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The Best Advice.
She was the one, or rather The One. He’d known that for a long time, far longer than he cared to admit. He knew she knew it too, because he’d as good as said so, and he was in no doubt that she considered him the same. Scott Tracy was an old-fashioned guy, and he’d gradually realised that he wanted to make her status as The One official, to show the world that she was his and he was hers. Scott was going to ask Tin-Tin to marry him. The only problem was, he wasn’t quite sure how to go about it.
“Say, Father,” he said, entering Jeff’s study in search of advice and closing the door behind him, “how did you propose to Mom?”
Jeff eyed him in pleased surprise, leaning back in his chair and slipping off his reading glasses. “I don’t think any of you boys have ever asked me that.”
“Better late than never, right?” Scott said with a strangely-nervous laugh, taking one of the seats opposite Jeff’s desk.
“I remember it well. I wanted everything to be perfect,” Jeff began, and Scott was a little alarmed to see him staring into the middle distance with misty eyes. “I planned a romantic picnic, the old-fashioned kind with a wicker basket and plastic champagne flutes. During dessert, I was going to slip the ring onto her plate. I could picture it so clearly, all soft-focus like a bad movie, y’know?”
Scott sent him an indulgent smile. Strangely enough, he could picture it. Jeff Tracy could be quite the romantic when he forgot he was a busy entrepreneur and former astronaut. “So how’d it go?” he asked. “I mean, you got married, so it couldn’t have gone badly.”
“It started out great. I pulled up outside her house in my vintage car. Your mother wore a yellow dress. She was experimenting with growing out her hair. I remember it now, shining, blowing in the wind like a shampoo commercial.”
Scott grinned at the image. That explains John.
“We set up the picnic and it was all going great. Then it started raining. We got drenched trying to pack everything up in a hurry. I ended up popping the question in the car, one drowned rat to another.”
“That’s actually kinda sweet, Dad,” Scott commented with a smile. “I take it she said ‘yes’.”
Jeff nodded, smiling. “She did. Worked out pretty well in the end. You see, the vintage car had these huge bench seats, so we were able to…”
“Oh god, Dad, I don’t need to know,” Scott said hurriedly, reacting so violently he actually scooted his chair back a few inches.
“It’s an important piece of your history, Scott, you were conceived in that car. Well, I say ‘in’. It was more ‘on’.”
“Jesus Christ,” Scott grumbled, fidgeting in his seat and suddenly regretting the entire conversation.
“Why did you want to know anyway?” Jeff asked him, seeming suspiciously oblivious to his son’s discomfort.
Trying his best to recover with dignity, Scott straightened up. “Well, uh…I want to ask Tin-Tin to marry me. I was hoping to get some ideas about how to make it special.”
“Why not ask your grandmother?” Jeff suggested. “She’s an old romantic, she’d love the idea of Tin-Tin getting married.”
Yeah, except Grandma always wanted her to marry Alan! Scott commented silently.
“I was kinda hoping to keep it a secret,” he said aloud. “Doesn’t seem fair if everyone else knows before Tin-Tin does, but…I guess I can trust Grandma. Thanks, Father.”
He got to his feet, making it almost to the door when Jeff spoke up again.
“Hey, Scott? It’ll be good to make that girl an official Tracy.”
Scott grinned. “Agreed.”
He found Grandma gathering vegetables in the hydroponic garden, humming softly to herself as she worked.
“Hi, Grandma,” he greeted her, approaching to throw an arm around her bony shoulders, giving her a quick hug.
“Oh, Scott, can you carry this basket down to the kitchen for me? I overdid it with the potatoes again.”
“No such thing as too many potatoes,” Scott told her cheerfully, picking the basket up.
Grandma dusted down her skirt and beamed at him. “You boys always did like your food. Why, I remember when your father was your age, he could put away a large pizza on his own and still have room for a burger or two.”
“Is that all?” he teased.
Together, they walked to the stairs down to the main house.
