[Synopsis: A year has passed since MrEgg and Ria finally tied the knot, and now their first anniversary is here. Unfortunately, the latter realizes this a bit too late. Can she still pull off an unforgettable anniversary at the very last minute?]

[Location: MrEgg and Ria's house, and the surrounding area]

Oh, and um, if for some reason the actual Ria is still reading these and/or is bothered by them, I would like to state that I view the Ria we saw in the Novisor specials as a separate entity from her IRL counterpart, so I'm not directly shipping an actual person with a fictional orange bean. Besides, I've kind of dug this RiaEgg well too deep for me to get out of now anyways, so might as well keep drilling. XP

Oh well, just wanted that addressed. Now onto the story!

____________________________________________________________

MMMMMMMM

MMMMMMMM

MMMMMMMM

Ria reached a hand out towards her nightstand, visor prying open as she tried to grab her phone...She'd been gradually waking up earlier over the past few months, so she'd set it to just vibrate instead of sound off an alarm; the last thing she wanted was to give MrEgg a rude awakening.

She turned the alarm off, then sat up and stretched, turning to look at her husband beside her...Still sound asleep, thankfully. And he wouldn't be awake for another half hour.

He deserves it, that's for sure, she said to herself as she lowered her feet and slid them into the pair of slippers on the floor, heading over to their shared bathroom to wash up...When she came out only a few minutes later, the lime crewmate made her way out into the kitchen and booted up the coffee maker, eyeing up the latte setting. The coffee maker usually went unused in the favor of tea, so she figured it'd be nice to shake things up for a change. 

As she booted up the machine, Ria spied the calendar on the wall, and she remembered to cross out today's date on it...October 7th. She sighed whimsically; that was the day they said their vows up on the hill in the countryside, surrounded by acres of golden grass and warm scarlet and orange trees. It was hard to believe it'd already been a full year since that day.

...Exactly a year, to be presice.

Wait a minute... Ria said to herself. That...that would make today our...

That was when it clicked, and her eyes bugged out in horror.

OH, CRAP.

It was their anniversary! How could she have missed that!? Oh, why on earth hadn't she realized this yesterday!? Last week, even!? They didn't even have any plans!

...SHE didn't have any plans. But what if MrEgg did? Would she be found out!? What would he say if he found out she forgot!?

Heart racing, she paced around the kitchen in a quiet panic.

"Oh, God, oh God oh God oh God, what do I do, what do I do...!?" she whispered over and over, trying to figure out what course of action to take. Her eyes darted everywhere as she tried to determine her first step; to the stove, to the fridge, back to the coffee maker. If only her stomach would stop growling, she might be able to think more straight.

Wait...That's it! THAT'S IT! ANNIVERSARY BREAKFAST!!

She snapped her fingers as the idea hatched, and she set right to work gathering things from the fridge...What did he say his favorite breakfast was? Scotch eggs? Yes, that was it! She pulled up a recipe on her phone and skimmed through the instructions as quickly as she could.

"Boil eggs, wrap in sausage, breadcrumbs, bake, okay...!"

She hopped right to it, hoping desperately all the while that she had enough time...she couldn't check it very often if she wanted them to come out well, that was for sure.

But that's not enough by itself, it needs to be bigger! she said to herself as she gathered four eggs into a pot of water and placed it on the stove. What else, what else...He doesn't like the huge English breakfasts, so I'll just downsize that. A-and Earl grey! YES! Okay okay, everything's planned out! Let's hope I can pull this off...

____________________________________________________________

...

____________________________________________________________

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

MrEgg stirred from his sleep and yawned, clenched fists stretching far above him as he processed the sound of his alarm. He sat up in bed, blinked, and pondered whether or not he should press the snooze button...He ultimately decided not to; even if it was a Saturday, it was probably better to maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Besides, he didn't want to keep Ria waiting for him too long, seeing that she'd already been awake for quite some time now.

With that settled, he slid out of the bed, stood up and stretched some more...and THAT was when he sniffed and noticed the smell of breakfast cooking.

This early? he pondered. He was a patient bean, so Ria knew she didn't have to be up at the crack of dawn making something to eat. But then again, he was also aware that she'd been waking up earlier as time went on, so maybe she just wanted to get it done.

...Well, I can't complain, he grinned eagerly, wondering what she might be cooking up as he headed into the bathroom...He took a bit longer than usual, particularly because of a mystery stain he discovered on his washcloth while he was in there which he decided to take some hydrogen peroxide to. When he only managed to get some of it off, he decided to give up and take some a bleach pen to it later, finally following his nose out of the bedroom, through the hallway and into the kitchen, where he was met with-

"YOU'RE AWAKE!"

Ria's sudden exclamation made him jump back a bit.

"Oh! Y-yes, I am. Good morning, love," he greeted, shaking off the startle as best he could. "It looks like you've been quite busy in the kitchen this morning."

"Well, why wouldn't I when I wanted to make things EXTRA special?" she replied, leading him over to the table, where the orange crewmate then spied the full platters of Scotch eggs, bacon and fried tomato slices, each served up with a still piping hot cup of fragrant Earl grey.

"My goodness..." MrEgg marveled. "This looks...amazing!"

"Thank you so much! Can I get you anything else to go along with that?"

"Oh, no need, love, I...do believe this is everything I could ask for in a breakfast," he smiled, taking a seat...Upon sitting down at the table, he also realized that Ria had also set out his daily dose of vitamin tablets next to his teacup and folded the napkins very intricately.

Gracious. She's been busy today.

"Well, nothing's too good for my Eggy~!" she gushed, taking a seat across from him. "Especially on our anniversary, you know?"

"Our anniv..."

...MrEgg sat quiet for a moment, expression shifting ever so slightly in ways that Ria couldn't quite pin down. But then, he put on a massive grin and leaned forward.

"Ah...You...are absolutely right, my dear," he replied, on the verge of gushing himself. "Ha ha...! Happy anniversary, love! A happy anniversary indeed! Come, let us eat before your amazing breakfast gets too cold on us!"

Ria held in the urge to heave out a sigh of relief; judging by his response, he suspected absolutely nothing. Which meant she could somewhat enjoy the food while she pondered what to do next.

"Scotch eggs, my favorite..." the marigold crewmate remarked, biting into a cut piece. "And cooked to perfection, as well!"

"I'm soooo happy you like it."

"Oh! OH! I just remembered!" MrEgg exclaimed. "I...I got you something!"

Ria tensed.

"You did...? I-I mean, you did!? Ohh, Eggy!"

"Yes! But it's...um...at the post office! At least, it should be by now. I'll go pick it up at some point today!"

"Yeah! I got something for you, too!" Ria fibbed. "Uhhh...but it's a surprise! A surprise...that you'll have to wait until this evening to see!"

