A Pineville Fairytale

For Ashley. Because all real princesses have fairytales.

Once upon a time in a land far, far away (Pineville, Louisiana to be exact) lived a princess, Lilly. Loved by all, her beauty was only outshone by her kind heart. She brought joy to everyone she met through her bright smile and quick wit.

Lilly loved adventure and spent every waking moment exploring the twists and turns of her kingdom with her family and friends. Whether it was walking through her great-grandparents’ cotton fields, lounging in Kees Park or gliding across Kincaid Lake on her father’s boat, she made sure to live every minute to its fullest.

Each night, after a long day of excursions, Lilly would look out over the expanses of her kingdom and thank God for His many blessings. But as Lilly drifted to sleep each night, it wasn’t thoughts of Pineville that filled her head. Lilly dreamed of a place she’d only read about in storybooks – New York City. Lilly dreamed of the Statue of Liberty and Fifth Avenue and the Museum of Modern Art. She dreamed of Broadway and its brilliant shows. She dreamed of the Empire State Building and Times Square and Lincoln Center. She dreamed of Central Park most of all.

She’d read that it was beautiful, a lovely oasis in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the most wonderful city in the world. She’d read that it was a fantastic sight to see at any season and dreamed of the outings she’d take to capture the essence of each. In the summer, she’d bask in the sun on the Great Lawn. In fall, she’d feed the ducks at Harlem Meer. In winter, she’d ice skate at Wollman Rink. And in spring (the best season of all), she’d row boats on the Lake at Central Park.

So when Lilly graduated from the Royal Academy of Louisiana State University, she knew exactly where she was going. Of course she’d miss King Wendell, Queen Becky, Prince Todd and Prince Zacharoo. She’d miss Rebel Hill and seeing Bobby Brown on his bike with the orange flag. She didn’t know what she’d do without morning donut runs to Harlow’s. She questioned whether any New Yorker would have an open-pantry policy like the Parkers. She wasn’t sure that any New York adventure would be complete without being able to stop by Maw Maw Dot’s for coffee and a slice of blueberry pie afterwards. But dreams are dreams and Princess Lilly was determined to make her dream come true.

The kingdom of Pineville was abuzz when news of Princess Lilly’s impending move spread. Would she be safe? Would she meet anyone she could trust? Would she be well fed? Nervous, the townspeople showered her with gifts. Armed with blueberry muffins and Community Coffee, Princess Lilly kissed King Wendell and Queen Becky goodbye and bid adieu to the charming kingdom of Pineville.

Lilly was eager to explore New York and didn’t wait long after her arrival to begin her adventures. She walked 10th St. and got lost in Bloomingdales. She tasted Magnolia Bakery cupcakes and sipped mojitos on top of the Met. Central Park was everything she’d ever dreamed of. However, she soon realized that adventures weren’t near as fun if you didn’t have anyone to share them with. Lilly grew lonely and longed for a familiar face.

Queen Becky sensed Lilly’s loneliness and shared her concerns with friends. One of them suggested Lilly contact a boy named Trout, a graduate of the Royal Academy, who was now working on Wall St. Although Lilly and Trout had had a brief encounter at the Royal Academy, they’d never officially met. Eager to have a friend in the city, Lilly sent him a message via Facebook, er, the Royal Mail Service. To her dismay, weeks and weeks passed without any response. When word spread about Trout’s insulting behavior, his outraged father called him and ordered that he return her message.

Trout sent Lilly his deepest apologies, explaining that the demands of Wall St. had kept him busy, and asked if he could take her to dinner to make up for it. They arranged to meet for dinner at La Masseria, a quaint Italian farmhouse on the outskirts of the picturesque Times Square.

Over white wine, they realized their shared sense of adventure. You might say that the rest is history – they became inseparable. They gallivanted across the city, visiting museums and trying new restaurants. They took day trips to the mountains of upstate New York and weekend trips to Mystic, Connecticut and Newport, Rhode Island. But of all the opportunities life on the East Coast provided, Central Park was their favorite. They walked in Central Park. They fished in Central Park. They picnicked in Central Park. Central Park might as well have been Lilly and Trout Central Park.

So it wasn’t out of the ordinary when they decided to take a walk through Central Park one warm, spring day after running errands. While walking, they decided to take a rowboat ride. Thrilled, Lilly sat back ready to enjoy the beauty of Central Park in spring.

Before she knew it, Trout was in front of her with the most beautiful diamond ring you’ve ever seen. On one knee he asked her the royal question, “Princess, will you marry me?”

And so in June 2010 with her GGs-in-waiting by her side, Princess Lilly will marry Trout, her very own Prince Charming.

Congrats Andrew and Ashley. I know you'll live happily ever after.