CHAPTER VIII: ENTERTAINING TESS

Nash awoke to a steady pounding on his door the next morning. Sleepily raising himself from his bed he stumbled groggily to the door, opening it to reveal a smiling Tess holding a white paper bag and a coffee holder with two extra-larges. "Good morning wine-boy."

Nash grinned at her. "Good morning to you too, girl downstairs."

She blushed a bit. "I wanted to apologize about last night. You must be getting pretty sick of me running from the room all the time."

Nash shrugged, still smiling. "Just as long as you keep coming back."

Tess nodded. "I will. I promise." She gave him a once over. "Well, hurry up!"

He raised an eyebrow. "With what?"

"Getting dressed! We're late for breakfast and we've got a big day planned!"

Nash gave her an amused look. "Mind sharing those plans with me?"

"No time, no time! Antonio's gone back to Llanview for a couple days and then he'll be back to take me to see my mother. In the meantime you're in charge of keeping me entertained, so move it Brennan! Get your clothes on and get ready to have some fun!"

Nash gave her a funny little salute. "Yes sir!" he laughed at her little answering scowl and rushed off to his bedroom to get ready.

Their day started off at Tiffany's, Tess' favorite place for breakfast. They enjoyed sweet rolls and coffee as they looked at the priceless jewels and gold adorning the windows of the world famous merchant. Polishing off their food, they strolled inside and looked at row upon row of some of the most beautiful and expensive accessories on Earth.

"What do you think?" Nash asked her, pointing to a necklace of literally dozens of glinting diamonds of large size.

"Looks like the one Queen Elizabeth wanted, but couldn't afford." Tess joked. "But don't you just love it here? Isn't it peaceful?"

"You know, it really is." Nash agreed looking at her. "I'm not much for jewelry either, but there is something about this place... like it's a little piece of heaven hidden away on Earth."

"You always get me wine-boy." She smiled fondly at him.

"But you know, I can't take a girl to Tiffany's and not buy her something. The hope diamond here is a little out of my price range, but there must be something I can afford."

Tess smiled and shook her head. "I don't need any presents."

"Of course you don't. Nobody NEEDS presents. That's what makes them so nice to get." He took her hand and led her over to an associate working a service counter. "Come on, that guy looks like a gentleman, let's see what bauble we can get for you without sending me to the poorhouse..." Giggling, Tess followed after him.

"Good morning sir." Nash greeted the man as he stepped up to the counter.

"Yes, sir, how may I be of service?" The man spoke in a slight British accent which one might mistake for being pompous were it not for the warmth reflected in his eyes. A nametage identified him as Mr. Paul Varjak, but Nash politely called him sir.

"We're looking for a suitable gift for the young lady."

"Very good sir." Paul nodded his head. "What might interest her, gold, silver, diamonds? Tiffany's is THE place for gifts as you know."

"Those sound great, but..."

"But I'm too young to wear jewels!" Tess broke in. "We're looking for something a little less flashy."

"And also..." Nash continued, "Our finances are not what you would call ideal right now. My price range may be a little meager."

"If I may be so bold, sir, what price range are we talking about?"

Nash dug his available cash out of his pocket. It wasn't much and he looked at Paul with an apologetic expression. "Fifty dollars."

"Ah." replied Paul, without judgment, but rubbing his chin as if mulling over a math problem. "That is somewhat meager, I dare say. But I do have something..." he pulled out a small velvet case. "Sterling silver corncob holders. Strictly for the lady who has everything of course."

Nash and Tess eyed the items without much enthusiasm. "They're quite lovely..." Nash finally piped up, continuing the little game of who can speak the most formally. "But they're not exactly..."

"Romantic!" Tess finished for him, grinning.

"Yes." agreed Paul. "Yes, I do see your point. Unfortunately in my experience the more romantic the item, the higher the price. I may be unable to help you after all..."

"Wait, you do engraving, right?" asked Nash, digging around in his jacket pocket.

"Indeed sir. But of course you would have to first purchase an item on which to engrave. That brings us back to square one, I'm afraid."