"Ha ha! What a coincidence! Mine is too! Sounds like a gift-opening party later! Ha! Ha..."

"Ah, yeah..."

Ria sloshed down a big gulp of her tea in an attempt to calm herself. She didn't care if it was caffeinated, as long as it SMELLED like it might help.

"I...I got some plans for later today, after breakfast," she said to him.

"Oh do you? That's lovely!"

"Yeah! I, um...reserved a table for us someplace!"

"Oooooh, that sounds splendid!" MrEgg grinned, taking a bite from his fried tomatoes. "Anywhere in particular?"

"Uhh...that's ALSO a surprise!"

"My my, have I got some wondering to do today!"

"Ha ha, yeah! Heh...yeah."

Upon realizing what she'd jut said, the lime crewmate began to panic behind her calm face. A restaurant reservation? On a SATURDAY!? She wouldn't be able to find an open seat for them anywhere! And she couldn't just ask The Piatto Nobile to open up a spot for them; on top of making it obvious that she forgot, that wasn't special at all. MrEgg went there to work every weekday!

She had to come up with a solution, quick. That was certain.

"Um...O-of course, we won't have to worry about that until later. D-do you want to do anything besides that today, MrEgg?"

"Should we...? OH! Oh, yes! Yes, I was thinking that perhaps this afternoon, we...we, um, what was it I planned out for us...? Oh, that's right! I...I thought we might spend the afternoon in the park! Why, I...I'll have to cancel the reservation I made for our dinner myself."

"You...made a dinner reservation, too?"

"Yes! But, um, I'd like to go to whatever you had planned instead! I-in hindsight the place I picked isn't anything all that special anyways, you know love?"

"Oh...Are you sure you want to do that?"

"Hey, well, it's not like I paid a bill for the food yet, right? It's no trouble at all!"

Ria tried her best to settle her nerves. She felt bad that MrEgg had made a reservation for a place himself, but at least he was on board with her pick...which she still had yet to think of, and at a time when MrEgg wasn't present.

...She hated to have to do such a thing on their anniversary, but maybe she could get him out of the house JUST for a little bit so she could make a reservation for somewhere without having to worry about being caught.

"Hey, um...MrEgg?" she asked him, swallowing a bite of bacon.

"Yes, Honeydew?"

"I remember you saying something about you getting me something, but it's still at the post office. I...think they close early on weekends. If you maybe wanna grab it real quick so we can both open ours this evening, right after breakfast might be a good time!"

The lime bean was afraid he might object, but to her surprise and relief...

"Oh! Yes, what a grand idea!! I'll go as soon as we're done cleaning up after breakfast and I'll be in and out!"

"Cool! Great! Hah..." Ria huffed, finishing what was left of her Scotch eggs. "Oh, looks like I'm done. I'll give myself a head start!"

"Hey, wait for me!"

MrEgg stood up to give his assistance just a few seconds later...Amidst all of her internal turmoil, Ria felt a small spot of tranquility as she and MrEgg tidied up the kitchen; they did this every morning like clockwork, sometimes even getting into small competitions over who could clean the most dishes...Simple pleasures almost always managed to shine through for them, even in times of strife.

She hardly even realized how quickly everything was getting done; before either of them even realized it, the kitchen was spotless.

"Oh! We're finished already?" MrEgg remarked. "How convenient!"

"Yeah! Heh...Alright, well I guess you better get on out there, huh? The post office isn't far, thankfully!"

"Yes indeed!" MrEgg nodded and smiled, grabbing his car keys and making a beeline for the door. "I'll hurry as much as I can; wouldn't want to spend too much time away from you on a day such as this, love. See you shortly!"

"Bye-"

He closed the door before she even had the chance to utter his name, and she saw him rush out to his vehicle in record time. As soon as she heard his engine start, she grabbed her phone, rushed into the bedroom and made her way to the computer desk up against the left wall, opening up a new tab to see which places might still be available to her on the maps.

Ria sighed. Just as she expected, almost every place within half an hour's drive away was fully booked. And the ones that weren't had less than stellar reviews.

I didn't want to have to drive an hour to get somewhere, she said to herself. ...But it looks like I don't really have a choice.

She expanded her search further from where they lived...THERE! A nice French restaurant! Within just under an hour's drive away! They had a dozen open tables left, and a fairly decent 4.2/5 star review.

"La Petite Cuillère, huh? It's not super big, but it'll do! Eggy doesn't like huge places anyway."

With that, she dialed their number, and a pleased grin stretched across her face when she heard the other end pick up.

"Zis is La Petite Cuillère, how may we be of service?"

"Yes! I'd like to make a reservation, please..."

____________________________________________________________

...

____________________________________________________________

"Phew...Okay. Everything's planned for then," Ria huffed. "Ahh...Guess I can settle down a bit for now."

Within the past half hour, she'd placed their reservation for dinner, checked to make sure her car had enough gas(depending on which one they wanted to take to dinner,) AND decided what she was going to wear that evening...The only thing she could think of that she had left to do was find some sort of gift for MrEgg. The lime crewmate wasn't sure how she was going to pull that off from under his nose, considering she would have to go pick something up at a store herself, but she decided to wait for an opportunity to present itself while they were out later; she'd already gotten a lot done since MrEgg left the house.

As Ria sat down in one of the armchairs in the living room, she tried to distract herself from her lingering worries by turning on the television and switching on some Bob Ross; she'd been watching him a lot lately, and honestly she found herself wanting to follow one of his tutorials...She had been putting off looking for the right canvases and a collection of oil paints, though. As well off as they were with their combined incomes, she knew the stuff was probably expensive, especially considering its amount.

"Eh...Maybe after Christmas," she shrugged.

A few minutes into her first video, Ria turned around where she sat and peeked out the front window to see if she spied MrEgg yet...He said he wasn't going to be back as quickly as he could, but given how long he usually took to get their mail he was 10 minutes late coming home.

And she still saw no signs of his car approaching.

Hope he didn't get into an accident...again, Ria said to herself. Fortunately, the route had low traffic and a low speed limit, so even if he had gotten into a situation on the road, it probably wasn't anything lethal.

"Myaow...?"

The sound of George's guttural yowl tore her attention away from the driveway, and she looked down at the grey cat...then promptly facepalmed. They'd both been so caught up with things that morning that neither of them remembered to feed him.

"Oh, jeez, I'm sorry George. Come on, let's go eat."

He trotted behind her as she went to fetch his bowl, filling it up with a combination of dry kibble and shredded canned food. George circled around her legs eagerly until the very moment the dish touched the tile, upon which he dug right in.

"Hmmm..."

