194 You’re My Number One
When the day is done, when the race is won,
My life has only just begun.
When you’re next to me, so much more I can see.
There’s nowhere that I’d rather be!
When I’m away from you, and there’s nothin I can do…
Do you think the same things to?
When the time has come, I don’t want you to run…
You know that you’re the only one!
All I need is you! For always and forever!
All you need is me! Remember when I say!
All we need is love, for us to be together!
‘Cause you’re my number one!
All I need is you! For always and forever!
All you need is me! Remember when I say!
All we need is love, for us to be together!
‘Cause you’re my number one!
At the end of each day, or whenever you’re away,
There’s always things I wanna say.
But wherever you go, you will always know,
That I have so much more to show.
It was such a surprise, when I looked into your eyes,
It’s only then I realised.
You’re the one for me, no-one else I wanna see!
There’s no place I would rather be!
All I need is you! For always and forever!
All you need is me! Remember when I say!
All we need is love, for us to be together!
‘Cause you’re my number one!
Pearl Fey
Hyde Park
July 21, 2026
Finding the Professor’s distinctive car, the Laytonmobile, was a piece of cake, as was locating the next clue, which was, just as Pearl had surmised, in the glove box. This scroll was attached to a small box with the Union Jack and House of Dorchester emblemed on it. Inside was the proverbial ‘heart’ the clue had referenced. The girl blissfully relished the scrumptious, heart-shaped, nougat-filled chocolate while she stood beside the car, reading the next hint.
Remember our song and first dance
If you search, you might find by chance
A sweet serenade
And music to be played
To prepare for enchanted romance
“Be ye Pearl Fey?”
For the second time, the acolyte looked up to see yet another person who knew her identity, while she had no clue who they were!
Standing behind her was a tall, slender chap with lavender hair that fell just past his earlobes. He was dressed in the colorful costume of a medieval minstrel, including the feathered cap and lute, along with a blue and yellow parrot perched on his shoulder!
“Yes, hello?” She greeted the man with a puzzled smile. “And who might you be?”
“I’m Birdly, one-time famed minstrel of Labyrinthia.” The musician flashed a disarming smile, “I was told to serenade you with the first song you lovebirds ever swayed to, so I’m hoping you recognize this piece…”
With that, he began strumming his instrument and singing the enchanting melody from Iris and Larry’s wedding reception that the couple had danced to.
The unforgettable tune was “Love Is” by Vanessa Williams and Brian McKnight.
The bashful teen found herself singing along to the tune, very softly, so that nobody else could hear her.
In this world we’ve created
In this place that we live
In a blink of an eye, baby, the darkness slips in
Love lights the world
Unites the lovers for eternity
Love breaks the chain
Love aches for every one of us
Love takes the tears and the pain
And turns it into the beauty that remains…
Pearl was so lost in the sweet memories the music elicited that she didn’t even notice the vehicle pulling up beside her, or the diminutive, portly gent sporting police livery and muttonchops. He greeted her with a toothy salute.
“Hullo! Miss Pearl Fey, I presume?”
“Yes. Hi there…” She noted his blue uniform and bobby hat. “Inspector?”
“Constable Barton, at your service, lass.” He saluted again and flung open the passenger door with a flourish. “Your chariot awaits.”
As Birdly finished the divertimento, both Pearl and Barton applauded enthusiastically.
“That was wonderful!” She beamed happily. “Thank you so much!”
“My pleasure,” the minstrel smiled back and bowed grandly. “Cheers!”
As Pearl climbed into the Constable’s car, he got into the driver’s side and then passed her a small portable CD player.
“I was told to give you this final treasure,” he told her with a mysterious grin on his mustached lips. “There will be more music at your next destination, so this will be needed … but I cannot go anywhere until you solve the last puzzle.”
I have no fingers, just hands, and arms
To those in slumber, I cause alarm
You keep me right next to your bed
I bear a face but no hair or head
This face I bear neither smiles nor frowns
I have no mouth but I make a familiar sound
The teen was bouncing in her seat so vigorously that her loops hit the interior roof of the automobile.
“It’s a clock!” She crowed excitedly. “The final place we must go – which has only a face and arms and hands, but no head or fingers – it has to be a clock. Moreover, it can only be one clock!”
She giddily pointed forward.
“Take me to Big Ben, Constable Barton!”
Pearl Fey and Luke Triton
Big Ben, London
July 21, 2026
As Barton dropped off Pearl at Big Ben (which she was told was now named The Elizabeth Tower), which was attached to the Houses of Parliament, she was surprised to see Flora greet her as she exited the vehicle.
“Welcome!” The English lass enveloped her in a warm hug, as if they hadn’t seen each other in ages rather than just a couple of hours ago. “I’m here to take you to meet your Prince Charming, Princess Pearl. Although special arrangements have been made for you to access the clock tower, I still need to escort you inside. Normally, entry is a privilege reserved for UK residents. Luke isn’t one to pull strings, typically avoiding his father’s position as Mayor of Misthallery or his prestigious lineage as world-famous, knighted Crown Archaeologist and University Professor Hershel Layton’s former apprentice. But when it comes to you, he’s not hesitant to utilize nepotism!”
As they skipped along towards the clock tower, Flora cast a relieved glance down at the American’s trainers and sighed with relief.
