If your fears could only be forgotten
We could pull all the barriers down
Would you follow your dream's desire?
Would you follow your secret dreams and forbidden fire?
Let's just peel out of this town
It's been nothing but dreams
It's been nothing but dreams until now
"Loving You's a Dirty Job but Somebody's Gotta Do It" -Bonnie Tyler
…………
It was early the next morning, and a groggy, defeated, yet resolute Tiana was awkwardly dragging a fully-packed trunk through the palace, not wanting to attract attention to herself and ask for help. Not that she would have found much. It was New Year's Day and most of the staff had the day off… and those that were still around were still sleeping, most likely, having stayed up all night for New Year's Eve. So had Tiana, truthfully. She had stayed up packing and crying and cursing and pacing her room, so angry and heartbroken and lost and confused and… Somehow, actually, she had fallen asleep for an hour or two, leaning on top of her trunk. She must have taken a moment to rest and suddenly she found herself jolting awake from some terrible dream about an hour later. Couldn't have been much more terrible than reality, she thought bitterly to herself, dragging the trunk along the floor, probably scratching the woodwork. And probably making a lot of noise. She glanced at the grandfather clock in the hallway. 7:15. God, what was she doing up, after how little sleep she got? …No matter. The sooner the better. She was getting out of here.
"Why, Tiana, what are you doing?"
Tiana gasped in surprise as Queen Avani stood before her, seemingly having materialized out of thin air. Quickly remembering her royal court etiquette, she dropped the end of the trunk that she was holding and gave a low but quick bow. "Pardon me, Your Majesty, I hope I didn't wake you."
"Not all of the palace sleeps in, even on New Year's Day," smiled Avani. "And neither do you, I see. Where are you going with your trunk?"
Sighing, Tiana glanced at said trunk, then looked back at Avani apologetically. "I… I've stayed here far too long. I need to get back home and work on my restaurant some more. Thank you for your hospitality, you and the king have both been very kind in your accommodations, but I really need to get going."
Avani eyed Tiana in mild confusion. "This was a rather sudden decision, was it not? I would have thought I would have heard of your departure sooner than now."
Tiana sighed helplessly. "Yes, it's sudden, even though I wasn't planning on staying much longer anyway, but let's just say last night… last night I realized I don't belong here. I'm only making things worse. Tell Lottie and Naveen that I'm sorry for… well, just tell them I'm sorry."
"Tiana, dear, you're leaving without telling them goodbye? What's wrong?"
Tiana sighed again, wrapping her arms around her body and looking down on the ground. "Nothing. Well—actually—it's not nothing, but I don't want to talk about it. It'll be better if I just leave. Trust me."
Avani gently placed her hand on Tiana's shoulder. "How do you plan on leaving, then?"
"I'll go to the bank, exchange my money—I've got about twenty American dollars, that should get me a third-class ticket at least—"
"It's New Year's Day. While I am sure there are ships leaving today, I am equally sure that there will be no banks open."
Tiana's face fell. "Oh…"
"Come. I will get you enough rublinas to purchase you a ticket and be on your way." Avani led Tiana down the hallway and into one of her offices.
"Thank you very much, Your Majesty, I really appreciate all you've done for me." Tiana fished her American dollars out of her pocket.
Avani shook her head. "Your ticket here was a free gift, and your ticket back shall be a free gift too." She handed Tiana a small stack of Maldonian rublinas. "That should be enough to get you a first-class ticket, plus a little spending money on the ship itself."
"Thank you, but I really only need enough for third class…"
"You will be far more seasick in third class than first, let me assure you," smiled Avani. Then her smile faded slightly. "Tiana, I do not wish to stop you if this is what you feel you must do, but do you really feel that leaving without saying goodbye will fix things? Both Charlotte and Naveen care for you greatly. They will be hurt at your departure."
Tiana winced. "I'm hurting them more by staying here, Your Majesty. That's why I've got to leave before either of them can talk me into staying any longer. I… I don't want to explain. Just trust me. I have to do this."
On a sudden impulse, she quickly gave Avani a hug. "Thank you again for all you've done for me. And… I know Lottie and Naveen are going to be mad at me for this, and that's okay, but I really care about…" She bit her lip. "What I mean to say…"
Avani comfortingly returned the hug. "It is alright, Tiana. I am sure they will understand better than I do. I will bring a cab around to take you to the docks."
"Thank you. Maricilpen." Tiana let go of Avani and headed back out the door and to her trunk. "This really is a wonderful country, Your Majesty, and I wish I could…" She shook her head and resolutely picked up one end of it again. "But I can't. Thank you again. A… abinaza."
"Abinaza, Tiana," Avani murmured softly. "I hope it is not forever."
