Hey everyone. I wrote this for both the Holmes Mystery Challenge and Chocolate Truffle Craze Challenge on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The prompt for the Holmes Mystery Challenge is the emotion of happiness. For the Chocolate Truffle Craze I choose to write for Unsweetend and Cocoa Powder. The task for unsweetened is write about a rude character (Vernon Dursley come on down). The task for Cocoa Powder is to write about making plans. I think this story is the perfect mash up for all the above prompts. I hope you all enjoy A Picnic Date Surprise.
Vernon Dursley of number 4 Privet Drive was having a very bad day. Anyone who had come into contact with him that could tell that he wasn't in his usual chipper mood. He yelled at his secretary more than ten times that day. He stubbed his toe going up the stairs to the impromptu meeting that his boss had called. During the meeting his boss had asked if he could stay late. This wouldn't have been a bad thing if it wasn't for the fact that it was his and his wife Petunia's wedding anniversary today.
"Hey Vern," called one his fellow workers, "you got anything planned for you and Tunia tonight?"
Vernone glowered over at the man, who visibly shrank away from him. "No," he sneered. He actually had had plans for that evening but when work called Vernon Dursley answered. "I've been told to stay late and make some calls after work. So I had to cancel the plans I made with Petunia." For the first time in his life, Vernon Dursley, hated his job.
"Maybe instead of canceling your plans,"the fellow, Andrew something or other, suggested, "you could adapt them to work with your situation."
Vernon quirked an eyebrow at the other man. What was this Andrew fellow trying to tell him to do?
"How, pray tell, would I do that?" Vernon sneered at the smaller man.
"Order some take away and bring it back to the office," the smaller man suggested with a smile. "That way you can invite your wife on a nice little picnic dinner. It might not be fancy and expensive like you usually do but she'd know you cared enough to think about her."
Vernon nodded as he thought about what the other man had suggested to him. One of the first few dates he had had with Petunia had in fact been a picnic date by a lake nearby her home. He remembered this date because she had seemed very happy during it. He looked at the smaller and nodded at him in a gesture of thanks.
"Thank you," he snapped still sounding short but not as much as he had earlier that day. "Very good idea."
Why hadn't he thought of it himself he thought as he called the restaurant he had wanted to take Petunia to tonight to ask if they did take away. He was very thankful when they confirmed that they did indeed do take away. So he ordered a meal for himself, his favorite meal of all time Chicken Parm, and Petunia's favorite Filet Mignon.
"Why not order some desert too?" suggested the voice on the other end of the line. "Ladies always enjoy desert."
It was sage advice if he had actually thought about it. Petunia loved the deserts at this particular restaurant so he ended up ordering the Lemon Meringue which was one of her favorites.
"We'll have it to you by six fifteen tonight, sir," the voice on the other end of the line told him.
He thanked the man as a smile wandered across his face. He was receiving strange looks from his fellow co-worker as he wandered back to his office. His secretary cowered as he approached her desk.
"Any messages?" he asked clearly in a much better mood than earlier.
"One from your wife," the shaking woman told him as she handed him the hand written message she had taken. "Also the Hong Kong branch wants you to call them at your conveince."
"Thank you. I'll be in my office."
He saw out of the corner of his eye he saw his secretary breathe a slight sigh of relief. He then realized how much of a terror he had been most of the day as sat down and picked up his phone to call home. He smirked at his own plan as listened to ringing on the other side of the line. Then the phone was picked up and he heard the voice of his beautiful wife.
"Dursley residence," she said cheerfully. "Who may I ask is calling?"
"Pumpkin," Vernon's voice sounded cherry to his own ears, He should tone it down a bit especially considering the next part of what he was going to say. He knew that Petunia had wanted to go to that restaurant since it had opened a week ago. "I'm sorry, darling, I have to stay late at work tonight. But I have come up with a back up plan for our date tonight."
He heard the soft sigh on the other end of the line and knew she was disappointed. After she had been thinking about this all week. Especially since she had been hinting about wanting to go to that particular place.
"It's alright, sweetheart," she said trying her best sound stoic at this point. "There's always next year. Right?"
"But I think you will like my back up plan," he told her hopefully. "Meet me at work about six twenty five tonight." His smile grew as envisioned how decorate his office for the occasion. "You are in for a wonderful surprise, my dear."
"Okay," he heard from the end of the phone. It seemed a bit hesitant but he'd take it. "See you later on, dear." He could hear that Dudley had just gotten home from school as she hung up the phone.
Vernon quickly called back the Hong Kong office and dealt with a problem concerning a shipment that his office had just sent them. Apparently someone had shorted the shipment by five. He reassured them that the five that were owed would be arriving in the post tomorrow. Sending his secretary to overnight the items in question.
The rest of the day went off without at hitch and he found himself letting his secretary go home early in an attempt to make up for his earlier behavior. He couldn't help but watch enviously as she and the others slowly began to trickle out of the office. Around five thirty he found himself alone making calls he set up his office for date night.
And as predicted the food arrived at six fifteen on the dot. He paid for his order and decided he'd tip generously because he felt lighter than he had earlier that day. Happier even.
When the man who brought the food left he quickly set candles on his desk. Along with the fancy looking plastic plates, silverware, and wine glasses he'd bought earlier from the grocery store. He carefully set the meals on each plate making sure to make it look fancy. He was just putting the finishing touches on the room when he heard the buzzer announcing Petunia's arrival. He quickly rushed to let her into the building.
"Right this way, my dear," he said slipping his arm through hers with a huge smile on his face. He lead to the floor that his office was on and stopped before they went any further. "Now, close you eyes, my dear. This next part is the surprise."
She sighed but did as he told her to. Leading her through his office door he helped her into her chair. The smile never leaving his face as he took her in. Surrounded by candles she looked as lovely as she did back on their first picnic date.
"Open your eye, Petunia," he told her.
He watched as the happiness shown in her eyes as she took in everything. Her eyes going from the candles lining the shelves. The rose petals scattered over the floor. The beautiful meal that was laid out on the desk.
"You did this for me?" she asked tears evident in her voice. "This is the best date I've ever been since we got married." She got up and placed her arms around his shoulders bringing him into a kiss. "Thank you, dear."
If he'd have known this is all it would take to make her happy he'd have done something like this long before now. He sat down in the chair across from his happy smiling wife as they both began to eat their anniversary meal.
"Happy anniversary, dear," he said the smile never leaving his face.
I hope you all enjoyed A Picnic Date Surprise. I can totally see Vernon having to work late on his anniversary and having to come up with an idea like this. I can also it making Petunia very happy.