"What about this?" Nash pulled out the plastic cracker jack ring from the day before. "Could you engrave this? I mean, I could see how it would be beneath you to do so..." Tess giggled in disbelief when she saw what Nash was holding.

Paul took the ring and examined it closely. "I dare say this was not purchased at Tiffany's..?"

"Uh, no." admitted Nash, blushing. "Actually it was purchased at a Central Park snack bar... in a box of Cracker Jacks." Thinking he had gone too far, Nash prepared for the overly genteel associate to toss them out of the store.

Paul smiled slightly as he continued to stare at the ring. "Do they really still have prizes in Cracker Jacks?"

"Oh, yes!" chirped Tess, enjoying the scene and Nash's cute embarrassment immensely.

"That's good to hear. It's quite comforting really, in this day and age for some traditions to hold up."

"So you'll do it?" asked Tess in disbelief.

"It's not the usual type of request, of course..." admitted Paul. "But here at Tiffany's we do pride ourselves on always putting the customer first. I'm sure we'll be able to accommodate you. What would you like engraved? Be aware the item is delicate and of small size, so it must be kept simple."

"TNC!" cried Tess happily. "For Tess, Nash and Cat!" Nash smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Very good miss. We'll have it ready for you tomorrow." The young lady rewarded him with kiss on the cheek, which the old associate received with his usual dignified grace. He gave Nash the pick-up slip and wished them a sincere nice rest of the day.

The day was indeed a nice one as Tess and Nash enjoyed all New York had to offer, at least as much as those with little money and lot on ingenuity can enjoy anyway. They had sidewalk hot dogs, snuck into a theater matinee and poured over the latest acquisitions in all the free art galleries in the village. Time passed quickly, and Nash was happy to take her mind off the problems awaiting her back in Llanview. Even though they both knew it would end soon enough, they tried to pretend the time would last forever.

Their wanderings finally led them to the front of a Dollar Store. "Ever shoplift wine-boy?" Tess asked him naughtily.

Nash considered. "No, actually I never have. There's a couple other misdemeanors I indulged in during my younger days, but no, not shoplifting."

"Well, then it's high time you came over to the dark side!" she laughed as she dragged him into the discount shop.

They passed by just about every single cheap article of unnecessary crap known to man as they made their way around the aisles poking over candles, wallets, giftwrap and soda pop. Finally Tess stopped him in front of a bin of old Halloween masks. She selected Tom from Tom and Jerry and handed him Huckleberry Hound. The two grinned at each conspiratorially. They then put on the masks and ran for the entrance. If any of the employees noticed the theft they never even paused to care. The couple rushed out into the street nearly knocking over a cop.

"Boo!" cried Nash.

"Reow!" hissed Tess.

The cop merely looked on in bewilderment as the two raced laughingly up the sidewalk. They ran all the way back to the brownstone and up the steps, their sides hurting from laughing and running.

"I... I forgot... my key again..!" huffed Tess.

Nash reached into his pocket and dangled his own key in front of her like a hypnotist's talisman. The two started laughing hysterically again for no apparent reason.

"S-Stop!" cried Tess through her out of control laughter, her face beet red. "I'm gonna... pass out..!"

Nash stopped laughing and pulled her into his arms. "Then I guess I'll have to carry you."

This time there was no hesitation as they kissed with even greater passion than the night before. Her arms went around his neck possessively as Nash scooped her up against his chest as she looked on breathlessly. This time he would not be taking no for an answer. He brought up to his apartment, and she never thought to run away. They collapsed on the bed as their hands and lips desperately sought every inch of the other's. Clothes were quickly discarded, and as the passion threatened to overload, Nash began to slow things down, wanting to take the time to enjoy the moment he had awaited since she first let him into the brownstone.

"Nash..." She pulled back breathlessly.

"What's wrong?"

She smiled radiantly at him and surrendered herself completely. "Absolutely nothing." There was no talking after that, just two stars sailing the heavens.