All at once, even before she opened her eyes, Tiana realized three things: she had inadvertently fallen asleep on the couch last night, she was snuggled deep in Naveen's arms, and Mama had found them.
With a start, Tiana sprang away from the couch, scrambling to hide any evidence of their embrace. Her heart was pounding rapidly in her chest, as she tried in vain to come up with any sort of excuse for why she had been sleeping in Naveen's arms. But her sleep addled brain couldn't think of anything.
"Nothing happened, Mama," Tiana said simply.
Naveen was quickly following her lead, but the blankets caught around his legs. He fell onto the floor with a loud bang. He cursed himself for letting this happen, but it had been so nice last night. Still, Naveen knew better than to have fallen asleep without sending her back upstairs. This is exactly the kind of thing he had been trying to avoid.
"It is not what it looks like!" He offered, then cursed again as the blankets seemed to constrict on his feet. Naveen kicked at them in frustration, finally breaking free.
He finally stood next to Tiana, with his heart racing he followed her gaze to the front door where Eudora's voice had come from. Naveen blinked in surprise. Eudora wasn't even looking at them. Her eyes wide with fright, as a giant shadow fell across the front hallway.
Naveen's stomach dropped. Was it the shadows? But how? And why would they seek him now, weeks after Facilier had disappeared? Unless the Shadow Man was back somehow.
He felt his knees start to shake, despite himself. He knew what those shadows could do, and he also knew he was powerless to stop them. Naveen spared a backwards glance at Tiana, and he could tell she was thinking the same thing.
She stood frozen to the spot, her eyes wide with fear, but still looking so beautiful even in her rumpled sleep clothes and mussy hair that Naveen felt his heart go out to her. He knew he would do whatever he could to protect his wife and mother in law from the thing on the other side of the door.
He inched his way closer to Eudora, slowly so as not to startle her anymore than she was. Out of the corner of his eye, Naveen saw Tiana grab a fire poker. Well, at least he knew he had some back up.
At last Eudora glanced over. "Don't come any closer," she warned. Her voice was low. Naveen thought he detected a slight tremor in it.
"What is it?" He whispered.
"There's a giant gator outside," Eudora told him. "Big enough to eat all three of us."
"A gator?" Naveen paused, feeling some of his tension release. "You mean an alligator?"
Eudora frowned, looking so much like Tiana he could have laughed if everyone hadn't been so on edge.
Before she could chastise him, Naveen peeked outside. He let out a huge breath and broke into a grin.
"Don't-!" Eudora cried out as Naveen opened the door. She covered her eyes, expecting the prince to be this creature's next meal. How could she ever explain to the Maldonian king and queen that - 'yes, your son stopped by my house but then I let him be eaten by an alligator the next morning. So sorry about that.'
But when she peeked through her fingers, the gator had lifted Naveen into the air into a heartfelt embrace. Naveen was laughing, and so, god help her, was the alligator.
Tiana was by her mother's side now, and gently rested her hands on her mother's shoulders. "It's only Louis, Mama."
While Eudora was taking it all in, Tiana rested her hands on her hips. "Louis, what are you doing scaring us half to death?"
Carefully Louis set Naveen down. He twisted his tail in his hands. "I was lonely."
Lonely. Of course. Tiana shook her head, feeling so relieved that it was only Louis. Of course the shadows hadn't come back for them. Why would they, with the Shadow Man gone? But Tiana didn't want to think of that just now. She pushed it out of her mind and concentrated on her mother, who looked like she was about to faint again.
Eudora gasped softly, her hand over her heart. "It talks."
Tiana squeezed her mother's shoulders lightly, remembering how unnerved she had felt after Stella had spoken to her. Though Eudora seemed to be doing remarkably well, all things considered. "It's alright, Mama. He won't hurt you." Tiana turned to the gator and asked, "Louis, would you like some breakfast?"
The gator grinned, and before any of them could say anything else, he pushed past them to the kitchen.
Naveen shouted after him. "Louis be careful. Watch out for that-!" He flinched as the sound of glass breaking filled the silence in the air. Eudora just stood, her mouth slightly squeezed her shoulders again.
Naveen offered a sheepish grin at the two women. "I will, um. Make sure he doesn't break anything else."