“Thank heavens you’re wearing practical shoes that are made for walking! There’s no lift to go up there, and it’s 340 steps to get to the top! I tried to warn Anneliese about that – yes, she’s already up there, too, but don’t fret, we shan’t be staying long! I told her we should go shopping for a more comfortable pair before making the climb up! But of course, she’s a bleeding stubborn chit, and insisted she would be fine in her strappy sandals! Big surprise! I’ve been listening to her grouse about her aching feet all morning!”
Her mind slightly whirling from all this information, Pearl clutched the small boombox she had been handed and bounced up the stairs after her friend, eager to see what was in store once they reached their intended destination.
She was not disappointed.
The room metamorphosed beneath the soft glow of strategically placed candles. Their effulgent light cascaded across the floors, filling every corner of the dim space, adorning the table, and gracing the two meal carts. It was a breathtaking spectacle, transcending mere beauty. Each flickering flame, a brilliant arc of gold against the prevailing darkness, held an enchanting allure. In Pearl’s mind, these flames weren’t just fires; they became ethereal archways to somewhere Orphically beautiful. The notion of shrinking down and stepping into the light consumed her imagination — a golden warmth, radiant yet lacking searing heat. Rooted in place, she became a silent observer, absorbed in the enchanting ambiance, as motionless as if captured in a photograph.
“Pearl, love! You made it at last!”
Luke swooped over to her, bowing grandly and kissing her hand before leading her to the middle of the room, where he had set up a gorgeously decorated dinner table, with two small trolleys of scrumptious-looking food beside it.
“Ma chère Mademoiselle, Pearl,” Anneliese affected a corny French accent as she curtsied and gestured to the round, candlelit table. It was covered with a gleaming white table cloth, china, and silverware, and flanked by two cushy, Queen Anne dining chairs. “Flora and I now proudly present … your romantique déjeuner, courtesy of zee even more très romantique Monsieur Triton!”
“Ignore le terrible et fromage accent de mon amie,” Flora cut in with a giggle while Luke tutted with slight exasperation as he held his girlfriend’s chair out for her. “My dear mate has recruited us to search for and bring you the most scrummy fare that this side of the pond has to offer. Consider this feast to be the Best of Britain!”
The acolyte’s eyes widened first in surprise, then pleasure as she looked at the hand-written, calligraphy menus Luke had penned out on the same scrolls that she’d had as treasure hunt clues.
Appetizers
– Stuffed dates with almonds, rolled in powdered sugar
– A selection of fruits (strawberries, cherries, pineapple, and grapes)
– melon, prosciutto, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, artichokes skewers
– Devonshire cream served with savory (cheddar and chive) and sweet (cranberry) scones
– Best of Britain’s cheese: Double Gloucester, Cornish Yarg, and Cheshire with an assortment of crackers
Mini sandwiches:
-Smoked Chicken and Apple Salad on a Mini Brioche Bun
-Norwegian Salmon Gravlax on Pumpernickel Bread with Lemon and Dill
– Fresh Cucumber and Spinach Spread on Mini Bagels
-Thin Grilled Courgette (Zucchini) with Roasted Red Pepper Garnish and Olive Tapenade on Baguette Bread
– Poached Asparagus, Fresh Radish, Roasted Yellow Pepper Spread on Spelt and Wild Rice Bread
Dessert:
-Blackout Chocolate Cupcake with Belgian Chocolate
-Petite Lemon Meringue Tartlet
-Belgian Dark Chocolate Dipped Strawberry drizzled with Strawberry Chocolate
-Gold Leaf garnished French Macarons
-Coconut Panna Cotta with Seasonal Fruit Coulis
Beverages
-Sparkling grape juice
-Assorted teas (including Oasis Berry of course!)
-Sparkling water
“This is all so incredible!” Pearl exclaimed, clapping her hands rhapsodically. “But there’s enough food here for all of England, as well! Luke and I couldn’t possibly eat by ourselves … Will you girls be joining us?”
“Good heavens, no!” Her beau blurted out, before coughing slightly as he realized just how ungentlemanly his response was – and even if he hadn’t, the sardonically arched eyebrows of his mates would’ve been indication enough! “Erm, what I meant to say is, alas, the lasses can’t stay. They have their own plans right after this, you see.”
“He means we’re merely the help,” Flora inserted merrily, without a trace of rancor as she took her place beside the German girl in the corner of the room, where a small keyboard on a stand had been set up. “As if this twit could arrange all of this without some outside assistance, which, seeing as how Luke is the brother I never had, I was only too happy to help with! But we’re going to bog off as soon as this performance is over … Anneliese and I are strictly here for entertainment purposes.”
“Entertainment?” The spirit medium echoed blankly. “Performance?”
“Bien sûr, ma chère!” Anneliese tapped one elegantly manicured hand against one of the black and white keys, as though testing it, then beamed and nodded at Luke. “Sorry, I can’t seem the turn off the snooty waiter language of Froggy-a-go-go land now! Ahem! Schöne Dame, Pearl, what is a romantic, candlelit meal, without die Musik?”
“Sit back and enjoy this amateur production, love.” Luke strode over to the girls and retrieved a shiny violin from the floor. “I recall our first dance was to ‘Love Is’ at your sister’s wedding last month. But we never got to finish that premiere dance due to misunderstandings between us then. Since then, I’ve searched for a song that truly expresses our relationship and what you mean to me. I want to create new memories together. If you like this song, I hope you’ll see it as … ours.”