She wondered what MrEgg might want in terms of a gift. If she was going to pick it up somewhere on the sly, then it'd be best to know what she'd be getting ahead of time.

"Some new sheet music, maybe? No, too tacky. And too cheap..." Ria decided. "Maybe if I write down a list of things he might like in my notes, I can narrow it down from there."

Deciding she had more important things to do, Ria turned the TV off, pulled out her phone and started typing out ideas as they came to her...A new piece of winter clothing, a fancy cookbook and a tea sampler were only a few of the things that she wrote down. MrEgg wasn't picky at all, so he'd probably be satisfied with anything she could think of...But nonetheless, she did want it to be special. Not just the run of the mill birthday or Christmas present. This was their first anniversary.

...Nothing could top that.

Just when she was beginning to run out of ideas, she heard the sound of a car engine revving down. A quick peek out the window showed her that MrEgg was finally back, and she saw him exit the car with a beautifully-wrapped package in hand.

...As much as she couldn't wait to see what was inside, Ria's guilt came surging back to her all over again. The package looked like it weighed some, given how MrEgg had to shift his hand every so often as he approached the door.

"Well, don't worry about it now," she told herself. "You'll make up for your side of the exchange later."

That was when the front door opened, and the marigold crewmate came strolling in, an energetic bounce in his step.

"Hello, love! Sorry I took so long getting it; not only was the traffic troublesome, but I nearly ran over a fox crossing the road," he said to her, placing his keys and wallet back where they belonged. "I'll place the package in our room for now; when would you like to exchange our gifts to one another?"

"Oh, um...H-how about later on this evening? While we wind down? Y'know, to finish off the day with a bang!"

"Ooh, lovely idea, Ria!" MrEgg agreed. "Ah...So, I happened to check the forecast while I was at the post office, and it says it's going to be a bit overcast, but the chances of rain are low. Which is quite good, given our plans for the park."

"Good! Ha...ah, yeah. That's a relief," Ria sighed, feeling her heartbeat finally begin to slow.

"So, when would you like to go, love? It's still quite early, and it's a bit chilly outside at the moment."

"Oh. Um...Well, how about we leave to go there at 10:30 so we'll be there by 11? And, well, that way we also have a little more time to get ready for dinner when we get back, too."

"You're absolutely right! Then it's a date!"

"Heh...heh heh, yeah it is, isn't it?" the lime crewmate agreed. "That's a couple hours from now. Guess we have some time to relax for a while, don't we?"

"Yes! Yes, it seems we do. Ah..."

MrEgg wound down on the spot and plopped into one of their twin arm chairs in the living room, gesturing for his wife to sit beside him as soon as he was comfy. Ria was right next to him in a flash, and for the first time almost all morning, she felt at ease.

But even so, her mind still raced with thoughts. She was SO glad he didn't suspect anything, at least not yet. And so far, almost everything seemed to be going smoothly concerning her plans for the day But could she keep up the ruse all day? All week?

...For the rest of their lives?

No, come on. Just forget about it, Ria, she said to herself, focusing more on how cozy she was huddled up with her marigold sweetheart. It's probably not that big of a deal, anyway...As long as you still make this the best day we've ever had since our wedding, the secret won't even matter.

____________________________________________________________

...

____________________________________________________________

"Hmm...I know they said it wasn't likely to rain here today, but I believe I heard thunder while we were out on the road."

"You did!?" Ria yelped. "I mean, uh...Heh, well, it's probably still fine. Even if you can hear the thunder, that doesn't mean it's super close. Yeah...you can hear that stuff from miles away."

Ria's knees felt weak as she stepped out of MrEgg's coupe and onto the road, following the orange crewmate out onto the park sidewalk. She knew rain was possible, this was the UK after all, but a thunderstorm? Today? If the weather decided to act up now, it would literally put a damper on all of her plans. And if it got bad to the point of flooding the streets, she could possibly even kiss their restaurant dinner goodbye.

But as of now, the cloud cover wasn't immensely thick, and there were even a few spots where the pale grey sheet of stratus broke and showed a few licks of blue. Things were still under control...Hopefully, they would stay that way.

"Shall we go, my dear?"

MrEgg held out his hand for her to take, and Ria could feel the slightest bit of weight being lifted from her shoulders...Even on bad days, MrEgg always had a way of easing the souls of whoever might be around. Just being there to brighten up a room...It was almost magical.

She accepted his hand and squeezed it lightly, and the two of them slowly, leisurely made their way down the slightly damp pavement. A light breeze made its way through the park as they went, swaying the tree branches and rustling the amber and gold leaves that adorned them. Occasionally, Ria spied one float down onto the golden brown grass amidst the fallen acorns and pinecones, perhaps to be picked up yet again when the breeze came back.

This...this was good. The setting, the atmosphere, and of course the occasion. This would give Ria some time to calm her nerves and clear her head. But more importantly, she could just live in the moment for now...This was their anniversary after all, not just MrEgg's. She had to enjoy it herself, too.

And here it was. Finally.

"Ooh, look at that!"

"Huh?"

Ria's attention returned to the path, and she saw MrEgg pointing down at the pavement just a few feet ahead of them...There sat a large open pinecone in the very center of the pavement, with no broken bits or faded spots to be seen.

"Wow...I don't think I've ever seen one in such good shape," she remarked.

MrEgg stepped forward and bent down to pick it up and inspect it. Sure enough, it was perfect on every side.

"...We should take it home with us," he suggested. "This would make a fine memento for today, wouldn't it?"

"Huh...Yeah," Ria nodded. "It would."

So, still hand in hand, they continued down the pavement. MrEgg's hands were full, accommodating Ria's in one and now a somewhat prickly pinecone in the other, but he didn't mind at all. In fact, he was just as enamored by the scenery as Ria had been. He took in everything; the crisp chill of the air, the warm colors of the falling leaves, the earthy smell of damp tree bark mixed with...with...

...With sandwiches?

The orange crewmate sniffed again to make sure his nose wasn't deceiving him. Yes, that was definitely food that he smelled. Where was it coming from? As nice as it was for a walk, MrEgg wouldn't say it was a great day for a picnic; if he learned one thing from that MacArthur Park song, it was that you should never leave food out in the rain. Especially cake, but he figured sandwiches were high on that list, too.

And to further confirm his thought, Ria began to sniff at the air as well.

"...Do I smell food?" she wondered aloud.

"Yes, love, I believe we're both smelling the same thing," MrEgg confirmed. "I wonder where it's coming from?"

"Hey, look over there around the corner!"

Ria dashed a few steps ahead, MrEgg still gripping her hand as he was lead along behind her, and they both peered around the corner of the walking path.

"Huh...I don't remember seeing that the last time we came here," MrEgg remarked.

