“No, I’m not leaving the Times. This is just something I could do …  it could help Carol, actually, later on.”  Her voice was patient, but it carried the same slightly amused tone that she used whenever he’d done something that made her laugh inside.

They got to Fifth Avenue and the hustle and bustle that marked the broader Greenwich Village area around it.

I just love the energy of this place, Therese thought to herself. All the students, musicians, writers, and artists living and working here – this part of New York is really buzzing these days.  I hope we move here at some point.  Carol can rent her apartment out.  Her friends keep talking about how that part of New York is always in demand for business types who need a place in the city, anyway, so I think it won’t be difficult for Carol to find someone who could rent her place.

“Does she know?” Brad asked, wiping off the fog in his glasses.

“No she doesn’t,” Therese rounded on Brad and fixed him a warning look. “And don’t you dare tell her, either.”

“No, of course, not! If you don’t want me to …” while Brad sputtered, Therese pulled on his arm to indicate they were heading north.  They walked up a couple of blocks and were within sight of the ubiquitous awning of Parson’s School of Design when they saw a tall, slim, pretty brunette in a stylish camel-colored coat waving her arms in the air, smiling in their direction.

“There she is!” Therese exclaimed excitedly. She picked up the pace again, waving her arms in the air also.

“Therese!” the pretty brunette called out.

“Hello!”

The brunette closed the gap between them, hurrying like Therese was, and when they drew closer to each other, she and Therese embraced warmly.

“I have good news, Therese!”

They released from the embrace, eyeing each other excitedly.

A tall handsome man in an elegant dark grey cashmere wool coat walked up to them, smiling at the two women amusedly. He drew his arm around the brunette in a familiar manner.

“Oh, Therese! Allow me to introduce David, my fiancé.”

“David Parish II, Therese,” the tall man said graciously, as he offered his hand, smiling at her.