“Awwwww!” Anneliese and Flora swooned simultaneously, not without a hint of repartee. “How sweet!”
Luke scowled at them.
“Oh, clear off!” He grumbled. “As much as I appreciate you lasses lending a hand, I could jolly well do without the cooing from the peanut gallery!”
He held up his bow.
“Ready, Flora? Anneliese?”
The girls nodded, and then Luke and the blonde began playing the opening bars of a song Pearl knew very well.
[Luke:]
I wanna know
Whoever told you I was letting go
The only joy that I have ever known
Girl, they were lying
Just look around
And all of the people that we used to know
Have just given up, they wanna let it go
But we’re still trying
So you should know this love we share was never made to die
I’m glad we’re on this one-way street just you and I
Just you and I
Pearl had known Luke played the violin since childhood, but she’d never had a private recital before. Flora had mentioned vocal training and music lessons during all her boarding school years and Anneliese had joked that like her Mama, Tante Franziska, and Onkel Miles, in grand Von Karma tradition, she’d been forced to take piano lessons since she was in primary school. It all certainly explained the brilliant bravura performance she was being privy to.
[Anneliese/Flora/Luke:]
I’m never gonna say goodbye
Cos I never wanna see you cry
I swore to you my love would remain
And I swear it all over again and I
I’m never gonna treat you bad
Cos I never wanna see you sad
I swore to share your joy and your pain
And I swear it all over again
[Luke:]
All over again
Some people say
That everything has got its place in time
Even the day must give way to the night
But I’m not buying
Cos in your eyes
I see a love that burns eternally
And if you see how beautiful you are to me
You’ll know I’m not lying
Sure there’ll be times we wanna say goodbye
But even if we try
There are some things in this life won’t be denied
Won’t be denied…
However, as stirring as the performance was, by all parties present, Pearl only had eyes for Luke. The others seemed to fade away in the background as she stared lovingly at this multi-talented young man. How lucky she was that he was all hers.
[Anneliese/Flora/Luke:]
I’m never gonna say goodbye
Cos I never wanna see you cry
I swore to you my love would remain
And I swear it all over again and I
I’m never gonna treat you bad
Cos I never wanna see you sad
I swore to share your joy and your pain
And I swear it all over again
Be still my heart, by my Lukes possesses the more enchanting sorrel orbs – profound, expressive, whimsical, and fervent, each conveying myriad captivating emotions with a single glance. A luminosity emanates from them, shifting subtly with his moods. His contagious beam radiates a brilliance capable of outshining the sun, casting infectious joy upon anyone fortunate enough to share the moment. He carries his heart openly, evident in the sincerity that emanates from his eyes and the warmth of his ever-present smile. His eyes, unerring truth-tellers, become windows to his thoughts, encapsulating their sincerity and purity in a way that belies words.
[Flora:]
The more I know of you the more I know I love you
And the more that I’m sure I want you forever and evermore
And the more that you love me, the more that I know
Oh that I’m never gonna let you go
Gotta let you know that I …
Oh, God’s shorty nightie … he is so handsome.
Pearl found herself entranced by his allure, fixating on him with eyes aglow like a starlit sky. She rested her elbows on the table, her chin cradled in her palms, basking in the admiration of his presence.
His pleasing appearance is more outer surface to me; it emanates from the tender sincerity in his gaze, the ever-gentle touch of his hand on mine, and the melodic cadence of his voice that remains endlessly enchanting. In him, I discover a trustworthy guardian for my heart, someone who will safeguard it with the same care I offer mine to him. It’s a mutual understanding that extends beyond spoken words. It’s a connection that feels fated; as if our hearts were destined to intertwine in perfect harmony — a testament to the way things were meant to be. The way we were meant to be.
[Anneliese/Flora/Luke:]
I’m never gonna say goodbye
[Flora:]
(I’m never gonna say goodbye)
[Anneliese/Flora/Luke:]
Cos I never wanna see you cry
[Flora:]
(never wanna see you cry)
[Anneliese/Flora/Luke:]
I swore to you my love would remain
And I swear it all over again and I
[Flora:]
(swear it all over again and I)
[Anneliese/Flora/Luke:]
I’m never gonna treat you bad
[Flora:]
(never gonna treat you bad)
[Anneliese/Flora/Luke:]
Cos I never wanna see you sad
[Flora:]
(never wanna see you sad)
[Anneliese/Flora/Luke:]
I swore to share your joy and your pain
[Flora:]
(oh no, oh no)
[Anneliese/Flora/Luke:]
And I swear it all over again
[Luke:]
All over again
All over again
And I swear it all over again
The British lad’s gaze remained fixated on his girlfriend’s eyes, unwavering even as the song concluded. Wide with a mix of awe and appreciation, she applauded fervently in the dimness, the darkness obscuring any deeper emotions reflected in those doe-like orbs.
She was a poem, but he found himself unable to decipher its verses.
In her eyes, I discerned all the unwritten poetry I lacked the courage to pen.
Bathed in the gentle glow of candlelight, Pearl’s delicate bone structure assumed a luminous hue, her ivory skin reminiscent of a mellow peach. In the subdued light, her eyes transformed from soft gray to an almost black, each pupil elusive. A recondite shift, as though she had stepped out of another era, contrasting sharply with the bustling city of London where they had spent the past few days.
