A Birth day

"Sounds fine to me," Angus said. He ordered three coffees and ordered each of them a slice of their Torta Setteveli. "I think you'll like this," he said when he'd finished ordering. "This is a great tart. Its' basically a dark chocolate sponge cake on the bottom, and on top of that is a praline crunch, and then a layer of bavarian hazelnut cream, then more chocolate sponge cake, more praline crunch, more hazelnut cream, then a layer of the best chocolate mousse you've ever eaten, and topped with a silky chocolate ganache. It's amazing."

"You don't want either of us to fit into a suit, do you?" Marcus laughed.

"We'll walk it off," Angus said.

"You aren't going to have as much energy for a lot of walking as you think you're going to have, I expect to find you sitting on a bench while Ruby and I shop," Marcus said. "Oh, if you're going to this funeral, you need to make sure the girls get some black skirts and tops or a couple black dresses."

"Good thought," Angus said. "And, Ruby, let's get them to a salon tomorrow or late this afternoon, shall we? Do you mind taking them? I could send Rosaria or Carlo with you since they can drive here and know their way to the salon. We could get a couple magazines with pictures of hairstyles in them so they can take a look and maybe get some ideas that they might like."

"Any place else you'd like to stop?" Marcus asked.

"Well, if we get a black dress or skirt for each of them, I really do want to get them each a really nice, simple necklace of some sort, in good gold, and maybe a bracelet. Something simple and elegant. Something they could wear for a number of occasions."

"I heard them talking this morning that they'd like to get their ears pierced like Evie's and Faith's. They really loved the tiny little earrings that Faith and Evie have," Marcus said.

"If they want to do it, then they should be able to do that," Angus said. "They're sixteen. They can make those choices, I think. What do you think about them getting their ears pierced, Ruby?"

Ruby heard Angus talk about the desert he had ordered and she set her mouth open "It sounds heavenly" she said " I've not had that before" when Marcus spoke of the funeral and getting the girls some black clothing Ruby nodded "Good idea and I'll go with the girls to the salon for a makeover" she said hearing him mention them wanting to get their ears pierced she nodded "they're old enough to decide" she said simply as she smiled at the waiter who brought their food then left.

Tasting the desert she smiled "It is wonderful" she said as she ate a second spoon " I might be joining you on that bench if I have any more of these" she said and chuckled " I do agree on the necklace may be matching set with necklace and earrings?" she suggested.

"I'm glad you like it,' Angus smiled, watching Marcus and Ruby melting into their desserts. They liked it as much as he did. "And this is one of those desserts that is even better when you have a good cup of coffee with it. I haven't made this one before, but I bet I could. I've always just come here for it." He listened to Ruby talk about getting a set or the girls.

"I like that idea a lot. Maybe we'll see something while we're out today," Angus said. "I sort of like the idea of something dainty in a really good quality gold that they wouldn't have to ever take off if they didn't want to. Something they could wear all the time."

"That's a good idea. Simple jewelry like that would look really good on the girls since they really are tiny and have slight builds," Marcus said.

"There is a jeweler in the next block, and he and his family have been doing all the Donohue custom pieces for generations," Angus said. "Maybe he'll have something in his shop."

"That's a good possibility," Marcus said. "Are you set for jewelry and accessories for the funeral if you go, Ruby? I presume you wouldn't take Caprice. It really isn't a place for a baby, but if you do want to take her, we should find a little black dress for her. It's your choice."

"I don't know that I like the idea of taking a baby that small," Angus said, "but we'll do whatever you want to do, Ru."

Ruby listened to them talking and liked the idea of the gold simple set for the girls when they spoke of Caprice going she shook her head. "no she can stay with Rosaria and Carlo that day, Angus is right its not a place for a baby, and definatly not her, if anything happened and she got hurt, I could not live with myself." she said finishing her desert and drinking her coffee slowly as she glanced down the road . " I think the jewlers should be our next stop" she said smiling" and they've been doing the donohugh jewlery?" she asked Marcus " they must be very skilled and yes I love the idea of dainty peices for the girls elegant but pratical." she sat back in the chair and looked around at the cafe and smiled " like this place warm and inviting yet simple and homey" she chuckled as she looked abck to Angus " and I do agree that you need at least four suits, double , single and well not pinstriped , that won't suit you as for the fedora , maybe if e can find the right one, but don't you have one already?" she asked rembering she thought she'd seen him wear one .

"Ru," Angus looked at her, "I might be one handed temporarily, but believe me when I say no one is going to touch her. That just isn't going to happen while I breathe air. You need to put that idea out of your mind."

"Their issue isn't with Caprice," Marcus said. "Their issue is entirely with her dad. I watched them this morning while Edward and Simone had her this morning. They were completely taken with her. These folks, for the most part, are good people, I think, just really misguided. I don't know that we know exactly what happened with Basil and Gloria but we will find out. Edward is not going to let that go. They got to meet her, and Evan's wife did get a chance this morning to hold her for a moment. Even if they would hurt Angus, they wouldn't hurt Caprice. I really don't think so."

"I wasn't thinking she'd be in any danger," Angus said. "I was, however, thinking of how very little patience she has sometimes and that it is a darned long time to expect a baby to behave and to be quiet. I think it's asking too much for her to be quiet for two or three hours. Rosaria and Carlo would definitely be better with her for that long. I agree with you."

