Argyle was working in his study when it happened.

His duties as a professor did not just include teaching and research; they involved marking as well. Students would be submitting their coursework throughout the year (sometimes multiple pieces a semester), and this meant Argyle was often kept busy marking it.

And some of the responses that students gave could be interesting to say the least. Whilst Argyle was all too familiar with the notion of art being subjective and open to interpretation, he couldn't help but feel some of his students had come to some very odd conclusions regarding the paintings of the Hudson River School.

One student had clearly not done his research and/or hadn't been paying attention in class, as his essay was insisting a particular painting was a response to a historical event that hadn't happened when it was painted. Argyle didn't understand why students would engage in such poor research, given the amount that tuition cost.

He finished marking the piece, and in the feedback box wrote Please see me after the lecture at the bottom. Hopefully that would send the message.

Just as he moved his cursor onto the next piece he had to mark and was about to click, he then heard it.

"Damnit!"

His office sat right next to the bedroom he shared with his wife, and he knew that voice all too well. He got up from his chair and headed to the bedroom, closing the door behind him to ensure Sunny didn't get any bright ideas. Not that she did. Unlike Sprout, she seemed to have a solid grasp on the idea that there were rooms she needed special permission to go in.

He opened the bedroom door to find a scene of chaos. Clothing was placed in piles around a suitcase, as Goldie was currently packing for a business trip, but one item sat at the front.

"Is everything OK?" Argyle asked.

Goldie glanced over. "No. It's not." She lifted up a garment, which Argyle recognised as her evening gown. "That dry cleaner ruined it!"

And he had. The colour seemed to have run, turning a previously maroon gown pink. Not only that, the fabric was clearly damaged in places.

"That's awkward," Argyle said. Truth be told he didn't know what else to say, worried it could only make the problem worse.

Goldie sighed. "Just the thing you want to find when you're packing for a multi-day business trip to Nuremburg. Good thing there's no posh meal at the end of this trip, or I'd be stuffed."

"I'm certain they'd understand if you'd explain," Argyle said.

"Hopefully," Goldie said. "Look, I know it seems silly that I'm getting worked up over a dress. But, although I do have interests in historically male dominated hobbies I do like to keep in touch with my feminine side."

Argyle nodded. "I understand completely. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Goldie sighed again. "It's fine. I'll look for another one after I get back from Germany."

Just then, Argyle had an idea.

Goldie set off for the airport the next morning. Argyle saw her on her way, as was his custom, and then headed back to the house in order to set his plan in motion. He went up the stairs and knocked on Sunny's door.

"Come in!" Sunny said, and moments later the door opened. Sunny had popped a book down on her table, and sat back on her bed.

"Why were you reading on your bed rather than in a chair?" Argyle asked.

"I like variety from time to time," Sunny replied. "Is something wrong?"

Argyle closed the door behind him. "I presume you heard what happened yesterday?"

Sunny thought for a moment. "Mom seemed a bit stressed, but I can't think of anything else."

Argyle nodded. "Unfortunately, it was because of something that happened. You know the place where we went to get some clothes dry cleaned?"

Sunny nodded. "We picked those up yesterday after school!"

"Well, unfortunately they ruined your mom's evening gown."

Sunny looked confused. "The one that made mom look like a princess?"

Argyle nodded. He was fully aware that Sunny didn't have much of a concept of different types of formal attire (and why would she when her only point of reference was Disney?), so often used princess as a point of reference. "Yeah. It ended up pink with some damage, which means she can't really use it anymore."

Sunny looked surprised. "That's awful! Is there anything we can do?"

"Luckily, there is," Argyle said, sitting down next to his daughter. "Now then, what day is coming up soon?"

Sunny thought for a second. "The weekend?"

"Close, but no cigar."

"Halloween?"

"Not quite. Something else happens before then that we celebrate with cake and giving of gifts wrapped in colourful paper."

Sunny then got what her father was hinting at. "Mom's birthday!"

"Exactly!" Argyle smiled. "Now then, here is the plan. Today, I'll pick you up once school is over, then we're going to head home and pick up our roller blades. Then, we'll go to the station and catch a train to Truro. Once there, we'll go to Hemline's Fashion Emporium and, if luck is only side, find something for your mom. After that, we'll go roller blading and then head home. Sound good?"

Sunny nodded. "I can't wait! Though of course I'll have to."

Argyle laughed gently at Sunny's enthusiasm. "Good girl. Now then, we'd best be getting off to school and university respectively."

As the pair set off, Argyle knew what he was planning was risky. He knew from experience that fancy clothing wasn't always cheap- the suit he wore for formal events had been somewhat pricey, for example (not helped by the fact he was a somewhat, ahem, broad man), but he knew it would be worth it if it meant his wife was happy.

And Sunny seemed just as keen to ensure her mother was happy too, so that was two of them united in their purpose.

After talking to the student with the strange essay (and clearing up his misunderstanding), Argle collected his things and headed for the school to pick Sunny up. That was easy, as when he arrived through the school gates she shot over to him like a bullet.

"You ready?" Argyle asked.

"You bet, dad!" Sunny replied.

"Excellent," Argyle smiled. "You can tell me all about the school day on our way to Truro. But first we need to pick up our roller blades."

Sure enough, they did, and then they boarded the train which would take them up the valley to Cornwall's only city. The DMU's engine had a satisfying roar as they rattled along, the October sun gently illuminating the interior whilst Sunny excitedly told her father what she had learned. Clearly she had inherited his thirst for knowledge.

