Don't need no fortune teller...

Alison woke at a reasonable hour and was only mildly ill. The morning sickness so far with her second pregnancy had been easier to handle than the first. She was especially glad for it on days like today. It was Valentine's Day and she needed to do something special for her handsome hubby.

Following tradition, Longshot had been up early and gone into the camp for his yearly chocolate haul. Despite being a happily married father of three (four soon), he still made out better than most single men in the country. They would be eating chocolate for weeks after the holiday.

While he was out, Alison bathed and dressed the twins in little Valentine outfits she'd bought for them. They got their breakfast and a little stuffed monkey each. Both were white with little red hearts on their palms and the bottoms of their feet. By the time Daddy returned home, there were two babies with slightly soggy stuffed animals and a picnic lunch for four waiting for him.

Before Longshot, Robbie and Miyuki had left for camp, Alison had politely, but firmly asked Robbie and Miyuki to find fun diversions in camp. Lengthy ones. She wanted her husband all to herself at least until sunset.

It took about an hour to organize, but when Alison finally retired upstairs, the lights were out and the shades drawn on all the floors. The only illumination came from tiny, floating candles in shallow water dishes placed on every other step on the stairs. One the landing of each floor, she had placed an item for him to find.

On the first floor, at the bottom of the stairs, a CD copy of his favorite French singer's newest album was tied with a gold ribbon. A tag attached to the ribbon read, Follow the lights.

On the second floor, a package wrapped in shiny red paper and silk ribbon. The tag read, Don't open this yet.

On the third floor landing, a second package was wrapped in white, shiny paper and ribbon. The tag read, Not yet. Keep moving.

On the fourth, two long-stemmed wine glasses waited for him.

The candles continued up the stairs to their bedroom. Inside, dozens of red candles of every size were lit in containers all over the bedroom. Spread out in front of the balcony doors was a soft fleece blanket. Several covered dishes were set out on it and two bottles chilled in a bucket of ice.

The tiny, floating candles created a path from the door to the bathroom where rose scented steam rolled out from under the door. Inside, Alison was sitting on the edge of the filled bathtub in a red silk robe. She drew small circles on the tile at her feet with her toe and waited for her husband to arrive. Hopefully, it would be before the food or the water got cold.