Emma took a shower while Nils set the table. He had the meal under control, or so he thought, but then he noticed the candles in the candle holders were barely more than stubs.

“Emma,” he said, standing at the door to the bathroom just as Emma was finishing her toweling off. “Do you know if we have any more candles?”

“Good question,” Emma said. “I sort of remember they didn’t have anything but the scented kind last time I was at the store. And you said the scented candles didn’t agree with you, so I didn’t get any.”

“We have to have candles,” Nils said, “scented or un. Should I run to the store?”

“It’s possible there are some up in the attic.”

“Where in the attic?”

“In Grandma’s old chest. Maybe. I’m not sure. Let’s go check.”

Emma led the way. In the chest, beneath her grandmother’s wedding gown, Emma found, among other things, five white, eight-inch tapers. “Ta da!” Emma said, holding one up.

“We’re so lucky,” Nils said. “It’s okay to use them?”

“Sure,” Emma said. “Maybe they’ll elicit the spirit of my grandma. She was a very special woman.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t get to meet her,” Nils said.

“Maybe tonight’s the night,” Emma said.

“Um, one thing.” Nils paused. “The candles, they’re not scented, are they?”

“You mean you wouldn’t put up with a little scent for the sake of meeting my grandma?” Emma asked. She brought the candle to her nose and inhaled. “Ah!”

“What?” Nils asked.

“Sniff for yourself,” Emma said.

Nils sniffed.

“Well?”

Nils sniffed again. “Interesting,” he said. “There’s hardly anything, but it reminds me of something.”

“Oh? What does it remind you of?” Emma was smiling.

“It reminds me just a little bit of the scent of your sex.”

Emma’s smile turned into a grin.

Nils stroked his beard thoughtfully. “Do you think it’s possible that your grandma ... Or was it you?”

“Me what?” Emma asked, impish innocence in her voice.

“I do like that scent,” Nils said. “In fact, I wish it were stronger.”

“You do?”

Nils nodded. “Do you think that might be possible?”

Emma’s grin widened. Her eyes twinkled. “Possibly possible. Shall we see?”

The scenting of her grandmother’s candles successful, Emma told Nils she might need to take another quick shower before the guests arrived. “No need,” Nils assured her. “If anyone asks about it, we’ll just say it’s the candles.”