Snippet #2472043

I bowed upon her permission, then sat down on a decorative rock, pulling out a small pocketbook with the words Tao Te Ching embossed in gold on the cover and opening it to read. However, halfway into the first sentence, a dumb idea burst into my head, and unlike other dumb ideas, which I tended to keep to myself, force back into my mind, and beat until they realize the error of their ways, this one felt, and I hate to use the old adage... JUST stupid enough to work.
"Miss Felicia," I said, putting my book down and standing up once again, "I believe I may have a solution to your problem about your father asking marriage." I waited until she gave permission to continue, then said, "Your father explicitly said he didn't care who you married, and I know for a fact you do not wish to have to put up with any potential suitors who would either show up on their own accord or through your father. So my solution is simple. You and I marry. I already look after you, know your likes and dislikes, and have no real desire to see any friction between you and your father because of a silly outdated worldview. The marriage would be purely for your benefit, life for us would continue on as normal, and if someone came along who you fancied, I could instantly step aside for them... And I must say, this idea is sounding sillier and sillier as I say it. Forget it, it was an idea made on a whim." I went back to my book, now actually curious as to whether or not something as silly as that would work. For God's sake, it sounded like something directly out of a bad romantic comedy.