Tony had seen Marilynn and Rhodey off an hour and a half later, and Happy, as promised, was ready and waiting with the car. "Good visit, Boss?" Happy asked, as Tony climbed into the backseat.

Tony nodded and smiled. "The best," he said. "I'm a lucky guy to be getting a mother-in-law who actually likes me," he said.

"That you are, Sir," Happy said. "Especially after the kind of bad press you've had in the past."

"Which Rhodey took upon himself to inform Marilynn of, kindly," Tony replied. He laughed and shook his head at the thought.

Happy closed the door and walked briskly around the car to climb back into the driver's seat. They soon pulled back into the traffic.

"So, did your lady love make it on time?" Tony asked him.

Happy smiled. "Yeah, boss. She's getting settled in at my place now."

"Perfect," Tony said, smiling warmly. Suddenly, Tony spotted something he remembered he needed to do before the party. "Hey, Hap? Pull over at that florist, please?"
"Sure thing, boss," Happy replied. He pulled the car over and eased it next to the curb.

"Stay put, Hap," Tony said. "I'll only be a minute." Tony popped the handle on the door, and Hap watched him exit, and disappear behind the front door of the flower shop.

XxXxXxXxXx

Once inside, the solitude of the little shop enveloped Tony, the sounds of the little bell on the door announcing his entrance, and the gentle trickle of a water fountain somewhere near by being the only things disrupting it. Tony inhaled slowly, a familiar smell filling his senses. He smiled to himself. Chlorophyll, he thought, his mind slinging back to when that smell was ever present in the workshop, on account of him having to keep gallons on hand at one time so he could guzzle it constantly just to stay alive before he'd replaced the core of the Arc in his chest.

His memory was interrupted by the salutations of the store clerk behind the counter. She was an older woman, small in frame and rather bird-like in her features, made more dominant by thick round black glasses. "Can I help you with something?" she asked cheerfully.

Tony smiled. "Yeah, hi," he said, walking to the counter she stood behind. "I'm looking for a bouquet of white Lilies?"

"Okay," the woman said. "We have the regular Lilies, but we also carry the Calla Lilies. Do you know which kind you want?"

Tony winced, "No," he said sheepishly. "But I'll probably be able to tell you when I see them."
The woman smiled. "Let me grab some of both, and you can pick, okay?"

Tony smiled graciously and she nodded. She walked out from behind the counter and disappeared into their back room. Tony waited patiently for a few moments before she reappeared, holding a bouquet of two different types of white Lilies in each hand. "These," she said, holding up her right hand, "Are just the regular Lilies you'd see in most bouquets. But these," she said, holding up her left hand. "Are Calla Lilies, usually used in bridal bouquets and the like. And are quite elegant, if you don't mind me saying so."

Tony nodded in agreement. "They are," he said. "And just what I had in mind. Thank you." The woman smiled in appreciation. "I guess I'll take...two dozen?" he said.

"Most bouquets have odd numbers in them," the woman pointed out, sweetly.

"Oh," Tony said, nodding his head in understanding. "I guess you learn something new everyday, right?" he joked. The woman chuckled. "Okay, then, uh...give me twenty-five?" he said, shrugging sheepishly.

"Very good, sir," the woman replied, smiling kindly. "I'll be right back."

Tony nodded graciously as the woman disappeared again. She returned a few moments later with two dozen white Calla Lilies bundled in green florist's paper.

"Perfect," Tony purred happily. "And can I trouble you for one more thing?" he asked.

"Of course!" the woman replied.

Tony pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. He smiled gently. "You wouldn't happen to have a... long, lavender ribbon, would you?"

XxXxXxXxXx

Happy soon spotted Tony exiting the floral shop and approaching the car. He hurriedly got out of the car and ran around to open the back door. Tony smiled graciously, and plunked down happily in the back seat.

Happy got back in the car and surveyed his boss in the rear view for tonight. "At the risk of sounding stupid, are those for tonight?"

Tony chuckled. "Yep," Tony affirmed. "They look rather...bridal, don't they? At least that's what me and the flower shop lady thought," Tony said, admiring the flowers.
"Oh, yes, Sir!" Happy agreed. "I'm sure it's just what Pepper would want."

Tony beamed at Happy's words. "Good," he said. "Good," he murmured to himself again, grinning.

XxXxXxXxXx

Happy soon turned into Tower parking and bid Tony adieu. Tony waved goodbye, whistling happily to himself as he stepped into the elevator, and rode up to the penthouse.

Once he stepped into the living room, he set the flowers carefully down on the counter and searched for a vase to keep them in until that night.

He also fished the ribbon the woman had given him out of his blazer pocket. He dangled it in front of him, admiring it again. It was a long, wide, lavender ribbon that had a hint of silvery shimmery thread running through it, making it sparkle. Tony grasped it in his hand as he found a tall, thick, glass vase under the kitchen sink. He filled it half full with water, unwrapped the flowers from their paper, and plunked them in the water. They all fit perfectly in the vase, splaying out naturally. "Beautiful," Tony said, smiling satisfactorily to himself. He laid the ribbon down beside the vase and mentally checked this task off his to-do list.

Suddenly, his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket, and looked at the screen. It was Pepper. He smiled with delight before answering. "Hello," Tony cooed. "Is this the confirmation call that you are headed to Aviation, and will be soon flying my direction, that I asked for?" he cooed happily.

He heard Pepper sigh. He detected a twinge of disappointment in her voice, which suddenly clenched his heart with an icy grip. His face fell.

"Tony," he heard her say. "We might have a problem..."

Uh-oh! Is there an unforeseen glitch in the plan that Tony has so carefully laid into place?! Let's hope not! Let's hope that whatever it is, can be ironed out, right? The suspense is killing me! ;)

Thanks for much for reading along in my little saga! Love how active you reviewers are! It makes my day!