Seated at the table, illuminated solely by the flickering flame, she transcends time, embodying the essence of history. Yet, she isn’t just anyone from the annals of the past; she is Pearl, my beloved Princess Pearl.
Luke scarcely noticed when his background musicians murmured exodus lines.
“Auf Wiedersehen! I’m away laughing on a fast camel to buy new shoes that will not make me want to kill myself every time I take a walking step!”
“Cheerio! I need to leg it as well – gotta check on the parents now!”
With that, the teen girls hastily made their exit from the tower, leaving the couple alone at last.
Flora Layton and Anneliese Rudolf
Outside Big Ben, London
July 21, 2026
“Top job, mate!” Flora gave a high-five to her friend when they’d finally reached the bottom of the seemingly infinite clock stairs. “Even though I had to listen to you whinge about your tender tootsies the entire way down, I shan’t refrain from praising your keyboarding talents up there. That was the bee’s knees!”
“Not as ace as you were carrying that tune, little songbird,” the blonde returned graciously. “That Luke is so romantic, pulling out the stops for Pearl in such a grand fashion. I hope she appreciates what a lucky girl she is!”
“I’m sure she does – I’ve never seen a more twitterpated couple in my life; at least, nobody around our age, anyway. Cor blimey! Those two give me cavities, they’re so sickeningly sweet!” The brunette reflected with a fond smile. “I wish I could have been there to see the look on Pearl’s face when Luke tells her the big news…but there was no chance of that – he was all too thrilled to be shot of us even before we left so he could have her all to himself!”
“Seeing a love like theirs makes me hopeful that there are still a few good ones out there, for whenever I am ready to put my future clothing designer plans on hold and seek out my own romance – or have already achieved my end goal!” Anneliese heaved a wistful sigh. “Have you ever experienced a sweep you off your feet sort of love that was even remotely close to theirs, Flora?”
“Well, there was this one particular case. It was back when I was in form four,” the English lass hedged, smiling coyly at her friend’s expectant face. “Looking back now, I reckon I must have loved him a lot at some point. His name was Chip. Picture it: a party, a buffet, and there he was at the end, the last man standing. Lonely, available, and untouched, like the last slice of pizza. He had a certain something … a sweetness, a sensuality.”
Her amber eyes glazed over with nostalgia.
“He was one hot cookie. I felt as if I’d always known him … hungered for him. Those warm brown eyes of his? Melted me faster than an ice cream in July. Next thing I know, my hands were on him, my mouth was on him … in broad, public daylight! It may have been indecorous but I just didn’t give a toss!”
Anneliese’s jaw dropped open.
“After that night, we became the dynamic duo. He couldn’t care less about my moods, my appearance, or my potential weight gain. We held the secret recipe for happiness. And let’s be real, finding someone who is all hunky-dory with your pizza-loving, mood-swinging self is like striking gold! No one else came close to satisfying me like Chip did.”
The corner of Flora’s mouth twitched slightly, but the German girl was too poleaxed by this scandalous tale to notice.
“Go on!” The blonde urged. “What happened then?”
“Life took a detour,” Flora exclaimed, shaking her head dramatically. “And let me tell you, it was like ordering a bad dish at a fancy restaurant – heartburn galore! My pals warned me that he was trouble. Soon enough, I felt crummy all the time. Like all epic tales, ours had to wrap up. We parted ways; I rarely spare him a thought now. Well, except for those moments when a TV ad, a magazine spread, or a coupon for savings hits me in the feels. And if we bump into each other at the supermarket, it’s all nods and friendly smiles. But hey, the fat lady? She sang her heart out! It’s officially, truly… kaput!”
There was a flabbergasted silence as the German girl’s mind struggled to process this ludicrous tale. Then she burst into gales of mirth and began swatting the already tittering Flora repeatedly with her handbag.
“Gotcha, Anna!” Flora crowed, trying unsuccessfully to dodge the repeated but harmless swatting of the laughing keyboarder’s silk purse.
“Du lächerliches Mädchen!” The blonde howled, wiping the stray tears of laughter from her eyes. “I can’t believe I actually fell for that! As you Brits say… that story takes the biscuit!”
“What can I say?” The English lass snickered, pulling a Chips Ahoy! cookie from her rucksack and handing it to her friend. “I suppose I’ve got a lingering craving to nibble on my delicious ex now and then! He may have been just a chocolate chip biscuit, but darn it, he was my chocolate chip biscuit!”
Pearl Fey and Luke Triton
Big Ben, London
July 21, 2026
As his gaze lingered on his swain, Layton’s former apprentice knew, in his heart of hearts, that admiring the fetching, delicate features on that porcelain doll-like countenance was something he’d never, ever tire of.
Your loveliness is extraordinary – your every step, word, and breath resonates with an otherworldly, ethereal quality. Even if I were encountering you for the first time at this very moment, I would still find myself utterly besotted with you. The mere sight of you would induce an enigmatic upheaval within me, a visceral ache that resonates deeply within my chest.
Like a magician pulling a rabbit from a hat, Luke produced a large, long box from behind his back, as if from thin air, and placed it into the astonished girl’s arms, squatting down so they were at eye level.
“Did you like the song?” He asked shyly, his red cheeks evident even in the dim lighting.