“Whew,” Grandma exclaimed as they descended into the climate controlled rooms. “It sure does get hot up there under that artificial sunlight.”
Scott hid his smile, thinking that she might not get quite so hot if she didn’t spend all hours buttoned up to the neck. The Tracy matriarch had always been an old-fashioned soul.
“Grandma, do you remember when Grandpa Tracy proposed?” he asked as they walked. Tin-Tin and Kyrano were away visiting one of Kyrano’s old school friends, so he had no fear of their conversation being overheard by the wrong person.
“Of course,” she said with a little scoff. “I may be old, but I haven’t lost my marbles just yet, young man.”
“Glad to hear it. Want to tell me the story?”
She pointed to the sideboard as they entered the kitchen, and he obediently set down the basket.
“If you want to help me scrub all these potatoes, I’ll happily tell you,” she bargained with an innocent smile.
“It’s a deal.”
He got to work scrubbing while Grandma dried and peeled, listening as she pondered where to begin.
“Let’s see now,” she said, gazing unseeingly at the ceiling as she thought. “The first time he asked, I refused.”
“You did?” Scott said in surprise. “Huh. I never knew that.”
“My mother didn’t think it was seemly for me to be involved with a man in a motorcycle gang,” Grandma explained casually.
“In a what now?” Scott asked, shooting her a startled look. That was news to him.
Grandma nodded as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “I said no, although not because of her.”
“Then why?”
“Because I suspected he’d only asked to show off to all his gang friends. I told him if he really wanted to get married, he’d have to prove it to me.” She nodded sharply for emphasis, much, Scott imagined, as she had then.
“Uh…okay,” he said, reaching for the next potato.
Grandma had a twinkle in her eye now. She wasn’t even looking at her knife, peeling away with expert precision.
“So he kidnapped me,” she said dreamily.
Scott stared at her. “Um…”
“Oh, it wasn’t Stockholm Syndrome,” Grandma said, waving a hand in dismissal of whatever face he was pulling. “He just took me for a ride on the back of his Harley, drove us up a hill so we could look at the stars.”
Scott felt some of the alarmed tension drain out of his shoulders. “That actually sounds pretty romantic.”
“It was. Of course I had to say ‘yes’ that time,” she said with a smile.
“I guess being driven off to see the stars is a pretty convincing argument,” Scott agreed.
“Mm? Oh, yes, it was very nice. But I meant I had to say ‘yes’ because I was already pregnant with your father.”
“…Oh.”
She glanced at him, patting his shoulder. “Oh, we would’ve gotten there eventually,” she reassured. “Your grandpa was the one for me. And after Jeff was born, I managed to persuade him to quit the motorcycle gang. He settled down into the family business and learned to play the piano.”
Scott’s mind was whirling from the unexpected plot twists. Gentle entrepreneurial, piano-playing Grandpa was the image he’d always had since early childhood.
Grandma studied him. “Why’d you ask?”
He handed her the last potato and dried his hands. “Just getting some ideas before I ask Tin-Tin to marry me.”
Grandma’s face lit up. “Oh! A wedding is just what this place needs!”
“Slow down, Grandma, she hasn’t agreed yet!” But he was smiling, because he was almost certain that she would.
“I can help her with her dress, and we must get fresh flowers. Oh, you do have a ring, don’t you?”
“Yes, but…”
“Did you speak to Kyrano?”
“No, not yet.”
She levelled him with a stern look. “Well, you should. It’s tradition.”
“It’s a dumb tradition, Grandma. Tin-Tin doesn’t need anyone’s permission to make decisions about her own life. Let alone be given away like she’s some piece of property.” Seeing Grandma’s expression, he softened his tirade. “But I will talk to him and reassure him that we’ll always look out for each other.”
“Good. Now, what about…”
“Grandma, I haven’t actually asked yet,” Scott said, trying to calm her down before she got too into the idea and started subscribing to wedding magazines. “And I’m trying to keep it a secret. She and Kyrano will be back tomorrow.”
