hitting hollywood bars and not getting wasted was a real trick, but odette enjoyed the atmosphere and the music, and most of all, the people watching. she hadn’t realized how long she’d been in the pianist’s space until she spoke to her. she straightened up a bit and brushed herself off. “sorry! i get a bit caught up in it all. your playing was lovely. really. i could listen all day. do you ever step away, or is that not really allowed?” she asked curiously.
" it’s fine , ” she chirps from behind the piano . minnie offered the other a polite smile , not necessarily wanting to make small talk , though if it was called for she had no choice . “ thank you . i’m glad there’s at least one person that feels that way . ” it was no question that minnie was a great — if not the greatest — classical musician in hollywood at the moment , but with her lack of connections and less than average looks . . . there weren’t as many people praising her talents as she might have wished for . “ i get one break after the first four hours and that’s basically it . after then , i play until closing . “
“You look nice in that,” Rose said softly. For a moment, their words got caught in their throat, and they couldn’t for the life of them identity the source of their nerves. “It… it suits you. What’s the story behind it?”
there’s a slight furrow in her brow . minnie was never one for compliments and she never really knew how to react or respond to them . she looks down meekly and before turning her attention to rosie . “ the story behind what ? this thing ? “ she tugs at the plain black dress that stopped just above her ankles . “ i bought it last year at a secondhand clothing shop downtown . ” her nose scrunches as she gives them an apologetic smile . “ sorry if that story wasn’t as exciting as you probably had hoped . ”
" hey ! “ minnie calls out , accidentally slamming the rooftop hatch behind her as she makes her way out . “ sorry i’m late d , i sorta kinda got into a little predicament with my boss at that new waitressing job i was telling you about . “ she flicks a stray piece of hair out of her face and huffs as she plops herself on the tattered couch she managed to lug up there when she first moved in . “ one of the restaurant - goers just couldn’t fathom the fact that a vietnamese woman was serving her italian food and i nearly went full on melee mode . “ she sniffs nonchalantly and reaches into her knapsack . “ so . . . anyways , i quit and snagged someone’s pending order of pasta . . . “ she sets a medium sized tray of penne on her lap . “ and two bottles of wine . “ there’s a subtle waggle in minnie’s brow as she hands one to dina .
Joseph had never learned to play the piano, and he wondered if it was ever time to start.
Why not start now? Some part of him wondered if right here, in the middle of a bar was as good a time as any, on account that he might suddenly develop some skills in improvisation. But he never mustered up the courage. Instead, he’d been leaning against the piano, watching Minnie Donahue play for the last three songs.
And eyeing a cute blond at the bar, too. Not that it mattered.
“What do you mean?” he pretended not to know at all what she was talking about. “You think I’m eyeing someone? What do you assume that for?”
minnie laughs . how adorable was he ? “ oh , sweetie , ” she coos . “ i’ve played at about a dozen bars in good ol’ hollywood and i know that look when i see it . ” she gives the guy a playful smile . “ my apologies though , ” she starts . “ i kind of have a particular weakness for pointing out the obvious — especially when the person themself does not see it . feel free to stop me if it makes you uncomfortable . ”
jessie probably was leaning up against minnie’s piano for a little longer than he should’ve . & honestly , he would’ve done the same thing & questioned someone if it was him sitting behind those keys . but given the opportunity , he couldn’t help bantering back when hearing her comments . ⏤ looking away from the direction of the bar , he turned his head to look at her , shrugging his shoulders a little . ‟ look , baby , „ the male mimicked , the smile already pulling at the corners of his lips . ‟ if i wanted to talk to said cute girl , i would’ve by now . ⏤ you ever think that i just have this desire & need for your company ? „ the male questioned , ( clearly messing around , but why not ? ) it was practically part of his personality . ‟ so what do you say ? you wanna put this on hold & get a drink with me ? or do wanna encore i’ve never been in love before ? „
minnie adjusts herself in the piano chair she’d been sitting in for the past five hours and harrumphs . there’s a look of disdain etched upon her face as jessie mocks her in mere jest . she scrunches up her nose as if to offer a little ‘ ha ha , very funny ‘ without having to say it . pulling down the fallboard to cover the keys , minnie props up an elbow and rests her chin in her palm as she looks at jessie “ the only desire you have is to provoke me at work when you’ve run out of things to amuse you after midnight . ” she purses her lips daring him to tell her she’s wrong . what she wouldn’t say is that she enjoyed seeing a familiar face now and then , wherever it was she ended up working for the week . watching as small groups of patrons start heading out , she sighs in defeat . “ urgh , fine , but you’re buying , ” she settles before pointing at the tip jar she shared with the crooner . “ . . . ‘cause half of that are my groceries for the month . ”
“ cry me a river , ella fitzgerald . ” he starts . “ make it jazzy . ” he places a two twenty dollar bills on the piano , while his eyes remain blatantly fixated on the woman by the bar . it was easy to be attracted to beautiful people ( and there was an abundance of them in hollywood ) , that was needless to say , but at the end of the day james searched for substance in a person . and he didn’t just go around talking to people he barely knew . fame came with some degree of paranoia , he supposed . “ cute isn’t going to get a person very far now is it ? ”
minnie nods approvingly at james’ song selection . “ cry me a river , ” she murmurs in the direction of her performance partner . with a quick count in , her fingers start to dance above the keys and the silky smooth voice of tonight’s crooner sings . a small snort elicits from the back of her throat as she plays . “ oh , hush . look how far cute has gotten half of hollywood . you’re tellin’ me those silver screen sweethearts get their roles through pure talent ? ” minnie tilts her head at james as if to challenge him , but there’s no ill will in her words . “ you’ll never know unless you give ‘em a try , ” she suggests , casually glancing down at the keys . “ might i remind you , you’re pushing forty , mr. west . ” she teases . “ unless eternal loneliness is your thing . ”
ah , the bustle of a hollywood bar past midnight . there was simply nothing like it . for minnie , it was another odd job . she just finished playing ' i’ve never been in love before ' from guys & dolls for what seemed to be the fifth time . she gave an apologetic glance at her crooning counterpart before turning her attention to the person who’d been against her piano for the past three songs . “ ehem . ” minnie cleared her throat and looked up at them , feigning concern . “ look , baby , it’s either you request a song and leave a tip if you’re feelin’ generous or you pluck up the courage to go over and talk to that little cutie at the bar you’ve been eyein’ the past fifteen minutes for . ”
& 23 | cis female | she / her — ah , 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚑𝚞𝚎 , you again . we expected we'd see your ( perfectly poised fingers meandering over the black and whites of a grand piano ) feel around these parts . on the e list for being an instrumentalist / closet singer ( joni mitchell ) , aren't you ? we can help with that ! for starts , we'll need to make the assiduous and considerate side of your personality shine and do something about leaving that skeptical and arcane side of yours behind closed doors . at least those lana condor looks might just give you a real shot . that's if the fact that you were illegally adopted doesn't destroy you first !
