The Prince And The Waitress
An Obvious Realization
Tiana walked into the house to see her mother working on a white dress at the sewing machine. Looking to be hard at work.
"Afternoon, mama." Tiana said, walking to her own room.
"Mrs. Jones told me that you had a man leaving the house with you early this morning " Said Eudora, her eyes never leaving her work.
Tiana knew she couldn't trust Mrs. Jones to stay quiet. "Mama, I can explain-
"That's why you have no interest in Charles. You already have a man." Eudora smiled at her. "How long have ya'll been seeing each other?"
"But I'm not seeing-
"Now you know that ya'll gonna have to marry if you have him spendin' the night here. I don't condone premarital sex."
Tiana sighed in annoyance. "But we weren't doing anything."
"She said that it was with that Prince Naveen." Eudora raised an eyebrow.
Tiana rolled her eyes. "Mama there is nothing going on. I'm not sleeping with or seeing anyone. Naveen just so happened to have missed the last streetcar of the day so I politely offered him my bed while I slept in yours."
Eudora snorted. "That's what really happened?"
"Mama, you know me! I would never willingly sleep with any man—or anyone at the matter." She couldn't believe her mother wasn't taking her word on this.
"As sad as that sound I believe you." Eudora said. "But I'm still workin' on ya dress."
"What dress?" Tiana looked puzzled.
"A wedding dress!" She beamed.
Tiana sighed before going in her room, closing the door behind her and falling onto her bed. Her undone bed. "Ugh." She groaned in disgust before standing up to make it back up.
()()()()
Naveen sat as Lawrence was brushing his hair and lecturing to him about about marrying Charlotte. A subject furthest from the prince's mind.
"Mr. LaBouff is also growing impatient that you didn't ask for his daughter's hand, sire. I've heard him talking about calling in another prince to replace you." Lawrence said.
Naveen laughed. "He can't do that."
"I believe that he can and will. Unless you want to shove manure for the rest of your life." The valet added.
Naveen ignored the man before checking out his appearance in the mirror. 'I look so damn handsome.' He thought and nodded his head. He was now wearing a pair of beige trousers and a white shirt. "Lawrence do I not look unbelievably handsome?"
"More like an arrogant pest." Lawrence mumbled just as he heard knocking at the door. He opened it to Charlotte who pushed him out of her way.
"Oh my darling Naveen!" She threw her arms around the prince. "Why didn't you…" She took his hand and dragged him out the house. "...where were you lastnight? I was looking all over for you."
"I was walking around…" He partly told the truth.
"All night?" She frowned.
"Well this is a huge estate." He said, not really meaning it. The palace in Maldonia stood ten times of the home's size. "And it was beautiful out. I thought about getting you, but I didn't want to ruin your beautysleep."
Charlotte beamed. "Oh Naveen! Do you really think I'm beautiful?"
He gave her small grin. Admittedly she was attractive, but not beautiful. Cute would be the word to use in his opinion but some women didn't like to be called just 'cute'. "Yes." He lied.
She giggled, snatching his arm with hers. "I know a place where we can go and talk."
Naveen liked that idea. "Oh good! I would like for us to talk!" Thinking of all the questions he he about Tiana.
She lead him inside the estate and up the stairs to her bedroom where she locked the door. 'No one is going to interrupt us now.' She thought.
Naveen cringed at all the pinkness.
"Big Daddy left for business, so the next two days you can stay in here with me for the next two nights." She gave him a seductive gaze. "Don't you think we've got a lot of making up to do?"
"Uh, Charlotte…" Naveen started. "…why don't we take things slow?" He sat on a chair at her makeup table.
The bubbly blonde moaned and sat on his lap. "I like going slow…on you." She pressed her lips on his.
Naveen pulled from the kiss. "I really do want to talk to you."
"Really?" She looked at him as if he were crazy.
"Yes, we should get to know each other if we're going to…end…up…" He didn't want to finish the sentence.
"Married!" She beamed, getting off his lap. "Now I have several dresses to choose from. I was thinkin' we can both have some form of pink in our attire."
