The drive into Arizona was a hot, dry one.  Nick and Sarah stopped several times to take pictures of the landscape, with seemed, in some way, extra-terrestrial to them.  With Sarah at the wheel, Nick found himself acting as navigator and guide.  Looking at the plans that he and Sarah had made in the last few days, Nick made an observation.

"There`s something a little poetic here.  We will be looking in Phoenix, Arizona at diamond engagement rings, we are going to see an Arizona Diamondbacks game, and we are playing golf on a five-diamond course," he said to Sarah.

Sarah smiled as she squinted at mirages in the road. "Lucky for us, then, that there is great golf, Major League Baseball and deadly, venomous snakes on our next stop in the Hunt for Great Diamond Engagement Rings: Phoenix, Arizona."  She said it like a radio announcer.

After several times thanking the divine people at Mastercard for granting her the ability to spend a good chunk of money on her Spy sunglasses, which allowed her to drive the whole way without her eyes hurting, Sarah found herself nearing Phoenix.

"Nicky, what`s that address again?  It's the Arizona Grand Resort.  Put it into the GPS, will ya?" she asked.

Nick reached for ward and started hitting buttons.  "8000 South Arizona Grand Parkway, Phoenix, Arizona 85044," he paused and looked at the brochure.  "This place is pretty ritzy, no?"

"It would be, but we`re just a bit off-season," she told him. 

When they arrived at the resort—an impressive-looking place—they immediately felt dusty and unkempt.

Sarah squirmed.  "It`s almost like we don`t belong here until we`re all clean and shiny."

"Let`s go get clean and shiny, then," Nick said, raising his eyebrows. 

They checked into their room, which had a view of the Oasis Water Park.  They could see the eight-story tower that was famous for its three slides with different levels of terror on each.  They could watch as people floated on inner tubes on an artificial river that ran through the park.  And the wave pool looked like it was full of kids playing like they were in an ocean.

"I wonder if those kids have ever seen the ocean," Nick commented as he pulled the curtains closed.  "It can`t be nearly as fun as the real thing."

Sarah rolled her eyes.  "Yes, threat of death from unseen, sharp-toothed, man-eating creatures definitely increases the fun factor."  She was pathologically afraid of sharks, but was irresistibly drawn to the "Jaws" movies.  Perhaps one thing had to do with the other.

They still had a few hours to enjoy the water park, and would go to bed early, since the next day was packed with activities.  Nick and Sarah were both tired from the drive, but couldn`t resist that eight-story tower of terror.  They put on their bathing suits, Sarah covered up a bit with a pair of pink plaid shorts, and they hit the park.

Since it was nearing the end of the day, the lines weren`t very long, so Nick and Sarah got to the top of the tower quickly.  Sarah decided to go on the nearly-vertical slide first.  Nick heard her screaming for a few seconds until it suddenly stopped.  He held his breath until she came into view, waving her arms.  As soon as she hit the pool at the bottom, Nick got the okay to go.  He realized quickly why she stopped screaming: water filled his mouth whenever it was open.  When he reached the bottom, Sarah was at the edge of the pool, coughing.

"Swallow some water, did you?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, a bit.  I feel like a drowned rat," she told him.

"You`re a hot little drowned rat, though," he responded, "Wanna go again?"

"You bet yer ass I do," Sarah proclaimed as she pulled herself out of the pool.

They got in several more runs each, trying each of the slides.  They agreed that they preferred the scarier ones, but liked that the easier one took longer.  Then they walked, hand-in-hand, to the hotel.  Lacking the energy to visit the dining room, they ordered from Domino`s Pizza again.  They figured that their knowledge of Domino`s Countrywide had to come in handy somehow, someday.

The next morning, they got up early to make their tee time at Trilogy Golf Club.  With Nick at the wheel, Sarah read from the "Accolades" page, which she had printed the night before from Trilogy`s website. 

"Greg Maddux is quoted as saying `Outstanding course conditions, fun course design, and quick greens," Sarah told him.  "And David Wells called it a `Fun course, challenging layout, especially for a lefthander`.  Awesome.  I`m not sure I need the extra challenge, but still…"  Sarah wore her left-handedness like a badge of honor.  It came from a lifetime of being a baseball fan.  There were plenty of other testimonials for the course, but she was only interested in those that came from Major League Baseball players.