“All right, Scott. But you let me know the instant you need help, all right?”
“You got it, Grandma,” he said, leaning down to kiss her cheek. “Thanks for the story.”
“I hope it was helpful,” she called as he left the kitchen.
He didn’t answer, because he wasn’t sure it had been helpful. Taking Tin-Tin to see the stars wouldn’t be anything new. With the lack of light pollution, cosmic activity was often a source of entertainment on the island. He needed another idea.
Advice came a few hours later, from a source he hadn’t sought out. Virgil beckoned him over to the piano, where he was running through some scales.
“Y’know, if I was planning to ask…someone to marry me,” Virgil said with a significant stumble, “I’d write them a piece of music.”
Scott frowned at him. “How did you…?”
“Overheard you in the kitchen with Grandma. It’s okay, I haven’t told anyone.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust you,” Scott hurried to explain. Out of all his brothers, he’d trust Virgil with his secrets the most. “I just don’t think it’s fair to Tin-Tin if everyone else knows before she even gets back.”
“I get it,” Virgil said with a gentle smile.
He was always so laid back. Scott wondered if he’d be like that if he quit his monumental coffee habits. Somehow he doubted even that would do the trick.
“Still, thought I’d give you my two cents.”
Scott leaned his elbows on the top of the piano. “Writing music for someone might be the most romantic thing ever,” he admitted. “But I couldn’t even compose a jingle for a commercial.”
“I’d offer to do it for you,” Virgil said with amusement, “but then it wouldn’t be your proposal, it would be mine. And that would be weird.”
“Yeah. Thanks, though.”
Behind him, the eyes on John’s portrait began to light up. Virgil stopped playing, and they both turned.
“Go ahead, John,” Scott called.
Their brother’s perfectly-coiffed image appeared on the screen. Scott instantly relaxed. He could tell in a glance that John wasn’t calling with an emergency.
“Hear you’re looking for proposal advice,” John announced.
Scott furrowed his brow. “Uh…not really. How…?”
“Grandma may have called me about manning the station remotely for a family event,” John said, rubbing the back of his neck.
Scott sighed heavily. “Of course she did. Well since you’re calling, hit me with it.”
“Whisk her away to Paris,” John said with a grin.
“Bit corny, isn’t it?” Virgil put in, saving Scott the task.
“Yes, but these things become cliché for a reason,” John argued. “It’s a classic move. Women love that.”
“I suppose you want him to put a single rose between his teeth while he’s there too?” Virgil said.
Scott stifled a laugh.
“No, that sounds impractical,” John said dismissively.
“I sure would hate to be impractical,” Scott muttered.
“I’ve got Grandma on the other line again,” John reported. “Gotta go. Good luck, Scott!”
“Don’t let her tell anyone else!” Scott managed to get in before his brother disappeared. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, turning back to Virgil. “This is getting out of hand.”
Virgil laughed softly and started playing an old jazz number. “You can handle it,” he said with confidence.
“Thanks,” Scott said sceptically.
Hoping for some solitude, he headed out onto the terrace and down the steps to the pool. Lying back on a lounger, he closed his eyes and reached out for ideas. His mind remained annoyingly blank.
He’d only been there for a matter of minutes when a shadow blocked the warm sunlight on his face. Squinting, he glanced up to see Alan standing over him.
“Take her back to the Paradise Peaks hotel!” he said without preamble.
Scott groaned. “Not you too!”
“I think she liked it there,” Alan went on, undeterred, “and it’s pretty swanky.”
“I’ll bear that in mind,” Scott said dryly. “And how did you…you know what, I don’t even wanna know. Do Gordon and Brains want to get in on this too?” he asked in exasperation.
“I don’t think Brains has even noticed that Tin-Tin and Kyrano have left the island,” Alan said with a shrug.
Scott’s wrist communicator started beeping for attention. Warily, he tapped it, and was surprised to see Lady Penelope’s face appear on its tiny screen.