There along the side of the pavement not far beyond the turn stood a newly-constructed food stand, and the closer the couple got to it, the stronger the smells of toasted bread, meat and cheese became. The title of "Sammy's Sammies" was spelled out in large, green letters just above the awning.

"Hmmmm...You know, I don't believe we had any sort of lunch before we left home," MrEgg remembered. "Do you suppose this new concession stand is worth checking out?"

"It does smell awfully good," the lime crewmate acknowledged. "Uh...but I mean, I don't want you to have to pay for anything extra today, you know?"

"Oh, pish posh. You're the one who set up our dinner reservation for tonight, weren't you?"

"Well...yeah."

"Then please, my dear. Allow me to return the favor."

Now it was MrEgg's turn to lead Ria along, and the two of them approached the stand...A tan crewmate with a leaf sprout on his head and a white apron covering his front was working behind the counter, wiping down his workspace.

"Erm, pardon me, good sir?" MrEgg piped up, alerting the tan figure to his presence and getting him to turn and face them.

"Oi! Customers, I see!" he remarked, a smile spreading across his face. A glance at his nametag revealed that this was the Sammy referred to on the sign. "Didn't expect to see many folks on a gloomy day like today, so this is a right pleasant surprise, it is!"

"I presume that this place hasn't been up for much longer than a month?" the orange crewmate asked him.

"You'd be 'bout right; business has been a bit slow, seeing summer's come and gone by now, but things are steady as they are. May I get you two anything? Menu's written out on that blackboard right above there, see?"

The two beans took a peek at their options...Most of the options were sandwiches and wraps, but there were also a few salads thrown in. Either way though, it all looked very delicious and just as nutritious.

"The Chicken on Rye sounds delicious. I'll take one of those, good sir," he decided. "Ria, what about you?"

"I'd like a BALT, please," she replied, eyeing the inclusion of avocado in the BLT on the ingredients list.

"I'll get right to it, then!" Sammy nodded. "Would either of you like crisps with that?"

The two beans synonymously shook their heads no.

"Thank you, though," MrEgg said to him.

"Righty-o, then. I'll have your sammies ready in just a tic!"

It didn't take long for Sammy to whip up their lunch, and all the while the couple marveled at just how fast he was. He had their orders wrapped up and ready within barely over a minute!

"One Chicken on Rye and one BALT for you two fine folks. That'll be £7.08."

"It's on me, my good sir," MrEgg assured him.

"You, uh...sure you don't want to at least go Dutch, Eggy?" Ria asked him.

"Oh, don't worry about a thing. Besides, as I said before, you're the one who paid for our reservation, so this is the least I can do as of now!"

The orange crewmate gave Sammy his wages, and then the orange and lime-colored beans sat down on the stools lining the bar and opened up their sandwiches...The warm smell came back to them all over again, and they dug in.

Well...I guess I can't do all the work, Ria said to herself. This French place should be worth it, anyway...I just hope it doesn't storm on us.

____________________________________________________________

...

____________________________________________________________

"Go go go go go!"

"Step over the stream flowing downhill, Ria!"

"AH!"

The couple felt like they were just within being swept away as they ran against the wind and rain towards their front door...The downpour had caught them completely by surprise; the radar had failed to show it developing right over them, and Canford Cliffs was caught right in the midst of the storm.

The moment MrEgg slammed the door behind them, a crackling boom of thunder sounded off overhead and echoed across the entire suburb.

"Ha...Ah, phew. Finally back," MrEgg huffed, a relieved grin spreading across his face. "So much for a low chance of rain...For a minute there, I was afraid the car was going to be swept right off the road."

"Yeah..." Ria sighed. "Lemme check the radar and see what's going on."

She pulled up the weather app on her phone and took a look at the latest model...She grimaced at the sight of the massive yellow and orange blotch on the map, which covered their entire area and extended out into places almost an hour away. And a peek at the model prediction told her that it was expected to stay that way for at least another two hours.

"You don't suppose the roads will be too flooded for us to leave for dinner, do you?" MrEgg asked his wife.

"Ah...I..." she stammered. "...I hope not."

"Me, too...Well, if we can't go out to eat, perhaps I could whip us up some dinner myself. We've got plenty of ingredients in the fridge, so I can probably make something worthy of a day like today! Besides, you made a fantastic breakfast; I might as well return the favor if we end up stuck her, right?"

"Well...yeah, that's true. Thank you," Ria nodded. "Besides, we might still be okay, who knows? It's only ten past noon, so by the time 4:00 rolls around, we might be in the clear."

"We'll have to see when the time comes, I suppose," MrEgg shrugged. "Hmm...What would you like to do in the meantime, dear?"

That was when Ria remembered something else.

"Oh my GOSH, I forgot. It's Saturday, right? The gang's probably bee wondering where we were all day!"

"Good gravy, you're right!" MrEgg exclaimed. "I'd better hop on and explain our absence. Unless...oh..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless they already know why we're not present, of course," MrEgg surmised. "I haven't gotten any anniversary greetings from them all day, come to think of it. Have you?"

"No..."

"Hmm...Well, there are two possibilities, then. Either they've forgotten about our anniversary being today or they simply didn't want to bother us, thinking that we'd be busy with one another."

"I wonder why Sheldon hasn't called you?" the lime crewmate said to him. "I figured he would've at least given you a ring."

"Yes...I wonder that myself," MrEgg nodded, scratching the back of his head in confusion. "Hmm...Well, maybe he simply forgot. He's a hard worker, I know that much, so maybe he got caught up in his job."

"On a Saturday?"

"Overtime, perhaps. But either way, I suppose I can't blame him too much; after all, it's not his anniversary. Hee hee."

"You're more forgiving than I am, that's for sure," Ria said to him. "...I oughta take notes."

"Ha! Good thinking, love!"

"Heh heh...yeah, guess it is."

As Ria slumped into the spot on the armchair next to MrEgg, what she said sank further in.

...Should I tell him? she asked herself. Just...come out and say I forgot?

"...Hey, um...MrEgg?"

"Yes, Ria?"

"I, uh...There's something I..."

She trailed off, turning slightly away from him. As soon as she'd started to say it, she was plagued by second thoughts...And now, it was too late to go back.

"Something you want to tell me, dear?"

"Um...Yeah. You see, I...um..."

...Or was it?

"I...I just wanted you to know ahead of time!" she diverted. "The place I picked a place for is, uh...kinda far away. Just over an hour's drive to get there. That's why I wanted to leave earlier, not necessarily so we could eat sooner."

Her heartrate slowed again...She'd meant to tell him that too, anyways.

"Oh," the marigold crewmate remarked. "...Any particular reason you chose a location so far away?"

"Oh, well, y'know, I, uh...thought a nice drive through the countryside would also be nice! Just you and me, without any crowds out in town until we get to the place."

