Perfect Day
I slowly stir in bed. Before I even open my eyes, I realize Leo isn't beside me. All of my happiness immediately disappears. Today was our one-year anniversary, and my husband wasn't even here. "Could he have forgotten?" I ask myself. I highly doubted that, but wondered what could have happened.
I gradually open my eyes. Instantly, a smile lights up my face. He didn't forget. My bed was covered in rose petals, the same way it was exactly 365 blissful days ago. I throw some up into the air, watching the slowly fall back down.
The door creaks open. In walks Leo, carrying a breakfast tray in his hands, and our sleeping daughter Melinda strapped to his chest in the Snuggli. "Happy anniversary, sweetie." He said, walking over to the bed.
I pull myself up into a sitting position. "I love you. Both of you," I say, giving Melinda a gentle kiss on the head, before kissing Leo.
Leo sets the tray down on the bed, and then climbed in himself. "So, I have the entire day planned."
After I swallow, I say "Are you going to share it with me?"
"Nope." Leo says, mysteriously. "Just dress comfortable, and I will take care of everything." With that, Leo stood up and left the room.
I finish my breakfast, and then get changed. When I make it downstairs, there is Leo, Melinda, and a picnic basket. "So, is there a picnic involved?"
"You'll see. Let's just go to the car." Leo grabs the basket and Melinda, and walks outside. "Climb in," he commands me, being very secretive.
I obey, climbing in, but turning around to see what is going on. Once Melinda is strapped in, Leo gets into the driver's seat, and backs out of the driveway. "So, am I going to get any hints about where we are going?"
"If I give you any hints, it won't be a surprise, will it?"
I smile, and then patiently wait for us the reach our destination. "The park." I say, once I see the sign in the distance.
"That's part of the day."
"Part?" I ask curious.
"You'll see."
We park, and climb out. Leo takes Melinda, and I ask about the picnic. "We will get it later. There is nothing perishable, so it will be okay."
Leo takes my hand, and carries Melinda in the other. We walk, meandering through the fields, until we reach a stream.
"Leo, its so beautiful." I say, staring at the peaceful waters.
We walk along the stream for about an hour, stopping to smell the flowers, look at the fish, and to take pictures. Leo had snuck a camera into Melinda's diaper bag.
Once we start getting hungry, we slowly walk back to the car. Leo tries to grab the basket, but he isn't having an easy time, what with Melinda and her diaper bag.
Laughing, I say, "Leo, common, please let me get that."
Leo reluctantly agrees, and I grab the basket. Leo leads the way back over to the stream, to a rock over cropping. We climb up, and get comfortable.
Leo slowly unpacks the basket, which includes sandwiches, chips and juice. "I would have packed milk for Melinda, but I didn't want it to spoil," he says, apologetically.
"I am sure she doesn't mind," I reply, handing Melinda her bottle. Sure enough, she clasps it in her tiny hands and starts drinking "See."
We eat slowly, a gentle breeze ruffling the leaves above us, and sometimes try to steal our napkins.
After we are done, we pack the basket, but then lie on the rock for a while. "This is so perfect." I say to Leo.
"The day isn't over yet. Are you ready to go?" Leo asks, sitting up.
I smile, curious. "Yeah." I take Melinda and her diaper bag, while Leo grabs the basket. Once I get Melinda strapped in the car, Leo drove off, but surprisingly, he drove to the Manor.
"Stay here." Leo commands. He gets out of the car, goes around back, and takes Melinda out. He carried her up to the house, and before he could knock, Phoebe opened the door and took Melinda. They talked for a few seconds, but then Phoebe and Melinda went inside, and Leo came back to the car.
"Leo, please, please tell me where we are going!" I beg him.
"You will find out," he said.
The rest of the ride was silent, I was trying to figure out where we could be heading. We soon pull into a parking lot. "A movie?" I ask.
"A Walk To Remember. It seemed like the most romantic movie out."
"I love you." I say, completely meaning it.
Leo smiles back at me, and I can read his love for me in his face.
We bought the tickets, and sat in the theater talking until the movie started. When it got sad, Leo comforted me. Although he will probably never admit it, I am sure I saw some tears glistening in his eyes.