Eudora glared at Tiana once Naveen had shuffled back after Louis. "First a prince shows up on my doorstep, then an alligator. If something else shows up here tomorrow, Tiana, so help me…"
If this was the strangest breakfast Eudora had ever had (it was) she didn't show it. Though she did sit as far away from Louis as possible. All those teeth were making her uneasy, even though he was perfectly content eating the omelets Tiana made.
With a full stomach, Louis settled in the corner for a nap, and Eudora was forced to admit to herself that he was pretty cute for an alligator.
Tiana was glad when Naveen offered to help wash the dishes. Even though she had to show him how to do it first, this would show Mama what a good man he was. Sure Naveen had a lot to learn, but he was willing to do it. That had to mean something to Eudora, and, Tiana hoped, would mean that she wouldn't lecture them too much. At least right now.
But Eudora didn't start to lecture them. It was more like an interrogation.
When Eudora mentioned last night, Tiana's stomach dropped, afraid that her mother really had found them on the couch this morning. But fortunately she merely wanted to know what their plan was going forward. Tiana sighed in relief. She didn't know how much more of this emotional roller coaster she could take.
"I assume you've thought about what we talked about last night," Eudora said. "At least I hope you have."
Despite her best efforts, Tiana couldn't remember anything about last night except for their more intimate time on the couch. She felt her face flush remembering the way his body had felt against hers. She could still feel the hard pressure of his thigh, the warmth of his breath on her cheek.
Under the soapy water their fingers brushed. Last night in the dark, those sure confident fingers… they had been inside her.
Never had Tiana been so glad to be washing dishes, facing away from her mother. At least she knew she could blame the way her cheeks were flaring on the heat of the water. Though Eudora would hardly buy that excuse.
She glanced up at Naveen, silently pleading for his help. Their eyes met for the briefest of moments. The way he was looking at her made her think he was remembering those moments from last night too.
Luckily Naveen was able to articulate their small, but somewhat efficient plan to Eudora, though there were still some other things to figure out, and she would not let up until they had. Sure Naveen would write to his parents, but what would they do while waiting to hear back from them?
As they sat down to discuss the matter, Naveen felt himself getting more and more crushed by the revelations. There was no way they would be able to say that they were married without starting a major scandal. For both their sakes they would have to pretend not to be, which meant that Naveen needed to find somewhere else he could stay.
Stay away from Tiana? Not even allowed to say that they were married? It was heartbreaking to think that hardly 24 hours into their marriage, it was already falling apart. But what solution could he offer to fix it?
So when Eudora suggested that Tiana ask Lottie if Naveen could stay there (that's where he was going to stay originally, she offered. It just made sense) he grudgingly accepted. He watched Tiana mull it over, and as she bit her lip in thought, Naveen realized he hadn't even kissed her this morning. He wanted to be in bed with her, slowly and tenderly making love, not here in the kitchen discussing ways to hide their marriage from the world. Just the thought made him want to weep in despair.
Tiana was hesitant to agree to Eudora's suggestion, Naveen could tell, but at last she nodded. "I need to talk to Lottie anyway," she said. "And while I'm there I can find something more suitable for you to wear," Tiana teased Naveen.
He gave her a soft smile back. Hopefully they still had all of his clothes there.
Once they had that taken care of, there would be a few more errands to run, most notably going to the police station to say that they weren't missing anymore.
"Well," said Eudora, seemly satisfied she sat back in her chair. "Sounds like you've got a lot to do today."
"I'd better go get dressed, then" Tiana said, simply, before she headed upstairs to get ready for the day.
By the time Tiana was dressed and back downstairs, Naveen was already set up at the table with a pad of paper and a pencil for his letter to his parents.
Gosh he looked cute, bent over his writing, concentrating on it like it was the most important letter he had ever written in his life. The scholarly look was diminished by his mussy hair and his wrinkled sleep shirt though. He hardly looked like the princes in the storybooks she'd grown up with.
And that made him seem all the more beautiful.
"I'll be back soon," Tiana announced, trying not to ruin his concentration, but delighted when he put his pencil down and came to her side.
"You're leaving already?" Naveen replied,pulling her into a casual embrace.
Tiana linked her fingers behind his neck, glad that Mama wasn't around. "There's a lot to do, and you can't go anywhere until you get some proper clothes, mister," Tiana giggled despite herself.
