have me on the weirdest schedule. I'm just constantly tired."
"That sucks," Nelle throws herself on the couch and props her feet up on the coffee table. "Do you have one tonight?"
"In a couple of hours. Let me go shower and get ready. Birdy, Ellie, make yourselves at home," Malia threw out her arms in a gesture across her loft apartment before making her exit.
-
"How'd you end up in New Orleans, Ellie?" Malia asks as the group starts walking to the club for her performance.
"I'm working in the area. My boss tells me to jump, I ask how high. I have, like, no work-life balance," Ellie groans. "You?"
"Full disclosure? It's a bit of a sob story. My sister died and I needed a change. So here I am."
"Shit Malia," Nelle gasps. "I'm so sorry. How did it happen? If you don't mind me asking."
"No, no," Malia took in a shaky breath. "Um, suicide."
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry M," Nelle sets her hand on her friend's shoulder.
"That's really awful, Malia," Ellie adds.
Malia is thankful when they finally arrive at the club.
"I've got to set up," she says, leading them to a table. "Grab some drinks, stay as long as you'd like."
It was a solo gig tonight, so Malia got to play whatever she was feeling. Given the dark turn that the conversation had taken earlier, she wasn't feeling the happy tunes. About an hour and a half into the performance, she saw her friends wave goodbye as they headed out for the evening.
She was lost in a melancholy tune of the song she was playing when Klaus walked in for the evening. A few minutes passed and she almost stumbled notes when she caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye. She turned to him and sent him a smile, which he returned.