LONDON CALLING

Ruby smiled and nodded " then I'll suprise you" she said simply as he went to change. Looking in the fridge she decided on Gingered chicken mini burgers and served with noodles for both of them. She began by putting the garlic, ginger and spring onions into a food processor and pulsed until finely chopped. Then she added chicken, coriander, fish sauce and seasoning and pulse again until well combined. Using her wet hands she shape the mixture into burger patties. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil she set the noodles to cook. Meanwhile she heated two table spoons of the oil in a large pan and fry the patties on each side until cooked through. She then removed them from the pan and covered them to keep warm. It was now she drain the noodles.

Looking up as she finished she chukled seeing him with brigh red hair and mustash waving her wand she removed the glam spell" nope thats much better" she said smiling at him as she walked over the the burgers, noodles and a light salad incase he didn't want the noodles. " supper is served" she said smiling as she placed the tray down on the small table infront of the trophies they had recived.

"God, thank you," Angus said, relieved. "I don't know how he lived for all those years with all that fur all over his face. Definitely not my speed." She brought over the supper she'd fixed.

"That smells great," he told her. "I wasn't sure I was going to be hungry until I smelled that. I love good Asian style food. This is really good. Thanks for thinking of it and for fixing it." He ate far more than he thought he would. "I think we should put the trophies up on the fireplace mantel. I mean, I don't know that I've ever really had a trophy to need to find a place for, but it just seems like that would be the proper place to put it."

He was just finishing when there was a knock on the door.

"Come on," Angus called. It was one of the outdoor crew members bringing Finn back.

"He's had his supper and done his business, so he should be good for awhile," the crew member said. "Although, he does tend to want to herd every animal he sees."

"That's the border collie in him," Angus laughed. "They're top notch little herders by nature. Might have to get him a few sheep or something. Thanks for taking care of him."

"Our pleasure. Any time. Goodnight," the worker said, leaving and closing the door.

"Did you have a good time today, Ru?" Angus asked her.

Ruby dished up and placed the plate close to Angus " it was no traouble" she said " for both the food and the deferring" she chuckled again. At his suggestion of putting them on the mantel she nodded and sent them to it " things are changing for the better love2 she said softly as she sat back down next to him. It was now she turned hearing the door knock and then Fin run in " hey boy, that's good to know" she said smiling as Angus continued to talk to the grounds man " yes thankyou" she said as she saw Finn settle in his downstairs bed.

Ruby finished her burger and noodles " they were better than I expected" she said with a smile as she gathered up their plates " coffee before bed?" she asked putting the kettle on to make fresh coffee and tea.

"Sure. Good idea. Thanks," he said. "I probably ought to be thinking of breakfast and doing some sort of breakfast prep, but, frankly, I'd rather not. Maybe I'll just do something simple tomorrow like a couple frittatas and some toast or something. I'm sure Sergio will take his brood and leave for him after breakfast, and then our house will be quiet again for a little. Changing subjects a little, though, Christmas is going to be here soon, and this is going to be maybe the boys' first worthwhile Christmas and the only one where they will have us all to themselves. It needs to be a Christmas that counts. I really don't know what to get them. I don't know what they want. I don't know what their traditions have been at Christmas or whether they're open to doing things differently or even what to get them. But, I think whatever gift buying we do for them needs to be done and wrapped and under the tree before they get here for break simply because once they get here, they stick really close to us, so we aren't going to have that much time without them to get anything done that they don't see. And I guess I think Christmas should have a couple surprises to it at least."

Ruby smiled as he spoke of preparing breakfast the next day and Sergio leaving with his family " yes it will be quiet without them but as you rightly say Christmas is coming" she smiled at him " I thinkthey will acept what ever you like, they never realy ahd a good christmas before " she told him " but I do agree our gifts should be wrapped ready before they come for the holidays." she smiled at him " but I have no idea what to get you" she said smiling laying her hand on her tummy " guess we both got the biggest gift early" she chuckled.

She finished her food and looked at him then a thought struck her and she smiled knowing what she was going to give him for christmas. " well I have a shift in the main house tomorrow making breakfast and dinner." she said picking up her plate and taking it to the kitchen returning with a second plate as she felt exceptonaly hungry tonight.

"I suppose," Angus replied, "we really do basically know everything they own since it's pretty much all here, whether its up stairs or down in the cellar. I think I might get them some games that they might like--like a wizard's chess set, and I know there is a wizard's backgammon that basically works like wizard's chess. When I was their age, I was into Chinese puzzle boxes. I had a whole collection of them, and every year, Edward would give me another puzzle or two, each one getting progressively harder. Maybe I'll give them a couple of the early ones from my collection to see if they even like them. And I know they could use some more warm clothes for winter. That might get me started.

"I might spend a bit more than usual on Brian and Khaat this year. Brian has had his eye on this mating pair of pegasus, and Kate mentioned to me that the wizard that owns them is elderly and is having trouble caring for them. I think, if Kate and Robert went in on it with us, we could get the pair of them for a good price. Any objection?" Angus asked.

Ruby listened to Angus as he spoke about the boys and what to get them for Christmas. " I agree," she said then heard him mention puzzle boxes and again her mind went to a wonderful Idea. When he spoke of getting the mated pair of pegasus she didn't hesitate and nodded " none from me" she said smiling as she sipped her tea.

She had decided to get him a warm sweater along with her suprise gift. Thinking about the boys when he mentioned a wizards chess set she smiled " they would both love that." she said finishing her tea as she sat and smiled at Angus.

He got out a pad of paper and made some notes. He was sure that if he didn't, he was going to forget what he had thought about.

"I've already got gifts for Simone and Edward in the works. I've showed Kate some of the pictures from Edward's and Simone's wedding, and she's been working on painting a pair of portraits for them. A portrait of Simone for Edward and a portrait of Edward for Simone.

"I don't know what you're thinking about for Jessie, but if you don't have any ideas, we could have Kate help pick out some professional style paint brushes and paints and some of those sorts of things for him. He seems to like being in her studio. You do know we're going to pretty much have to do some sort of a gift for everyone, right?"

Ruby listened to Angus and nodded "I don't have any ideas but that, that sounds perfect for him." she said smiling " and for Simone and Edward those sound great." She walked over and gathered his plate and poured him another cup of hot coffee. " what about Finn, A large bone?" she asked looking at the lounging sleeping dog. Now feeling alittel tired she sat down and stiffled a yawn but smiled at Angus not wanting to sleep until he was ready.

Soon she could not hold herself and looked to Angus " sorry I should head upstairs" she told him. " want to join me?" she smiled at him even if it was just to lay in his arms as she fell asleep it always calmbed her mind and made her feel safe.

"Yeah, that works. A bone is fine for him. I have a recipe for bacon flavored dog biscuits that I could make too if I get the time, but if not, just a nice big bone would be fine too. You go ahead and go to bed. I know you're tired and you have to get up early," he told her." He saw Finn yawn deeply. "Looks like Finn is all done for the day too. I bet if you go upstairs, he'll go with you. I doubt that the others will be all that much longer. I'll play host for our guests, at least for a little while longer, and if they don't come back soon, then I'll come up. They can always get in through Edward's half if they come back together."

He found that he hadn't gotten any new books after all, and he made a mental note to contact the bookstore again about an order of new mystery novels. Then he picked up a book he'd already read, figuring that was about as good as it was going to get tonight.

"I doubt it'll be very long," he reassured her. "After all, their kids are still pretty young, and the whole thing shuts down at midnight anyway."