A mystery in St. Louis (a Lackadaisy fanfic)

Meet Francis

Another day another dollar. I got home late because of my job. So now I'm just enjoying the quiet. Mama was at her night classes so she was tired too.

"Franny! Get up! Your breakfast is getting cold!" Never mind.

"I'm coming, granny!" I get up and change my clothes. "God that woman is part vampire" I whispered. In case it wasn't clear I'm Francis, Francis Lucile Brown. I'm a 21-year-old gray-blue cat. I'm the only daughter to the only daughter of the Family.

I used to live in Paris with my immediate family. My mother was from Dublin and met my father while studying in France. He took her last name. But after papa passed we moved into my grandparent's house in St. Louis. Don't get me wrong I love my granny but she can be so. "Girls!" Loud. I head downstairs to the kitchen. "Morning granny" I greeted and sat at the table.

"Morning love," said Agnes Brown an old Irish woman, Aka my granny, as she pours me a cup of tea "Did you sleep well?"

"I was" I still didn't like the wake-up call but I know she only meant well.

"Well you should've been asleep in the bed" she scolded as she looked at me "instead of chirping with that Daisy slapper on the phone,"

"It's flapper, Grandmama." I tried to correct her.

"I don't care what they call it here it's not decent. And those two, well one, wanker" Granny stated "I can't imagine why your mother lets you hang around cats like that?" Then my mother comes to the kitchen. "Cats like what?" she asked.

"That Peppa Girl and her Toms. Laurel and Hardy."

"Oh Mammy, Freckle's not that bad and Ivy's a nice girl" Mama expressed. "Bright too, she's in my AP class."

"Cathy, what nice school girl works at a speakeasy flappin' for money?"

"Calm down mammy, it's not what you think," My mother Catherine tries to explain.

"I'll believe it when I see it, I know what happens in bars remember that's when I made one of you's," the old woman said.

"Mammy let's change the subject" my mother suggested.

"Fine" Granny agreed as she sat down "You just missed the boys."

"I'm sure we'll see them later."

"So, Francis, now that you're up what are your plans?"

"Going for a stroll around the neighborhood maybe pop by Rocky's for a session" I quickly answered.

Granny: "That fuckin' jinx."

"Mammy!" Mama lightly scolded even though she was not fond of Rocky either, probably because he spilled syrup on her book. "Cathy the boy is so annoying Nina kicked him out!" she stated, "and you know how much patience she's had with that boy."

"I thought you didn't get along with Mrs. McMurray?" I asked, aware of their tiffs.

"Course not love she's a bitch," she said with no hesitation "Mammy!" Not stopping Granny continues to rant about Nina "She thinks she's better than us just because she's lived here longer and her son hasn't gone to jail," I remember that day everyone was speechless which is a given in this family. "May I be excused?"

"Sure love," Mama said and I left for my room. "Well, mammy you weren't exactly Miss Manners during that bible study."

"All I said was that the stories were fictional and she blew that out of proportion," She added "I never said I wasn't a believer!"

"Well, mammy at least they know that much. Still, I wish you wouldn't argue with people so much, especially during these times."

"Please I've been through wars, immigration, and you kids." the old Irish woman stated, "And I'm still here so I think I can handle myself" There's a moment of silence.