Chapter Two
Annabelle convinced Petunia to go out for a spa treatment. "Come on, it'll make you feel loads better!" she insisted.
Petunia was skeptical.
It was all a bit uncomfortable at first - the facials, the undressing and getting a massage. But to her surprise, she found she felt a lot better afterward.
"Isn't it great?!" Annabelle said from the next massage table, grinning, and Petunia agreed privately that it was.
Annabella introduced her to meditative audio tapes, and when she finally put one in, she sat back and was frankly amazed by how much better she felt. Emotional and healed, though those were such cheesy words.
My God, what had gotten into her?
She told Vernon about all of it, showing him her poetry.
He chuckled. "Oh, you and your indulgences," she said. "It's cute."
Petunia frowned. This meant a lot to her. She didn't want to be 'cute.'
But Vernon had shown an interest, had forgiven her for her sister. He was the one… wasn't he?
She met David Birch at a party hosted by Annabelle.
She wore a nice dress and stood stiffly upright in the corner, holding a drink. A thin brunette man came up to her, smiling with kind eyes.
"I can see what you like here," he said. "The scenic view is so nice with no humans ruining it."
Petunia started a glare, then realized he was serious. She softened. "I don't like people," she said.
"We share that in common," said the man cheerfully. "David." He held out a hand.
Gingerly, she shook it.
"Can I get you a drink?"
The question threw her off guard. "You… you want to bring me a drink?"
"That is in fact what I said."
She glared at him. "Well, if you're going to be an asshole about it."
He actually laughed. No one had ever thought Petunia funny before. She had no idea what to think of it.
"Alright," she said. "A drink would be fine."
She realized over the course of the evening that David Birch made her give out surprised laughs. He was two years older than her. He worked as a waiter and went to open mic nights on weekends.
He was infertile. It was out of the question.
"You know, I have a boyfriend," she informed him at one time.
"Good to know. I'll have to remember not to grope your butt."
She blushed and gave him an offended glare, and he laughed again.
They took her out to a farm, Annabelle and David, organic and free range. She trudged with disgust through the mud and muck and dung, staying far away from the animals.
"You know, they won't kill you," David called.
"They're dirty!" she called back. "And dangerous!"
Finally, he took her to see a lamb.
It was very cute. She knelt down, and softly petted its fur. It had innocent, moist eyes.
The farmer started talking about what happened to animals on big industrial farms, and Petunia became horrified and indignant. "That is most unsatisfactory," she said. "Most unsatisfactory."
She had promised not to let the trip affect her, but she started buying animal friendly products.
Vernon complained loudly when he heard what she was doing.
"Animal free products," he scoffed. "Animals can't feel anything, and they were put here to be eaten. It's absolutely ridiculous, as silly as meditation -"
"Vernon," said Petunia boldly, "I want to become a poet and I don't want to stop being a typist after I get married."
He stared at her flushing. "Well - well - that's absolutely unacceptable -" he blustered.
"Vernon," said Petunia, "I don't think this is going to work."
And as he stared and then shouted after her, she had the courage to walk away.
Annabelle and David comforted her.
"I always did think he was an asshole," Annabelle admitted.
"Would getting totally wasted help?" David asked.
Petunia looked up. "Yes," she admitted in Annabelle's apartment tearfully.
They went to a pub. They got very drunk. Petunia kissed David full on the mouth, and they ended up stumbling up the stairs, taking each other's clothes off.
The sex was surprisingly slow and tender and when she woke up, she realized she should feel some sort of shame, but she didn't.
David found her clinging around a bathrobe, staring out the pub room window. He came up behind her and placed warm hands on her shoulders.
"... I always wanted children," she said tearfully, quiet. "But that doesn't matter. Because I love you."
She turned around and bent her face into the crook of his shoulder, crying softly into it. David held her silently.