“I loved it! I’m more than happy to consider that our song from now on!” She nodded with zeal, her eyes bright. Then she noticed the box for the first time. “But what’s this – a present? You didn’t have to get me anything, Luke! The marvelous surprise of this magical tower and the performance and this meal was more than enough!”
She was so gracious, so humble. Luke often wondered if it was illegal how much he loved this girl.
“Keeping up with the ‘Best of Britain’ theme, I was compelled to get you something for which the UK is acclaimed worldwide. I was thinking about your first time here last spring, and all the places we toured…”
Pearl’s delight was articulated through a gentle cry as she unveiled the contents of the box, revealing an expansive bouquet. The arrangement exuded a heavenly fragrance, meticulously composed with a selection of exquisite English roses, wildflowers, foliage, and herbs. The florals, adorned in varying shades of pink and purple – her favored colors – comprised a breathtaking assortment featuring the divinely scented Margaret Merrill, Beautiful Romantic Antike, Pink Princess, Chandos Beauty, and Evelyn Rose.
“Recollections flood my mind, especially of our time in the Princess Street Gardens in Scotland, where you radiated a sense of belonging. The weather was flawlessly sunny, the setting picturesque, yet even amidst that beauty, I couldn’t help but believe that all those flowers paled in comparison to you, Pearl. Nevertheless, I was determined to rekindle some of the enchantment we once shared as a new couple. Hence, I presented you with English roses, a tribute to my American rose.”
Luke took the flowers out of her hands, placed them aside, and pulled her to her feet so she was standing in front of him, staring up into his suddenly intense expression.
“Since that day in Edinburgh, flowers have become indelibly intertwined with thoughts of you.” His cadence was husky with emotion. “Imagine, if I had a bloom for every moment you crossed my mind, you could stroll through the endless expanse of my garden for all eternity.”
She raised her palm and placed it on his cheek.
“I feel the same the same way about you,” she murmured in reply. “In truth, don’t be taken aback if, one day, the moon utters your name, for I’ve confided in her about you every night since our paths first crossed.”
“And what do you tell her?” He asked thickly, clutching the hand that was resting against his face.
Without any guile, Pearl’s answer was simple, direct, and straight from the heart.
“I express to her that the rhythm of your heartbeat has become my favorite lullaby. But even though we now have a song that is uniquely ours, I’ve always felt that whenever your voice graces my ears, I instinctively feel, ‘That’s my song.’ I tell her that I think you’re more than just my fairytale prince; in my eyes, you embody an authentic fairytale. To me, you are mystical, gallant, and perfect. And I hope you’ll let me be the ‘ever after’ in your story.”
He felt his throat beginning to clog with unshed tears of emotion as she continued.
“Once upon a time, we were total strangers in the woods, unexpectedly brought together by the runaway pup of a former knight. Now, you’re a steadfast presence within my heart and soul, and you have boundless influence over both of them. But instead of being scared, I feel an unparalleled sense of security that I’ve never felt before in my whole life. Because no matter where I am, you make me feel like I’m home.”
The boy’s throat hurt to swallow now.
Words could never express how much I adore you, Princess Pearl. Your beatific smile, aura of serenity, and that big, beautiful heart – so full of endless viridity and compassion. It all only further elevates the veneration I hold for you. You never cease to bring a smile to my face and feelings of immeasurable joy to my heart; a testament to the constancy of your sanguine influence. It is the innate tenderness of your numinous soul, a quality you were born with, that ceaselessly emanates and graces the world around you. For all these reasons and more, you are everything I could ever want for the rest of my life.
“Pearl … please.” Luke was about to start blubbering any minute now, and he still hadn’t divulged what he so desperately needed to convey to her! “Love … I need to say something. But first, investigate that flower box, please. There’s something else that was in there that you need to see.”
He reached down for the discarded boombox she’d been carrying and pressed play. Immediately the song by Westlife that he had just performed with his friends filled the room with its sweet sound.
With a puzzled frown, as she was concerned that she’d somehow upset him with her declarative ardor, Pearl reached into the box and located a card that’d come with the bouquet, which she’d somehow missed.
It was a handwritten poem.
And now you are a part of me.
Although you must have always been.
For what can be other than everything
Just as it’s meant?
You came into my world and blew me open
Just as you were destined to.
For eons and more, there will be scattered pieces of me (thanks to you)
hanging down from the sky,
watching over the children who came from the children of more of our children,
And though they won’t know it, they will feel it
in the love that creeps through the night and into sleeping hearts.
Your presence has changed the future of humanity.
Now you are a part of me.
Pearl’s lips parted into a startled O of amazement. The sonnet was lyrical, ardent, and impassioned all at the same time, neatly summarizing everything she’d ever wanted while establishing Luke wanted those very same things – a future, marriage, and children.
Their very own happily ever after.
So why did her boyfriend still seem so apprehensive? As though he was waiting for the other shoe to drop?
“Luke, what’s troubling you?” She inquired with gentle concern. “I truly love the verse. It holds great significance, especially after our big disagreement last month. Since you mentioned our future children, I’ll share this: I knew you were the one for me from the start. Growing up, I dreamt of marrying someone who’d make me feel like a living poem. Pursuing ‘happily ever after’ or simply ‘together ever after’ isn’t trite; it’s the noblest and most courageous goal two people can aim for.”
