𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐮 | 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐞𝐧

[FOUR]

James and Eudora sat on the edge of Tiana's bed, with their daughter tucked underneath the covers. You sat on the other side of the room, where they had moved a spare mattress on the ground, and listened contently to their conversation.

"You know the thing about good food?" Tiana's father asked her.

She hummed.

"It brings folks together from all walks of life. It warms them right up," he put his hand over his stomach, "and it puts little smiles on their faces, just like when you're listening to your favorite song." James handed a photo to Tiana. "And when I open up my own restaurant, I tell you, people are going to line up for miles around just to get a taste of my food."

"Our food," Tiana corrected him, looking up at her loving father.

"That's right, baby. Our food." He laughed. "Say, N/n, how'd you like to play at my restaurant when you're older with that saxophone of yours?"

"Really? I'd love to!"

As James wrote 'Tiana's Place' on the photo in blue crayon, Eudora stepped over to your corner and handed you a photo as well. This photo was your father, dressed in a suit, playing with a bunch of other men on a stage. You took the picture and put it underneath your pillow gingerly. 

Tiana hugged her photo close to her heart and gasped when her gaze switched to the window by her bed.

"Daddy, look!" As she crawled across her bed to get to the window, you hopped up and sat next to her.

"Where are you going?" James asked.

"Wow!" You said, eyes wide. "Charlotte's fairytale book said that if you make a wish on the Evening Star, it's sure to come true."

"Is that so?" James said, amused.

Tiana hummed.

Eudora laughed as she side-hugged the little girl. Eudora sat at Tiana's side while James sat on the other and placed you in his lap. "Well," she said, "you wish on that star, little ones."

James countered, "Yes. You wish and you dream with all your might. But you remember that that old star can only take you part of the way." He pointed at both of your chests, where your small hearts were residing and beating steadily. "You have to help it along with some hard work of your own, and then, yeah, you can do anything you set your mind to."

Eudora appeared and lent on James' shoulder. "But you girls promise us one thing. That you'll never, ever lose sight of what's really important. Okay?" Both Tiana and you nodded, smiles growing. Eudora kissed your forehead and James kissed Tiana's. James carried you back over to your mattress and tucked you in.

"See you in the morning, girls. Get some sleep." Eudora and James walked out of the shared bedroom hand-in-hand.

As soon as the door shut behind them, you ran over to Tiana's bed and she pulled the covers off her legs, climbing over to her nightstand and grabbing the photo. In tandem, you both approached her window and pulled open the curtains, looking out to the Evening Star. You turned to Tiana and hugged her tightly.

"Please, please, please," you whispered in her ear. After releasing each other, you both look at the night sky once more, and Tiana pulls the piece of paper to her chest.

"I wish, I wish, I wish."

Both of you gasp and turn to the side, where you see a frog on the windowsill. It croaks, once loudly, and you and Tiana scream and pull the curtains shut. You nearly fall while scrambling off Tiana's bed, still screaming. You open the door for Tia as you rush out to her parents and shut the door behind you.