smallhobbit

Title: A Special Date
Fandom: Lewis
Rating: G
Length: 720 words
Summary: A date is playing on Robbie's mind.
Part of my Oxford Tales series, in which Robbie and James are in an established relationship.
Also for 'Diamonds and Pearls' on my bingo card.

"You okay?” James Hathaway asked.

“Yeah,” Robbie Lewis replied.  “It still gets me though.”

“I know.  The date’s always going to be significant.”

“It’s funny really.  When Val was still alive it would be fifty-fifty whether I’d remember it was our wedding anniversary; now I remember it every single year.”  Robbie laughed.  “In the later years Lyn used to text me a day or two in advance to remind me.  I still managed to forget though.”

“That I can well believe.”

“I suppose I ought to put it behind me.  We’ve been together nearly four years now, it seems wrong to be dwelling on a past relationship.”

“I’m not complaining.  And maybe if you rephrased it to celebrating rather than dwelling, you’d feel happier.  And to that end,” James bent down and opened his briefcase, producing a bottle of Prosecco, “I thought this might help.”

Robbie smiled.  “Have I ever told you how amazing you are?”

“Once or twice.  I’ll go and finish getting dinner and then we’ll raise a glass to you and Val.”

***

As they were eating, James said, “One of the reasons I was happy to move in with you was because I trusted you meant it when you asked me.  I’ve had too many relationships where it lasted a year or two and then fell apart because it seemed a good idea at the time, but there’d been no thought about the future.  You and Val had kept the promises you’d made on your wedding day – and don’t say it wasn’t perfect, you know that’s not what I’m talking about – so I knew if I came to live with you it wasn’t something you’d suggest without giving it a lot of thought.”

“Thank you.”

“So, why don’t you tell me about your wedding?”

“It wasn’t anything special.  We got married in the local church, but that was as much to keep her family happy as anything else.  Oh, and you got a good rate to hire the church hall for the reception if you got married there.  All of which counted when it had to be done to a budget.”

“Ever the practical one.”

“Val was in total agreement.  My savings had all gone on her engagement ring, three tiny diamonds it was, and the honeymoon.  We got caterers in, but Auntie Jane made her dress, and her nan made the cake.  It all helped.”

“Did she do the whole ‘something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue’?”

Robbie thought.  “The dress was new, of course, and she wore the pearl necklace her mum had given her, which had been handed down to her by her own mother on her wedding day.  Now you mention it, I think there was something borrowed, I can remember Val and her sister giggling about it, but I can’t remember what it was.  And something blue?”  He wrinkled his face in concentration.  “Oh yes, there were some little blue flowers in her bouquet.  We grow them in the garden now.”

“Forget-me-nots?”

“Aye, that would be them.”

James grinned.  “What else do you remember?  Any dreadful speeches or embarrassing relatives?”

“To be honest, it all passed in a bit of a blur.  I do remember being incredibly nervous.  And drinking a bit too much because I was nervous.  The speeches were quite short fortunately and, apart from Uncle George falling asleep during the meal – he was ill, we hadn’t been sure if he’d even make it and everyone forgave him - the guests all behaved themselves.  That was another advantage of working to a budget – we had to restrict how many people we invited, so didn’t invite those we anticipated might cause trouble.  And, of course, we didn’t have the evening do which everyone seems to have now, just the main meal.”

Robbie stopped talking, and James waited to see if he was going to add anything else.  When he didn’t, James said, “Thank you.”

“What for?”

“Sharing it with me.  I knew, even after all this time, the date was still important to you.  And I do understand why.  And now I’d like to propose a toast.”  James raised his glass, “To happy memories!”

Robbie shared the toast and took a drink.  Then he in turn raised his glass, “And to the promise of more happy memories to come!”