…………
While Avani had risen at her usual hour that morning, Naveen and even Charlotte had not. Naveen hadn't seen either Charlotte or Tiana after his encounter with her… his frustrating, heartbreaking, maddening encounter with her. There were only two ways to deal with the emotions he was feeling—sex and alcohol. And given the circumstances, sex with anyone was only going to make it worse. So he made his way back to the ballroom, downed about five more glasses of wine, and threw himself into the music, forcing himself to enjoy himself. But all the booze and jazz in the world couldn't blot out Tiana's "I wish I'd never met you!" from his mind. He finally stumbled into bed a little before three o'clock that morning, exhausted, confused, wanting nothing more than to make his way into the Yellow Room and comfort Tiana, throw his arms around her and kiss all her (and his) cares away, his marriage be damned, she was hurting and miserable and—and it was all his fault and if he tried that stunt he'd just be making things worse—so instead he just flopped into bed and buried his face in his pillow, not noticing that his wife on the other side of the bed had fallen asleep in a similar position, the tearstains still shining on her pillowcase.
Naveen might have slept in late in even normal circumstances, but usually he was up well before noon. That day, however, he was still lost in an uneasy sleep when the sun was at its zenith… and probably would have stayed that way for a few more hours at least if Charlotte hadn't thrown a glass of water in his face.
Coughing harshly, he groggily wiped the water from eyes. "Qualta—"
"What did you say to her?!" Charlotte shrieked, enraged.
"Queno? I—I mean, who?"
"Tiana! She's gone!"
"She's what?!" shrieked Naveen, bolting upright in an instant.
"I woke up just an hour ago and was looking for her, and your mother said that she packed her trunk and up and left this morning! I raced to the docks as fast as I could, but the ocean liner leavin' for the United States was just pulling out as I got there! She left without even saying goodbye! What did you say to her?!"
"What did I say to her?" Naveen shot back, glaring at Charlotte with more anger than he thought it was possible for him to hold, anger that he wasn't sure wasn't sure if all (or any) of it was actually directed at her. "What did—what did you say to her? I find her after she's stepped outside and she looked as though she was about to fall apart!"
"It was because of me, alright yes, so I said—I said some things that… but they weren't directed to her, they only made her say some things that were, and they certainly weren't enough to make her just leave without… Anyway, I was going to apologize, but she's gone!" Charlotte brought her hands to her face and moaned helplessly. "Cheese and crackers, no wonder the press is always goin' on about how I'm not suited to be princess, let alone queen, I'm a terrible host, I can't even make my best friend wanna stay, and my mascara was running all night and how can I be gracious and entertaining when everything's—"
"Would you just SHUT UP?" Naveen snapped, shooting up off the bed to glare over her, his patience with her finally breaking.
"SHUT UP?!" Charlotte screeched in retaliation, flaring up and standing on tiptoe to better glare Naveen directly in the eyes. "I've got expectations to meet and live up to that are soooooooo important but that nobody cares about for you, you can just screw around and shirk everything and everyone just turns a blind eye, and I'm lonely and homesick and don't understand anything about this God-forsaken country and to top that all off, my best friend apparently HATES me and left without saying goodbye?!"
"How do you think I feel?!" Naveen demanded, enraged. "She is my—"
He stopped and dropped his hand that had been in the air, his expression only softening a bit. Charlotte's, however, did a complete meltdown. Her eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped with a gasp, the defensive, angry flare in her body vanishing.
He hadn't said it, but Charlotte suddenly remembered where she had heard the term Evangeline before.
It hadn't made sense to her the first time, so she thought little of it. It still didn't make much sense to her… but it made enough sense this time to make something finally click.
"Oh… oh my God…" she gasped, bringing her hands to her mouth and shaking her head in disbelief.
"What?" Naveen demanded harshly.
"You… you're in love with her."
"Of course I'm in love with her!" Naveen cried, his anger also finally melting away into frenetic hopelessness. "Why else do you think I was so quick to marry you? Why I would only marry you if you helped me get her what she wanted? I have never loved anyone or anything more in my entire life!"
"Oh my God…" Despite the fact that she was still biting her hands, Charlotte's lips were trembling, and her eyes were filling with tears.
"Don't cry," Naveen muttered, guiltily looking away from her. "Faldi faldonza, don't you even start…"
"You love her. How stupid could I be?" Charlotte sniffled, drew in a shaky breath, and brought one hand up to her eyes to wipe her tears. "How could I not've noticed? And she… and she must love you too, that's why she left without saying goodbye, that's why she didn't come to the wedding, that's why… Oh my God!" Her body shook with larger, heavier tears, tears that now required both hands to dry. "Look at how much I've hurt her… hurt both of you… all because of my stupid silly desire to be a princess. How could I have done this?"
