#scarsdale

"AND, this one is discounted!"

"Feh, see? No romance. A woman wants romance. Mama deserves it, but won't ask for it. And you go confront her, she'd say 'Oh, no, everything is fine,' and then sigh and be resigned."

"But do this, and you can be a dashing romantic hero. Sweep her off her feet."

He -stops.-

"What?"

"See? I figured out what Mama wants, but is a secret, and how you could be a hero."

"Oh, Papa, it'll be just like a novel!"

"What novel?" Bewildered.

Siiiiiiiigh. "Papa. Sit."

He drops.

"Look, see? A romantic caribbean cruise - there's dancing every night! And flowers, too."

He handles the information as if it were infected; carefully. "A.. cruise?"

"You can swim with dolphins at port."

"Yes, a cruise. Just the two of you, and then a few days on the beach.... there's a cabana involved." Click, click - shiny pictures.

"AND St. Maarten has the Simpson Bay Swing bridge... they do tours..." Click, click, pictures of a causeway...

He looks at the pictures, processing. "So.... she wants this?"

"Well, not the bridge. But... yes, she wants a romantic adventure. She wants to be a bride, vershtay?"

His face crosses to worries. "She does?" Lost. "Why didn't she tell me?"

She pecks his cheek. "Because she loves you and, well - you know how Mama is. She will give and give and give, and never asks for herself."

"hmmph"

"Papa, you know I am right. She'd never, ever ask. I mean, if you don't want to be a hero...." A sigh.

"Don't think she deserves to be swept off her feet..."

"One honeymoon and done, nevermind that that was thirty years ago."

"One?"

"Aye. And wasn't that just to Atlantic City?"

"Well, what?"

"So? Look at this. You were going to take off some work for memorial day, anyways - this is just a little earlier. And see, here? Because it's short notice, there's a discount... you can be spontaneous and romantic."

"You think?" Dubious.

"I think!"

"Mmm." He takes the information. "I'll look."

"I know you will, Papa."

"You, go study."

"Yes, Papa." A quick hug. "I love you, Abba."

"Love you too, Princess."

Zara floats off, leaving behind her collection of websites. The St Maarten bridge really is an engineering marvel...

.................