Naveen frowned, standing himself. "I-
Charlotte's squeak interrupted him. "We can wear all pink! A roya; pink-theme wedding!" She giggled. "Oh it'll be the bee's knees!"
"Faldi faldonza." Naveen plopped on the bed. "I think I'm going to need some Pepto-Bismol."
She then sat beside him and slowly rubbed her hand up to his manhood. "Mmm. I can be the cure to your upset stomach."
He pulled her hand away and stood back up. Now growing irritated. "Can't we just talk without you touching me?"
Charlotte's eyes watered. "What am I doing wrong? Aren't you attracted to men?"
"Excuse me?" He asked.
"You have not tried to seduce me not once since you got here." She pouted. "Accept for that one time after the masquerade ball, but you even stopped then!"
"I'm trying to act like a gentleman." Naveen said.
"Well I want you to act ungentlemanly." Charlotte scolded.
A knock was heard at the door.
"Go away!" Charlotte yelled.
"But Ms. Tiana is here to see ya Ms. Charlotte." Said her butler.
"Tiana?" Both Naveen and Charlotte said. He was glad while Charlotte was happily surprised. "Let her come in!"
Tiana walked into the room. "Lottie, I had the strangest day…" She stopped when she saw Naveen in her friend's room. "Am I interrupting anything?"
"No unfortunately." Charlotte said disappointingly.
"We were just about to talk about some things, but I think we can do that later." Naveen said, looking Tiana's way and noticing her wearing a white floral dress. He was very impress with what he saw. "That's some dress. You look very beautiful today."
"Oh." Tiana blushed a little. "It's an old dress my mama made for me for Christmas."
Charlotte turned to see her friend and beamed. "Tia! You look as pretty as a pool of lilies on a bright spring morning!" She took her hand to hers. "Did Ms. Eudora really make this dress? It suits you perfectly." She examined by walking around her. "I told you to wear more revealing dresses. Show off ya legs. Aren't her legs to die for, Naveen?"
Naveen nodded in awe. "Very."
Both women gave him a puzzled look.
"I mean. She looks very nice." He corrected himself. "El fantos y benita conjontas!"
"I got you until the 'el' part…" Tiana said with a smirk.
"It means a young and angelic beauty." Naveen smiled.
"How charming." Tiana smiled back.
He nervously laughed. "Charming? Really? I don't think so." 'What the hell is wrong with me?' He wondered.
"I don't remember you being this nervous, honeylamb." Charlotte said to the prince.
"So, how long have you two known each other?" Naveen asked, changing to a topic he intended on learning more about.
Both Tiana and Charlotte smiled at each over before returning their gazes at the prince.
Tiana decided to begin the story. "My mama got a call from Lottie's daddy needing a seamstress to make her dresses. Turns out it was Big Daddy LaBouff. His wife, Jane LaBouff was a dear friend of my mama's when they were girls…"
"…and the two reconnected just before my mama got sick." Charlotte finished.
"Our mamas wanted us to share the same friendship they had as children so when I met Lottie I was four and she was three. We didn't begin on the best terms. It was because of our differences. She liked all that fairytail stuff while I was more interested owning my own restaurant." Tiana explained.
Charlotte beamed. "Tia tells the story better."
Tiana continued. "So yes, she was three and I was four-
"I was jealous that she was four before I was. She's two months older than I am." The blonde cut in.
"Yes, and where was I…oh, and what made us friends was after a silly fight we had on what game to play. She wanted to play princess but I wanted to play chef. We argued to the point where we started shoving each other and accidentally knocking the blocks were, mixing both the castles and pots together. We both looked at each other and laughed hysterically before finally playing 'princess chefs'. Of course Lottie didn't want to cook so I insist she can just be a princess hostess…"
Naveen was so captivated by Tiana's storytelling. He watched as her eyes brightened while speaking on this time of her life, but he wanted to know more than just about her friendship. He needed to know about her.
Charlotte noticed the look Naveen was giving Tiana and could clearly see that he found Tiana more interesting than he ever found her. He was glued to every word, emotion and memory Tiana shared with him. The look Naveen was giving Tiana when she walked into her bedroom should've hit the nail on the coffin for her. 'Maybe he just found her interesting in a friendly way?' The heiress fried to convince herself.