Naveen took a step back from Charlotte, taking in a deep, sob-like breath himself, his eyes wide with surprise. First of all, he had never intended on confessing this to Charlotte, but secondly, he had always imagined that if he had… well, if he had, Charlotte would be furious at him. And she was furious… but more at herself.
Charlotte looked back up at Naveen, tears still running out of her eyes, in amounts that certainly would have ruined her mascara had she been wearing any. "I've gotta leave here, too!"
Naveen jerked back in surprise. "What?"
"I can't stay here when I'm standing between true love! Besides, I absolutely hate it here and I hate bein' a princess!" She suddenly smiled harshly. "How's that for a confession? That's what I told Tiana last night. I told her how miserable I am here. And she told me how miserable she is back in New Orleans. So we've gotta switch places. You and I… you and I need to get a divorce."
"Would you… would you even listening to what you're saying?" Naveen demanded. "You are the princess of Maldonia. You cannot just get a divorce!"
"Why not?"
"The—the integrity of the royal name!"
"So what? King Henry VIII got divorces left and right! Besides, how is divorcing somehow dishonorable yet sleeping with every pretty girl you see is just fine and dandy?"
"Listen, alright, that was wrong," Naveen said defensively, "but I won't do that anymore! I was only… only trying to find something that I'd lost, something I didn't even know what it was, and… and I never really found it, except in Tiana, so I know now that I'll never have it. You're right, she's right, it was wrong of me, alright? I promise not to do it again. I realize now I'll never be whole again without Tiana, so I'll just have to learn to live with this emptiness!"
"No you won't!" Charlotte demanded. "You can divorce me and marry Tiana! It's what you want, and it's what I want too!"
"I can't marry Tiana!" Naveen cried. "Whether I want to or not doesn't matter! She has her restaurant in New Orleans to take care of, I'm not about to drag her away from her dream and force her to be a princess here!"
"Well then, why don't you go to her?" Charlotte countered. "You could live in New Orleans! Give up the crown for your one true love! How romantic…" Although there were still a few tears in her eyes, with her last sentence she sighed dreamily and looked up at the ceiling.
"This isn't a fairytale, Charlotte," Naveen muttered darkly. "I've disappointed my parents and my country for far too long. It's time for me to live up to my duties. That is what Tiana wants from me."
"To hell with duties! Ain't true love more important?"
"Charlotte! Get your head out of the clouds and—"
"Isn't this what you want?"
"Of course it is what I want! I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with her, but that's not possible! You and I are married, and it takes a lot of effort to get divorced, and my parents—who run the country, might I add—won't approve!"
"You've cheated on me," Charlotte countered. "Ain't that grounds enough for divorce?"
"No," replied Naveen. "That is not enough. Royalty in all nations have the reputation for having affairs. If anything, you are the one straying from the norm."
"Now that's an idea!" Charlotte suddenly said, excitedly. "I could fake a pregnancy and say that you're not the father! Then you'd have to divorce me!"
"I'm not going to let you drag your name in the mud too!" Naveen cried. "We can't get divorced. Royal bonds are thicker than steel. No member of the Maldonian royal family has ever gotten divorced! If you think it was difficult for us to get married, it will be ten—a hundred times harder to get divorced!"
"Marrying you wasn't hard at all!" Charlotte protested.
"My parents bent the rules for you," Naveen snapped.
Charlotte bit her lip thoughtfully. "Bent… or changed?"
"Bent, but what does that…"
Charlotte abruptly flittered her way to the door. "My Mardi Gras trip to New Orleans looks like it's gonna be a few months early. Get me my suitcases, I'm packing! While I'm in New Orleans, you might wanna spend your time in the library, reading up on Maldonian marriage law."
Naveen stared unresponsively at Charlotte for a good three seconds. Then, finally: "Qualta?"
"You heard me. I'll try to not be in New Orleans for too long, alright? I'll be back hopefully before February, and I'll bring Tiana back too. And if you don't find any loopholes, get the divorce proceedings ready. Well, off to find my trunks! Toodles!" In a flash, she was gone from the room.
Naveen stared unblinking for another three seconds before rubbing his temples. "Faldi faldonza…"
…………
Upon arriving back in New Orleans, Tiana had three stops to make in rapid succession—home, Duke's, Cal's. Home solely to drop off her trunk and let her mother and Louis know she was back—and that didn't happen, since neither of them were there. Pushing her trunk into her room, Tiana didn't stay to ponder that very long. Eudora was probably working at one of her clients' houses. And Louis was probably in the bayou, chatting with his friends and such.
Well, she'd get back home and wait for them soon enough, but she couldn't hang around just yet. She had to let Buford and Cal know that she was back home and ready to work again. Her total time spent at her house was less than five minutes, rushing back to the streetcar and riding it down to Duke's Diner.
