It's six months later in Esteban's beautiful house, and Nancy's huge in the shower while he reads What Not to Name Your Baby. He is particularly put off by "Percy," and by "Humphrey"; Nancy agrees that the romance of noir would be somewhat lessened were we to change every "Bogey & Bacall" to "Humphrey & Lauren." The romance of noir being, of course, such a valuable commodity.

Nancy sits down with him, in her robe, and modestly he produces a ring box, black velvet: "I've decided that we will get married," he says, and continues to flip through the book. She stares at the box, at him, and tries to fit this moment into the romance she's spent six months trying to construct around the simple fact that this child is the only thing keeping her safe and alive.

"That is a prized family heirloom," he says, noting her lack of enthusiasm. "Reyes means Kings," he explains, noting that Botwin doesn't seem to have a similarly grand etymology. AWESOMELY, "Botwin" is an Ashkenazi occupational name meaning greengrocer, somebody who sells leaves. Drop Botwin for Reyes and leave behind the greengrocer trade forever. She tries to explain in a way that isn't insulting that this proposal, in all its modesty, is not really how she "pictured this going down." Like most sentences these days, she ends it with a question mark; it doesn't help. He stands and leaves her there in the bathroom, and alone, she cracks the box: it's hideous, as big as a baby's fist, with a giant purple stone.

In the bedroom, he's naked on the bed and she laughs at him, realizing this was one of his jokes as he asks if she liked the ring. "Oh, it's hideous," she assures him, happy for a moment. He tells her it's the champion ring of a soccer team he owns, and she shrugs "That's a pretty good burn, Patrice"). They curl up in the bed together and she asks if he was serious. He laughs, and whispers yes, and parts her robe, caressing her belly, leaving a prettier ring behind. "Where was that?" she giggles. Don't ask.

"We're not children anymore, Nancy. We're not playing house. I ask that you give yourself to me." She smiles; she likes that. Complete abdication. "To be mine, forever. Mrs. Esteban Reyes." She asks if that would make him "Mr. Nancy Botwin," and he assures her it would not, so she jokingly says no before saying yes. They kiss, tenderly, and he puts the ring upon her finger.