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“As she waited for the soul-crushing grief to envelop her, an odd thing happened. The grief failed to materialize. Instead, she felt... joy. An overwhelming sense of peace weaved its way around her sadness.
Tiana knew she would always miss her daddy, but the hole his passing had left in her heart wasn't as hollow this time around. It was filled with memories of the past year--- the laughs they'd shared, the meals they'd prepared together, and the all-encompassing love they'd experienced every single day. And a true goodbye.
Tiana closed her eyes tight, holding onto those memories. They would be with her always. Just as her daddy would be with her.
Always.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“Not too long before, she would have maintained that no matter how well things were going, she would never be truly happy again, because her father was no longer with her.
But he was here. She felt him every time she walked into the kitchen at this restaurant. She felt him whenever she walked into her mother's house in the Ninth Ward, or when she was in the house she and Naveen shared uptown.
She felt him everywhere.
And because she knew his spirit would always be with her, no matter how far she traveled or how long they were apart, Tiana now knew true happiness.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“Your restaurant never would have survived in that area. Where it is now, over there in Tremé, is much more suited for your type of establishment."
She straightened her shoulders. "Forgive me for being so bold, Mr. Fenner, but I happen to disagree. I think my restaurant would thrive no matter where it's located. And I haven't given up on the riverfront. Me and my daddy are gonna eventually open an even bigger restaurant one day. In fact, we plan to open several."
She gave him a sweet smile as she hefted her basket of vegetables up higher on her forearm. "Now, if you would excuse me, I have a very big night ahead. If you would like some good food and good jazz music, might I suggest you come over to Tremé and give T&J's Supper Club a try? The doors are always open to anyone.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“Tiana's head seemed to turn of its own accord, drawn to a scene playing out like the moving picture shows on the big screen at the Prytania Theatre.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“I hope this wasn't your favorite shirt."
"In fact, it was," he said. Her eyes flew to his. Before she could apologize, he smiled and said, "I'm only kidding."
"You," she growled, trying to hide her smile. How could he be both endearing and insufferable at the same time?”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“It's so good to see you, Daddy."
"You saw me the day before yesterday." He laughed as he expertly diced bell peppers into uniform pieces.
"But it's always good to see you," Tiana said. "It's something I've learned to never take for granted.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“She was struck once again by how different he was from that self-absorbed cad he'd been when she had met him a year earlier. Despite her best efforts not to, she'd fallen in love with him then. It would be so very easy to love this kinder, more considerate Naveen.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“Now that this latest order of beignets was done, Tiana turned her attention back to the pot of gumbo gurgling on the stovetop. She took in the dents and pings along the walls of her daddy's big gumbo pot. Every imperfection was perfect in her eyes.
"How's that gumbo coming along, baby girl?"
"It's almost there," Tiana called.
Her father came over and pulled her into a side hug. "Smells good."
"And it tastes even better." She scooped up a big spoonful of the gumbo and blew lightly across it. Then she held the spoon up to him and grinned as he sipped a bit of the dark brown liquid.
"Just like your daddy taught you to make it," he said.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“Tiana wanted to dig in her heels--literally--as Lottie tugged on her arm, but she stood no chance when pitted against her best friend and her daddy. Instead, she braced herself for the impact of having to be near Naveen and pretend he had no effect whatsoever on her. She was no Evelyn Preer, but a few more months of this and her acting skills might get her all the way to Hollywood.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“His pulse quickened at the thought of accompanying Tiana to a ball, seeing her all dolled up in a beautiful gown. He could see her now!
Actually, he could see it.
Naveen squinted in confusion.
Had he seen her in a ball gown already?”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“She and Addie Mae made quick work of the dishes and had the kitchen looking spotless in no time. Of course, it would be a mess again the next night, but that was how things worked in the restaurant business; she wouldn't have had it any other way.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“Why must you make things so difficult?"
"Because I don't trust you," she said. "I'm never going to just do something simply because you asked, Doctor Facilier."