With a shaky hand, he pointed to another document, which she’d somehow missed, beside her dining plate. Somehow, it’d rolled under her menu.
“Open it, please.” His tone was slightly shaky now. “It’s the very last piece of the puzzle.”
Biting her lip, Pearl carefully unrolled the paper, except this time, there was nothing handwritten on the parchment.
Instead what fell out was a welcome letter from UCLA, informing Mr. Lucas Triton that he’d been accepted into the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California as of this coming autumn.
And tucked behind the college acceptance page was a copy of Luke’s approved student visa for the United States of America. With the approval date stamped on it from just days ago.
“It has arrived, but it took yonks!” He nervously confided to the speechless American, unsure of how she would react to such a momentous, life-changing decision that affected them both. “Securing approval proved to be an enduring process, even with the Professor leveraging connections at the consulate to expedite the paperwork. The intricacies of finding a suitable replacement as a teaching assistant at Gressenheller and determining the transferability of my credits to UCLA added further complexity. I aspire to pursue zoology, specializing in husbandry to contribute to the preservation of endangered species. Flora is enthusiastic about taking over my role, finding it conducive to spending more time with her father. I refrained from sharing this information earlier, not wanting to raise your hopes until the visa was approved. Had I received it last month, the unfortunate incident at the wedding might have been averted. But then again, I’m jolly glad it did, since I thus got to meet your lovely cousin Mia and tell her all about my honorable intentions toward you and get her approval and blessing of our union…”
Luke knew he was babbling, but his girlfriend still hadn’t uttered a peep and he felt an inane need to fill in the sounds of silence.
As the jittery lad continued to study her enchanting visage with bated breath, there was a delicious moment where Pearl’s face transitioned into a state of delightful bewilderment, as if the gears of her mind were momentarily challenged to process the influx of information conveyed through her widened eyes. Every sinew in her body seemed to lock into place, suspended in a moment of stillness, only to be disrupted by the emergence of an expansive, ear-to-ear grin that gradually traversed her features, revealing each and every tooth in a brilliant display.
“Oh, my stars and garters! This is the bestest news in the whole wide world!” She squealed elatedly, throwing her arms around his neck and smothering his face with kisses. “I don’t know how you didn’t explode keeping this secret from me, Luke! I knew something was up at the restaurant; I saw the psyche locks spring up on both you and Flora when the subject came up of you being an assistant professor when she came to Gressenheller University this fall. Mystic Maya mentioned it to me too, but I told her that I trusted you. After all, you and I did promise not to use our magatamas on each other!”
Her eyes were glowing with adoration as she smiled up at him.
“You’ve made me the happiest girl in the world, Lucas Gabriel Triton! How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye hard, but how blessed I am that now, soon, I won’t have to say goodbye to you for long periods anymore! Not that I ever really thought of it as a true goodbye whenever we’ve parted in the past,” she added quickly. “For goodbyes are reserved for those who love with their eyes. Those who love with their heart and soul, like us, know that the concept of separation is nonexistent.”
Luke felt the wave of relief wash over him with the force of a tidal wave. After all these agonizing months of hoping, praying, and planning the perfect moment … it’d all been worth it in the end. As he stared deeply into those beloved, shining doe orbs, he felt as though his heart would surely burst, it was so filled with elation.
“Oh, my sweet Princess Pearl.” He tenderly cupped her radiant face in his hands. “I swear I didn’t fall in love with you because you are so lovely that makes it almost painful to gaze upon you. It’s not just because you weave love into the fabric of dreams. All of that, my dear, is merely an exquisite bonus.”
She treated him to another glowing beam.
“I wish I could describe how happy; how special you’ve made me feel, Luke. Your handsomeness, brilliance, and worldly charm make the world your oyster. You possess the capacity to attain anything or anyone, and yet, you chose me.”
She smiled up at him with her heart in her eyes. Till her dying day, she knew she would never cease thinking Luke Triton was the most beautiful creation she’d ever seen.
“But I don’t want anything else in the world. I never will.” He pulled her closer.
“Neither will I,” she whispered back, resting her head against his chest.
“Try to elaborate for me, love,” he coaxed. “Describe to me what your happiness feels like.”
Pearl paused for the longest time as she struggled to formulate her thoughts.
“Comparable to the embrace of a warm, comforting blanket,” she mused at last.
“Does that mean it’s challenging to feel glad when it’s chilly outside?” He appeared perplexed. “Withal, as spirit mediums, aren’t you accustomed to frigid conditions from all that cold waterfall training?”
“It’s about the simplicity and sweetness that envelops everything,” she clarified. “It’s like a breeze – easy, peasy, lemon squeezy!”
“Nevertheless isn’t true happiness earned through some sort of struggle or complexity?” He queried, his confusion deepening. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained?”
“Think of success,” she attempted to convey. “Of long-intended achievement come to life.”
“Can’t you find exultation even when things don’t go as planned?” His face now displayed concern. “Mr. Wright may not have an attorney’s badge at the moment, but he and Maya seem sublimely content just being together…”
Her lack of eloquence compared to his was starkly evident at that moment. Feeling overwhelmed, Pearl struggled to articulate herself.
“Like an ethereal joy,” she ventured. “As if the sky is teeming with rainbows, and it’s raining gumdrops and lollipops while fairies sprinkle pixie dust and unicorns frolic in flowery fields…But no, that’s not quite it.”