"Hmm, I suppose you are right." Naveen's soft smile made her heart leap. "But you wouldn't leave without kissing your husband goodbye, would you?" He pulled her close and nuzzled at her cheek.
Despite the delightful shiver that traveled down her spine at the way his stubble scratched lightly against her skin, Tiana felt her heart break. For all intents and purposes, as soon as she left this house, they would no longer be husband and wife.
It wouldn't be forever, Tiana told herself. Just for a little while. Still, if she had known they would only have one day together …
Involuntary tears started to stream down her cheeks. Frustrated, Tiana brushed them away. The last time she had cried so much was when her Daddy died. She was just tired of it. All she wanted to do was be happy with Naveen, but the world kept getting in the way. Why did everything have to be so difficult?
Seeming to sense her discontent, Naveen gently brushed a tear aside with his thumb. "Don't cry, princess."
"I'm sorry," Tiana sniffed. "It just feels so final. Like I really am kissing my husband goodbye."
Naveen wrapped his arms around her, squeezing gently. "I will still be here when you return." He pressed a kiss to her temple.
"I know, I know."
"I don't like this anymore than you do, love," Naveen said, tucking a curl behind her ear. "But it will be alright. It has to be."
Tiana nodded with a sigh and rested her head on his chest. It was so lovely to be in his arms like this.
"Now," Naveen tilted her chin up and gave her a lopsided grin. "How about that kiss?"
Tiana laughed. Her hands slid up his chest and settled behind his neck again. "You've certainly got a one track mind," she teased.
Naveen shrugged, letting his own hands rest comfortably on her waist. "What can I say? It's hard to think of anything else when you are near."
She came closer, rubbing their noses together, brushing her lips against his, teasing him while she whispered. "Maybe it's a good thing I'm going then." Another light kiss against the corner of his mouth. "You'll be able to concentrate on that letter."
Naveen shivered, chasing her kisses. "You won't stay away too long though? Promise me you'll hurry back." He inhaled softly and whispered, "I need you."
At last, Tiana tipped her head slightly to one side and kissed him. His lips were soft and warm and moist, and she could taste the faint trace of their breakfast still lingering there. But how could she concentrate on that when his tongue was sliding into her mouth? She felt a pleasure so exquisite that she almost forgot about everything else.
And then their faces were a few inches away, though her hands lingered on either side of his face, her fingers pushing into his hair. They smiled softly at each other as they tried to catch their breath. Naveen's eyes kept darting down to her lips. What she wouldn't give to keep kissing him, but they had so much to do, and Eudora would walk in on them at any moment.
Still, it wouldn't hurt to stay for a few minutes more. Tiana laughed to herself. What was she turning into? She'd never behaved like this before. But then he smiled at her again, and once more Tiana's inside's melted. No wonder people did crazy things when they were in love.
Slowly, she traced a finger along his jawline. His stubble was coming in already. Her skin still felt raw from the way it had rubbed against her when they kissed. She wanted to feel it again. Instead she said, "You need a shave."
Naveen rubbed his chin. "Yes, I suppose I do. I will take care of it while you are out." He kissed her again, chastely, and then once more, lingering on her soft lips. "Hurry back, princess."
She shivered. "I won't be long," Tiana said, and stumbled out the door on wobbly legs with a grin on her face.
Normally Tiana took the streetcar to Lottie's house. It didn't cost much to ride, and her feet were always grateful for a rest after running around working all day. Today though, she needed time to think. So much had happened in these past few days, the streetcar wouldn't provide the kind of solitude her mind needed to process it. The drawback though, was that this gave her ample time for her worries to bubble up inside her.
Why had she agreed with Eudora's idea to let Naveen stay at the LaBouff's? She had been hesitant to say yes at the table, and now the reasons for it were boiling over in her mind. Tiana hated herself for it, because deep down she was afraid that if Naveen spent an ample amount of time around Lottie, he would leave Tiana for her.
It was stupid, she knew, because Lottie would never steal Naveen from her! Hadn't Lottie given up her dream of being a princess so Tiana and Naveen could be together? But Lottie didn't have to do it on purpose for it to happen.
