Marcus brought Tia to a local elementary school in Quito, not far from their hotel. “I come when I can,” he explained, a somber tone in his voice. The children gathered around him like a visiting hero, cheering and reaching up, climbing onto his arms and shoulders, their little eyes beaming, mouths upturned in sunny grins.

Tia joined the children gathering around Marcus while he cracked a storybook and took a seat. He read the story of Little Red Riding Hood, expertly performing the voices of the grandmother, the wolf, even the titular little girl, delighting the children with his dramatic enactment of the ages-old tale. The children were enthralled, frightened, and amused, and Tia could sense their affection and their fascination.

One little girl raised her hand, and Marcus pointed her out from the little crowd. She asked, “Is this your wife?”

Tia and Marcus traded a glance, amused smiles shared between them. Tia answered, “We’re not married yet,” she said, “but Mr. Pike has proposed…” Casting a smile in Marcus’s direction, she added, “And I’ve accepted his proposal.”

He looked at her, silent from only a few feet away, the children cheering. Their eyes locked, a sweet smile shared between them.

“Let’s have a wedding,” one child called out, the others whooping and cheering and joining in a classroom chant of, “Wed-ding, wed-ding, wed-ding, wed-ding…”

The kids dragged Tia to the front of the classroom next to Marcus, all the children gathering around them while one of the kids, the little girl who had the idea, stood between them. She wore a very solemn expression, her hands folded in front of her. The teacher, a sweet-faced young woman whose name was Sabina, looked on with a suppressed chuckle, hands over her face.

The little girl said, “Do you, um…?”

“Tia McBride.”

“Do you, Tia, the bride, take Mr. Pike to be your awfully wedded husband? To have and too old, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall lead?”

Marcus and Tia shared a smile, trying not to laugh. Tia said simply, “I do.”

The little girl said to Marcus, “And do you take Tia, the bride, to be your awfully wedded wife, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall lead?”

He looked deep into Tia’s eyes and she felt as if he was reaching right into her heart, her soul. “I do,” he said, his voice low and grainy.

The little girl said, “Where’s the ring?”

Marcus and Tia looked at each other, trying to remain solemn for the occasion. Tia said to her, “We don’t have rings—”

But Marcus pulled a small velvet pouch out of the breast pocket of his jacket, his eyes locked on Tia’s as he opened it and pulled a diamond ring out of the little sack. The children shared an awed gasp as he took Tia’s trembling hand and slipped the ring onto her finger. Tia felt as if the air had been pulled from her lungs. She knew their marriage was more for the children’s benefit than anything else, but the moment between her and Marcus was real, and the ring was an engagement, an official proposal and her acceptance.

The little girl said, “By the power invested in me, I now declare you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

The children clapped and cheered as Marcus set his fingers against Tia’s cheek and drew her in for a kiss. It was electric—jolts of pleasure shooting through her, waves of satisfaction passing through her soul.

Sabina was in tears, joy streaming down her face as if she’d never seen such a touching moment. She noticed the clock and said, “La clase es despedida por el día, niños. Reúne tus cosas, tus padres estarán afuera.”

Tia knew she was dismissing the children, and by the way they ran to the side of the room to gather their backpacks and sweaters, she knew they were getting ready to be picked up and taken home.

She couldn’t help but imagine a child of her own in a classroom just like that one, quaint and charming and free of the crime and danger of American public schools. But what struck her even more was that she’d never given any thought at all to having children, but suddenly it felt like the most natural thing in the world. She looked at Marcus, her new husband as far as the kids were concerned, and she knew why her perspective had changed.

Marcus and Tia and Sabina led the children out to the courtyard in front of the school, kids running into the loving arms of their parents. Several came up to him, shaking his hand and sharing well-wishes, grateful just for a chance to say hello to him.

Once the crowd thinned and the families had dispersed, Marcus turned to Sabina and pulled an envelope out of his pocket. He handed it to her, glancing around. “Para mantener las puertas abiertas y las luces encendidas.”

“Muchas gracias, Sr. Pike. Su generosidad es más de lo que podríamos esperar o pagar.”

Marcus smiled. “No gracias, Sabina. Gracias por lo que haces por los niños.”

But their mutual gratitude was squelched when a small police car drove up to the school, two uniformed officers stepping out and walking up to Tia, Marcus, and Sabina. They looked Marcus over, but their attention shifted quickly to Tia: her long legs and full breasts and pretty, American face.

“Afternoon,” one of the officers said to Marcus, returning his attention to Tia but not even bothering to greet her formally. He and his partner looked at Sabina, nodding and tipping their hats, asking if class had ended for the day. “¿Has despedido a tu clase por el día?”

“Sí, señor.”

Marcus eyed the officers, their keen attention to Sabina. Tia shared his interest, and she had a bad feeling about what the officers were doing there, and why they were interested in her class schedule.

Marcus said to them, “No está disponible.” Tia knew his meaning, that the young woman wasn’t available for whatever private meeting they may have had planned.

One of the officers snapped back, “No es asunto tuyo, gringo.” But Tia knew that Marcus was making it his business, whether the officers liked it or not.

“¿Por qué no llamo al capitán Muniz y le hablo de su mala conducta?” Marcus said, questioning the officers, asking if he should be contacting their superior, who happened to be a close friend of his.

The officers stared him down, then glanced back at Sabina. They looked at one another, a silence conference before sharing a nod. One of them looked at Sabina once more and offered her a little wink before they both slinked off to their car. Marcus and Tia stared them down as they climbed in, hit the engine, and drove off.

Sabina said, “Muchas gracias, Sr. Pike.”

Tia asked her, “How long has this been going on, those cops…visiting you like this?”

“Almost a year now, Miss.”

Tia turned to Marcus, whose somber expression had already absorbed Sabina’s meaning, and Tia’s. “I’ll take care of it,” Marcus said, turning his attention to Sabina. “They won’t be back, I promise you.”

Sabina nodded, a grateful tear crawling down her face. “And…by the way…congratulations on your nuptials.”

Marcus and Tia shared a relieved chuckle, Tia falling into his loving embrace.