After a long day at the flower shop, Morning Glory had to run some errands. As she exited one shop, she caught sight of Clever Clover slipping out of a jewelry shop across the street. “Hm, that’s odd. Clever Clover isn’t into jewelry. I wonder what he was doing in there.” She trotted across the street but Clever Clover had already disappeared around the corner. “Well, I suppose I could ask the jeweler what he was up to.”
Just as Morning Glory was about to open the door, the jeweler, Pearl, began to lock up for the night. Morning Glory tapped on the glass. “Excuse me, can I ask you a question?”
Pearl opened the door. “Um, could you make it quick? I’ve got a lot of work to do before I can go home, and I’m already dead tired.”
“Oh, of course! I was just wondering what that purple stallion who just left was doing here.”
“Clever Clover? He helps me authenticate antique pieces I acquire from time to time. But today he asked about some prices before he left.”
“And what was he pricing?”
“Engagement rings. I think they just caught his eye, though, on his way out. He laughed when I told him the prices.”
“Thank you, and good night.”
“No problem.”
As Morning Glory walked home, she contemplated what Pearl had told her. “There can only be one reason he would be pricing engagement rings! But I wonder who he plans to give it to?” She hadn’t planned to stop by Clever Clover’s house that evening, but now she just had to talk to him. She stopped by her own home first to drop off some things, then went on to Clever Clover’s. She was greeted at the door by Minoko.
“What do you want?” the pirate grumbled.
“I had hoped to talk to Clever Clover.”
“Well, he’s out. Said he might be late, had some important business to take care of. So you can be going now.” Minoko began to close the door, but Morning Glory blocked it with her hoof.
“Maybe I could have a word with you then?”
“Wha? You want to talk to me? What makes you think I’d want to hear anything you have to say?”
“Just give me five minutes and if you’re not interested by then, I’ll leave.”
“Okay, I guess I can waste five minutes. Come on in.” Minoko opened the door and led Morning Glory to the living room where Belle Star was drinking tea.
“Aren’t you supposed to be Clever Clover’s bodyguard? Why are you here and not guarding him?”
“Oh, I overslept this morning and by the time I woke up he had already left. And he told Minoko that he wanted to be alone today.”
“He wanted to be alone? Oh my! This supports my theory.”
Minoko scratched her head. “What are you talking about?”
Morning Glory sat down. “Well, I saw Clever Clover coming out of the jewelry store. I asked the jeweler and she said that he had been pricing engagement rings!”
“Uh-huh, pricing rings. Really interesting. You’ve got four more minutes.”
Belle Star poured another cup of tea and offered it to Morning Glory. “Would you like some tea?”
“Thank you, Belle Star. Now, Minoko, a stallion doesn’t even think about buying a ring until he is absolutely sure who he wants to wear it!”
Minoko laughed. “Oh? You’re quite the authority on stallions; you must have quite a bit of experience.”
“It doesn’t take that much to figure it out. I’m sensitive and observant. And that is why I’m sure he’ll ask me to be his wife.”
“Oh really?” said Minoko. “Well, once I’m his wife I can have all the locks changed so you can’t get in.”
“Humph! Once I’m his wife, I’ll be able to evict you! Or at least start charging rent.”
Belle Star giggled. “Wouldn’t it be silly if he asked me to marry him?”
Minoko and Morning Glory stared at her in disbelief. “Why would you ever say that?” asked Minoko.
“Well, first I thought of Clever Clover asking me to marry him; then I thought ‘that’s silly’, so I said, ‘Wouldn’t it be silly if he asked me to marry him?’ ”
Minoko and Morning Glory glared at Belle Star for a moment longer, trying to decide weather or not to take her seriously before returning to their bickering.
“I’m sure he’ll take me on a romantic honeymoon to some exotic, isolated spot where the two of us can be alone together for as long as we want,” mused Minoko.
“As a royal couple, I’m sure our honeymoon would be at the finest grand hotel in Ponyland, where we would be waited on hoof and hoof.”
“But if he did marry me, I’d be a princess, wouldn’t I? Princess Belle Star. Tee-hee-hee. And we would live in a big castle.”
“And after the honeymoon we could blow this dump and live on my ship. We’d travel the world, living wherever our hearts led us.”
“I’m sure Clever Clover and I will live here, though we’ll need to do some renovations to make it worthy of a royal couple,” responded Morning Glory.
Belle Star sighed. “And I’d bet we’d have lots and lots of kids. Oh, I’d love to have a big family!”
The conversation ended abruptly as Clever Clover came in. Belle Star rushed over to him. “Oh! Who are you going to marry? I’m so excited! I can’t wait to find out!”
“Uh, what are you talking about?”
“Morning Glory says she saw you pricing for engagement rings,” said Minoko.
“I was at a jewelry store, but I wasn’t pricing rings. I was authenticating antiques.”
“But Pearl said you asked about the engagement rings!”
“I don’t see how it’s any of your business, but I did ask about some rings. But I didn’t know they were engagement rings. They just caught my eye.”
“Just caught your eye? That’s exactly what Pearl said. I think you two are working together to cover your tracks.”
Clever Clover scratched his head. “Uhm, I think you’re paranoid.”
Minoko laughed. “Oh yeah, ‘sensitive and observant’ or ‘paranoid’? Do you know what I think?”
“Uh, sensitive and observant?” guessed Belle Star.
“Wrong!”
“What!? I am not paranoid! It’s simple deduction!”
“I’m sorry, but your deduction is a little off.”
“I don’t think so. You can deny it all you want, but that doesn’t change the facts.”
Clever Clover shrugged. “Whatever. Will you be staying for supper? I picked up some pizza on the way home.”
Belle Star jumped for joy. “Oh goody! I love pizza!”
“Well, I suppose, since I’m here…” said Morning Glory.