Frustration crept in, and he strained to comprehend as he prepared to ask once more.
“Then just what does happiness feel like for you?”
Pearl sighed, snuggling into him.
“It’s like being loved,” she finally whispered, and then silence enveloped them. “Like loving and being loved in return.”
She twined her arms around his neck, and the sensation was so strong, so overpowering, that she needed to close her eyes, even though she was already tilting her face upward in expectation.
“A thousand kisses buys my heart from me; and pay them at thy leisure, one by one.”
“I desperately need to kiss you now, Pearl Fey.” His lips were already descending towards hers. “And I want to keep kissing you until our lips can’t tell each other apart.”
In the next instant, their lips met in an embrace that eclipsed all rational thought. He enveloped her with intensity, kissing as if the world were hurtling towards its end, and he sought to etch the taste of her mouth onto the canvas of his soul’s memory. The instant her lips melded with his, his hand found its place at the nape of her neck, drawing her close against his chest with a sense of possession, as though he had yearned for this encounter throughout eternity, resolved to never release her. Yet, she harbored no desire to escape; instead, she quivered with an overwhelming longing to touch him everywhere simultaneously, yearning for his touch to trace her every contour. At that moment, he was willing to relinquish everything to follow her.
The kiss became a sacred communion, an act of mutual indulgence that swept the world out from beneath them. It was a kiss that obliterated her senses, akin to finding home, experiencing a rebirth, or discovering an entire half of herself that had long been missing.
Home isn’t just where you’re from; it’s where you truly belong. Some explore the world to find it, while others discover it in a person. Luke Triton, you are my home.
Sometime later…
Flora Layton and Anneliese Rudolf
Hyde Park
July 21, 2026
“Do you think they’ll be able to see us?” Flora whispered as she peeked through the bushes to cast a furtive peek at her father and Katharina several hundred meters away by the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain. “The jig is all up if they catch us spying on them!”
“With all these scads of people milling about? And from this far distance? Don’t be daft!” Anneliese scoffed, craning her neck to take a gander at the still-bonded pair. “I am less concerned about us getting caught and more so about the fact that those two have not even had der Knutschen yet! We left them tied up ages ago so the Professor could not run away from Mama this time … so why has nothing still happened between them? Your Papa does fancy women, ja?”
“Daddy is not a bender!” Flora confirmed crossly, then frowned. “Moreover, he’s a world-class gentleman! Surely you aren’t expecting them to bonk in a public park?!”
“Bonk?!” Anneliese stared at her in disbelief. “What in the name of Hitler’s panties and matching bra set are you talking about?”
Flora’s cheeks turned pink.
“Well, you said a word that had a nut in it so I took that to mean…”
“Gott hilf mir, it’s like talking to a lemming in a skirt!” Anneliese rolled her hazel eyes heavenward. “Flora, I am not expecting our parents to be doing anything X-rated – in public or private! When my Mama, the nun, last had Geschlechtsverkehr, Queen Elizabeth was still on the throne! On top of that, from what you tell me, the Professor has been living like a monk for just as long, if not longer! Nein, I merely meant I was shocked to see that our parents still had not even smooched. It is glaringly obvious he is as hot for her as she is for him… so why are they resisting the inevitable?!”
“Perhaps some people don’t move that fast?” Flora suggested. “I mean, it’s only been a few hours … not everyone is ready to pucker up and snog at the drop of a hat! I don’t know how life in the fast lane works in Germany, but us comparatively refined English folks are not known for our loose lips!”
“Speaking with puritan authority, are we?” Anneliese drawled. “On that note, just how far have you gone,
junge Dame?”
“How far? You mean aside from the time I went on a road trip with my biological father to Italy?”
“Ha-ha, very funny! I meant how far have you gone with a male – ugh, hopefully, a non-relative! – on the Rummachen scale, Flora?”
“Erm, that means snogging, yeah?” The other lass blushed furiously. “Hold it! There’s a scale?”
“My friends and I came up with one a few years so – it’s a more expansive version of the first, second, and third bases that seem to be the more universal way of measuring how far you have gone with a boy,” the blonde explained, already pulling out her mobile. “I posted this on my blog page, just for a laugh, and it seems to have become the unofficial measuring chart with my group over the years!”
She turned the screen towards her friend and winked.
“Number five is admittedly bizarre. I don’t know how Geoff got in here, but that is boys for you! I blame the Deutsche patriarchy, personally!”
Flora looked at the phone screen in Anneliese’s hand and promptly cracked up.
Hahahahahaha! Once again those Lederhosen types come up trumps on the mirth o’meter!
The Official Full-Frontal Knutschen Scale
- Händchen halten (hold hands)
- Arm umlegen (Turn your arm over)
- 3. Abschiedskuss(Goodbye kiss)
- Kuss, der uber drei Minuten(Kiss that’s over three minutes)
- Kuss mit geöffneten Lippen (Kiss with open lips)
- Zungenkuss (French kiss but can include ear snogging and neck nuzzling)
- Oberkörper Knutschen– im Freien – (Upper body fondling – above clothing)
- Oberkörper Knutschen–drinnen – (Upper body fondling – under clothing)
- Rummachen unterhalb der Taille– Ja, oh ja baby! – (Below the waist activity)
- AUFS GANZE GEHEN! (Go all the way!)