“Lady Penelope,” he greeted, “what can I do for you?”
“It’s what I can do for you, Scott,” she said, sounding thoroughly pleased with herself. “Just say the word and I can contact my people at the Savoy and have them reserve the very best suite for you and Tin-Tin. It would make a marvellous place for a proposal.”
I’ll tell Virgil, he thought wryly.
“Uh, thank you, Lady Penelope, I’ll bear that in mind.”
“And of course the manor is at your disposal if you want to hold the wedding there. The ballroom would be perfect. Or even the gardens, although I’d have to get Parker to trim the ornamental hedges.”
Scott was suddenly glad that Gordon wasn’t there to make bush trimming jokes, then felt a deep rush of shame that he’d as good as made them himself, albeit in his own head.
“Again, thank you,” he said, trying to stay polite. She was the aristocracy, after all. “But one thing at a time.”
Penelope graciously bowed her head. “Of course, Scott. Just let me know. It’s wonderful news.”
“It will be, if she says ‘yes’.”
“I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that, dear boy,” she said with a smile.
Scott returned it, hoping she was right. “Talk to you later, Penelope,” he signed off, deactivating the communicator, and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Anyone else want to share their opinion of my oh-so-secret plan?”
“Dinosaurs,” said Gordon’s voice.
Scott sat up to peer around Alan, seeing his second-youngest brother approaching with a wide grin.
“Okay. I’m going to regret this, but…go on.”
Gordon plopped himself down on a nearby lounger. “You know those big t-rex toys you can get?” he said, holding his hands apart to indicate just how big the toy in question was. “The ones with the hinge on the jaw?”
“Yes,” Alan said, sounding interested.
“Well, you buy her one of those, hide the ring in its mouth,” Gordon finished, still grinning.
Scott stared at him, pondering what to say. “Well it’s certainly…original.”
“Exactly. Women like a unique proposal.”
“And just how many women have you proposed to?” Scott challenged him.
“None, but that doesn’t mean I don’t plan ahead,” Gordon said.
“Not to rain on your parade, but Tin-Tin isn’t known for her love of dinosaurs,” Scott pointed out.
“So get it a little hat or something,” Gordon shrugged.
“You could combine our ideas,” Alan suggested with a grin. “Get her the dinosaur and present it to her at Paradise Peaks.”
Scott held up his hands. “Okay, guys, enough. You’ve been…very helpful, thank you. I don’t know how you all know about this, but do me a favour and keep quiet when Tin-Tin gets back, okay?”
“Okay,” they both said brightly.
Scott got to his feet and left the pool, not liking the feeling of unease that had settled in his stomach.
It hadn’t improved the next day, when the entire household gathered to welcome Tin-Tin and Kyrano back. Scott glanced behind him at the collection of grinning faces, and his heart sank. They were going to give his plans away in expressions and behaviour alone. It wasn’t that returning craft didn’t get welcomed home, but it was rare that the entire extended Tracy clan would be present. Tin-Tin was bound to sense something amiss. Even Brains had ventured out of his lab, although thankfully hadn’t offered any suggestions as yet.
“Guys, can you…can you just not?” he asked, raising his hands as if to shoo them away.
“We’re here to greet the Kyranos,” Alan said defensively.
Scott sent a despairing look to Virgil, who rolled his eyes but good-naturedly clapped a hand on Alan and Gordon’s shoulders.
“All right, back to work, fellas.”
Jeff stubbornly stood his ground, which meant that Grandma did too, but Brains followed Virgil’s lead. It was a little too late, however, as the Ladybird jet was already approaching the landing strip.
Realising swiftly that a mass exodus at that point would look even more suspicious, Scott hollered, “Hold it!”
Gordon turned. “Make up your mind!” He seemed amused, though. Virgil too.
Tin-Tin brought the jet in smoothly, pulling to a stop almost exactly on top of the marker on the runway. Scott grinned. He’d taught her every flying technique he knew, and she was an excellent, (if distracting), student.
