#scarsdale

He looks at his phone and stares at the pictures Caesar sent him. "Incredible"

A smile "She's going to be thrilled"

He sorts through the images and waits

"My Love!" A happy whisper as the door opens. "I wasn't expecting thee. In, in..."

He goes in , the wards tingle then "I'm sorry to come so suddenly but I have news and oh Zara, you have to see it. "

Earl seems quite excited, the silly goose isn't even fully dressed for Scarsdale winter, rather wearing the lighter gear KC requires.

"Don't tease - what is it? You must be freezing..." She pulls him towards the kitchen and, of course, tea.

"Poughkeepsie... Caeser has a property..... he's renting... " He hands her his smart phone with the picture on it "For rent"

"I said rent twice didn't I?" He laughs softly "it's just..look at it"

Her dark eyes widen. "S'truth? How.. Earl, did you send Caesar looking?"

"It's... why... da'an itself..."

Sat down in a chair, Earl grins "I might have asked him if he had any properties outside of Kansas City."

Oh her boyfriend looks pleased with himself. And a bit in awe, but aye, wouldn't he be? As she said 'Da'an itself'

"It's beautiful..." A pause. "How shall I top that for Valentines, hm?"

A grin

She steals a kiss and scoots away to set the kettle on.

His eyes follow her with adoration, and he says "Zara, we don't have to take him up on the offer but he gives discounts to changelings, and if Vasar is what you hope for, then... I can't see us topping this."

"Nor can I. But... but I do have to talk to Mama and Papa..."

"Five bedrooms.. so... maybe.. maybe if there are others, it will go over easier?"

"I was thinking of housemates but I didn't want to presume." He agrees, then "I think your mom and dad are going to ... they knew you were going to a college but this is still going to be a shock to them. I'm sorry about that"

"But... see, maybe Zenobia.. there must be othe changelings..."

"Zenobia? she binds books right?" Mmm "I think you said she was even scrambling to get a good option on housing. So sure? If you trust her I trust her."

"Well, I must needs inspect her further - it took you some time to find as good a match as Doyle..."

Then a thought "I think if we had a fourth, well, not sure, Doyle might jump at the chance to move closer to NYC, but at the same time he's comfy in KC. And I know that while you guys patched things up, you and he have very different personalities. " A thought "I'm afraid I can't think of any DeBuke cousins I want living with me full time. is that horrible of me?"

"No. Not horrible. Maybe another artist? A student?"

"must be a lot of them" He says "Students i mean, even fae and... oh hey, maybe Zenobia has met a few we could look in on?"

"True!"

A soft smile, "Am I to understand that, assuming your folks are understanding, or at least tolerant, we're saying yes to this property?"

Another kiss. On the lips. Presumably an answer.

A very nice answer it is, "I like the way you handle interrogatives" he says after they part, Her kisses always remind him of what is most mysterious in autumn. Even if it is winter in Scarsdale

A smile, and she pours the tea. "I think, perhaps, if we start with 'what if I get fae roommates' and go from there..."

"That first, and less, 'Mama, I would like to move in with Earl'"

A soft chuckle "I see your point" a smile at her and when the tea is poured, he puts his cool hands around the dainty cup, and sips. Warming up considerably, then "You realize that your uncles might want to audition folks for you?" Wryly but not entirely joking

"Oh, fewmets."

"I took the liberty of asking Caesar if they or my Uncle could put wards up on the building if we rent. He knows a lot less about cantrips than we do, but he said as long as it doesn't lower the property values or keep hIM out, he's fine with it"

She closes her eyes, bliss marring. "Aye. That would be wise."

"Sorry" a sip "I shouldn't have mentioned it and spoiled the good moment"

"Tis naught..."

"But really, can you imagine your uncles in charge of the auditions?" going back to that, he mimes 'So are you an idiot or is that just a visual first impression?'

"That would be Ratchet. Hirim swears more."

"Right. " smile "I remember some of my interrogations from them" almost fond? "That's when I knew I was dating the best girl in Scarsdale, or security wouldn't have been so intense"

A soft raspy laugh. "Would be no fun to hunt without obstacle, nu?"

"They had me sweating" He admits with a smile "but aye. Now, my family? They'd probably let you have me for two goats or a cow"

"What about a smattering of chickens?"

"They'd be good for voodoo..."

"mm if they're good layers of eggs, yeah" A grin "VooDoo not so much our thing... though if Uncle Emmit gets an itch, who knows?"

"Ha!"

"Come to think of it, best not to give him ideas" a drink

"How are you, zara? I mean, how are things at Earth Runes and the library?"