As she climbed out of the Jeep wearing a long pair of light-blue plaid shorts with a white collared shirt (of course), she pulled her white socks all the way up to her knees. 

"An homage to Grandpa," she explained to Nick, who only shook his head.  "I only wish I had a golf hat with a pom-pom on it."

They began with the intention of playing 18 holes, but ended up with the unusual number of 14.  It took about four- and-a-half hours.  That`s when they ran out of balls Sarah was able to hold her own against Nick, who played a lot growing up.  She didn`t mind losing to him, as long as it wasn`t by a wide margin. 

"Besides," she reminded Nick, "the course is especially challenging for lefthanders."  He smiled.

They showered in the clubhouse and then headed downtown to check out the upscale jeweler in Phoenix.

As they were walking in, Nick asked Sarah: "Are we shopping for us, or are you half of a lesbian couple today?"

Sarah smiled as she told him: "I was thinking about it, and I`d rather be a lesbian in Utah."

Nick put his arm around her and hugged her tight. "You are so predictable," he told her.

At the jewelry store, which appeared to be independently owned, Nick and Sarah browsed until a salesperson approached them.

"We`re looking at engagement rings!" Sarah squealed.

The saleswoman smiled.  "Congratulations.  Are you looking for anything in particular?"

"Something pretty and sparkly," Sarah gushed, looking doe-eyed at Nick.

"Do you know what cut you`re looking for?" the woman asked. 

"Princess-cut," Sarah said, "Like Paris Hilton."  She thought for a few seconds.  "One of the times."

The woman brought out some princess-cut diamond engagement rings and put them in a display.

Sarah picked out her three favorite and then went to look at other sparkly things.  Nick asked: "What about maintenance?"

"Oh, we guarantee our rings, and we`ll maintain them or upgrade them for a lifetime."

"But with the economy being what it is, what happens if the store closes?  What happens then?" Nick asked, knowing she wouldn`t like that question much.

"Well, we don`t believe that`s going to happen to us.  We`re doing just fine, sir." The woman put a big smile on her face.

Nick thanked her, gave her the same line about thinking it over, and called to Sarah, who was steaming up the top of a display case with her breath and drawing hearts with her finger.  They left the store, giggling.

Sarah thought Nick`s giggle was the cutest thing about him, and they passed their time happily playing at the hotel until they headed to the Diamondbacks game.

"Chase Field, 401 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix, Arizona, 85004," she said to herself as she plugged the info into the GPS.  "It`s SO not far," she told Nick. 

 "I liked it better when it was the BOB," Nick said, referring to the original name of the ballpark, Bank One Ballpark, or The Bob.  "I like fields with names, like human names.  The Bob.  The Jake.  Like that."

"Well," Sarah responded, "I still think of the Celtics as playing at Boston Garden, and not…what is it again?"

"TD Banknorth Garden," Nick said with audible disgust. 

"Right, like I`ll remember that," Sarah said.

Because Sarah grew up with a guy who played for the Diamondbacks, she and Nick were able to sit in her favorite spot, on the third baseline, above the home team`s dugout.    After buying the obligatory giant foam-rubber finger and getting their first of several beers, they went to watch the game.  Although neither of them cared about either of the teams playing, they cheered the Diamondbacks on because that`s how they got the great seats.  Sarah`s friend, a relief pitcher, never got into the game, but they yelled their hearts out anyway.  After the Diamondbacks won, Nick and Sarah waited by the Players` Gate to say hello and thank you to Sarah`s friend, who invited them out for some drinks with the team.  Nick looked to Sarah for an answer.

For the first time on the trip, Sarah didn`t feel like partying like a rock star.  They`d been on the go pretty much since they started the trip, so she was looking forward to a quiet night.

The next afternoon, as Nick and Sarah were drifting on inner tubes down an artificial river in the middle of the desert, with her fingers and toes dangling in the water, her inner tube tied to Nick`s, Sarah felt completely relaxed. 

"This is awesome," she said.

"A total do-over, yes," Nick responded.  "When we`re 80 and have all the time in the world."