6
"How come she didn't ask for the day off?" Macy wanted to know.
"Because she's a professional."
"Then why did you ask off?"
"Because I have you with me," Geoff said.
Macy was helping him pick out flowers in a shop. "Are you sure she likes these?"
"It doesn't matter. She'll enjoy the surprise."
"You should, like, fill her place with a thousand roses."
"Maybe I could just drive a parade float in there." He chuckled. "You have no idea how much they cost."
"A kid at school told me one time that cut flowers are the biggest rip-off. It costs pennies to grow a rose, and then places like this charge a fortune for them and they really jack the prices up for Valentine's and Mother's Day."
Geoff turned to smile at the wide-eyed woman who had been assisting him. "Um…a single bouquet of deep red longstems?"
"A dozen?"
He nodded. "That's fine, thanks." When she departed he turned to his daughter and said, "You're right. Balloons are cheaper."
"This is too adult for balloons," she informed him. "Hire someone to play the violin while you eat dinner."
"What about ice skating?"
"The carousel in Central Park."
"A horse and carriage."
"Horseback riding."
"I've never been that comfortable on a horse," he reminded her. "A champagne cruise around the Statue Of Liberty."
"A hot air balloon ride over-"
He lifted a finger and shook his head. "You know I'm not fond of flying."
"But flying is so romantic, Dad!"
"So were the hundred roses, but you killed that for me."
"A thousand roses."
He shrugged. "They just die anyway. If she really likes them, then we'll plant some when we move."
Macy prodded, "And dinner?"
He looked at his watch. "I'm not sure when she'll get home. I may have her pick something up so at least we won't have to reheat anything."
The florist informed him that his bouquet was ready. She had boxed them and wrapped them and set them near the register.
"Make her pick up take-out? That's not romantic!"
"Hey," he said, withdrawing his wallet as he approached the counter, "she said yes already. I don't have to keep trying to win her over."
"You proposed?" the saleswoman asked him. "Well, then you'll always have to keep proving your love to her."
He stared blankly at the woman. "How much?"
"Seventy-eight fifty."
Geoff made a sound like he'd accidentally stepped on someone's pet hamster.
The woman mentioned, "Of course, if you can't afford to woo her forever, then you better hope you're up for it in other departments."
Smiling, he withdrew a nice wad of hundreds and slowly peeled one free.
"Oh, I think she'll love them," the florist told him.
He turned to smile at his daughter.