Tiana could recount so many parties or even just casual gatherings where people crowded around Lottie and practically pushed Tiana aside. Lottie was so effervescent that people just naturally liked her better, and Tiana could hardly fault them for it. She knew she was hard to get to know, but she would rather her food be in the spotlight than herself, that was all.
But Naveen was a lighthearted person, too, so wouldn't it be natural for him to want to be with someone like Lottie? Marrying Lottie had been his original plan, and of course Lottie wouldn't say no to being a princess twice. And once that was done, Naveen would practically have his old life back, with all the money he needed.
Stop stop stop. Tiana squeezed her fists in frustration. She was letting her imagination get the best of her. Naveen loved her! He wouldn't just toss her aside like yesterday's news, and Lottie knew how they felt about each other. Tiana just needed to stop worrying and have more faith in her husband and her friend. Though saying that and actually doing it were two different things.
So lost in her thoughts, Tiana hadn't even realized that her feet had taken her right to the LaBouff house. The empty feeling in the pit of her stomach surprised her, but she wouldn't let nerves stop what she came here to do.
Tiana took a deep breath and pressed the doorbell.
Writing this letter to his parents was more difficult than Naveen had anticipated. How could he convey everything he needed to just on paper? At least with Eudora she had been able to hear how sincere they were when they told their story, even if she didn't believe them. Though since Louis' arrival this morning, Naveen thought she seemed to be coming around.
It didn't seem like a good idea to send Louis to deliver this letter to his parents though.
He twirled the pencil in his fingers before trying again.
Dear Ammi and Baba,
I am sorry for the way I left. If you have been worried about me, I am fine, though Lawrence is in jail and I have a horrible scar on the palm of my hand. It does not keep me from playing the ukulele though!
I am writing to you because I have wonderful news. Can you guess? I am married!
Naveen groaned and crumpled the paper into a ball. Rubbish.
He tossed it to the floor with his other failed attempts.
"You know that pencil has an eraser," Eudora piped up. She was properly dressed now (Naveen was feeling more and more awkward in his borrowed sleep clothes. He hoped Tiana wouldn't be too much longer), and was settled by her sewing machine, dutifully stitching up some garment. A dress by the looks of it, though Naveen wasn't sure.
"Oh. Sorry." He cringed inwardly looking at the mess he was making. Not just a mess, he thought. Naveen, admittedly, wasn't the brightest, but he was sometimes able to pick up subtle hints. He wasn't sure how much a pad of paper cost, but he knew that Eudora and Tiana had to pinch their pennies, and judging by the growing pile of discarded paper he was making, Naveen had wasted quite a few pennies.
He picked up the crumpled papers and dutifully tried his best to straighten them out and erase his unsuitable correspondence without ripping the paper.
"Not going well?" Eudora asked.
"No," Naveen sighed. "There is so much to say, and I do not know where to begin. Every time I try it all sounds so wrong."
Eudora pursed her lips, and Naveen braced himself for some sort of lecture. She hadn't been shy about saying what was on her mind in the brief time he had known her. It surprised him when she asked a question instead.
"Do you really think this will work?" Eudora asked.
Naveen shifted slightly in his seat. What could he say about his family that wouldn't make him sound like an ungrateful son and a spoiled prince? This was not the best way to win Eudora's favor, but lying about it seemed even worse.
He lowered his gaze, too ashamed to make eye contact, and instead concentrated on more erasing. "My parents and I, ah, do not have the best relationship," he began. "But if I write the perfect letter, I know they will be on our side and will work with us to find a good solution."
Eudora frowned, detangling a piece of thread that had gotten into a knot. "I didn't mean the letter," she said. "I mean you and my daughter." She paused and waited until Naveen looked up to meet her eyes. "I've been reading about you in the paper. Is it true? About you being a playboy?"
"I-" Naveen hesitated. The hardness in his stomach felt heavier by the second. He had known this was coming, but that didn't make it any easier. Why, why had he acted like that back in Maldonia? Couldn't he have seen what a mess it would make out of his life? Why hadn't he known that none of it would be worth it, especially when he compared to the life he wanted now, with Tiana?
Except he hadn't known Tiana then, and maybe that made all the difference.
But there was no way to explain that to Eudora.
