1923

1993?

  We stumble out of the alleyway and realize, this is DEFINITELY NOT 1993 New York.
      "Oi, watch where you're walking, boy" a man in a fedora pushed past me.
     "Sorry" I said under my breathe.
     "It's cold, can we go inside somewhere??"  Heather shivered.
  Dinah nodded and started off walking to the club where the piano music was coming from.
It was musty with cigar smoke, a woman in a red dress sang on the piano as a played a swanky jazz tune.
    "We don't really fit in here" Dinah said, she took out her septum piercing and put it in her pocket. In an effort to make her look normal for the time period. After the lady had finished singing it was quiet except for a few mumbles.
   "And now, New York's finest dancers" a man in a tan suit said as a curtain drew back. The piano started again, a line of girls in matching gold flapper dresses came out and did this cute little routine.
     "You aren't from here are you?" It was the pretty woman in the red dress that had been singing.
"Technically we are" Dinah looked nervous.
   "The names Lina Marie, what brings you to Al's?" She asked cocking her head to the side.
    "Well it was real cold outside, so we came in here" Heather piped up.
   "Bit young to be in here" Lina Marie looked down at the child.
  "Woah" I breathed, my eyes settled on a blonde with a big smile doing the Charleston on stage.
   "Oh, that's MiMi" Lina Marie followed my gaze. "But brother you best forget about her. We may not have slavery anymore but we still a long ways to go" she continued.
  "Do you know any hotels near by?" Dinah changed the subject.
  "Ain't no hotel gonna let you in, looking the way you do" her Louisiana accent thick, Lina Marie shook her head.
   "Here follow me upstairs" she went over to a dark wood door and we all walked up some creaky steps. The image of MiMi still in my head. How could I forget her?. Impossible.  The upper floor was decorated quite nice, nothing fancy though. A Victrola record player sat on a stand.
   "Here I got some clothes y'all can wear to fit in" she addressed Heather and Dinah
   "Now I'm not into the voodoo, but it's obvious y'all from a different time". We sort of nodded.
   "So what's the future like?" Lina Marie's eyes shined.
   "Well we came from 2020" at Dinah's words, Lina Marie gasped.
   "Tell me all about it" she smiled, then she shook her head.
   "Where are my manners, y'all go get changed, I'll make dinner, then we can talk"  she said while taking off her earrings. In the middle of her cooking the door opened. It was the dancing girl, Mimi.
   "Oh hi! I don't think we've eva met!" She had a cute Brooklyn accent. Her voice was a bit high, like Betty Boop. Dinah and Heather were By now dressed in 20s garb. Though Dinah still had her silver hair.
   "How'd ya get your hair like that?" Mimi smiled at Dinah.
   "Oh, you know. Hair dye"
    "Well I've never seen dye like that" she giggled to herself.
    "MiMi, introduce yourself" Lina Marie finally spoke.
   "O! How silly of me. I'm Mildred, Mildred Digordo.". We all go to introductions, leaving out the part of us being from the future.
   "Yaknow I really like that name, Vinny" MiMi blushed at me.
    "He doesn't li-" Dinah started.
   "I love that nickname" I interrupted, smiling stupidly.
  "So anyway as I was saying, my daddy is a real I-Talian" Mildred went on.
    "Don't you mean Italian?" Heather said.
   "That's what I said"
  "That's what she said" I agreed.
"Ugh" Dinah rolled her eyes.
    "Supper is Ready" Lina said from the kitchen.
    "Oop, that's my cue to leave, Bye Vinny, hope to see ya again" she waved and left the apartment.
    "Isn't she a doll?" I said.
     "More like a dog" Dinah sulked.