At the end of the movie, we walk around the mall. Leo never complained about how long I looked at clothes, books, or toys for Melinda.
At six, we left the mall. I didn't ask where we were headed next, I know by now Leo wasn't going to tell me.
"Parfait Souper!" I say, amazed. "Leo, this is the most expensive restaurant in town. You don't need to take me here, today has been enough!"
"Nothing is too good for you. Besides, I have been saving up for this day, and your sisters helped a little."
"But, but, I am not dressed appropriately."
"Not to worry," Leo says. "I have a dress for you, and a suit for me in the back. I already asked, and they said we could use the bathrooms to get changed. Not exactly glamorous, but the best I can do."
"Thank you."
We get out of the car. I grab my dress, and Leo his suit. We were lead to the bathrooms. "Wow." I say, once I am left alone in the women's one. The bathroom was huge, and the stall was easily large enough to change in. After I change, I place my old clothes in a locker. I wondered why they had them, but was grateful they did.
I walk outside to the lobby, where Leo is waiting. Standing, he says, "Our table is ready."
We are lead over to a booth, and handed menus. Dinner was amazing. I had shrimp, and Leo steak. After what seemed like a perfect day, Leo led me outside to where a horse and carriage were waiting. "Leo..." I say, unable to say more. Leo helps me up, and then climbs in himself. "This is amazing. You really didn't have to do all of this." I say, finally able to speak.
"Piper, I would fly you to the moon and back if it would make you happy."
We sit in the carriage, enjoying the weather and the views. After ten minutes, Leo says, "Now time for your present."
"Present? Leo, today was a present. You don't need to give me anything more... besides, my present is kinda at home..."
"Just open it." Leo hands me a small box.
I take it, and open it slowly. "Leo, its... its beautiful." The gift was a ring with a row of diamonds on the top, and "I Love You" engraved on it.
"Leo, this is really too much. Can we really afford all this?"
"It might be a little tough for a few weeks, but we can. And tonight was worth it. Seeing you this happy..."
Leo places the ring on my finger, and then we kiss. I snuggle up to him, and say, "Thank you Leo. This has been the perfect day."
The End
I slowly stir in bed. Before I even open my eyes, I realize Leo isn't beside me. All of my happiness immediately disappears. Today was our one-year anniversary, and my husband wasn't even here. "Could he have forgotten?" I ask myself. I highly doubted that, but wondered what could have happened.
I gradually open my eyes. Instantly, a smile lights up my face. He didn't forget. My bed was covered in rose petals, the same way it was exactly 365 blissful days ago. I throw some up into the air, watching the slowly fall back down.
The door creaks open. In walks Leo, carrying a breakfast tray in his hands, and our sleeping daughter Melinda strapped to his chest in the Snuggli. "Happy anniversary, sweetie." He said, walking over to the bed.
I pull myself up into a sitting position. "I love you. Both of you," I say, giving Melinda a gentle kiss on the head, before kissing Leo.
Leo sets the tray down on the bed, and then climbed in himself. "So, I have the entire day planned."
After I swallow, I say "Are you going to share it with me?"
"Nope." Leo says, mysteriously. "Just dress comfortable, and I will take care of everything." With that, Leo stood up and left the room.
I finish my breakfast, and then get changed. When I make it downstairs, there is Leo, Melinda, and a picnic basket. "So, is there a picnic involved?"
"You'll see. Let's just go to the car." Leo grabs the basket and Melinda, and walks outside. "Climb in," he commands me, being very secretive.
I obey, climbing in, but turning around to see what is going on. Once Melinda is strapped in, Leo gets into the driver's seat, and backs out of the driveway. "So, am I going to get any hints about where we are going?"
"If I give you any hints, it won't be a surprise, will it?"
I smile, and then patiently wait for us the reach our destination. "The park." I say, once I see the sign in the distance.
"That's part of the day."
"Part?" I ask curious.
"You'll see."
We park, and climb out. Leo takes Melinda, and I ask about the picnic. "We will get it later. There is nothing perishable, so it will be okay."
Leo takes my hand, and carries Melinda in the other. We walk, meandering through the fields, until we reach a stream.
"Leo, its so beautiful." I say, staring at the peaceful waters.