Naveen fiddled more with his pencil. He felt his shoulders hunch as he tried to hide himself from the truth of his past.
"The newspapers have probably exaggerated a little, but," he sighed, "it is true. But I am not that man anymore. I would never treat Tiana that way." He threaded his fingers through his hair. "All I want is to be with her."
"Are you sure that you're not that man anymore?" Eudora asked. The knot had finally come loose, and she threaded it back into the sewing machine. "You say you changed when you met Tiana. Fine. I understand that. But you've only known her for, what, a month?"
Naveen nodded.
"So how do you know that you won't change back?"
It was a fair question, though that didn't make hearing it any easier. He hated this. Hated how he had acted for years, hated that those actions now seeded doubt about who he was now, hated how it was dragging Tiana into this. And he hated himself for the simple reason that he was worried he would revert to his old behavior too.
For wasn't he at this very moment trying to write a letter to his parents with every intention of begging for his inheritance back? Because as hard as he denied it, Naveen did miss having all that money. Now that they were human again it mattered! With the money, Tiana wouldn't have to work so hard to get her restaurant. He could easily pay for it, and anything else she desired.
She deserved to be treated like the princess she was. He had promised her that he would make her dream come true, and this was the only way he knew how. It made him feel dirty just thinking about it, but he justified it by saying he was spending the money on someone else, someone he loved. So that had to make it different, right? He wouldn't just turn into that old Naveen once he had money again, right?
He certainly hoped not. And so he was not going to tell Eudora about it. As for Tiana… he would tell her, but not until their 10th anniversary.
None of that answered Eudora's question though. He pursed his lips in thought while he continued to methodically erase his earlier writings. "The truth is, that I did not like the person I used to be very much." As soon as he said it, the tension in his stomach lessened. It felt good to say it out loud. "Maybe I did at first, but after awhile it was like I was playing a part, but I didn't even realize it. I didn't know how to change, or even that I wanted to."
Absentmindedly he smoothed down the wrinkled paper as he spoke. "Tiana helped me realize that I can be a better person, and I want to be that better person. For Tiana, and for myself."
Eudora hesitated before she said, "You still don't know each other very well, though. Are you sure you're ready for such a big commitment?"
"Yes. We love each other," he said simply. "Yes, things are complicated right now, but it won't always be that way." He looked at Eudora, fixing her with his gaze. "I know Tiana and I have not known each other for very long, but in my heart I know we are supposed to be together. I would do anything for Tiana. I can assure you, Mrs…., uh, Mrs….." Oh faldi faldonza. This couldn't be happening. Tiana must have told him her last name at one point, but no matter how much he wracked his brain trying to remember, it came up empty.
Eudora crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at him. He could feel any progress he had made being drowned in his own incompetence while he stuttered and stammered helplessly.
"It's Batiste," she offered at last.
"Mrs. Batiste," Naveen replied, wishing that the floor would just open up and swallow him whole.
"You'd better hurry up and finish that letter," she said and poured herself more coffee.
"Miss LaBouff? There's someone here to see you…."
Even in the entryway where Gertrude, the maid, had asked Tiana to wait, she could still her Lottie's muffled reply that she didn't want to see anyone and that they should just be sent away. Normally Tiana would have just gone right to her friend, but she agreed with Gertrude, who thought that Lottie would be too startled to see her. Gertrude herself had almost fallen over at the shock when she opened the door.
Tiana couldn't wait until people weren't shocked by seeing her again. It was proving to be rather a nuisance.
"But Miss, I think you'll want to see who is here," Gertrude said.
She could just about hear the telltale signs of a tantrum coming from upstairs when Gertrude continued, "It's Miss Tiana."
"Tiana?!" Charlotte's door banged open with a crash, and Tiana's nerves were just about to a breaking point. What would Lottie say when she saw her? Would she be mad?
Lottie's face peered down the stairs at Tiana. Her mouth was agape and she blinked rapidly, as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"Hi, Lottie," Tiana said, surprised by how calm her voice sounded, when her insides were tied up in knots.
Charlotte burst into a grin and let out an ear piercing squeal as she ran down the stairs. She practically crushed Tiana in her arms.
"Tia! Tia! Tia!"
Tiana was laughing now, as Lottie started jumping in their embrace, and soon Tiana started to jump too.
