I'm a nice girl, no worries. I know what it can do to a man after he's really gone all out to try to give a lady a nice time. You're in excellent hands, I promise. So far, one of the better dates I've had in a while. We're off to a great start. [though it was very hard to do any worse than the hell she'd come from. and not like the only company she'd had was a good date choice. but Vander didn't need to know that.]

Hey, when you know what you want you have to go for it. Take your chances!

[Maria can see it's a hard thing for him to talk about and she does feel sympathy. it's the only time her smile has faded around him so far. she wasn't going to dig any further into it. did she really have the right?] Then I'm honored. Thank you. [Vander doesn't know what a good feeling it is when he tells her she's her own person though and her smile is back, bright and happy.] Time for me to confess to you, then, huh? Ready?