"Oh. I don't know why this came to my mind, but Ginger asked me to get her more thread if we get any place that sells a gauge 70 or 80 thread that we pick her up some. I have no idea what she wants it for..."

"She does some sort of lace making hobby," Angus said. "She does it with some little hunk of wood and ends up making really delicate lace with it. I bet the thread is for that. Did she say what color?"

"I asked. Doesn't care," Marcus said. "She said the gauge is all that she cares about."

"That sounds very much like your department, Ru," Angus laughed, as the server returned. Angus paid the tab for the dessert and gave the server a tip. "I'm ready to go whenever you two are."

Ruby listened to Agus and nodded smiling that he agreed Caprice should stay with Rosaria and Carlo for that day. then she heard Angus mention that Ginger needed some supplies "Well we could get her one of each colour and both gauges, just to be sure." she said and watched as Angus paid the tab. She stood up and smiled "grazie è stato delizioso" she said and moved to the door following Marcus out side again. She paused as she felt the warm sun on her cool skin and looekd to Angus. "Okay let check out that jewlers for the sets for the girls, but is ther ea place around ehre they can get it done?" she asked looking around to see if she could spot a sign that said ear peircing.

"Here, the best place to go is a muggle dr's office or a pharmacy," Marcus said, "but, honestly, I'd ask Nigel to do it. Muggle piercings can be painful. I bet Nigel can do it quickly and painlessly."

"Why didn't I think of Nigel?" Angus asked.

"What's the last thing you got pierced?" Marcus asked.

"Me? Nothing, willingly anyway," Angus said

"And there's your answer. It never came up for you. I have five kids--two of them girls. It has come up in my family, and I figured out to take them to a healer to have it done."

"Well, so that answers that," Angus laughed. They headed down the street to the jewelers' and they went inside. They went to the counter, and Angus spotted a princess length gold necklace with a solitaire diamond hanging from it. "That's it," Angus said, showing it to Ruby. "Just a simple little single diamond, on a gold chain. We can get them little diamond studs for their earrings, and if we want to do a bracelet, we can do a diamond on a chain that matches the necklace. And certainly we could find a ring design later, if we want to do a diamond for their right hands. I think diamonds and jeans are a really classy look, and because the diamonds are small, it wouldn't be a huge loss if they lose it or something."

"Why should they lose it when a good 'accio' spell would bring it back?" Marcus asked.

Angus was looking in the cases, and then he wandered to a case of antique jewelry and saw something he truly liked. He bought it on the spot. It was a complete collection. Diamonds and onyx set in platinum. It had a pendant that could also be worn as a brooch, earrings, bracelet, ring, and, the piece that he had particularly liked--a large diamond and onyx barrette that was large enough and sturdy enough to hold a ponytail.

Marcus was looking at men's cufflinks for Angus's suit. The jeweler asked a few questions and then he showed Marcus a set of gold Donohue family crest cufflinks--the stone was onyx, with gold family crests mounted on top of the onyx, and some diamond accents. Marcus nodded. It was not something that would be missed. The family would notice these. He asked the jeweler to set them with the jewelry set that Angus had set aside.

"Do you see anything you like, Ru?" Angus asked her.

Ruby walked with Angus and listened to Macus "we can ask Nigel when we get back Im sure he will be willing and besides its best to get it down properly so they will last, I have heard horor stories about some muggle places , ears getting infected and holes closing over earrings." she walked into the shop with Angus and saw the set he was looking at " what about their birth stones, would make it more personal and theycould wear it every day too." she sugested then looked around th shop returning to his side when he was looking at the cuff links " well they would make a statement, I like them" she said smiling at him thshok her ehad " no nothing catches my eye there was a set but its gone now " she said as she loked at the signet rings in the fcase infront of her.

Looking at the clocks she chuckled " maybe we should head to the clothing store next seing as time seems to be flying and its nearly dinnertime." she said just as a cookoo clock chimed sending the little bird poking out of his house to make the sound.

Angus got the diamond necklaces for the girls and some diamond earrings as well as birthstone necklaces and matching stud earrings for them. He bought the jewelry set for Ruby, and the cufflinks for himself. Then, when the purchases were all packaged up, he went with them to the clothing shop.

Marcus looked through the suit jackets while Angus took a moment to sit and rest. Marcus picked out some single breasted jackets and a couple double breasted jackets. After some searching, Marcus found some exceptionally classy jackets and had Angus try on one single breasted jacket and one double breasted one. He helped him choose trousers, button downs, a waistcoat for he single breasted suit, ties, and all the necessary accessories so that he would look well turned out. He even chose a pair of umbrellas for Angus and Ruby, in case it rained the day of the funeral.

"I think that should do it," Angus said. "Did you find anything you liked for yourself or the girls? If you see something, let's just get it."

While Marcus was seeng to Angus she looked at the racks and found a simple black dress taking it off the rack she held it against her and smiled before heading to a changing room to try it on . At hearing Angus words she stepped out " will this do?" she asked smiling at him as she waited for his aproval or dismissal " obviously I'll be wearing black heels too and the umberella incase of rain" she added.

Seeing the look on Angus face she moved back into the changing room and changed back into her first set of clothing and stepping out " I think this will do" she said looking at the suit Marcus had picke for Angus " wow thats going to make an impreshion, was that what youwere going for?" she asked smiling as she hung the dress now in a dress bag with his suit.

Seeing to other dresses she smiled " these would be perfect for Anise and Ginger" she said holding them up "what do you think?" she asked