They were both giggling happily when Lottie pulled back. "Tia… you're human! I've missed you so much! How did this happen?" She pressed a hand to her forehead, and still giggling said, "Does this mean I dreamt the whole thing about you being a frog?"
"I thought it was a dream too," Tiana said. "But it was real."
Lottie's eyes widened. "So how did you break the spell?"
"It's a long story."
Naveen stared hopelessly at the shaving kit laid out before him. He could do this, right? It didn't matter that he was twenty one years old and had never shaved his face before… right?
He groaned inwardly and brought his palm to his face. He felt like the most pathetic human being on the planet.
After Naveen finished what he hoped was a suitable letter for his parents, he had asked Eudora if she had a razor he could use. He had been hoping that just seeing it would bring up some sort of memory of what to do with it, but after Eudora had dug around in Tiana's father's old things and placed it in front of him, Naveen was still at a loss.
At least Eudora had sharpened it for him, because the only thing he knew was that a sharp razor was better than a dull one.
'Great,' he thought. 'Now I will be able to slice my head off in one swipe instead of two.'
Naveen shook his head. He needed to get a grip. It was just a shave! He could do this! He'd had hundreds of shaves back in Maldonia. And just because he had never paid any attention while they were going on didn't mean he couldn't figure it out now. How hard could it really be? Besides, the straight razor didn't look that sharp.
He picked it up and ran his thumb across the blade. It instantly cut his skin.
Naveen cursed and stuck his thumb inside his mouth. It was then that he realized that Eudora was leaning against the doorframe, eyeing him with clear skepticism.
"You don't know how to shave, do you?" she asked, incredulously.
Naveen wondered for a brief moment if he could lie his way out of this. But standing there, with his thumb in his mouth, he felt such a wave of embarrassment that Naveen was sure even his ears had turned pink. "No, ma'am," he admitted.
Eudora rolled her eyes in exasperation. "You're lucky I used to shave James' face sometimes. Scoot over."
Naveen did as he was told and listened intently while she told him how to lather up the shaving lotion with the brush. He only hoped that Eudora wouldn't tell Tiana about any of this, but he had a strong suspicion that she would.
"Gosh, Tia. It's all so romantic!"
Explaining everything to Lottie turned out to be a lot easier than it had been with Mama. Tiana thought it might have had to do with the fact that Lottie had always been open to the idea of magic and fairy tales, but it also helped that she had seen both her and Naveen as frogs.
It was a nice enough day that they were able to move outside to the gazebo. They were nibbling on tea sandwiches and drinking iced tea.
"To think, true love broke the spell," Lottie placed a hand over her heart and let out a blissful sigh.
"Well, not exactly love," Tiana countered. "Just a kiss." But even as she tried to lessen the impact of everything, she felt a blush begin on her cheeks as she remembered the kiss that broke the spell and the many kisses she had shared with her husband since.
"But the kiss wouldn't have broken the spell if you hadn't gotten married, and you wouldn't have gotten married if you hadn't been in love! So ha." Lottie playfully tossed a garnish at Tiana. "True love."
"Okay, fine," Tiana laughed, trying to downplay it, but her smile gave her away. It felt nice to talk about Naveen in a way that didn't involve someone pointing out all the ways their relationship could fall apart.
"I can't believe you're married!" Charlotte said with a grin, but then her face fell slightly. "I wish I could have been there."
"Me too." As much as she had loved her wedding, Tiana couldn't lie and say it had been perfect. Of course she wished that her Mama and Lottie had been there, and sure she would have loved to wear a proper wedding gown. And most of all, she wished she had walked away from it with a marriage license.
"Ever since Mardi Gras, I've just been so miserable," Lottie said. "I felt so horrible that I wasn't able to help you that night."
"Oh, honey." Tiana reached across the table and squeezed her friend's hand. "It's not your fault. I never blamed you." She squeezed again. "And it all worked out in the end."
"You're right, Tia. You're always right about those things." Lottie brushed away a stray tear and smiled. "I still can't believe you're married! And to a prince! You're a princess, Tia!" Charlotte started to squeal again. "Oh it's just so exciting! Are you gonna get a crown? And the dresses!" She gasped. "You're gonna have dances and balls right?