MrEgg tilted his head curiously. Ria tensed when she saw his face; could he tell she was lying? Did the idea of a long drive bother him?

"Hmm...Well, I suppose that would be nice," he finally said. "We haven't gone very far from home recently anyways, so it might be nice to see some new scenery."

"Excellent!" Ria exclaimed. "Ah...Okay. Just wanted you to know about that...and make sure you wouldn't be upset."

"Oh, ho, Ria. You needn't worry about that. I see a silver lining in just about everything...the only exception being the storm clouds above us currently. But even those will gain one in good time!"

____________________________________________________________

...

____________________________________________________________

"Will you be ready soon, love?"

"Uh, yeah! Almost done, Eggy!"

"Alright, well you needn't rush!" MrEgg called out to her. "We're still making fairly good time!"

MrEgg stood outside their bedroom door waiting for Ria to finish getting ready to leave. If he was impatient at all, it was because he was anticipating what she might have decided to wear. She was always very creative with her outfits whenever they went out somewhere fancy, so his excited suspense practically had him by the britches.

"Okay, I'm ready!" he finally heard her announce. "Here I come!"

He heard her footsteps leave the bathroom and approach the bedroom door, and he stood back as the knob turned and the door opened...

"Ooooooooooh..."

MrEgg's eyes widened when he saw her chosen outfit: a flowing periwinkle dress patterned with mauve roses, their spring green stems further complementing the lime shade of her exosuit. In place of her usual red splotched bandana, she now wore a small pillbox hat that matched the cool pastel colors of her dress.

"My, my, Ria," he gushed. "I, ah...I must say, you never fail to make me blush, love."

Ria turned slightly pink in the face herself and smiled.

"Thank you," she chirped.

"Now, are you certain that you want to drive the way there? I mean, I'd hate for you to tire yourself out."

"Oh, no, no, don't worry about it, Eggy!" Ria assured him. "I mean, I kind of sprang that on you a little late anyways, so I doubt you'd like that to be part of the surprise, right?"

"Uh...well...I suppose," MrEgg agreed. "Well, shall we go then?"

"Yes! Yes, we shall!"

With that said, the two made their way to the front door, an extra spring in Ria's step in particular...She tried her best not to show it, but she'd completely relapsed in her anxiety all over again. As much as MrEgg claimed that everything was alright, she couldn't help but think she'd inconvenienced him with this long drive. Agh, why couldn't she just accept that he really was as patient and understanding as he made himself out to be? Perhaps part of her thought it was too good to be true...that HE was too good to be true.

But time and time again, he had proved that he was, indeed, true...She would never forgive herself for the time she accused him of cheating when he'd been working extra to get her a wedding ring, but it seemed he'd forgiven her a long time ago. She didn't deserve him.

...She didn't deserve any of this, really, after all that. Yet, here she was.

"Oh, watch your skirt, love! There might still be some puddles about!" MrEgg remembered, keeping a close eye on the driveway to ensure that Ria didn't get her outfit muddy by mistake...He knew how hard she worked on her outfits, so that was the last thing she wanted to happen, surely.

But in reality, Ria didn't care about that as much at the moment as he thought she did...Her mind was racing with other things at that moment. Things that she wasn't sure what to do about.

Nonetheless, she got to her car without any interference from puddles, and MrEgg hopped into the passenger seat about the same time she got into the driver's side...For a moment, her mind broke away from all of her guilt about today, instead reminiscing about how hard it was to re-learn how to drive in the UK when she first moved here. She'd essentially had to do everything on the road the opposite as before.

But she snapped back into reality as soon as she started up the engine.

"Everything alright, love?" MrEgg asked her. "You seem a bit...frantic, I must say."

"Me? Frantic? Pfsh, nah, no way, I'm not frantic, heh heh heh heh heh...!"

"Are you certain you wouldn't like me to drive? If you're nervous about the distance or getting lost, I could calculate the route on the GPS if you give me the location."

"Oh, no I already looked at the route online and I should be fine!" Ria assured him. "Ah, heh...but, um, if you insist, then...maybe you could drive us back, if you want to?"

"That would be fine with me, yes," he nodded. "But if there's anything else troubling you, be sure to tell me, alright?"

"Yeah...I will, Eggy, I will..."

"...Promise?"

She froze for a moment before turning to look at him...He had that look on his face. The one with the puppy eyes where he knew something was wrong and he was desperate to know. Ria sighed in defeat...She couldn't ever say no to that face.

"Yeah," she told him. "I...I promise."

With that, she backed out of the driveway and got onto the main road...and she realized what she'd just gotten herself into.

...He's catching on, she said to herself. ...I'm gonna have to tell him at some point now...But then again, hey, maybe it won't be so bad. Who knows...? Who knows...I sure don't.

She didn't say much for most of the way through Canford Cliffs, instead listening to MrEgg talk to her about the place they were headed and wondering what kinds of food they might have. She answered a question of his every few minutes or so, attempting to keep up with his conversation and still trying to ignore the guilt that still plagued her, now more than ever...Once they got onto the first stretch of highway, she turned the radio on and tuned in to MrEgg's favorite classical music station, which was currently playing String Quintet in E Major. She tore her eyes away from the road every so often to see him lightly bobbing his head to the melody, with in turn tore her away from her insecurities as well.

...It'll be fine, she assured herself again. Just...take notes from him. He knows how to relax.

The further along the highway they went, the less familiar things became. Canford Cliffs disappeared further and further behind them, and the smell of the ocean faded as they travelled more and more inland. By now, the sun had finally managed to peek out from behind one of the collapsing storm clouds in the distance, illuminating the landscape with a soft golden glow. The ruddy reds and bright oranges and golds of the leaves seemed to shine in the sun's evening light, as did the browning grass as it fell dormant to the cool of autumn...Ria recalled their wedding day, which still felt so recent in spite of a year's passing. The hilly countryside they had chosen looked exactly like this that day, its warm colors and sweet scent almost as inviting as the smile on MrEgg's face as she approached the alter...Come to think of it, the outfit he had on right now looked a lot like the one he was wearing when they wed.

Huh...Is it the same one?

She stole another glance at her husband as he stared out the window admiring the scenery, a sort of childish wonder twinkling in his visor as he watched the trees go by. Sure enough, it was the same tuxedo; he only had two after all, and the other one was ivory instead of black. The only difference she could spy was that he sported a pastel blue tie this time, and not a red one. Almost the same color as the background on her dress...How did he manage to pick a matching one when he had no idea what she was going to wear until after he was done? Maybe he just got lucky...? Or maybe it was intuition.

Ria shrugged. Whatever the case was, the fact that they matched to an extent was pretty adorable, she had to admit.

