Chapter Fifteen: New Orleans Dinner:

Louise led Noiz down a hidden alley way. “We’re almost there,” she said. The kitty looked around.

“Where are we?” she asked. The older woman broke into a little smile.

“My secret little place I use to get away from my family,” she answered. They walked up to a small glass-styled shop. Louise pressed her hand against the door.

“Welcome,” she said. “I call this Little Queen’s Nest.” Louise pushed open the door and a cool breeze hit Noiz in the face. A middle-aged man behind the counter lifted his head.

“Lou?” he asked. “Is that you?” The older woman held out her arms as if expecting a hug.

“John!” she said aloud. “So good to see you again.” The pair descended into Creole talking. At this point, Noiz didn’t even try to understand what they were saying. I’ll just stand back here and look pretty, she thought. Louise finally turned her attention on her boss.

“Oh, John,” she said. “This is my boss, Noizchild.” The kitty pressed her lips together, waving. The middle-aged man straightened his black-framed glasses.

“She’s really cute,” he said.

“Hi,” Noiz mumbled.

“Don’t just stand around there,” John said, beckoning her closer. “Come in, sit, eat!” Noiz shrugged her shoulders and followed Louise to a table near a small window. At the counter, John rang the bell.

“Patty!” he shouted. “Get out here! We have customers tonight!” A woman with a round face peeked out from the open kitchen window.

“Who is now?” she asked. The woman looked out in the dining area and spotted Louise waving at her. “Oh, Lou! It’s good to see you again! How have you been?”

“Good,” Louise said. “And you?”

“It’s been slow around here lately.”

“Not as bad as after Katrina though, is it?”

The woman in the kitchen nodded. “That is true.” Her eyes turned towards Noiz. “And who’s this little doll?”

“Hello, I’m Noiz.”

The woman in the kitchen raised her eyebrow. “That’s a weird name.” The kitty laughed off the statement with a sweat drop on her head.

“Yeah, I get that a lot,” she said.

“What’s on the menu tonight?” Louise asked.

“Oh right,” John said. “What would you ladies like tonight?”

“What would you recommend tonight?”

John shifted his eyes over to Noiz’s direction. “Does your friend like shrimp?”

“Yes,” Noiz said.

“Can you handle spicy food?”

The kitty’s eyes lit up. “How hot are we talking?”

“Burn your mouth off.”

“Yes!”

John gave her a strange look. “Are you sure you can handle it?”

“Oh yes.”

“You heard the woman,” Louise said. “Do your worst.”

“And what would you like?”

Louise sat back with her arms folded across her chest. “Surprise me.” John saluted with a smile.

“Yes ma’am!” he said. His wife backed into the kitchen. Noiz looked around at the small restaurant under the dim lights.

“How did you find this place?” she asked. Louise turned back, winking.

“It’s a secret,” she said. Noiz frowned.

“Oh come on!” she said. “I have abided by you rules this whole time. Don’t I get to know a little about your secrets?” Louise took out a cigarette and lit up.

“Fine,” she said. “When I was still married to Daryl, I stormed out of the house. I just wanted to get away from him at the time. When it started rain, I tried to look for a place to wait it out.”

“And you came here?”

“By accident.” Louise’s lips curved into a smile. “I was walking around when I saw John standing at that door trying to lure me in. He and his wife kept trying to stuff me up.” She began to laugh. “I ended up passed out asleep on this table here.”

Noiz nodded uneasily. “Ah.”

“Now let me ask you something.”

The kitty perked up with a curious look on her face. “What?”

“How are you liking New Orleans so far?”

“It’s fine, I guess.” Noiz narrowed her eyes. “Why do you ask?” Louise shrugged her shoulders.

“Just wondering,” she said.

“Hm,” Noiz said. She looked out the small window behind her. How long would it be before summer break ended? Classes would resume in Japan in a few weeks. Would they make it back in time? How was everyone doing back home? Surely, they knew that she had been gone for a long time by now. Did they even try to get her back? Noiz frowned after pondering that last question. Knowing Louise, she probably talked them into not worrying and letting her stay in New Orleans. The kitty headmistress leaned over her chair. How long is she keeping me in New Orleans again? Her eyes moved back to Louise. Her older employee blew out smoke from her cigarette.

“You know,” Noiz said. “I wish you wouldn’t do that sometimes.” Louise eyed her.

“Are you complaining?” she asked.

“No, no,” her boss replied. “Just a thought.” John came out with two steaming plates of shrimp creole on a wooden tray.

“Here you are,” he said. “It’s all nice and spicy for you. Enjoy!”

“Thanks,” Louise said. Noiz nodded as she picked up her spoon. The man with the thick black moustache turned and walked back to the counter. Noiz looked at her plate, wide-eyed.

“Oh wow!” she said. “You weren’t kidding when you said they were trying to feed you here!” Louise laughed before she took her first bite.

“Think you can handle it?” she asked. The kitty smiled and dove her spoon in.

“You bet I can!” she said. She took the first bite. “Ooo! This is good!” Noiz wasted no time eating.

“You’re welcome,” Louise muttered. She herself began to eat. As the older woman chowed down, she counted down to when this trip would actually end.