"Hey there, Tiana!" Maddy greeted her enthusiastically. "How was your trip?"
"Let's not talk about that," Tiana muttered. "Is Buford working today?"
"Yeah, he's in the kitchen like always—"
"Order up, Maddy!"
Maddy rushed to the window to the kitchen and grabbed the plate of hotcakes, Tiana right behind her.
"Hey there, Buford," Tiana said, "just droppin' by to let you know I'm back from Maldonia."
Buford snorted sarcastically. "And? What do I care if you're back from Who-whatlia?"
"What do you care? I'm available to work again! And I'm willing to work even more hours than b—"
"HA!" Buford interrupted with a harsh laugh. Tiana took a step back in surprise. "Ha!" Buford repeated. "You think that you can leave for a month and we just sit here and twiddle our thumbs waitin' for you to return? The customers sure didn't! I hired another waitress! Now I can maybe bring you back on board, but you'll be lucky to get half the hours you were working before. Wouldn't wanna cut into Emily's hours, now would you?"
Tiana felt her heart sink, then suddenly flare up with anger. "You—you can't do this! I need this job! I've been working here nearly five years, you can't do this to me!"
"I can and I did! Now get outta my way, I've got a job to do. A job that you can't just take a month's break from. I can schedule you to work… a week from today, noon to closing time. After that, we'll talk."
"Buford, please, I need this job!" cried Tiana. "I promise I'll never leave again, I'll never go back to Maldonia, I'll never even leave the city again, just please—"
"I'm working!" Buford snapped at her, turning back to the stove.
Maddy, who had witnessed it all, took a tentative step towards Tiana, wringing her apron in her hands. "That… that ain't fair, Tiana, even though I've only known you for a little bit I still know how hard you've worked… I'll give up some of my hours so you can get back in the schedule."
Tiana shook her head. "No, Maddy, I know how much you need this job too. Besides… I have another job. I think Cal will be a little happier to see me… I hope." She bit her lip in determination. "And even if he isn't, I can get another job. Maybe I should anyway. What else am I gonna do with myself when my restaurant's the only thing I'm living for?"
Maddy continued to wring her apron apprehensively. "I don't think your royal vacation did much to relax you."
"I ain't got time for relaxing! And I shouldn't have gone there in the first place… I need to stay here where I belong and work even harder. I will get another job. If I ain't workin' a job or workin' on my restaurant, I'm sleeping. I'll get there yet! I will!"
"Gosh, Tiana," Maddy said worriedly. "Everybody needs a break every once in awhile! Sometimes I think you don't know how to have fun!"
"I DO TOO KNOW HOW TO HAVE FUN!" Tiana snapped, every bit of her body flaring up defensively. Maddy squeaked in surprise and fear and recoiled from her.
Tiana's anger quickly vanished as she looked at Maddy's wide, frightened eyes. "I'm sorry, Maddy," she said softly. "It's just… the last person who said that to me… never mind. I've gotta get to Cal's. I'll see you later."
She hurried out the door, leaving Maddy to only continue to stare and wring her apron.
…………
Cal, fortunately, hadn't hired anyone else… but still, Tiana thought wearily as she rode the streetcar back home, Cal's had always only been her night job, with less hours than she put in at Duke's. And she needed both jobs. Given how slow her progress was with her previous cash flow… her previous cash flow that was given a major boost by a prince and a debutante anyway…
Tiana made a harsh grimace as she stepped off the trolley and made her way back to her house, trying to push the doubt out of her mind. Do not give up. Do not give up. She couldn't give up. Even with all the financial and emotional turmoil she was experiencing right now. That was all the more reason to keep working even harder, for once she finally opened her restaurant, it would be all the more rewarding and fulfilling. She'd feel whole and complete again someday. As long as she kept working her fingers to the bone. She'd get another job. She'd spend every second on her goal. Yes, she'd get there yet.
Louis had returned to the house, and leapt up with joy upon seeing Tiana, his landing shaking the foundations of the house. "Tiana! You're back!" He ran to her and literally almost crushed her in a hug.
"Ack… Louis, I can't breathe…" Tiana gasped.
"Oh! Sorry!" Louis let go of Tiana quickly and blushed. "Sometimes I forget I ain't human." But then his huge, happy smile instantly returned. "But I'm so glad to see you back! How was Maldonia? How was Naveen? Did you have fun? Was there lots of jazz? Did you—"
"Slow down, Louis! It was… nice. Very nice. Where's my mama?"
"She went to a client's house…" Louis's enthusiasm melted into a quizzical expression. "You don't seem to think that it was nice…"
"I did," Tiana muttered, "but I'm just a little… Buford apparently hired someone else while I was gone. Now I've got only maybe half the hours there that I used to, if I'm lucky."