"...Enjoying the scenery, Eggy?" she asked him.

"Oh, yes indeed! Brings back our wedding day, doesn't it, love?"

"Ha...I was just thinking that myself," the lime crewmate said to him.

"Oh, I hope I'm not boring you, love, it's been quiet for so long. And it seems as though we're going out of range of the radio station."

Ria turned an ear to the radio to find out that it was mostly static by now, only a faint indication of an orchestra chopping in for a split second every few moments...She took a peek at the time; 5:46 p.m. And the sign for Winchester was coming up just ahead on the side of the road.

"Well, we shouldn't be much longer now," she told him. "By the looks of it, we'll be there in about five minutes."

"Oh, splendid! What do you suppose it looks like on the inside?"

"Well, the website didn't show much of the interior. Just some photos of their entrees. I guess we'll find out when we go inside."

"Ah, alright then. I can't wait to see what they've got in store."

"Neither can I, Eggy. Heh..."

What might they have in store...?

...In store...

Wait, Ria realized as she made a left turn onto the next road. Wasn't I supposed to-?

At that moment, her heart turned to stone and sank right into her stomach.

OH, NO.

She'd completely forgotten to pick up a gift for him! She was so absorbed in trying to relax and not worry that she'd let her chance slip! And she TOLD him she had something for him! What was she going to do for the gift exchange later!?

Ria was panicking now, heart racing a mile a minute and on the verge of hyperventilating. But she held herself together as best she could; she could NOT let herself fall apart in front of MrEgg now, not when she'd managed to get this far through the day. She couldn't disappoint him, OR worry him. She couldn't disappoint HERSELF.

...She WOULDN'T disappoint herself. Or him.

No...No, no, no, you can think of something, Ria! she assured herself, in spite of the grasp of dread still trying to overtake her. You've gotten this far! You can find a way out! Somehow...

As Ria's mind tried to keep up with her heartbeat, trying to focus on the road just as much as her predicament, she spied something to her right...A strip mall! And just in front of it sat a gas station! She managed to make out a few small department stores before she had to look to the road again, so it was worth a shot!

When we're done here, maybe I can convince Eggy to refuel while I hop in there and grab something...I'll just tell him we need more cat litter! she decided. Besides, I...wouldn't be lying, anyways. George makes a mess out of that stuff sometimes...I won't mention anything to him now, though, it can wait until after we eat.

And speaking of which, there up ahead was the sign for La Petite Cuillère, and the next right turn lead them into the parking lot...Ria shrank back at the sight of it; the place was PACKED, with almost no empty spaces left. She hoped to God that it wouldn't be the same for their resevred seat on the inside for whatever reason.

How are there so many people here anyways? she wondered. The place doesn't look all that big...

Finally they found an empty space, perhaps the last one, and they pulled into it. MrEgg promptly hopped out, and before Ria even got the chance to grab the door handle, she found MrEgg opening it from the other side.

"After you, love."

"Heh...But of course."

She willingly obliged. MrEgg was just about as much a gentleman as...well...TheGentleman. Maybe even more so, when she thought about it.

As the couple approached the entrance, they caught a better glimpse of the inside...Ria noticed how big the windows were, noting that not many fancy establishments had them along every wall. And she could already hear the busy humming of the crowds inside as clear as day. And...was that a BAND she heard? It sounded too clear and clean to have been playing on a speaker.

Wow...Guess I got REALLY lucky! she said to herself, smiling as the two headed in through the glass doors and approached the front counter. They were immediately greeted by what they presumed to be the owner of the establishment, judging by his outfit. In fact, Ria recognized his voice as the one she spoke to over the phone that morning.

"Ah, welcome to La Petite Cuillère," the banana-clad bean greeted them. "Is there a reservation for you two this fine evening?"

"Yes, yes there is," Ria confirmed. "We should be under 'MrEgg and Ria.'"

"M-hmm," he hummed as he scanned the reservation list for their names. "Ah, yes, there you are. Wait here momentarily; you will be seated very shortly."

He left the entry way, and not long after he disappeared, in came a waitress.

"Alright, you two can follow me, and I'll lead you to your seat!" the rose crewmate told them, the couple following suit and entered the main building...Ria scanned the area for empty seats, admiring the gold-trimmed decor as she wondered which table might be theirs.

Surprised we haven't made it there by now, she said to herself, failing to notice that the waitress was leading them through yet another door. And Ria didn't realize it until they'd already went through the second doorway.

Wait a minute...Why are we back outside?

She found the waitress leading them along a wooden patio through a sea of other diners, finally stopping at the only empty spot outside that was left available...A square table for two, situated right along a low stone wall topped with elegant metal fencing. As much as it looked nice, Ria didn't intend to have them dine outside.

...Maybe I should've taken a better look at which seat I was picking out, she said to herself, knowing full well that she had reserved this seat without knowing it was outdoors. Yet another mistake...

But MrEgg saw it differently.

"An outdoor spot, Ria? My, this is wonderful! Excepting our lunch today, I haven't dined outside in a while, you know?"

"Oh, uh...Yeah!" the lime crewmate quickly piped up. "I-I thought you might like it!"

"Well, have a seat then, my love!" MrEgg grinned as he pulled out her chair for her. "Let's see what we've to order!"

"If you two need some time to decide, I could start you off with something to drink or some hors d'oeuvres," the waitress said to them. "Would you like anything in particular?"

As he sat down, MrEgg stole a glance at his menu, then consulted his wife.

"Why don't you and I treat ourselves to some champagne for this special occasion?"

"Oh, um, sure! Sounds great!" Ria agreed.

"Very well, then. A bottle of Chardonnay for the two of us, please. We'll be a bit to decide our entrees."

The waitress nodded and left the two to their own accords...As guilty as she felt and thought she deserved to feel, Ria secretly hoped that the bubbly would help her to relax more; she'd been a nervous wreck on and off all day, so MrEgg had made a good call.

As they waited, MrEgg took his menu back up and looked over their options.

"Mmmmm...The Canard à l'Orange sounds delicious. You know, I haven't had duck since the second year I lived in our house. I thought I might branch out a bit for Thanksgiving, so..."

Ria wasn't really paying attention to him much...She was too absorbed in her own dismay, staring at her menu without even reading it. At this point, she wasn't sure what she should feel ashamed of; she'd forgotten their special day, then she forgot to pick up a gift for him when she still had the wiggle room, and now she was wondering to herself if there was even a reason for her to be so miserable anymore, and that she'd wasted a good portion of their anniversary just by moping to herself.

"Um...Ria?"

"Huh? Oh! Ah, heh...Sorry Eggy, I was just zoning out!"

