“Because we’re dancing!” she says, biting her thumbnail.

“Easy for you to say; you have human feet,” he retorts. “Shoes don’t fit my beast feet properly. But I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”

“I’m really sorry,” she says, hanging her head. “I told Abby I wasn’t very coordinated.”

“I’m not, either,” he grumbles. “Why are we dancing, anyway?”

I’ve had enough. ENOUGH. I clench my fists and yell, “Because I am trying to make you guys fall in love! I am trying to make you fall in love so you’ll get married! But you’re making it very difficult for me! VERY, VERY DIFFICULT!”

“Get married?” Beauty repeats, her eyes wide. She takes a giant step back.

“Yes,” I say. I draw in a deep breath. I think I spooked her.

“It’s not going to happen,” Mr. Beast snaps. “I told you, Abby. Forget about it. You should just go home. All of you. Abby. Beauty. Jonah.”

“Me?” Jonah asks. “You want me to leave, too?”

“You too,” he says. “I should never have kept you against your will. You have a real home. You should return to it.”

“We’re not going anywhere yet,” I say.

“Yes, you are,” Mr. Beast insists. “Okay, look. I’m hungry and it’s lunchtime and no matter what, I’m a good host, so I will prepare lunch. A cheeseless lunch.” He sighs at the thought. “But then after that, I want you all to vacate the premises.” He hops on his good foot out of the Great Hall.

Mr. and Mrs. Butler follow him out.

Beauty looks at me with a question in her eyes. “Married? You never said anything about our getting married.”

“You’re right,” I admit. “But that was always my plan. I wanted him to fall in love with you and ask you to marry him.”

She bites her thumbnail again. “But I’m not in love with him.”

“Not yet,” I say. “But you will be! You two are a perfect match!”

“How?” she asks. “We don’t have anything in common. Don’t people who get married usually have things in common?”

“Opposites attract,” Jonah exclaims. “Isn’t that an expression Nana sometimes says, Abby?”

“Yes!” I say. “It is. Opposites attract.”

Beauty continues biting her nail. She looks skeptical.

I have to make her come around! But how? What does she like?

The answer comes to me. She likes helping.

“Marrying Mr. Beast would be a really good deed,” I say. And it’s not even a lie. “A REALLY good deed. And you like to do good deeds, right?”

She nods.

“I need him to ask you to marry him. And I need you to say yes. It’s a good deed. A selfless deed! It would be a mitzvah!”

“A what?”

“A really good deed!” Jonah says.