Anneliese patiently waited until her mate had ceased her giggling fit and was finally able to breathe again before she resumed prodding into the virtuous girl’s non-baked goods-related love life.
“Well then? Spill the tea!”
“I’m not quite sure,” Flora admitted. “This scale seems a trifle confusing! You dish first!”
“Fine. My first kiss was awful! I was 12 and we were playing 7-Minutes In Heaven. That is the game where you go to a boys’ and girls’ co-ed party and get locked in a closet with a boy to do whatever you want with him in the allotted time. Well, my Junge, Friedrich, tried to be cute and do a little nibble on my lip – but he bit me! I remember bursting out of there holding my poor, injured mouth and shouting: Ich glaub michknutscht ein Hamster!”
Flora let out a loud guffaw.
“Let me guess… based on context alone, your injured adolescent self was protesting – I think I am smooching a hamster!”
Anneliese nodded and let out a loud snicker.
“Is it any wonder I have an aversion to rodents? I would not even tolerate one as a pet! OK –your turn now!”
“Nothing too exciting, I’m afraid. I’m the original Virgin Mary! I’ve never let a boy see me starkers, never mind had a leg over!”
“Was zum Teufel ist das?”
“A leg over … you know?! The Full Monty! Starkers… meaning I’ve not yet let any chap see me in my birthday suit! The furthest I’ve ever gone was two years ago, I let a bloke touch my strawberry creams!”
“Your what?!”
“My, um, basoomas.” Flora awkwardly gestured to her modest bosom area.
“Aha!” Anneliese nodded her understanding. “Your Möpse, as we call them. Was it over the clothes or under?”
“Over.”
“Virgin Mary mein Arsch! You have made it to level 7 on the snogging/Knutschen scale, you naughty minx!”
“In the grand scheme of things, I’m still pretty chaste though!” Flora insisted. “I’ve never even seen a bloke in his Y-fronts, never mind in the nuddy pants! The most I did was wildly snog Strawberry-Cream Boy all night back in boarding school. I truly fancied that fit, blond chap. He was a Norwegian exchange student named Bjørn…”
“Auf keinen Fall! Not another Nordic Junge! The last one I was with was a Swede named, Sven, he literally yodeled the moment he had … Blitzkrieg mit dem fleischgewehr!”
“Oo-er! If I’m a minx then you’re a sex kitten!” Flora was impressed. “PHWOAR! Swedish, eh? I always imagined those gigantic, sexy Nordic types were huge in the… John Thomas area!”
“They are indeed quite tall and big,” Anneliese conceded, then smirked. “But … as it turns out … Not everywhere!”
“Who’s a naughty sex kitten then?” Flora couldn’t resist taking the mickey out of her friend just a bit. “I believe that would be you!”
“Please! Sven and I didn’t AUFS GANZE GEHEN!” Anneliese loftily tossed back her golden curls. “But … I did see his Glied.”
“Oo-er!”
Well, my hand did, anyway! He begged for me to give it ein Zungenkuss but I am no Schlampe and said Auf keinen Fall!”
“Was it because you weren’t ready to go all the way? Or were you just not impressed enough with his two-bit tool to play How’s Your Father? Don’t tell me his tallywacker was tiny?”
“Oh, Gott im Himmel and Donner and Blitzen! Nein, Flora, while it was not a Bratwurst, it was still no Vienna sausage! It was somewhere in between. Perhaps not quite tiny but more like… underwhelmingly insipid. The sort of below-the-belt, totally average Würstchen, which would have been adequate the first time you ever lay with a boy, to sort of ease you into it. So, it should have proved to be sufficient, had I been ready to go that far at the time, which I was not. I guess you could have called it… a starter sausage.”
“Blimey O’Reilly! This takes the bloody bee’s pajamas!” Flora hooted. “An entry-level pecker then?”
“Ja, that’s it! A beginner’s bulge. Or, as you Brits like to say, a worthless willy.”
“A trifling, one-eyed trouser trout.”
“A rookie rod! I should have sent him down to the minors since he was not equipped for the Big Leagues!”
“Buggering Lucifer’s bum! Todgers should always come with a résumé and a Google review!”
“Achtung, baby! You must first show me that Schwanz fax!”
And then the two childhood chums collapsed into a fresh paroxysm of uninhibited girlish merriment, laughing like a couple of loons on loon tablets.
Translations:
German
Was zum Geier? Hör auf, Scheiße zu labern, du Dummkopf! Was zum Henker ist falsch mit mir?! – (lit) What the vulture?!/What the hell?!/(fig) Stop babbling shit, you fool! (fig) What the heck (lit) What the hangman?! (is wrong with me?!)
Mein Gott im Himmel. Hershel Layton hat schöne Augen – My God in heaven, Hershel Layton’s eyes are beautiful.
Trottel – Fool
Du lächerliches Mädchen! – You ridiculous girl!
Gott hilf mir-God help me
Auf keinen Fall! –hell no!
Blitzkrieg mit dem fleischgewehr! – Blitzkrieg of the flesh pipe
TJ Davis – You’re My Number One
Westlife – Swear It Again
Vanessa Williama & Brian McKnight – Love Is
A/N: The Official Full-Frontal Knutschen Scale is adapted from the British comedy Georgia Nicolson novels written by the late great Louise Rennison
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