'That man is going to drive me insane!' she fumed silently. 'I don't think he even knows what he wants!'
"Tessa?" a voice called from the kitchen.
"Si, Marta, it's me," Tessa said dejectedly.
"What's wrong, Tessita?" Marta asked as she made her way into the living room, a silver-plated bowl in her hands.
"Men," Tessa replied curtly.
"Men in general or one man in particular?" Marta laughed as she came to sit beside her. Holding out the bowl she offered, "Cerezas?"
Tessa somberly reached over to grab a handful of the fresh fruit. Plucking of the stem she put a cherry in her mouth and savored the burst of flavor on her tongue. "Guess."
Marta chuckled as she made herself comfortable in the chair. "Tell me what happened."
"Oh it's nothing new, Marta," Tessa explained exasperatedly. "I was in town and Dr. Helm rebuffed my attempts at pleasant conversation. Again. No matter what I do there's just no pleasing him. What is it that men want, Marta? In a woman, I mean."
"A simple question," Marta replied thoughtfully as she nibbled at a particularly plump cherry, "with a very complex answer."
Tessa turned to face her friend and popped another cherry in her mouth. "Well?"
"Different men want different things," she began to explain. "Some men want a servant. Someone who will cook their meals and wash their clothes and raise their children."
Seeing the repugnant look on Tessa's face, Marta went on.
"Some men want a mother. Someone who will take care of them and tell them how special they are and how everything is going to be alright...especially when they're sick."
Tessa laughed and rolled her eyes as she reached for another cherry.
"And some men," Marta said quietly, "want a partner. Someone to share their lives with. Someone to love and be loved by. Someone who is a valued equal. A friend, and a lover."
Tessa smiled and wondered again what is was that Dr. Helm wanted. Certainly it was the latter. But was she the partner he wanted? Or was it the Queen?
Almost as an afterthought, Marta added, "And then some men just want a woman who can do this..."
As Tessa watched fascinated, Marta popped cherry, stem and all in her mouth. She worked her jaw for a few moments and then parted her lips. There on the tip of her tongue was the cherry stem...tied in a knot.
"Marta!" Tessa cried, equally scandalized and delighted. "How did you do that?!"
"An old gypsy talent," she casually shrugged.
Then they both burst into laughter.