"Oh…" Louis said worriedly, but then he suddenly smirked. "Do you want me to go and roughen him up a bit?"
"No, Louis, no! Really… I suppose it's understandable that he did that. He needed someone to cover my hours. It's alright. I'll get another job. That'll be three different sources of income. Maybe then my restaurant will get finished faster!"
"Your… restaurant." Louis sounded hesitant.
It was only two simple words, but the tone immediately set off red flags in Tiana's mind. "What about it? What's wrong?!"
"Nothing, really," Louis quickly clarified, "but there is… well, have you noticed all the branches and stuff on the ground?"
"Oh God, please don't tell me a hurricane went through here… it ain't even hurricane season, it couldn't have—"
"It wasn't a hurricane, it was some sort of windstorm, and—"
"What happened to my restaurant?!"
"Really, it's mostly fine!" Louis cried, although still with wide, worried eyes. "It's just that the wind blew some branches around and into… well, they broke most of your windows. But that's—"
"Oh God, the windows!" shrieked Tiana, spinning around and sprinting back to the streetcar stop.
"It's not that bad, Tiana!" Louis insisted, but it was too late; she had already leapt onboard the streetcar that was gliding by, not even waiting for it to stop.
"You only just got back!" Louis cried. "Can't you stay here for just a little bit?"
Clang, clang, clang, and the streetcar was gone, transporting Tiana back to the bustle of the city.
…………
No, no, no.
Not the windows.
Anything but the windows.
Tiana stared, slack-shouldered, her mouth hanging open slightly, in front of her restaurant. No, not her restaurant. Her building. Her building that was once a sugar mill, was neglected into just a mass of timber, and that had become her pet project to fix, to make beautiful, because unlike the equally shambled state of her life, she knew how to fix this building. She knew how, and, albeit in very very small steps, she could. On the inside, the progress had been small, but noticeable. But not on the outside, until she installed those new glass windowpanes. It had taken a full two months' worth of tips to pay for them, but she got them, and put them in…
And now they were all shattered. One still had the tree branch that had punctured it sticking out like an accusing finger—you you you. Your hard work meant nothing. Look at what's become of it. This is your future. You failure.
You
You
You
Tiana let out an inarticulate roar and flung a rock at the window, disintegrating the already splintered glass into thousands of tiny, sparkling shards. "DAMMIT DAMMIT DAMMIT!" she screamed, yanking off her left shoe and hurling it at the wall, bouncing off the old wood of the wall with a thud; her right shoe was quick to follow. With nothing else to throw, she felt her knees buckling, begging for respite on the road… but just before she sank to her despair, she noticed that a number of passers-by were staring at her, shocked and disapproving.
"Sorry… sorry y'all had to see that," Tiana muttered darkly, rising back up to her full height, awkwardly fumbling her way to where her shoes had fallen on the ground, scooping them up, and unlocking the door and rushing inside, slamming it shut behind her. Taking a couple of deep breaths, she looked around at the interior—broken glass and debris from the storm around the windows, but everything else still seemed about the same as when she had left it… that is, completely and utterly empty.
The windows.
You
You
You
Tiana leaned against the wall and slid down to a sitting position on the floor, pressing her forehead to her knees and inhaling slower, heavier, willing herself not to cry. The windows. She was going to have to save up for them all over again. With only half of the working hours she had had before—and that was if she was lucky. And there was still the painting, the fixing up the outside, the decorating, the seating, the kitchen appliances, the food, the advertising, the insurance on the building, the taxes, the electric bill…
She lifted her head and looked up at the ceiling.
"God," she murmured, clasping her hands and pulling them up to her chest, "if this is a sign… if this is a sign that this isn't what I'm meant to do, this isn't what I'm meant to be… then please give me a sign of where I should be. I just… I just want to know where I'm going again. If this ain't it… and Naveen ain't it… I don't know what else to live for. Please… please show me what to do. Please give me a sign."
…………
Tiana's sign came two days later, bursting through the doors of the old sugar mill cheerfully and enthusiastically, and completely unexpectedly: Princess Charlotte.
"Tia! Happy birthday, honey!"
Tiana dropped the broom in her hand and stared unmoving, too shocked at Charlotte's sudden appearance to have any other reaction at first.
"Twenty years old! Hard to believe, huh?" Charlotte looked around at the building. "I heard about the windstorm. Looks like it hit you pretty bad… You got another broom? Lemme help you!"
"Lottie," Tiana finally managed to say, "what are you doing here?"
"Wishin' you a happy birthday, of course!" laughed Charlotte. "Or have you forgotten what day it is? It's January tenth!"
