Queen of Maldonia
You will make a wonderful queen
Tiana was sitting on the bed thinking about the earlier conversation she tried to have with Naveen and how much it reminded her of the day her father died. The pain and emptiness of that day was the most miserable she ever lived. Especially for her only being fourteen years old…
…
5 years ago…
"Tiana, sweetie. Your daddy was much too sick to go on."
"Leave me alone, mama." Tiana cried. "He promised that he would never leave. He said he was doing better."
"Oh babycakes…" Eudora pulled her young daughter into her arms. "He tried to fight but after the last attack…oh he tried, baby."
Tiana held on to her mother as tight as she could. The only man she loved and respected was now out of her life forever.
…
Tiana's father died of a heart attack. Everything happened so fast that she couldn't remember anything else. Just him leaving her. She knew where Naveen was coming from. The hurt is hard but like all things that hurt, it would someday heal away and that meant moving on with life, remembering all the good times you shared with that person.
The door opened with Naveen walking in. Tiana got up from the bed and wrapped her arms around him. He hugged her back.
"Tiana I am so sorry for speaking that way to you." He apologized.
"You just lost your father. I understand how you feel."
He kissed the top of her head, giving her a tight squeeze. "I love you."
"I love you."
The two remained in their hug state for a couple of minutes. Naveen felt all the love and support his wife was giving him. He knew she would bring him back to earth with her being here with him. He needed this with her right now. But he also needed to explain to her his reason for staying.
"Tiana." He pulled from the hug so he could look at her. "I can't go back to New Orleans. I'm needed here."
"I know." She simply said.
Naveen frowned. He thought she would've reacted differently. "You don't mind?"
"No. You have to be here for your mother and brother. They need you right now."
Naveen gave his wife a kiss on the cheek. "You are amazing."
Tiana smiled.
"I'm serious. I don't know what I would do if you weren't n my life." He wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his forehead against hers. "My father was right about you. You saved my life."
"You saved mine, too." She said.
He caressed her face. "You will make a wonderful queen."
Tiana raised an eyebrow. "I don't know about that."
"You will. I will say that it's equally as challenging as to running the restaurant." He said, walking them over to the bed where they both laid on it. "Ask my mother."
"Do you believe I can do both?" She asked, resting her head on his chest and ignoring his last sentence.
"You don't need me to tell you this! You're a natural hardworker. I knew that when we were frogs so of course you can. My mother opened a school and was queen for over 30 years."
Thirty years? "How old was your mother when she became queen?"
"She was sixteen. Very young. But my father said she carried herself as if she was twenty." Naveen said with a sly smile. "And we Maldonian men like, uh…our women young."
She rolled her eyes, "You're only a year old than I am." She reminded him
"And you are a year younger than I am." He reminded her back.
She laughed a little.
"I love you." He said, taking her hand.
"I love you, too."
"And thank you for accompanying me during this hard time." He kissed his wife's hand.
Tiana was glad to be here for Naveen.
"I'll be here for you as long you like." She promised.
Even if it delayed her real dream…she knew being there for Naveen was worth it.