He grabbed her wrist and turned her hand palm up. He slapped the vial into the center of her palm. "Every single dish, Tiana."
She threw the vial directly at his face. He snatched it as if he had been expecting her to do just that.
"I don't have to do anything," Tiana said. "I've held up my end of our bargain. You hold up yours.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“She pulled out her green-and-white polka-dot dress with the satin ribbon that tied at the waist, and the matching satin trim that ran along the hem of its ruffled skirt. She would normally only wear a dress like this to a wedding, or on Easter Sunday, but if she was going on this outing with Lottie to Maison Blanche, she had to look the part of someone who belonged there.
Because she did belong there.
She was just as good as anybody else who set foot in that establishment, and she was going to make sure everyone who was there knew it.
Tiana pulled the dress over her head and pinned the barrette Ms. Rose had given her as a gift behind her ear. It had tiny gardenias attached to it, adding an elegant touch to her ensemble. She swished around from left to right in the mirror, admiring the way her dress twirled about her legs.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“Not only did he want this for himself, but after his recent interaction with Tiana, Naveen had a burning need to show her that he, too, could prosper. Seeing how hard she worked to make her restaurant a success made him want to do the same in his job.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“It would be rude to revel in his obvious discomfort. But, then again, Buford had taken every opportunity to make fun of her dream back when she worked at Duke's.
"Oh, Buford," Tiana called. "Why don't you bring that trophy you got for winning the Kentucky Derby next time?"
His forehead creased in confusion, making Tiana wonder if he remembered the time he'd told her that he had a better chance of winning the horse race than she had of opening a restaurant.
But then understanding dawned in his eyes. "I guess I deserved that," Buford said.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“Her daddy wrapped her up in a big bear hug and swung her around like he used to do when she was a little girl. Tiana clung to his big frame, soaking in the safety and security and love he embodied. Her throat tightened with emotions that threatened to overwhelm her.
"That felt like old times, baby girl."
"It felt like the best times," Tiana answered.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“A small smile tipped up one corner of her mouth as she remembered that first night, and how ridiculously out of his element Naveen had been. She glanced over at him now, taking in his strong and handsome profile. He'd changed so much in the year since she'd first met him. He was no longer the spoiled little rich boy who thought he could get by on his looks and charm.
Though he'd surely won her over with that charm in the end.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“She backed away from the boat. She started to flail in the mud, but before she could tumble backward, a set of strong arms braced around her.
"I have you," Naveen said. He was so close she could feel his warm breath against her ear. Tiana did her best to ignore the goose bumps pebbling up and down her skin, but she would have had a better chance of ignoring a fireworks display taking place on her front porch.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“I know that I can be selfish and stubborn, but I want to be a good friend to you. The best kind of friend. Because that's the kind of friend you have always been to me."
"Oh, Lottie." Tiana dropped the branch and wrapped her arms around her.
"I'm glad you're here.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“She took over the driving duties again, not trusting anyone else to get her to her destination. She was once again in control of her own destiny.
"Almost there," Tiana whispered.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“Mama Odie had been willing to help both Tiana and Naveen the year before. Hopefully, she would be willing to do so again.
Please. Please. Please.
The strangeness of having to rely on someone else for help struck Tiana anew. She knew she was independent to a fault. She had lost count of how many times she had wasted hours---sometimes even days---toiling away at some task or another, refusing to ask for help.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“Naveen turned back to her, his penetrating eyes pleading with her to accept his help. "You don't have to do this all on your own. We're here for you. I'm here for you."
Tiana hesitated as a blend of uncertainty and gratitude converged. This was her mess. She'd pulled them all into this; she shouldn't expect her friends to get her out of it.
But Naveen was right: she didn't have to do this alone. She couldn't.
"Okay," Tiana answered.
