A Valentine's Dinner, Moon-dog Style

"You promised me a special candle light dinner, babe," Marissa said with a nervous chuckle when she realized he'd pulled into the McDonalds parking lot. She peeked at him out the corner of her eye as she smoothed her coat over the skirt of her little red dress, purchased especially for tonight. He was grinning dopely but not bash fully.

Oh god. She knew that smile. That wasn't his oops, I made a mistake smile. Nor was it his I wonder if she realizes this is just a joke smile. That was his I had a hair-brained idea and ran with it smile. They'd been together for four years now, so she was very sure he though Valentine's Day dinner at a fast food joint was a good idea.

"Babe," she said tightly. "Candle light dinner?"

"Yep, candle light dinner," he agreed as he nosed the pick-up truck into a parking spot.

"At McDonalds?"

"Yep. My second cousin twice removed is the manager. He decided to start hosting romantic candle light dinners here a few years ago. You know, to give folks with big appetites for meat but small budgets for romance some place to take their Valentine's date. I used to come every year back before you and I hooked up--"

Mooney's happy babbling bled off as he realizes that Marissa was not exactly happy to be here. Dammit, he cursed silently. His mate was usually so laid back about things. Not all hotly-toity like some shes. granted, she was human and a witch, which meant she was neither a meat eater nor a fan of fast food, but she'd always been game when he and their pups wanted burgers and fries. He thought the kitchy tongue-in-cheek, salt of the earth aspect of a redneck Valentine's dinner would amuse her.

Apparently not.

"So..." he began again and stalled out again. "I take it Valentine's Day is going to be one of the sugar-coated traditions that you want to follow the commercial hype," he finished lamely, somewhat bitterly.

"When you tell your wife you are taking her out for a romantic candle-lit dinner, and she comes out of the bathroom wearing a teeny red velvet dress, yeah. She was maybe not expecting deep fried phosphates for dinner." Marissa wasn't looking at him. She was fighting with her dress, which was only just barely long enough to peek out for under her winter  coat.

"To be honest, honey," he replied, "I hadn't been thinking about much other than how hot you looked. And besides, I'm wearing a tux." he pulled uncomfortably at the ruffled thingy on the front of his dress shirt. "I don't see what's wrong with dressing up like this for a romantic dinner. So what if we're eating at McDonalds?"

She didn't say anything.

"I thought that you would find it kind of, you know, funny."

"Funny. To dress like an ass in front of a restaurant full of people," she responded petulantly.

"Yeah," Mooney said. "Everyone else who comes dresses up like it's prom night, too. We all get together and eat Big Macs by candle light while musicians playing fiddles walk around playing country waltzes. It started out as kind of a joke but it's turned out to be a big hit."

He watched closely as Marissa's expression went from angry to confused to intrigued. By the time he was done talking, she was trying very hard to bite back a sarcastic smile.

"Country fiddlers, huh?"

"Wearing tuxes with full tails like those high-fan-lutin' concert soloists," he confirmed. He saw her eyes dart to the crep paper bedecked windows before dropping back to her lap. "Peter even stands at the door like some fancy matrede and welcomes everyone in with the cheesiest French accent he can conjure." With that embellishment, he saw her bite her lips. She snuck another peek at the restaurant.

"Well? Want to give it a try?" he asked. He was watching very closely, so he knew the instant her icy displeasure caved to curiosity. She stopped biting her lips to hide her amused grin and nodded.

Ah, sweet Lupa, he was a blessed man! Who but this contrary human woman would ever be as good a match for him?



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Happy Valentine's week! I hope you enjoyed this sweet little scene. A bit of trivia for you: that picture which inspired this story? It's real. My cousin Hannah works at a McDonalds in Albuquerque and her GM actually holds this event every year.

What strange\zany\unique traditions for Valentine's Day do you celebrate? Comment below and if your story is the best, you could win a $5 Amazon.com gift card!

~Rebecca