Tiana (2 page)

“L
et's try to calm down,” Tiana said to Louis. She didn't like to see her friend so upset. She took a seat at the long wooden table in the kitchen. Pointing to a chair nearby, she said, “Why don't you sit down? Take some deep breaths.”

“I can't play without my Giselle!” Louis wailed. He made his way over and slumped in the chair. “Oh, this is terrible!” He looked over at Tiana sadly. “I'm going to ruin opening night for you!”

Tiana and Naveen shared a look. They weren't sure what to do. Naveen gave Tiana an encouraging nod.

“We will find Giselle,” Tiana told him.

“You can be sure of that,” Naveen said, standing beside Louis.

“You had Giselle earlier today when you played that new song for me here in the kitchen,” Tiana said encouragingly. “Remember?”

Louis sniffled and nodded his head.

“We're all worrying too much about the grand opening,” Tiana said. “I almost burned the jambalaya this morning!”

Eudora stood beside Louis. “Tiana's right. Let's try to be calm.” She smiled kindly at the sad alligator. “I always find it best to retrace my steps when I can't find something.”

Tiana nodded. “Louis, did you take Giselle to the market with you?”

Louis scratched his head.

“I don't think you had Giselle with you,” Naveen said thoughtfully.

Louis grew more upset. “Oh, I don't know!” he cried. A tear slid down his face. “But I do know that I can't play without her!” He put his head in his hands.

“Let's try to figure this out,” Tiana said gently. “When was the last time you remember seeing Giselle?”

Louis shook his head. “The last time I remember seeing her was when I was in the kitchen, here with you,” he told Tiana. “That was before we went to the market for the fish.”

“Okay, so let's check the kitchen!” Tiana exclaimed. “Everyone, search everywhere! The trumpet must be here.”

Tiana, Naveen, Eudora, and Louis looked in every corner of the kitchen.

But no one found the shiny golden trumpet.

Louis wagged his head. “I'm sorry, Tiana,” he said sadly. He wiped the tears from his eyes. “I just can't play tonight without Giselle.”

“Maybe I should check the market,” Naveen offered. “I know Louis didn't have Giselle on the way home, but I'm not sure that he didn't have her when we went there.” He looked over at his sad pal. “It's worth a try.”

Tiana glanced at Louis. She didn't really have time to spare. But she knew how much the trumpet meant to her friend. “I'll go with you, Naveen,” she said. Before anyone could stop them, Tiana and Naveen were off to the French Market.

Jackson Square was bustling with people shopping and enjoying the warm afternoon. Naveen carefully retraced the steps he had taken on his errand. “We walked down this street,” he explained. “And then cut across to the market over here.” He pointed to a wide street that led down to the water.

“I'll take this side of the street,” Tiana said. “And you take the other.”

“Poor Louis,” Naveen said. “I'm not sure how I'd feel if I lost my ukulele.”

Tiana gave Naveen's hand a squeeze. “We're gonna find Giselle. We have to!” Then she crossed the street.

As Tiana searched, she walked up behind two fancy ladies. When she tried to get past them, Tiana overheard their conversation.

“Frieda, are you going to the opening of Tiana's Palace tonight?” the woman in the purple hat asked.

“Yes,” Frieda responded. “We were lucky enough to get reservations.”

“You are lucky!” her friend exclaimed. She leaned in a little closer. “You know, I heard an alligator is going to play in the jazz band there.” She raised her hand to her chest dramatically. “They say he's the best trumpet player you'll ever hear!”

Tiana tried not to laugh out loud. If only Louis could hear these ladies talking about him and his music!

“Yes,” the woman went on. “I know it sounds crazy, but he's fantastic. I heard him play during Mardi Gras. He had the most soulful sound. I loved listening to his music!”

During Mardi Gras, Louis's dream of playing on one of the floats in the parade had come true.

Now Tiana wanted Louis to play at the grand opening more than ever! She quickly passed the two ladies and sped over to the fish stall where Naveen and Louis had gotten the fish.

No Giselle.

“Do you think Giselle will turn up?” Tiana called to Naveen as they walked.

He walked over to her. “I really hope so,” he said. “I wouldn't want Tiana's Palace to open without Louis's music.”

“We'll find her,” Tiana said.

The sky was growing dark as the sun began to sink lower in the sky. With heavy hearts, Naveen and Tiana went back to the restaurant.

L
ouis was sitting outside Tiana's Palace, waiting for Tiana and Naveen. He leaped up when he saw them coming. Then he noticed their sad faces. He knew that they hadn't found his trumpet. His tail flopped on the ground.

“I'm so sorry,” Tiana said to Louis. “We looked everywhere.”

“Maybe we should check inside again,” Naveen said.

“It's no use,” Louis said. “Maybe it just wasn't meant to be.” Covering his eyes with his arm, he tried to hide his sad face.

Tiana rushed to his side. “Louis, you can't give up hope!” she exclaimed. “Remember when Naveen and I were frogs? If we had given up hope, we never would have made it here. You need to have some faith.”

Naveen took his cue from Tiana and chimed in. “Louis, please come inside,” he said.

Louis raised his head. “It's late, Tiana. You need to get back to your cooking,” he told her. He sniffled. “I'll be fine. Please go back to the kitchen. If Jono La Crème comes and there is no food on his plate, then the night will truly be a disaster!”

“I'll stay here with him,” Naveen told Tiana. “You go inside and start the gumbo.”

Even though she didn't want to leave, Tiana knew that she had to get back to cooking. “I'll keep searching,” Tiana said. “Giselle has got to show up!”

Back inside her kitchen, Tiana took a deep breath. She looked under the table and by the shelves in a corner of the room. These were places she had checked before, but she remembered seeing Louis and Giselle there.

Her mother came over to her. “Tiana, the time!” she exclaimed. “You need to get that gumbo on the stove.” She pointed to the kitchen clock. “Lottie will be here soon to help you get ready. And you still have a few dishes to prepare!”

Tiana glanced over at the counter where her father's old gumbo pot was sitting.

Nothing meant more to Tiana than having that pot in her restaurant. She had so many memories of cooking with her dad. She remembered the joy he had gotten from watching friends and family enjoy his food.

Tiana knew that was the heart of her restaurant. Even if there was no music, she would still serve up good food. She took the pot in her hands and hugged it tight.

Glancing down, she saw a glimmer of gold. She let out a scream. Naveen and Louis came rushing into the kitchen.

“Giselle!” Tiana cried. She held up the trumpet in her hand. “Louis, you put her in my father's gumbo pot!”

Louis leaped toward Tiana, nearly toppling some cooling beignets. He hugged the instrument and then played a song. Tiana recognized it as the one that he had played earlier.

“You must have put her down when I asked you to get the pot,” Tiana said. She smiled at Louis. “I guess that was a pretty safe place.”

Naveen laughed. “You mean a secret place!” He slapped Louis playfully on his back. “Glad that you have reunited with Giselle. You are the perfect pair.”

“And now y'all need to leave,” Tiana teased. “I have some cooking to do here.”

Louis bowed his head. “Thank you, Tiana,” he said. “And Giselle and I would be pleased as punch to play tonight. In fact, we're going to play some new songs. We're going to show Jono La Crème a good old New Orleans time!”

Tiana loved the sound of that! “A party fit for a princess and a prince?” she kidded as she shooed Louis and Naveen out the door.

“Yes!” Louis exclaimed.

Tiana was feeling good about the night, even though she'd had a couple mishaps. She threw some ingredients into the pot—one at a time, just as her mom had advised. Everything was going to be fine. That is, if she got that gumbo going! The doors to the restaurant would open in a couple hours, and she had a lot to do.