"Hmm...You look tired, love," the marigold crewmate remarked. "Perhaps when we get home, we should simmer down a bit and-"

"Bonjour, mes bons convives! I do hope I am not interrupting anything, no?"

The two beans turned to the source of the voice and saw another waiter at their table; a blue crewmate sporting a large covered platter in hand and an enthusiastic grin on his face...He actually had interrupted them a bit, not to mention startled them, but MrEgg didn't want to ruin that smile on his face.

"Er, no my good sir."

"Would I perhaps interest you two in a complementary serving of les escargots au beurre?" he asked, lifting up the cloche to reveal a plate full of large, cooked snails garnished with parsley. "We are having a special on them tonight!"

"Oh, my. Ah, well...If they're complementary, then-"

"Excellent, excellent! Here you are, then!" the waiter replied, placing the plate full of stuffed shells before them. "Enjoy, monsieur et madame!"

He was gone in a flash, off to serve up some snails to another table...MrEgg grimaced at the sight of the mollusks on his table. The only reason he'd accepted the offer was because he couldn't stand to wipe that smile off the waiter's face...Plus, he had to admit, his curiosity had gotten the better of him in the moment.

"Oh, yay! Appetizers!" Ria piped up, halfheartedly trying to lighten the mood again. "Heh heh...That's definitely French cuisine right there, isn't it?"

"Hmm...Well, at least they don't smell as bad as I expected them to," he replied, taking a cautious whiff of them. "With the garlic and butter, they almost smell a bit like sautéed mushrooms. The Piatto Nobile serves that up as a side."

"Oh, does it?"

"It does indeed, love," MrEgg nodded. "Hm...Well, since they're at our table, I may decide to try one! Besides, it looks like the other customers are more than willing to do the same for that blue chap."

"Yeah...I hope they're as right as we think they are..."

Ria began to let her exhaustion catch up to her as they they looked over to one of the tables opposite from them along the patio to see that the waiter still serving up the complementary snails...She wanted desperately to make this as good a dinner as possible, but she'd about had it with herself mentally.

Why am I such an idiot...? she wondered, stifling a yawn. What's next, a bug's gonna land in our food? Probably, since I was dumb enough to book THIS table...

She slouched slightly in her chair, hoping MrEgg wouldn't take notice...Fortunately, he didn't. He was more focused on the fact that there was nary an empty table in sight, either inside the building or out on the patio.

"Golly...Looks like you got lucky just to get us in," he remarked. "This restaurant seems very busy indeed."

"Yeah, it is, huh...? Well, I figured it would be on a Saturday," Ria nodded. "Heh...I guess that's what I get for trying to book us a place at the last min-"

In a sudden moment of clarity breaking through her exhausted haze, she realized what she was about to say and THREW her hands over her mouth, visor going as wide as a dinnerplate.

...But it was already too late. MrEgg's expression washed over with realization.

"Oh. You booked us at the last minute?" he echoed, head tilted off to the side curiously. "Did, um...did you just want something new, or was every other place too full?"

"I, u-um, uh...the latter. It is a Saturday, so places got full...um...quick. And I, uh..."

She trailed off. This was getting to be too much. She couldn't keep up the ruse any longer...Besides, judging by the incredulous, albeit concerned look on his face, MrEgg already knew too much. He'd been catching on more and more ever since that afternoon.

And now, it couldn't be kept from him any longer...Ria slumped forward in her chair and sighed in defeat, face nearly hitting the table.

"Alright. You got me..." she confessed. "I...I forgot our anniversary. I only realized it this morning, so I tried to make up for lost time, and...this was the only place I could find that still had any tables left, so I tried to make it work, but..."

She sighed and trailed off again, head in her hands and shaking shamefully.

"I ruined everything...I'm sorry."

"Ria...Look at me, love."

MrEgg reached a hand out towards her across the table, gently lifting her head back up so he could look her in the eye...Ria would have turned away again had she not the glimmer of guilt in her visor reflected in his.

"You didn't ruin anything. In fact, today was quite enjoyable!"

"You think so...?"

"Yes, of course! Even if it was a bit hectic from the storm up until now, the rest of the day was splendid indeed. Breakfast, the walk in the park, it was all wonderful! My only concern was just how nervous you seemed through half of it...My, am I glad you've finally relieved yourself of all the tension that must've brought."

"Hmm...yeah," Ria nodded. "I guess I do feel a lot better now."

"You didn't have to go crazy in order to please me like this, anyway. Besides, I..."

His fond grin began to fade as he spoke.

"...Regarding all of this, I have a confession myself."

"What's that?"

MrEgg took in a long, nervous breath before spilling the beans.

"I...I forgot about our anniversary, too, Ria. As a matter of fact, I only realized it after you did, given that you mentioning it at breakfast was what reminded me."

"You...you did?"

"Yes, it's true...so if you're going to be upset, then be upset with me, not yourself. If I'd remembered, I'd have reminded the both of us, and you probably wouldn't have had to put yourself through such a manic ordeal today."

Now it was Ria's turn to let things sink in.

"So...we both forgot about our wedding anniversary until the last minute?" she concluded.

"Yes...It seems that way."

...There was a long pause between the lime and orange crewmates, each staring into the other's visor as it all sank in.

"...Heh..."

"Hmm, hm hm..."

Between the two of them, it started off with a few stifled giggles...which were then not stifled, then evolved further into chuckling, then louder laughing, then full blown CACKLING that attracted the attention of almost every other table outside. They could hardly even breath up to that point, let alone speak, but MrEgg tried his best anyways.

"I...I've been a nervous wreck on and off...nearly all day! Thinking about how to cover myself...!"

"So have I...!"

"We just didn't want to ruin it for each other, and now here we are...!" the marigold figure wheezed. "Just you, me, and...and a plate of snails!"

Everything went right back to laughter from that point yet again, quieter this time only because they had laughed so hard they simply couldn't produce anymore sound...And they were still laughing when the waitress came back with their bottle of bubbly.

"Oh, goodness...Are you quite positive I haven't already stopped at this table?" she jeered.

"Yes...Ah...Yes, I'm certain," MrEgg confirmed, finally calming himself.

"Yeah, we just had an amusing epiphany, is all," Ria chimed in.

"Ah, I see. Well, in any event, here's your Chardonnay!"

She placed the bottle on the table before them, and MrEgg gave her a pleased smile.

"Thanks a million, madame. You arrived just in time!"

"You're most welcome. Now, have you decided what you might like to order yet?"

"I'll have the Canard à l'Orange, please. What about you, love? Would you perhaps need a bit more time?"

"No, no, I've got it. I think I'll have the Boeuf...Bourguignon...? Did I butcher that?"

"Oh no, you were quite on the mark!" the marigold crewmate assured her.

"Righty, then, one Canard à l'Orange and one Boeuf Bourguignon. Would you like any sides with that?"

