Work Text:
May 20th, 2019
Let it be known that Penelope Featherington made decisions always using weighing pros and cons. She was just wary of committing some disastrous mistake - and one couldn't fault her for it. The perilous financial situation of one's childhood home would do it to a person.
So, as we already stated, Penelope Featherington was a person who strongly favoured reason above heart. At least in her decision making, because in other areas she was the most soft hearted maiden known on this side of the pond. Imagine then her own surprise, when on May 20th, 2019, two minutes after seeing newest post of her ex, Alfie Debling (which pictured unfortunately his happy face amid clearly his own reception, holding hands with Cressida &#*@£! Cowper of all people) she dialed her bestie and with clear, decisive voice said: “I'm back to dating”.
This groundbreaking statement was followed by a sound of silence and then after minutes, which in her head stretched to hours, by a response, short and straight to the point, “Finally!”.
Back then Penelope wasn't aware how this one spontaneous decision would change her life and that the reason for this change just updated his family group chat with info Can someone pick me from Heathrow on Saturday?
May 28th, 2019
“Are you still stuck on this loophole?”, Eloise looked up from her own textbook, stopping for a moment her preparation for next lecture with first year of Gender Studies and Its Literary Landscape in the Industrial Era.
Only a groan responded to her, as Penelope, her roommate extraordinaire, hid her frustrated face in the nearby pillow. After the next few grumpy sounds she was met with the light blue gaze of her tortured friend, “I need Frank to be Canadian! The plot won't work otherwise! Besides Agatha mentioned that this increases chances for potential Hallmark adaptation…”, Penelope moved her fingers through the unruly curls, “They love this cold climate, cozy wooden interiors, Maple syroup aesthetic!”
“Yhy”, El cleared her throat unconvinced but never keen to disappoint or discourage closed ones, she focused back on her bestie. “Wait! I do know how to help you!"
“You do?”, Penelope sat straighter.
“Remember my ever hungry brother?”
“You mean the only one I do not know?”, Penelope chuckled. “Yeah.” It always made her curious why El never had a picture of him around. And she was still amused how just in first week of acquaintance she made her pinky promise to never look him up in the vast world of world wide web.
“He's back now and was in Montreal like a year ago.”
Penelope looked curiously at El, “And now I'm worthy of meeting him? The myth? The legend?” She couldn't have helped the giggle of disbelief that escaped her.
“Duh, as if it's you that's unworthy of meeting him”, Eloise mumbled, looking down and highlighting another passage in her textbook. “He's doing this restaurant review visit in Hatchi tomorrow evening if you want.”
The most delicious butter chicken in the city, fresh from the oven naan and finally getting another snippet into her bestie’s life… on the other hand… wasn't it slightly out of her monthly budget?
Eloise must've truly mastered the bff telepathy technique, because in next seconds she threw, “It is his work dinner, don't worry, he'll write it off the tax.”
Hm, other cons, other cons, Penelope looked outside the window. Ah! The dress up part. But it would be just a casual meeting, bet he would just show up in some jeans and tee.
“What time he'll be there?”, Penelope Featherington turned back to her yet again busy friend.