“Tonight is the night” Rose said, taking a deep breath. “I’m going to tell Daniel.”

Daisy quivered with trepidation.

Jasmine lounged with indifference.

Ivy nodded gently side to side with a look that said she didn’t think it was much of a good idea. The row of succulents kept their own counsel. They were probably asleep.

“Oh, come on,” Rose was exasperated with her garden now. “We’ve been going out for a year now. If we’re getting serious and tonight’s special dinner date indicates that we are then I have to be honest with him about who I am.” The daisies quivered again.

“But I’m not just a florist, I’m Terra Firma, member of the League Extraordinaire, super hero, environmental role model to kids everywhere! Any future partner of mine deserves to know!” The term “future partner” gave Rose a bit of s thrill just saying it.

The door bell rang. “That’s him! Wish me luck!” Jasmine waved a vine of Good Luck. The daisies were still quivering and Ivy still nodded side to side. One of the succulents yawned.

Jasmine opened the door to find Daniel leaning up against the door frame, holding up a bottle of red wine by the neck.

“Well, hello, neighbor,” he said in a languorous tone. Rose leaned against the door with a small “Hi.”

That smile of his still made a part of her turn into a shy school girl. He held up the bottle and said with mock distress, “I was just about to open this bottle of very expensive wine when I realized I don’t have a corkscrew. Might I throw myself on your neighborly kindness and borrow yours?”

“Oh, dear,” Rose couldn’t help grinning. “I think I have one around here somewhere.” Grabbing his hand she pulled him into the apartment. “Why don’t you come in and I’ll have a look in the kitchen.” She brushed the tip of his nose with her own. But before he could lean in for a kiss she twirled away to the kitchen, giggling.

“I see the garden’s coming along,” Daniel commented, following her into the kitchen. “It’s a wonder how you can grow them out here in the city.”

“Well, they’re the ones that do the growing,” Rose said humbly, fishing around in a drawer. “But Mama always said I had a green thumb. Aha!” She held up a corkscrew triumphantly.

Wine open and poured they headed over to the table that Rose had spent all after noon setting the scene around. A red and gold table cloth was set, long red candles lit and with a touch of a button Henry Mancini playing.

“Rose this is fantastic!” Daniel said admiringly. “You really know how to make a presentation. I love it.”

“Thanks,” Rose beamed with pride.

“And I love you,” Daniel said, scooping her up in his free arm and kissing her.

“In fact,” he said as they pulled apart and strolled to sit, hand in hand. “I’m glad we decided to stay in tonight. There’s something very important I’ve been wanting to tell you.”

“There’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you too,” Rose said quickly, she put her glass down to fast and some of the wine sloshed over the side. Her nerves were back in full force. What if he was about to propose they move in together? She had to say her news first.

‘I can do this,’ she thought as Daniel used one of the red cloth napkins to dab at the wine. ‘I am Terra Firma! Super Botanist!’

“Are you alright?” Daniel asked.

“Yes, I’m fine, I just think I should go first because-“

“No, Please let me go first, Rose.”

She’d never seen him look so earnest and maybe even a little scared.

“Ok,” she said. Daniel took a deep breath.

“You know I run the clock shop that Dad left to me.”

Rose nodded. “Just in Time” was right across from “A Rose by Any Other Name”, they saw each other across the way and got their coffee at the same little shop on the corner. Rose admired how Daniel had kept the old timey clock maker feel of the place while primarily selling state of the art watches that were featured in magazines. He’d still repair antiques for customers that brought in their old analogue watches and clocks too. “One foot in the past, one foot in the future, always in the present!” Daniel liked to say.

“Well, what you don’t know is- whew, this is harder than I thought it would be. The store is something of a front.”

“What do you mean?” Rose frowned. Maybe it was good she hadn’t gone first.

“I mean I do some moonlighting that is not considered strictly speaking…um, legal.”

“What the heck does that mean, Daniel?!”

“Look,” Daniel pulled a mask out of his coat. It was covered in clock gears that hid three quarters of his face, phantom of the opera style. He held it up to his face. Rose’s stomach dropped as she suddenly recognized his bright blue eyes, not as sweet innovative Daniel’s eyes but the eyes of-

“I’m Time Warp! Traveler of Time and Shifter of Space, Nemesis of the League Extraordinaire!”

Rose was speechless. It was a great thing she didn’t go first.

“Their number one nemesis actually, well, number one of any real consequence. I know it’s a lot to take in. But I really care about you and I thought you deserved to know who I am, who I really am. Honey? You look pale. Rose? Rose, talk to me.” He grabbed her hand. “It’s still me, it’s still Daniel. Please, Honey. What are you thinking?”

“I think,” Rose said slowly. “I think I need some more wine.”