We walk along the stream for about an hour, stopping to smell the flowers, look at the fish, and to take pictures. Leo had snuck a camera into Melinda's diaper bag.
Once we start getting hungry, we slowly walk back to the car. Leo tries to grab the basket, but he isn't having an easy time, what with Melinda and her diaper bag.
Laughing, I say, "Leo, common, please let me get that."
Leo reluctantly agrees, and I grab the basket. Leo leads the way back over to the stream, to a rock over cropping. We climb up, and get comfortable.
Leo slowly unpacks the basket, which includes sandwiches, chips and juice. "I would have packed milk for Melinda, but I didn't want it to spoil," he says, apologetically.
"I am sure she doesn't mind," I reply, handing Melinda her bottle. Sure enough, she clasps it in her tiny hands and starts drinking "See."
We eat slowly, a gentle breeze ruffling the leaves above us, and sometimes try to steal our napkins.
After we are done, we pack the basket, but then lie on the rock for a while. "This is so perfect." I say to Leo.
"The day isn't over yet. Are you ready to go?" Leo asks, sitting up.
I smile, curious. "Yeah." I take Melinda and her diaper bag, while Leo grabs the basket. Once I get Melinda strapped in the car, Leo drove off, but surprisingly, he drove to the Manor.
"Stay here." Leo commands. He gets out of the car, goes around back, and takes Melinda out. He carried her up to the house, and before he could knock, Phoebe opened the door and took Melinda. They talked for a few seconds, but then Phoebe and Melinda went inside, and Leo came back to the car.
"Leo, please, please tell me where we are going!" I beg him.
"You will find out," he said.
The rest of the ride was silent, I was trying to figure out where we could be heading. We soon pull into a parking lot. "A movie?" I ask.
"A Walk To Remember. It seemed like the most romantic movie out."
"I love you." I say, completely meaning it.
Leo smiles back at me, and I can read his love for me in his face.
We bought the tickets, and sat in the theater talking until the movie started. When it got sad, Leo comforted me. Although he will probably never admit it, I am sure I saw some tears glistening in his eyes.
At the end of the movie, we walk around the mall. Leo never complained about how long I looked at clothes, books, or toys for Melinda.
At six, we left the mall. I didn't ask where we were headed next, I know by now Leo wasn't going to tell me.
"Parfait Souper!" I say, amazed. "Leo, this is the most expensive restaurant in town. You don't need to take me here, today has been enough!"
"Nothing is too good for you. Besides, I have been saving up for this day, and your sisters helped a little."
"But, but, I am not dressed appropriately."
"Not to worry," Leo says. "I have a dress for you, and a suit for me in the back. I already asked, and they said we could use the bathrooms to get changed. Not exactly glamorous, but the best I can do."
"Thank you."
We get out of the car. I grab my dress, and Leo his suit. We were lead to the bathrooms. "Wow." I say, once I am left alone in the women's one. The bathroom was huge, and the stall was easily large enough to change in. After I change, I place my old clothes in a locker. I wondered why they had them, but was grateful they did.
I walk outside to the lobby, where Leo is waiting. Standing, he says, "Our table is ready."
We are lead over to a booth, and handed menus. Dinner was amazing. I had shrimp, and Leo steak. After what seemed like a perfect day, Leo led me outside to where a horse and carriage were waiting. "Leo..." I say, unable to say more. Leo helps me up, and then climbs in himself. "This is amazing. You really didn't have to do all of this." I say, finally able to speak.
"Piper, I would fly you to the moon and back if it would make you happy."
We sit in the carriage, enjoying the weather and the views. After ten minutes, Leo says, "Now time for your present."
"Present? Leo, today was a present. You don't need to give me anything more... besides, my present is kinda at home..."
"Just open it." Leo hands me a small box.
I take it, and open it slowly. "Leo, its... its beautiful." The gift was a ring with a row of diamonds on the top, and "I Love You" engraved on it.
"Leo, this is really too much. Can we really afford all this?"
"It might be a little tough for a few weeks, but we can. And tonight was worth it. Seeing you this happy..."
Leo places the ring on my finger, and then we kiss. I snuggle up to him, and say, "Thank you Leo. This has been the perfect day."
The End