"…Lottie always enjoyed all the dolls while I would much rather read cookbooks, business studies. Trying to understand the world of being a business owner and striving to be the best chef there is." Tiana took her friend's hand. "We both have our dreams." She then looked at the blonde. "At least one of ours is coming true."
Charlotte returned the smile, feeling depressed inside.
"I find it refreshing that you two are as close as you are." Naveen said, his eyes still on Tiana.
Charlotte's heart was breaking as she came to a realization.
'He's falling in love with her.' She thought. 'And Tia doesn't even notice a thing.' She took a deep inhale and exhale, trying her best to think on the bright side. But then she thought of her friend and how much she lack at experience with a man. 'Maybe it'll be good for her. And there have to be other princes out there who would shower me with affection!' She mentally beamed.
"What's on ya mind, Lottie?" Tiana asked, noticing the huge grin across her lips.
Charlotte looked at Naveen and then Tiana before responding, "It's nothing important." If she couldn't find love with Naveen, at least her friend could.
"So you said that you would like to own your own resturant?" Naveen asked Tiana.
She nodded her head. "Yes."
He shrugged his shoulders. "Then what's stopping you?"
"I had enough money to purchase a building, but the ones that are shown are so worn out that it's impossible to fix. And if I could afford a building I'm interested in my money isn't good enough for some of the realtors. So my biggest issues are convincing these people to look pass my appearance and the financial aspect which I'm working on now."
"Well there is definitely nothing wrong with your appearance." He complimented. 'Those realtors must be blind to not trust this beautiful woman.' He felt bad for Tiana and wanted to help her. Even if it meant spending every last dime of his. "If money is the the issue-
"No, I don't hand outs." She said.
"I could've told ya that!" Charlotte smiled at Naveen, who kept his eyes on her friend.
Naveen could see how much Tiana wanted her restaurant, and wish that there was a way for him to help her. To make her smile again, at least for him.
"Well hey." Tiana tried to lighten up the mood of the room. "I still got my health! That's always a good thing."
"It is." Naveen agreed. "But I know it must be difficult to not get what you want."
She shrugged. "That's life. It's full of ups and downs, but you can't have the downs run you. My daddy always told me that."
"You father is a very smart man." Naveen said.
"Was." Tiana corrected.
Charlotte felt as if she wasn't even part of the conversation anymore so she decided to bounce right back in. "Your dreams will come true, Tia. But you would not believe what that Travis' sister told me about Melissa Carlton..."
Naveen rose from the chair. "Well I should leave you two ladies to gossip away."
"Where are ya going?" Charlotte asked.
"I…" He smiled at Tiana. "…need to meet someone at French Quarter. A fella by the name of Louis."
Tiana smiled back. "You two sound good together!" She remembered the man and name.
Charlotte raised an puzzling eyebrow.
"Well if you need a due to play at your restaurant in the near future…" He hinted her on.
"...I know who to call." Tiana finished.
Charlotte watched the exchange and couldn't help but to find it adorable.
"You ladies enjoy your talking. Abinaza." He waved.
"Bye!" They both said as he left the room.
Charlotte watched as Tiana's eyes followed him out the room and asked, "So how's that Charles fellow doing?"
Tiana rolled her eyes. "He is the last person on my mind right now."
"I see." She said. "So what happened?"
"He's gotten too controlling, even for barely being a friend. I liked him but not on a level of romance. And recently, he and my mama tried heir darnest to teaming up against me just so that I could accept his proposal. Well I accidental did but that was quickly corrected after he thought that he could control my every move and lecturing me on what a woman is meant to do."
"He's still ranting on about staying home all day?"
"Yep and after finally taking the hint he left me alone to go home alone, but Naveen came along and walked me home-
"Naveen walked you home lastnight?" Charlotte asked.
Tiana knew she said too much.
"No, it's alright Tia. I know where Naveen and myself stand and it's simply friendship. Nothing more." The blonde said.
Tiana pitied her friend's realization. "Oh Lottie I'm sorry."