"I really don't know," she admitted, shifting a little in her chair. Tiana hadn't thought of any of that yet. There was so much she didn't know about being a princess, so much she had to learn. Would Naveen's parents even let someone like her be a princess? Despite Naveen's assurances, Tiana had her doubts.
"I can't wait to meet him!" Lottie continued, oblivious. "Well, we've sort of already met, but there wasn't much time, you know?"
"And you're sure he can stay here?" Tiana asked. "It won't be awkward?"
"Of course he can, honey. But why would it be awkward?" Lottie asked. She added more sugar to her already sweet iced tea.
Tiana blinked. Did she really have to spell it out? "Lottie, you were going to marry him, and you almost married someone else who had been under a spell to look exactly like him."
Charlotte stopped stirring her tea. "Well, when you put it that way it might be a little awkward." She smoothed down the tablecloth. "But it'll be fine."
"Where you… did you fall in love with him?" Even without saying who, it was clear Tiana was talking about Naveen. But not her Naveen, the Naveen Charlotte had known, the Lawrence as Naveen Naveen, which to Lottie would have been the real Naveen. It was all very confusing.
Lottie started to pick up the crumbs on the table one by one, and Tiana wondered if she had gone too far with her question.
"N… no," Lottie eventually replied. She sighed. "Even before I found out he was a fake and that everything was a lie, I didn't love him."
Tiana could practically taste the lecture she wanted to give her friend. How could you marry someone you didn't love? But Tiana knew better. If you told Lottie to do something, she almost always did the opposite. She had to learn on her own, no matter how hard it was.
So Tiana bit her tongue and waited.
"I think…" Lottie continued after a moment. "I think I loved the idea of him."
Tiana nodded. This at least made some sense.
"He acted just like a prince out of a story book. It was easy to be swept up in the fairy tale." Charlotte sighed. "Do you think I'm silly for still wanting to be a princess?"
"No." How could she say otherwise? So many people had criticized her for her own dream, she could hardly fault Lottie for having her own far fetched dream. "I don't think it's silly, Lottie, but, you should make sure that you're doing it for the right reasons."
Charlotte nodded.
Before Tiana could stop herself, she asked, "Are you mad at me?"
"Mad?" Lottie asked. "Whatever on earth for?"
Now it was Tiana's turn to fiddle with the tablecloth. "You said it yourself that you still want to be a princess. You've wanted it your whole life, and when you do find yourself a prince it turns out he was a fake and I ended up with the real thing and…" Tiana sighed. "I would completely understand if you're upset."
"I'm not upset, Tia."
Tiana didn't believe this for a second. She pressed again. "Lottie."
"Ok, ok, maybe I'm a little jealous," Charlotte caved. "Part of me feels like it's not fair, but that's so ridiculous because if anyone deserves this, it's you, Tia! I want you to be happy, and I'm so glad that you found someone." She shrugged slightly. "Don't worry about me, though. I'll get over it."
"Besides," she continued, "from what you've told me about Prince Naveen, it doesn't sound like we'd be a good match. So even if things had worked differently, it wouldn't have lasted. But you…." Lottie started to chuckle. "Did you really fall for someone who likes to dance and doesn't know the first thing about cooking?"
Tiana felt the heat rush to her cheeks again. "It doesn't make much sense, does it?" Tiana had to laugh too. She reached over and squeezed her friend's hand again. When Lottie squeezed back, she knew everything was going to be okay. "Love is funny that way, I guess."
Lottie waited until Tiana had taken a sip of her iced tea before she asked, "So how was it? Last night?" She raised an eyebrow. "In bed?"
Tiana almost choked on her tea. "Lottie! Oh my god!" She felt herself blush harder than before, and used her coughing fit to try and bring it under control. It didn't help though. "How could you ask me that?"
Charlotte was openly laughing now. "What? You can tell me!"
"Okay, first, I am not going to tell you, and second, we haven't even done anything yet!" Her mind instantly went back to their time on the couch, but there was no way Tiana was ever going to share that. She paused, feeling a smile creep back to her lips. "He is a good kisser though."
Lottie squealed with laughter, and soon they were both laughing warmly, reveling in their shared friendship.
"So," Lottie said once they had calmed down. "Do you think Naveen knows of any princes out there who happen to be single?"