Chapter 3: Down in New Orleans

"Oh stand still Tiana, you gonna make me pin you."

"You better not pin me."

"Then stand still and I won't."

"You sure you know what you doin Dottie?"

"I'm the best next thing to Mama herself just bear with me."

"Fine, speaking of Mama why isn't she doing this?"

"You know her arthritis be acting. Don't worry she'll make half of your wedding dress and I'll do the second half and make the veil."

"Ok good, I just hope I'll be able to fit into it by the wedding. My body just hasn't been the same since I had Lilly"

"Tiana, you look like have not gained a single pound and you had Lilly three years ago girl bye."

"I have gained weight have you seen my hips."

"Girl those are child bearing hips, you better thankful for them things. I know William doesn't mind them hips." Dot-Mae laughed

"Hush up!" Tiana smirked

"Mhmm, I'm just saying I want a few more nieces and nephews."

"You might not get them." Then the phone rang

"Hold on let me get the phone for you don't move."

"Sure." Dot-Mae walked over to the phone and answered it

"Jenkins' residence how may I help you?"

"Hello?"

"Yes."

"Um I'm sorry wrong number." Dot- Mae was about to respond but was cut short when she heard the dial tone. Dot-Mae shrugged her shoulders and then put the phone back on the receiver.

"Who was that?"

"Wrong number."

"Oh, ok. Ooh, before I forget Lottie's coming over tomorrow so she could get fitted for her dress."

"That tacky woman who wants me to make her dress pink? When your colors are blue and yellow."

"Hey, Lottie's a dear friend of mine, she just takes a while getting used to. By the way my colors are navy and gold."

"Same difference, now how did you two meet anyway?"

"Well, I've known Lottie since I was a girl but her mother would never let me play with her so I never really got to know her. You see Betty used to be a maid and she worked for the LaBouf's. Anyway, I was catering a party for Mr. LaBouf…"

"Who?"

"Lottie's father aren't you listening?"

"I'm too busy doing this, use fewer words."

"Whatever, a few of the guests were giving me some trouble so they decided to ruin my food display and in the process ruining my dress. Lottie saw me and she helped me get cleaned up and let me wear one of her dresses to the party."

"Oh, that's so nice.

"Now that I think of it that's the night I met Naveen."

"Oh really now?"

"Yeah after I came back to the party, he danced with me the whole time. Even though I had two left feet and I was pretty sure I was stepping on his feet. But he didn't mind…" Dot-Mae noticed that Tiana was kind of staring off into space

"Tiana you ok?"

"Hmm? Yeah I'm fine."

"You thinking about Naveen aren't you?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"I know you still love him."

"I don't love him Dottie, I'm over him I'm finally going to be happy with William. He's happy, I'm happy that's it."

"Ok…"

"Are you almost done?"

"Well if you stop moving then maybe I'll finish on time."

"We're home!" Tiana looked and smiled when she saw William and the children enter the house.

"Hey honey! I'm in the kitchen."

"Uh uh! Don't you come back here William or I'll pin you with these needles."

"Why can't he come back here?"

"He's not supposed to see you in the dress."

"The dress isn't done yet."

"It doesn't matter, he can't see you."

"Fine, hurry up and get me out of this thing so I can make dinner."

"Ok, ok and I'm done."

"Finally," Tiana stepped down from the stool she was standing on

"Took you long enough."

"Unh, unh don't be ungrateful I could very well take out all these pins and have you stand there all over again tomorrow."

"Lies from the pit, now can you please help me get dinner started while I get out of this thing."

"Alright, bossy."

Back in the room Tiana was carefully taking off the wedding dress, she couldn't believe that she as getting married again. She thought that after Isaiah died she would never be married again but then William came into her life. William and Tiana were so much alike, not only was William accounting partners with Travis he's also a business owner just like her, he owns his own barber shop, he was a single parent like her. The two just instantly hit it off, Tiana was hesitant at first, but after her mother convinced her to go on a date with him the two had been inseparable. Tiana went to put her dress in her closet when she noticed something on the floor. She bent down to pick it up and gasped when she saw the engagement ring that Naveen gave to her.

"I thought I threw this away."

"Threw what away?" Tiana jumped slightly and turned around to see William behind her.

"Is that your old wedding ring?"

"Um…yeah I could never bring myself to throw it away."

"I understand, you were married to Isaiah for about eleven years. I get it just make sure you make room for my ring." William smirked

"Oh I will." The two shared a quick kiss.

"Dottie sent me back here because she said she doesn't know how to work your stove." Tiana playfully rolled her eyes

"Dottie is something else, tell her I'll be right out." Tiana made sure William was out of the room before putting the ring on her finger. Tiana looked longingly at her hand. She took the ring back off and put it in her jewelry box before going back to the kitchen to make dinner.

"Naveen, I want to go somewhere else." Amina pouted while she was drawing circles on Naveen's bare chest.

"Why aren't you enjoying Paris?"

"I am but I want to go to America, I've always wanted to go there. Oh can we go there please!"

"Sure we can go anywhere you want to."

"I want to go to New Orleans."

"New Orleans?"

"From what your mother told me it sounds like you had a great time when you visited and I've wanted to try American cuisine for so long."

"How about we go to California."

"California?! We can't be away for that long it take us more than a month to travel there. We still have a kingdom to rule. Please can we go to New Orleans?"

"OK fine, anything for my wife."

"Thank you so much Naveen! I love you so much." Amina got out of the bed and walked toward the bathroom

"What are you doing?"

"I want to take a shower how about you join me."

"You are going to be the death of me woman." Naveen got out of the bed and chased Amina into the bathroom.