Hmm. I tap my pen against the table. “What kind of dates do Mom and Dad go on when they go out on Saturday nights?

Jonah hangs upside down off the couch. “They go to Trattoria for dinner.”

“Right,” I say. “Okay! We can do that. Beauty and Mr. Beast will have dinner together. A romantic dinner! Tonight! We’re having dinner soon anyway. We’ll just make it romantic.”

I write:

1. Romantic dinner

“But we’re going to be there, too,” Jonah says, still upside down. “Don’t they have to be alone for it to be romantic?”

“Yes,” I say. “Maybe we’ll tell them nine is too late for us to eat, and we need to go to sleep. It is really late, and we are just kids.”

“But I’m hungry!”

My stomach rumbles. So am I. “How about we eat a little and then excuse ourselves before dessert?”

“But I like dessert,” Jonah protests, his face turning red from being upside down.

“Jonah! You can have dessert at home!”

“Fine,” he grumbles.

“What else do Mom and Dad do for date nights?” I ask.

“They go to the movies,” Jonah says.

“Perfect.” I write:

2. Go to the movies

“Although,” I say, picturing the quaint, old-fashioned town. “I don’t think there are any movie theaters in the kingdom of Kingdom.”

“Could they watch something on Netflix?” Jonah suggests. He’s moved over to the other couch and is now lying upside down off that one.

I sputter. “Jonah! There’s no Netflix here!” I scratch out “2. Go to the movies” and suddenly have a brilliant idea. “But! We could make a movie! I mean, we can put on a show for them.”

I write:

2. Go to a show

“Oh, cool!” Jonah cries, flipping right side up. “We could put on a play. Or sing a song for them. Or do a dance routine for them!”

I don’t want to hurt his feelings, but Jonah doesn’t have the best singing voice. Or acting skills. Or dance abilities. Maybe a show isn’t the best idea. Hmm.

“Or instead of the two of us putting on a play, maybe the two of them could play a game. The game you guys were just playing, maybe?”

“Flying crocodile?” Jonah asks hopefully.

“No. The card game.”

“Trump!” He somersaults off the couch and sprawls across the floor.

“Yes.”

“Good idea,” Jonah says. “Mom and Dad play rummy sometimes on vacation. It’ll be like that.” He climbs back on the couch and starts jumping.

“Careful,” I say. “One of these days, you’re going to hurt yourself. But yes. Like rummy. Exactly.”

I cross out “2. Go to a show” and write:

2. Play trump

“So no singing or dancing?” Jonah asks.