Disclaimer: I do not own nor do I claim to own any characters or concepts related to The Princess and the Frog. This is a nonprofit work of fanfiction.

Thank you so much to everyone for every kind word you've said, for every minute you've spent reading my fic, for your continuing patience with me, for everything. Thank you. I'm very sorry I'm late yet again! No excuse.

This story is set after the film.

Happy For You

They met for lunch at The Full Moon Cafe, just Tiana and Charlotte. The summer was young and the hour early, but that Louisiana heat just about beat all. Tiana's new summer dress was light, a thin, breezy thing that shimmered beneath the sun and stuck to her skin when she started to sweat, which didn't take very long, all told.

Inside the cafe it was cool and dark, the air conditioner chugging away in its place of honor. Tiana accepted the offered menu from the waiter. She smiled at him in thanks.

"The lemon torte is just to die for," Charlotte said. She tapped at her own menu. "Oh, and you just have to try their sweet tea. Their beignets aren't good as yours, though," she said, faux-conspiratorial.

Tiana looked to Charlotte, away from the cafe's painted ceiling: dark, with pinpoint constellations dotting it and at the center of the room, a full moon painted white and gleaming. Nice enough, she supposed, but the Palace was nicer.

"I'm sure their beignets are just fine," she said.

Their meal arrived shortly: a little cool, the etouffee a little bland. Charlotte was right about the sweet tea, though, and Tiana made sure to ask for another glass.

"Oh, Tia, it's going to be so grand when your restaurant opens," said Charlotte. She beamed at Tiana from beneath her hat, the brim casting a shadow across her face. "You will let me know when you're opening, won't you? Daddy's been telling those boring men he works with all about it, and I want to make sure I get a reservation before those old catfish snap them up."

"No reservations," said Tiana firmly. "Not for the first month, anyway. I want people from all over to come in and try our food, see what we've done with the place."

Charlotte made a soft moue, her heavy mouth pursing. The bit of torte on her fork wobbled.

Tiana reached across the table to rest her hand upon Charlotte's. "Oh, Lottie, you know I want you there more than anyone else. You and Mama." She squeezed Charlotte's hand and smiled at her. "I might could see about saving a table for you, if you think you can make it."

Charlotte dropped her fork upon her plate, where it clattered noisily. "Oh, Tia!" she said. "You just tell me when and I'll be there, honey, I'll be there with bells on. And oh, I've got the perfect dress all picked out and the cutest hat; you should just see it, Tia."

"Well, you have to keep it to yourself till the twenty-third of July," said Tiana, prim. "I want it to be a surprise."

Charlotte shrieked. "Twenty-third!" she said. "That a Friday? Oh, heavens, I'm going to have to check my calendar, see if I'm going to have to cancel on someone. You set a date and you didn't even tell me!"

"I just did," Tiana laughed, as Charlotte waved the waiter down, shouting for a pen. "So I'm guessing this means I'll be seeing you about then?"

Charlotte fixed her with the sort of piercing stare that had frozen presumptive young men and condescending shop clerks alike. She drew herself upright. "Tia," she said, "I am deeply offended that you would even think I wouldn't go to the grand opening of my dearest friend's very own restaurant. There is nowhere else in this great, big world I would rather be on the twenty-third of July than Tiana's Palace."

"Just making sure," said Tiana. She folded her napkin neatly in fourths, then set it upon her plate. "I'm expecting quite the crowd, and I don't want to save a table if it's just going to sit there."

"If you give my table away," said Charlotte, "I will never, ever speak to you ever again, Tiana." Her affronted look wavered, then crumpled. She grabbed for Tiana's hand. "I don't know how you can stand it," she said. "Your dream's coming true!"

And maybe Tiana didn't jump up and down in her chair like Charlotte would, maybe she didn't bubble over like Charlotte did, but she was excited, so much so she almost couldn't stand it, even now. Almost couldn't believe it. Her restaurant, she thought. Her restaurant.

"My dream's coming true," she said, joy like a balloon in her chest, swelling and swelling.

"Oh, Tia!" said Charlotte again, then nothing else, too overcome at last for words.

This story was originally posted at livejournal on 01/22/2010, for livejournal user ningen_demonai, who purchased fic from me at help_haiti, a fandom auction to raise donations for Haiti in the wake of the earthquake disaster.