Steps popped up from a hatch in the tarmac, and Tin-Tin and Kyrano descended, the latter with a little less grace. Jeff stepped forward to help, clasping Kyrano’s elbow and guiding him down the last few steps.
“Good to have you back, Kyrano,” he greeted.
“Thank you, Mr. Tracy.”
Scott offered Tin-Tin a hand, which she took despite the fact that she didn’t really need any help.
“My goodness, this is quite the welcome,” she said warmly, although she looked puzzled. “Did something happen?”
“Not yet,” Alan spoke up, adding a heartfelt “Ow” when Gordon elbowed him in the ribs.
Inwardly groaning, Scott met her gaze, doing his utmost to hold her attention. “Want to go for a walk?” he asked desperately.
“Now?” she asked. “I’ve been flying for hours, I’m a mess!”
“You’re perfect.”
A slight frown materialised between her brows as she picked up on his anxious tone. “All right. Let’s go.”
Still clutching her hand, he led her for the path to the beach, praying that Virgil would manage to keep everyone else away. It wasn’t what he’d planned – in fact he hadn’t gotten very far planning anything – but he had to ask her now, before someone gave him away.
They walked along the sand until Scott was certain there were no prying eyes. Tin-Tin watched him the entire time, her frown deepening.
“Scott, what’s the matter? You’re awfully jumpy.”
He halted, moving to stand opposite her, taking both of her hands in his. “Tin-Tin, I…this wasn’t how I wanted to do this, but…I need to ask you something. Here, while it’s just us.”
“All right. What is it?”
“I love you. I’ve loved you for a long time now. And this is your home and your family, and it always will be. But…I wondered if you would make it official and do me the honour of becoming my wife?”
Her eyes widened, then softened as she smiled. “Pretty words, hotshot, but you seem a little tall to be saying them.”
He looked at her in confusion for a beat, then it hit him. “Oh crap!” He quickly dropped to one knee, and she giggled. “This is not going well at all,” he muttered.
Tin-Tin slipped one of her hands free of his grasp and cupped his cheek, caressing with her thumb. “Scott Tracy, you have a reputation for being so smooth with the ladies. I love that I can make you flustered.”
“Flustered is a strong word,” he protested weakly.
Her smile widened. “The answer is yes. Easiest question you’ve ever asked me.”
He returned her smile, filled with relief, and got back up so he could wrap her in a tight hug. Drawing back a little, he kissed her, breaking it off only to present her with the ring box he had in his pocket.
“Oh, it’s lovely!” she exclaimed, seeing the gold band with its little cluster of diamonds and bright sapphire almost the exact same shade as her favourite dress.
“Thank god,” Scott quipped, feeling most of his stress melt away. He slipped the ring onto her finger, and she held up her hand to let it catch the light.
“How did you know my ring size?”
“I, uh…measured your finger while you were asleep,” he admitted sheepishly. “Seemed a safer path than stealing from your jewellery box!”
“Oh, I would definitely have noticed that,” Tin-Tin said with a possessive grin. She slipped her arms around his neck and sighed contentedly. “This is perfect, Scott.”
“It wasn’t quite what I imagined,” he confessed. “I was going to make all these grand plans, make it really special.”
“It is special,” she argued gently. “Look, we’re almost where we were when we first admitted our feelings.”
He took a quick look at the landscape, realising she was right. “So it is. Guess it worked out okay, then. I got the answer I was hoping for, at least.”
She stood on her toes to give him a chaste peck on the lips. “As if it would be any other answer.”
“Glad to hear it. Grandma’s already planning the wedding, and I think all of my brothers will want to be best man. Maybe Dad too. Lady P wants to loan us the manor. Makes me feel tired just thinking about it.”
Tin-Tin adopted a thoughtful air, then sent him a sly, conspiratorial grin. “How do you feel about whisking me away in Thunderbird 1 and eloping?”
He grinned back and pulled her closer. “I think that’s the best advice I’ve received all week.”
The End.