Cherry's Adventures of the Princess and the Frog

chapter 3

"But I..." Darla said, then sighed, giving in and walking over to them, leaving her future grandmother.

"What a sweet little angel." Charlotte smiled.

"She looks like my daddy when she smiles..." Darla said to Cherry and Atticus.

"Well, that shows that she's definitely the mother of your father." Atticus said.

"Yeah..." Darla sighed.

They came into the diner as the man who was Charlotte's father took a seat.

"He must be your great-grandfather," Cherry said about the large man who had an appetite for powdered sugary begets. "Do you know anything about him?"

"Just that he and Nana Charlotte were rich, but somehow, Daddy got dirt poor..." Darla shrugged.

"Oh, my..." Patch frowned.

"I don't know how it happened..." Darla rubbed her arm.

Tiana came over to the quartet in her waitress uniform. "Welcome to Duke's, may I have you at a table or a booth?"

"Table please." Atticus said.

"Come right this way, my name is Tiana, you may call me 'Tia', and I'll be your server today." the waitress led them in to a table, giving them glasses of ice water to start out with and handed their menus.

Patch poked his head out, smiling nervously.

"Hi, there, boy!" Tiana patted the puppy on the head. "What a little cutie you are!"

"His name is Patch." Atticus said.

"That's a nice name..." Tiana patted him, then whispered to Atticus. "Just make sure he doesn't wander off, I won't tell nobody he's here."

"Thanks, Tia." Atticus gave a thankful smile.

"Now, what will we drink?" Tiana asked as she took out her notepad.

"Pink lemonade please." Darla requested.

"I'll take apple juice." Cherry added.

"Orange juice, please, and Patch will have water." Atticus said.

"Sounds good," Tiana smiled, taking their drink orders. "I don't think I've seen y'all around here before." she said before going off to give them their drinks once she would have them.

"We're new in town." Atticus told her.

"Welcome, you're just in time for Mardi Gras." Tiana smiled as she went to get their drinks.

"Mardi Gras?" Darla asked. "What's that?"

"It's kind of like a festival parade." Atticus said.

"It's huge in New Orleans," Cherry added. "I've never been, but it looks like we got a chance."

Tiana came back to their table with their drinks and got a bowl of water for Patch for him to lap from. "So, what would y'all like to eat now?"

"These beginets look really good." Darla said once she spotted them on the menu and they attracted her hunger and attention the most.

"They're our best treat, for breakfast or any other meal of day." Tiana smiled.

"Four plates of beginets please." Atticus smiled.

"You won't be sorry." Tiana smiled and went to get their orders.

The four waited and wondered what their adventure would be as everything seemed peaceful and friendly so far. Tiana apologized to Cherry, Atticus, Patch, and Darla for missing them at times, but it seemed busy in Duke's diner, soon enough, she came to them with their orders and wished them happy eating. The man who was Charlotte's father came into the diner with a friendly smile.