"I… know what day it is," Tiana said awkwardly, for before Charlotte had appeared, she actually had forgotten that it was her birthday. "But what in God's name are you doing back in New Orleans?"
"Well, I told you I was gonna come back for Mardi Gras, right?" smiled Charlotte. "I just decided to come back a little… early…" Both her voice and her smile faded away slowly; she stood in silence for a second or two; and then she suddenly burst into tears and flung her arms around a startled Tiana. "Oh, Tia, I'm so sorry! Can you ever forgive me? I'm so, so sorry! Why didn't you tell me?"
"What—what on Earth are you going on about, Lottie?"
"What on Earth am I going on about? I'm going on about how utterly stupid and blind I've been, that's what! How I was blindly following this stupid dream of bein' a princess that was stupid anyway, even if I hadn't been hurting you in the process! I can't imagine what you've been going through this past year! I'm so sorry!"
"Lottie, I don't—"
Charlotte pulled away from Tiana and looked her in the eyes, her hands on Tiana's shoulders. "I'm sorry for not having the brains to realize that you're in love with Naveen and marrying him and hurting you. I'm sorry for making you so miserable."
Tiana coughed awkwardly, feeling something that wasn't physical suddenly lodge itself and get caught in her throat. "That's—that's not—"
"It's okay, Tiana." Charlotte smiled comfortingly. "I ain't mad at you. How could I be mad at true love? I'm only mad at myself for not realizing it sooner. Now I know why you didn't come to the wedding. And when you were visiting us in Maldonia, you always seemed so happy, happier than I'd ever seen you before, and I didn't really know why that was—but now I do."
"I…" The emotion caught in Tiana's throat prevented her from saying anything else.
"It's okay, Tia," Charlotte repeated. "I'm fine with it. It's love, how could I not be fine with it? And you do love him, don't you?"
Her eyes squinting shut with tears, Tiana brought one hand to her mouth and the other wrapped around her waist, nodding helplessly.
Charlotte brought a hand to her face too, to wipe away the tears of her own that were forming. "I'm so sorry for taking him away from you."
"He… he's your husband," Tiana managed to say, her words muffled against her fist. "I'm the one who should be apologizing—"
"No, I'm the only one who's gonna be apologizing here today. I'm the one who skipped off into the sunset with him and married him, not because of who he was as a person, but because he had a title that I wanted too. I married him for a title, Tiana, and that was wrong of me. Whereas you—I don't know how you fell in love with him, but I know you, and I'm sure the fact that he's a prince was just a footnote. You actually love him, and I just took him away from you, and—but since I married for a title and not for love I've been so miserable, and you've been even more miserable. I messed everything up!" Charlotte flopped on the floor and sobbed into her hands. "Can you ever forgive me, Tia?"
Tiana hesitated for a moment before sliding down next to Charlotte on the floor. "Yes, Lottie. You were following you dream and I wasn't about to stop you. It's just… I guess we both found out our dreams weren't all they were cracked up to be." She looked up at the ceiling. "But when they're all you got, you've gotta keep working at them…"
Charlotte's head snapped up. "No you don't. You've gotta reprioritize. That's what I'm doing back in New Orleans. I was miserable and I wasn't just going to sit back and let it continue to go down that path, even if it was the path my dream took me down. I don't want to be Princess of Maldonia anymore. I don't wanna be princess of anything anymore, except my own life. Like I was before. And I made a mess of things but I'm going to clean it up the best I can. I told Naveen to look for some marriage law that could have slipped past me when I married him—it was a hasty wedding and all, you know, we might have overlooked something, and if we did, our marriage wouldn't be legal and thus null and void and thus I'm not actually married to him and I can go back to New Orleans for good and—eeeeee!" Charlotte squealed happily and kicked her feet. "And I can live my own life here and away from the royal court and—and if I an't married to Naveen, that means Naveen ain't married to me, which means you can marry him and live happily ever after!"
"Lottie, it ain't gonna work like that!" Tiana countered. "Even if—even if you and Naveen are—even if Naveen was free to… to marry—look, he ain't gonna, alright? He's not in love with me!"
"Oh, yes he is! He told me!"
Tiana's eyes narrowed. "Listen, Lottie," she said, in a quick, low, firm voice, "if there's one thing I need to believe right now it's that Naveen doesn't love me, because if I believed he does, or did at any time, then my mind will keep thinking of what could have been, which makes my loneliness even worse, and as much as it hurts to think that I was just another one of his female conquests, it's better than thinking that maybe, in some other lifetime, he and I could have… dammit," she finished weakly, burying her face in her hands.
