Confusion

By all means marry. If you marry a good wife you will be a happy man. If you marry a bad wife you will be a philosopher. ~ Plato

"Do I make you happy?" she asks with a teasing lilt.

Shikaku hesitates, recognizing this for the verbal bell-test that it is.

If he answers 'Yes' too quickly he will sound insincere.

'No' is absurd if he wants to continue to breathe.

He wonders if he should tell her the truth, that he is happily philosophical, or philosophically happy; that he can't imagine life without her although there are days when he never wants to see her again…

"Well," she says, arms crossed over her chest, tapping her toe gently, "you sure are taking a long time to answer."

Dammit!