The shame she thought she would feel didn't materialize. All she felt was overwhelming relief at knowing she didn't have to rely solely on herself.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“As people began to congregate around the door, Tiana made her way to the closest window. She gasped at the sight on the other side of the glass. The fog had thinned, but only in the area surrounding their house, and flower petals rained from the sky. They collected on the ground like a colorful snowfall.
Tiana closed her eyes, a gentle smile touching her lips. She was at peace, because her daddy was now at peace.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“Are you ready, Tiana? One last deal."
His willingness to sacrifice some innocent person's soul alleviated the last prickle of conscience she felt over what she was about to do. This snake in the grass deserved everything that was coming to him.
"Okay," Tiana said. "I'll sign it."
She followed him to a wooden desk that held a lamp, and grabbed hold of the fountain pen he held out to her. Tiana bent over the contract, turning her back slightly as she scribbled across the bottom of the scroll.
"Okay, it's done," she said. She turned and held the vial out to him. "Now, you drink half, and I'll drink half."
His eyes were bright with triumph as he snatched the vial from her free hand, wrenched the cork out of it, and gulped down the entire contents.
He threw his head back and let out a peal of laughter.
But his laughter quickly died as he clutched at his throat and staggered several steps back.
Tiana held out the contract to him, the words Goodbye, Shadow Man scrawled on the signature line.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“How's it looking out there, Mama?"
"Like all the Mardi Gras revelers have converged on this place," Eudora said. "The line of people waiting for tables stretches all the way to the French Quarter. You'd better put on a second pot of gumbo, because you have a whole lot of hungry mouths to feed."
"That's just the way I like it," Tiana said as she added a few dashes of Tabasco to the pot. Her daddy's dinged-up pot might not shine like the new copper and steel cookware in her gleaming kitchen, but Tiana refused to use anything else to cook her gumbo.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“She'd never lost hope that the place would one day be hers. She'd felt it in her bones.
And now it was.
She would have pinched herself, but she already knew this wasn't a dream. This was real life, and she was embracing it all.
Tiana untied her apron from around her waist and went out into the grand dining room. It had taken a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to get it to this point, but with the help of her friends, her restaurant looked exactly as she had always imagined it would.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“Do you need a rest, Mama?" Tiana said as she drizzled praline syrup on the order of beignets she'd just made.
"No, baby. You know I stopped sewing to embrace the excitement of the restaurant business."
"Well, that's not the only reason you're here," Tiana said with a laugh. She rounded the cooking station and enveloped her mother in a hug.
"No, it isn't," Eudora said. She and Tiana stared up at the portrait of her daddy that hung on the wall, looking down over the entire kitchen. "I'm here because this is exactly where he would want me to be."
"And it's exactly where I want you to be, too. What did that man from the paper call you? The queen of Tiana's Palace?"
"Well, he's right," her mother replied with no small amount of sass.
Then she and Tiana burst out laughing.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“She'd learned a lot about letting go that past year. About not holding on to the past and embracing what fate had in store. About taking pride in a hard day's work, but also taking time to rest and find peace in the quiet moments of the day.
Most of all, she'd learned the importance of spending time with those she loved. She now understood just how precious time was, and that it wasn't promised.”
― Farrah Rochon, Almost There

“Tiana balanced a stack of flapjacks, two bowls of grits, and five orders of pillowy-soft beignets on a serving tray. She squeezed through the narrow paths between the tables, carefully dodging pointy elbows and protruding feet. The café was packed to the gills with hungry, bleary-eyed customers who'd spent the night either kicking up their heels in the taverns or working the overnight shift in one of the factories in the French Quarter.”
― Elizabeth Lim, A Twisted Tale Anthology

“Tiana thought about the money stored in coffee cans in her chifforobe. Years of tips she'd collected while waiting tables at Duke's Cafe and working the night shift at Cal's Restaurant. As of now, she had enough for a down payment, but she would need more than that to buy kitchen equipment, tableware, provisions, etc., not to mention start making rent.”
― Elizabeth Lim, A Twisted Tale Anthology