"You can now!" Charlotte insisted. "Look, if Naveen doesn't find any loopholes, then I'll just divorce him. I don't care if no member of the Maldonian royal family has ever gotten divorced before. Somebody's gotta be the first! And then he'll be free to marry you, and he will want to, Tia, you should have seen the look in his eyes when he talked about you—"
"Lottie, please…" Tiana didn't pull her hands away from her face.
"Do you know… do you know what he said to me?" Charlotte said softly. "When he agreed to marry me, back when he was still a frog?"
Tiana looked up at her.
"He told me he'd only marry me if I gave you the money you needed to buy this place, because… and I didn't understand this then, and I still don't really understand it now, but… he said you were his Evangeline."
Tiana drew in her breath. "He… he said that?"
Charlotte nodded.
Tiana's lips trembled for a moment before she brought her palms back to cover her face again. "That… that good-for-nothing lump, he really does love me… I wish you hadn't told me that! As if that will make getting over him any easier!"
"But you don't have to get over him!" Charlotte said emphatically. "That's what I'm trying to get through your head! You can have him! And he can be your happily ever after!"
"Lottie, this is my happily ever after!" Tiana said, gesturing out at the wide, empty room of the building.
Charlotte looked around. "It don't look all that happy to me," she said matter-of-factly.
"But it will be," Tiana insisted. "I've just gotta work even harder and it will be. I can't give this up, Lottie! This is what my daddy wanted! I can't get sidetracked for anything!"
"Now listen, Tia," said Charlotte sternly. "Now I know I didn't know your daddy as well as you did, but I think I knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't want you to sit all alone in some big ol' empty building and work yourself to death and just feel sorry for yourself. He woulda wanted you to be happy! And… and what means more to you, Tia? Naveen, or… this building?"
"N—" Tiana bit her lip. "Look, Lottie, that don't matter. I can't let my daddy down. This is what he wanted and I'm the only one who can see it through to completion! I can't give up now just for something silly like love!"
"Love? Silly? Honey, I thought love was what this dream was all about in the first place."
Tiana's eyes grew wide, remembering the nearly identical words she had spoken to the shadow man nearly a year ago.
"And that's what my dream was about too," Charlotte continued. "But we both got sidetracked and focused on the superfluous details so much that we forgot what it was that was so appealing about bein' a princess or ownin' a restaurant in the first place. It was love!" She sighed and pushed herself up off the floor. "Well, speaking of love and daddies and such, I'd better go to the mansion and let my daddy know that I'm back in town for a little bit. After I first make a li'l pit stop on the way, that is. See you soon, Tia!" In a whirl, she was out the door, leaving Tiana to slowly rise from the floor herself, a million thoughts swarming through her head.
Her daddy never did get what he wanted… but he had what he needed.
And hadn't Tiana told the shadow man that she would never lose sight of what was really important either? And yet, wasn't that exactly what was happening to her, wrapping herself up so completely in this old dilapidated building to block out her emotions?
No. No no no. She was doing this because of love. Her love for her father. A man who had had dreams, and a number of children to filter the dreams through until suddenly they were all snatched from him. Tiana had been the only one left to share his dreams with, and thus she shared all of them. And thus inherited all of them upon his death. If she walked away now, just because she had been foolish and weak and had fallen in love, she would be grinding every single one of her father's dreams into nothing. She couldn't let him down. Charlotte knew this as well as anyone. Charlotte had been the one who was there to comfort her when she and Eudora had learned of his death.
"This is Sophia," the ten-year-old girl had said, presenting Tiana with a slightly worn and heavily loved plush cat doll. "My daddy gave her to me when my mama died and she helped me feel a little better about it. And I know you think we might be a little old for this, but… I think she might be able to help you now, too. I want you to have her. I think you need her right now."
Tiana had only cried sparingly in the days following the news of her father's death, and never for very long, but strangely Charlotte's gesture brought a sudden, grateful lump to her throat. "Thanks, Lottie," she had said, throwing her arms around her friend.
"Thanks, Tia," Charlotte had replied softly, and she didn't have to say what she was thanking her for. Tiana knew. Tiana could remember one day when she was a little girl, about five years old, when Eudora had taken her along to one of her client's houses. "Mr. LaBouff has a daughter close to you in age," Eudora had said to Tiana before they entered the mansion. "He asked me to bring you here today while I work on a suit for him so you can meet her. Her name's Charlotte. Mr. LaBouff wants her to have a friend to talk to and play with right now, since her mama just died. She needs a good friend right now. Can you be a good friend for her?"
"I guess so," Tiana had answered. "How do I do that?"
"Just play with her and have fun," smiled Eudora. Entering the mansion, they made their way down many corridors, little Tiana losing count of how many corners they turned, before they came to a bright, cheerful room where a small girl with blonde curls and big blue eyes was holding a beautiful doll and straightening out its dress, sighing a bit. "Charlotte?" Eudora said, getting the girl's attention. "This is my daughter Tiana. She's here to play with you today."