The couple looked at one another and agreed not to...There would likely be more than enough to satisfy them on their plates.

"Thank you very much. I'll be back with your orders in just a bit, then!"

The banana crewmate left in a flash, and as soon as she was gone MrEgg popped the cork on the Chardonnay and poured a generous amount into each of their tall glasses.

"I propose a toast," he announced, raising his glass. "A toast, to us..."

Ria rose her own, and finished the toast for him.

"...Being a couple of selfless dummies!"

Once again, as if they hadn't cackled enough that evening, the raucous laughter that followed could be heard nearly the entire establishment.

____________________________________________________________

...

____________________________________________________________

"...Why didn't we just do this from the start?"

"I don't know, love. But it might just be that we were too frantic to even consider it."

"Yeah..."

Ria let out a content sigh. Sitting by the fireplace with two steaming cups of cocoa, cozied up in their pyjamas and a blanket turned out to be FAR more enjoyable than rushing around trying to go places all evening, that was for sure. And it was especially a relief now, considering that there was nothing left to hide, and everything had been sorted out, finally.

"How about we just do this again next year?" MrEgg suggested. "Unless of course, you had something else in mind?"

"Eh. I'll roll with it for now. We've still got a whole year to plan ahead, don't we?"

"Ha! Ahh, yes...we do indeed..."

The marigold crewmate yawned and took a peek at the clock above the fireplace...almost 10:00.

"It's getting rather late...Shall we go to bed, dear?"

"Yeah, probably soon," she nodded. "...Oh, wait! We still haven't done our gift exchange yet!"

"Oh, gracious, you're right!" MrEgg realized. "...You know, I've never been in that Kohl's place before; I'm not sure what their selection is like, so I was wondering what you might come out with while I was filling us up at the petrol station."

"Yeah...Sorry I lied to you about already having something this morning."

"Oh, don't worry yourself over it, Ria. I did, too!"

"Really?"

"Yes, yes, I said that your gift was at the post office so I could "pick it up," when I was actually going to look for what to get! Ha!"

"Oh, wow. Guess it was a good thing I suggested that first, huh?" Ria giggled.

"One of the best suggestions you've made all day!" he chortled, sipping what was left of his chocolatey drink. "How about I go fetch them? Yours is in the gift bag on the counter, right?"

"That's right," Ria nodded. "I would say we could wait until tomorrow if you wanted, but, well...This has kind of been a point of anxiety for us today, so why not just go ahead?"

"Fully agreed, love," MrEgg replied as he gathered up their gifts to one another and headed back over to where he'd been sitting before. "Here we are, my dear! You go first, why don't you?"

"Alright..."

Wondering what might be inside, she untied the bow atop the beautifully-wrapped box and removed the wrapping paper...As she'd noticed earlier that morning, it was quite heavy and somewhat bulky seated atop her lap. What could be inside that was so...?

...Amazing...?

"What...!? WHOA, Eggy, how'd you know!?"

A Bob Ross paint set, sporting a multitude of paints, brushes, and everything else she might need.

"I couldn't help but notice you've been watching him lately," MrEgg replied. "I must admit, I felt like I went a bit out on a limb when I picked that out, but it was the last one in stock at the craft store, and...well...I supposed I just knew deep down that you would love it."

"Ha..."

She gingerly placed the kit down on the floor, then wrapped MrEgg into a tight hug. The orange crewmate gladly returned the favor with a nuzzle to boot.

"...I love you so much, MrEgg."

"I love you too, my dear. Nothing but the best I can give."

"You're the best you can give."

"Oh-ho, well...I suppose that means you do the same, doesn't it?"

They shared another chuckle, visors tapping together gently.

"...I also threw in a few canvases under the box," MrEgg added. "Perhaps we could hang one up on the wall when it's finished."

"I'll see how well it comes out," Ria replied. "Oh, you still have to open yours, don't you?"

"Oh, yes, I do. I suppose I shouldn't keep you waiting."

With that, he situated the gift bag in front of him, slowly removed the tissue paper covering its contents and then fished something out.

"Hello...? What have we here?"

He took a good, long look at the item in his hands...A crocheted white winter hat with a large orange pompom sitting atop it. It didn't take him long to figure out why she'd chosen this particular one.

"My goodness, it looks just like my usual egg! But warmer! This is perfect, love!"

"Hang on. That's not the only thing in there."

"It's not?"

"No, I...I had some other gift ideas in my head earlier today, and I couldn't make up my mind."

"Well now you've got me very curious, Ria, I must say."

He reached back into the bag and pulled out something else.

"What's this, now?" he marveled. "A make-your-own tea starter kit?"

"I know you like to experiment in the kitchen, so why not branch out to teas?"

"Ooooh, this looks very nice, love," he gushed, reading the cover of the packaging. "Comes with 12 different leaves and herbs, and a beginner's guide...My, my. This is wonderful...!"

"You like it!"

"It's spectacular! Thank you ever so much!"

He leaned forward and planted a kiss against her cheek, pulling a giggle from her.

"Ha, ha...My, my, what a day today has been, hasn't it?"

"I should say so," Ria agreed. "...I gotta say, Eggy. No matter what happened today, at least we know we'll never forget it, right?"

"Certainly not, Honeydew. You and I, we've made ourselves the most unforgettable day I could ever ask for...Happy anniversary, love."

"You too, Eggy..."

And so there they sat, enjoying each other's company four hours until they finally fell asleep there, dreaming about what next year might have in store for them.

____________________________________________________________

...

____________________________________________________________

...

"...Do you think that cake is still fresh, Player?"

"Hmm...what...?"

The red crewmate roused from his state of half sleep as he heard Veteran asking him about the celebratory cake sitting on the table in the middle of the dropship.

"I...think it's safe to assume they aren't coming at this hour," TheGentleman remarked, shaking his head in disappointment. "I'd have called them earlier and given them a hint, but my phone signal was down when I did. Blasted storm..."

"I'd have done that myself," Sheldon yawned. "Ugh...If only I hadn't broken my phone yesterday."

"Well, he didn't respond to the lobby code I sent him over on Discord either," Captain pointed out. "And he hasn't been online all day, so maybe he and Ria were just having such a blast they didn't have the time to go online today."

"Yeah, that's possible," Dum shrugged. "So much for a surprise anniversary party...But, uh, if we all leave now, then all of this party stuff will have kinda gone to waste, y'know?"

"That's true," Player agreed. "...Well Veteran, I guess this party's for us now. Go nuts with the cake before it gets stale."

"Aw, YES! Come on guys, let's dig in!"

"Hey, save a couple slices for MrEgg and Ria, though!" the red bean told everyone. "That's the least we could do, anyways..."