Once they arrived in Truro, it was a relatively easy walk to Hemline's Fashion Emporium, which sat only a block or two away from the railway station (handy for those on foot).

Argyle opened the door. "Watch where you tread, Sunny."

Sunny nodded.

As they entered, a woman with light grey skin and pink hair, dressed in a grey suit, looked over. "Good afternoon, Albert. How may I help you?"

"Afternoon, Prim," Argyle said. "My wife's birthday is coming up and I was wanting to buy her a gown as a present."

Prim nodded. "Yes, I understand. Are there any particular cuts or styles your wife likes? It's been quite a long time since I fitted her for a gown and I understand tastes can change quickly."

Argyle nodded. "I have an image of her previous gown if that'd help. Unfortunately it got ruined at the dry cleaners."

Prim sighed. "There's a good one in Truro I could recommend- the Falmouth one's a bit of a novice if I do say so myself." She studied the image closely, then placed it down. "I have bad news and good news, I'm afraid."

"The bad?"

"I don't have anything in that colour. However, the good news is that I have the same thing in a different colour. Dark blue, to be precise."

Argyle took note of this. "That's actually quite useful. Blue is Goldie's favourite colour, so it seems a good fit for her."

Prim smiled. "Happy to help. I'll go get the box now, and ring it up."

It wasn't what you'd call cheap, to be honest. Argyle had been a little surprised by the price, but had paid it anyway. As far as he was concerned, anything that made his wife happy was worth it in his eyes.

Once they were done with the process, Argyle stored it carefully until they got home, and then hid the box in a secure place, so he could wrap it later that week. After all, by some stroke of luck Goldie returned from her business trip on her birthday.

And she was in for quite the surprise, or so Argyle thought.

"Sunny, Argyle, I'm ho- why is it so dark in here?"

Suddenly, as if by magic the lights sprung on, and Goldie was greeted to a kitchen which had undergone a surprising transformation since she was last there.

The table was decorated with presents and a cake, and a pile of cards sitting waiting to be opened. Near it was another card, with the text HOPPY BIRTHDAY! on it.

Goldie instantly recognised her daughter's handwriting, so chose not to mention the spelling mistake. She knew Sunny had the best of intentions at heart.

Argyle and Sunny then appeared. "Happy birthday!" they both said.

After Goldie had showered and changed her clothes, the three celebrated her birthday with a special meal and cake (Argyle had cooked meatloaf to an original Rhode Island recipe, which Goldie thought was sweet. The act, not the meatloaf. She'd always preferred hers with a more savoury taste).

Once the meal was over, it was time for cake and presents, and sure enough Goldie received all sorts of unusual gifts. Most of them were from friends and family, and the jumper her parents had sent her was certainly appreciated in the colder weather (not to mention they'd resisted sending a hideous design).

Goldie had noticed Sunny hadn't given anything yet, though. Usually Sunny gave her present first.

"And last, but not least, this one is for you," Argyle said, picking up a box and handing it to his wife.

Goldie studied the box closely, noticing it had a certain weight and shape. She then read the tag.

To my beloved wife,

The Very Best on Your Birthday.

Argyle.

And below it, in somewhat messier handwriting:

Dear mom,

Happy Birthday!

Sunny.

Goldie smiled, and then carefully opened the wrapping before opening the box.

Her jaw dropped when she saw what was inside. "Oh my word," she said. "Where did you find this?"

"Bought it at Prim's store," Argyle said. "It's the same design as your old one, but in dark blue."

Goldie beamed. "I... I don't know what to say. Thank you so much!" She then popped away to try it on.

She emerged a few minutes later. "How do I look?"

Now it was the turn of Argyle's jaw to drop. His wife was wearing a strapless dark blue evening gown with a bit of train that seemed to shimmer like stars, which she had combined with dark blue opera gloves.

Argyle glanced to Sunny, then back to Goldie. "To borrow some phraseology from Sunny, I know this is cliche- but you look like a princess."

Goldie laughed. "I feel like one." Her face then shifted to a more serious look. "You didn't break the bank, did you?"

"Money's no object if it means you're happy."

Later that night, after Sunny had gone off to bed, Argyle and Goldie discussed the next few days.

"You know, tomorrow is Saturday," Argyle smiled. "So how about we go dancing?"

"I'd love that," Goldie replied. "Just as much as I love you."

There was a moment's silence. Argyle felt his wife's happiness was reward enough.

Author's Note

This chaper is loosely based on The Last Posh Frock, an episode of BBC sitcom The Good Life. Whilst the basic premise has been reused, much of the original plot has been jettisoned; the original episode focused on a husband apparently completely incapable of understanding why his wife's clothes being ruined was such a problem for her, despite it being spelled out to him numerous times.

The Hudson River School was a collective of landscape painters active in the Eastern United States between 1825 and 1870, largely operating out of Manhattan. As a collective, they were part of a wider movement to develop a distinctly American style of art (a movement retroactively called the American Renaissance).

Prim Hemline is a minor character from Friendship is Magic, who only appeared in the show's Fourth Season. The character's human counterpart appears in the EqD Digital Series episode Display of Affection. This design was the reference point for how she is described here, but the skin tone has been lightened as the original design bears a rather unfortunate resemblance to a Blackface caricature.

And finally, here's what the dress Argyle bought for Goldie looks like:

We've seen Goldie in this a few times before. I selected the Opera gown from Anastasia as it is both elegant and restrained, which fits with Goldie's 'less is more' mindset.