Charlotte had instantly brightened. "Hi, Tiana!" she said. "Do you wanna play princess?"
"Okay!" Tiana said, running into the room and grabbing another one of Charlotte's dolls.
Recalling their first meeting, Tiana smiled softly. She had never seen so many toys in her life! But as much fun as the toys themselves were, they wouldn't have been half as fun to play with without Charlotte's imagination. Charlotte had brought magical lands and far-off worlds right to Tiana's listening ears… but Tiana, she had only realized later and with the help of Charlotte's gift of Sophia upon her father's death, had given Charlotte a friend during a time of loneliness and despair. Their friendship gave each other happiness. Unspoken, sometimes unrealized, but always there. Strong enough that their differences in social class had never been a threat to tear it away. Tiana was always there for Charlotte when she needed her, and vice-versa.
Except now, Tiana thought to herself, looking at the doors and raising an eyebrow quizzically. After a conversation like that, it seemed so unlike Charlotte to just suddenly up and leave, even if it was to see her daddy…
Wait.
A pit stop?
What kind of a…
Tiana's eyes bulged open.
"Lottie!" she shrieked. "Stay away from my mama! Don't you get her on your side!"
But of course Charlotte was long gone, and Tiana had to sprint to catch the streetcar to get back home, fervently wishing that by some miracle she might beat her back…
…………
"Took ya long enough to get here!" Charlotte said playfully, grinning at Tiana as she rushed up to the house, Eudora standing on the porch next to Charlotte and Louis waiting by the stairs.
"What did you say to them?" Tiana demanded. "What crazy idea did you cook up and try to talk them in to—look, I don't care what you say, I'm not going back to Maldonia. I don't care if you got my mama and Louis on your side or not. I don't care what silly fairy tale scheme you have. You can't even drag me back on that boat, or—or any boat!"
"I won't hafta drag you," smirked Charlotte. "You're gonna go willingly."
"Ha. Unlikely. Now let me—"
"You're gonna go willingly once you hear my proposition," Charlotte interrupted. "Here's the deal. You go back to Maldonia with me. You talk to Naveen. You figure out what it is you need to do."
"No," Tiana said flatly.
"Let me finish! If you decide that what you need to do is come back here and get back to your restaurant just like you are now, alright then. It's your choice, it's your life. And if that is your choice, I'll pay for all of the renovation of your building. You know, as compensation for the time you missed out on it while visiting Maldonia with me."
Tiana stared at Charlotte in shock, then at her mother and Louis, who were both smiling. "Only… only if I go to Maldonia again, huh? I suppose you two fully support this plan of hers?"
"Of course," said Eudora, still smiling. "It seems these drastic measures are the only things that work to help you get out of your ruts."
"Besides," Louis added eagerly, "Charlotte said that we could come to Maldonia too!"
Charlotte smiled again at Tiana, although this time it was slightly apologetic. "Come on, Tia, they oughta see the place too! …Look, in all seriousness, you've got nothing to lose and everything to gain here. If you just come back with me, just for a bit, you'll either get your restaurant or you'll get Naveen. Maybe you'll get both! And right now, you have neither. So whatever happens, you'll come out on top!"
Tiana frantically looked at Charlotte, then Eudora, then Louis, then back to Charlotte, her mind darting even more than her eyes were. Charlotte was offering to pay for the rest of her renovations. And that would help. A lot. But in order to get that money she had to go back to Maldonia, back to Naveen, and she couldn't… no, yes she could. This was a good idea. She'd go back there, apologize to Naveen, leave him on a brighter note than she had before… she'd get some closure with him. That would make getting over him easier. Then she'd come back here, finish up her restaurant, and finally live her dream. Yes. It would work. It had to work.
"Alright," Tiana said. "I'll go back to Maldonia with you. If you really will pay for the renovations of my restaurant when I get back!"
"If you come back!" Charlotte flung her arms around Tiana happily. "And yes, I promise, if that's what you decide—"
"I've already decided," Tiana said firmly.
Charlotte just shrugged at that. "Well, it's a long cruise across the Atlantic, and who knows, maybe you'll change your mind! Well, anyway… I hope you didn't get too much unpacking done, because you're gonna need to pack it again. We're gonna leave as soon as possible!"
"Can we get a cabin with a balcony?" Louis asked excitedly.
Tiana smiled awkwardly, feeling the same sense of uneasiness settle in her that had when she had agreed to go to Maldonia the first time. She had given in once, and it had been a disaster. Giving in twice…
Well, I did ask for a sign, Tiana thought with an inward sigh. And it looks like I'm getting it…