“It’s not anything to do with the Ku Klux Klan is it?”
“No”
“Kevin Kennedy?”
“No”
“Kirsty’s Kastle?”
“Castle doesn’t start with a K”
“It might”
“No”

I sensed Fiona was now regretting giving me a hint.

“Look, it’s only a little treat. Really”
“I know, I know but I like to guess”
“You don’t say”

All I knew about our voyage of adventure was that Fiona was taking me somewhere as a surprise. The only information I’d been given so far was “Going to KK for C and D” which is fairly cryptic. My geek senses were tingling like crazy. Nothing is better than a puzzle.

“Kerry Katona”
“Oooo, well done. That’s exactly it. We’re going to Iceland.”
“That’s a lie, isn’t it?”

We proceeded in silence. I stared out the window, noting landmarks.

“Kellogs?”
“shush”

As we approached the Trafford Centre, a nagging thought entered my head. “Knitting starts with a K,” I noted, casually. “and you’re a keen knitter.”

Fiona sighed. “Ok, I give in. There’s a Knitting Klub in John Lewis. You can bring your man and they’ll teach him to knit. I thought you might enjoy it.”

I attempted to feign enthusiasm. “So Crochet and Darning lessons? How … how lovely. Not to say unusual. And a little daring.”

“You’re always saying you’d love to know how it works,” she retorted, “so you wouldn’t have minded if it really HAD been that, would you?”
“It definitely, definitely isn’t that though, is it?”
“No”
“In that case, I’d really have been quite excited by the prospect.”
“Stop it”

A peace offering was in order. Scanning the horizon for something suitable, I spotted the very thing.

The VERY thing.

“DOUGHNUTS!!!!!!!! COFFEE and DOUGHNUTS!!!! at KRISPY KREME”

I was now beside myself, bouncing in my seat.

“but DOUGHNUTS!!!! God, you RULE!! A surpise and it’s doughnut related! I didn’t even know we HAD Krispy Kreme in this country. It’s the sort of thing I thought only existed in films like prom nights and the second world war. How fab are you?”

Remaining aloof and serene, a weary smile crossed Dear Heart’s face.

“You’re welcome. I mention, purely in passing you understand, that it’s Valentines Day soon.”
“Duly noted. And may I suggest a wander round The Trafford Centre later for some pointing out and suggesting?”
“You May”

“I.L.Y”

“I.L.Y.T”