"I'm always a girl of romance and I can clearly see where his eyes are always on." Charlotte said with a small smile.
"Who?" Tiana gave her a questioning gaze.
"It's obvious that he's smitten with y-
"He seemed like a philandering, careless rich boy at first, but there's something different about him now...maybe if you'd give him another chance it may work out." Tiana cut her off. Not understanding why she's sticking up for Naveen.
"I don't now, Tia. Naveen pretty much told me that he isn't interested." Charlotte said. "He's bored with me."
"Well I don't know how any man could get bored by you." Tiana smiled at her friend.
Charlotte returned the smile. "Love is blind."
Tiana didn't understand what the heiress meant by the comment but knew that she wasn't in her usual bubbly mood. "If it doesn't work out with him then move on and catch another prince. If Big Daddy plays his cards right he could get that Prince of fairytail like country...how do you say it?" She tried lifting her friend's spirit.
"Ellington! Prince Fronco of Ellington. His blonde hair and blue eyes makes me…" Charlotte then sighed dreamily. "He's so handsome, Tia. But where would Naveen live after I tell my father the news?"
Tiana rose from the bed. "I don't know. He seems to have the money to buy his own place to live. He gave me a two hundred dollar tip today."
"Two hundred dollars?" Charlotte's eyes widen. 'He really does love her.'
"I best get going." Tiana said.
"Well I don't want to hold you up."
"I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer. I just needed to be out of the house. My mama is drivin' me nuts today."
"She wants her babycakes to get married. There isn't anything wrong with that." She said dreamily. Picturing Tiana and Naveen having their royal wedding.
Tiana snorted. "I swear you and my mama should be the mother and daughter. Ya'll think marriage is some sort of reward."
"Well it is! You got a man and once you start popping out those babies, he's forever trapped into the marriage!" The blonde said.
"Keep telling yourself that." Tiana said before leaving the room and bumping right into Naveen.
He caught her before she could fall where their eyes met in a spellbound gaze.
"Excuse me." He said, not wanting to let her go.
Tiana's heart fluttered at his honey coloured eyes just as her chest tightened. "E-excuse me." She said before pulling herself from his hold.
An awkward silence cast over them for a moment.
'What his this man doing to me?' She thought. "Um, I best get going." Tiana said before quickly walking down the hall.
Naveen didn't want her to leave, but what could he do? She wasn't his. So he disappointingly watched her leave and sighed.
"She's very beautiful."
He turned to see Charlotte and gave her a nervous chuckle. "Yes, but she isn't-
"I know you're inlove with her." She cut him off with a stern look across her face.
Naveen frowned. "In love with her?"
"I can see it in ya eyes and if anyone knows romance it's me." She smiled.
'Could I be in love?' He wondered. 'No, Prince Naveen couldn't be in love. Not with so many women to...to...why don't I care about other women? Think of other women.' He closed his eyes and Tiana's face popped in his mind. He opened them again and instead of feeling terrified, he was actually relieved. 'I am in love with Tiana!'
"I know that we could never marry, but if you ever hurt my dearest friend I swear that you will regret ever coming to the crescent city." Charlotte warned.
"How are you so sure that what I'm feeling for Tiana is love?" Naveen asked, he had to really be sure the feeling he had for her was truly love.
"Does she make your heart skip a beat?"
"Yes." He answered.
"Does her presence make you feel at awe?"
"Yes." He sighed with closed eyes.
"Is she the most beautiful woman you've ever seen?" She smiled.
"She's the most beautiful woman in the world." He confessed with his eyes still closed. He could picture Tiana's smile at this moment, making him smile. Making him feel whole. "She has the most infectious smile. It can brighten up an entire room."
Charlotte beamed. "How romantic!"
"Could you tell me everything about her?" Naveen asked, feeling relieved that the blonde knew where they stood and could trust her with his feelings for Tiana. "I want to know what her favourite colour is. What's her favourite book? What does she like to do outside of being a waitress? What does she enjoy-
"I will try my best!" Charlotte laughed and started walking down the hall. "But let me tell you about her in the dining room, over a snack. I'm starving!"
()()()()