Monday morning, while Della was sorting the mail, Perry received Gertie's report from the dress shop. He took a few minutes afterward to place two important calls. One was to the shop to arrange the payment, and to verify the fur-lined cape was included, and the other was to Mae to bring her up to speed. While he was speaking with her he learned that she had reached out to the Chicago side of the family and they would be in attendance. She had reserved the suites at the hotel under her name. Once he had finished the call, he smiled and braced himself for Monday Mail.

Nearly a week passed before Della suspected anything. Although Gertie had been her usual, bubbly self, she had been a little distant. That, Della assumed, had to be because she was preoccupied with getting things in order for her vow renewal. Still, it struck her as a little odd that any time she mentioned the upcoming ceremony, her friend managed to change the subject.

Gertie wasn't the only clue. Although only two years apart, there were times when she feared her children were from different solar systems. Hannah, sweet as she was when she was alone with her parents, was anything but with her younger brother. Her bossy tendencies popped up, and usually brought out Andrew's rebellious side. And he was nearly as bad. At age six, he was convinced that Hannah had something called Cooties, and was to be avoided like head lice. And yet . . . something was up with Hannah and Andrew.

They were being a little too nice to each other. From personal childhood experience she knew that siblings being nice to each other meant one of two things. Either Perry had threatened them with coal, or they were plotting something.

"Perry, is something up with Hannah and Andrew?" she asked as they left the courthouse.

He glanced at her and frowned. "Up with the kids? What have you noticed?"

"Either you threatened them with the naughty list, or they are about to unleash a nefarious scheme against us."

He roared with laughter. Taking her elbow, he steered her down the steps of the Hall of Justice. "And on what evidence are you basing these absurd assumptions?"

Narrowing her eyes at him, she sniffed. "They are being far too nice to each other. Sweetheart, listen to me. I know you were an only child, so you have limited experience with this, but . . . when siblings play nice, the parents pay."

His eyes gleamed and his dimples flashed. "What if they are planning something? Do you really want to spoil their surprise for us? Obviously this is tied to the trip. My only concern would be if they rope Paulie into it."

He hadn't told the kids about the vow renewal ceremony, but he knew that Hannah was old enough to put two and two together when she noticed her Aunt Gertie talking with the bridal store owner about the dress Della had tried.

"You are positively no help, Counselor."

"How about this: I'll see what's up when I pick them up from school."