BASICS .
full name ; marina jo donahue
birth name ; minh phuong
nickname ( s ) ; minnie , mj
age ; twenty - three
date of birth ; june 21,1938
place of birth ; hội an, vietnam
residence ; cambridge, ma ( former ) , hollywood, ca ( current )
gender / pronouns ; cis - female , she / her
orientation ( s ) ; bisexual / biromantic
RELATIONSHIPS .
mother ; tara ( née smethwyck ) — adoptive
father ; finnegan donahue — adoptive ( deceased )
sibling ( s ) ; older adoptive sister * , younger adoptive brother *
significant other ( s ) ; none
children ; none
* possible future wanted connection ( ? )
APPEARANCE .
face claim ; lana condor
height ; five feet
weight ; ninety - seven pounds
build ; mesomorph / slim
eye color ; black
hair color / characteristic ( s ) ; jet black , pin - straight , short / just above the shoulders , usually worn down or held in place behind the ears with miscellaneous pins
voice / accent ; general american accent , slightly raspy yet medium - pitched voice
scars / distinguishing marks ; none
piercing ( s ) ; standard earlobe ( both ears )
tattoo ( s ) ; small dagger on left wrist
physical habits ; nail - biting , eye - rolling , giggling at the wrong time
OCCUPATION .
occupation ; instrumentalist ( currently gig hopping ) , singer
voice claim ; joni mitchell
special skill ( s ) ; piano ( main forte ) , violin , double bass , bass guitar , standard guitar , electric guitar , drums , flute , oboe , capable of reading music , also capable of playing by ear , background vocals
BIOGRAPHY .
• born minh phuong in hội an, vietnam in 1938 . she was adopted in 1942 at the age of four by tara smethwyck and finn donahue . at the time of minh’s adoption, the donahues already had a seven year old daughter and one year old son . her name was “legally” changed to marina jo donahue . she was mj to family, minnie to friends .
• minnie grew up in a middle class neighborhood in cambridge, massachusetts ( her mother’s hometown ) . though she was quite small and seemingly quiet , she was nothing short of the opposite . always the rambunctious child with that “ eager to know all “ curiosity .
• it was through her father that she found her passion for music . her father discovered she had talent early on when he saw her she sat near the piano and he overheard her playing around with the keys until she developed a short melody of her own . every instrument she picked up , she played exceptionally well .
• she never really thought of music as a profession , spending most of her school years prepping for nursing school at some fancy university in boston — maybe even pursuing a career in medicine like her mother .
• it wasn’t until her father passed unexpectedly in 1958 , minnie decided she wouldn’t let her talent go to waste . her mother opposed at first , what with her youngest daughter well into two years of college and half of the way done . but this is was minnie truly wanted and she begged and begged until her mother finally agreed on one condition : that she not be dependent on her parents’ money and make ends meet for herself . so with that , minnie packed her things and took off for hollywood .
• now , it’s been three years with no such luck . since minnie’s arrival in “ dreamland “ she’s done a bunch of odd jobs from waitressing to playing piano at bars or five - star restaurants . she had a few brief gigs with various bands in the area , whether local or visiting , but never really felt she fit in .
• minnie is a certified e - lister and often jokingly refers to herself as an “ e - loser “ though as of late ? she’s starting to believe that her being a loser might be true after all . she has taken to recording songs in her apartment on her nights off to get her mind of things and unbeknownst to her , a few of her neighbors are becoming very taken by her voice . mind you , the girl is very self conscious when it comes to people hearing her sing , but the walls are much thinner than they appear .
• secret : minnie was adopted illegally by her parents . she only found out about this three years ago when she asked her mother for her documents and legal papers just in case she’d need them in california . at that point , mother broke down and told her the truth of her adoption . it only adds to her stresses and fears of becoming something , someone great in hollywood .
tangentwithtanner
ellievsbear
dededos
kianamaiart
turnnoffyourmind
prguitarman
