A Birth day

"Robert," Angus sighed. "He finds a way to put himself right in the way of any decent plan, doesn't he? I'll figure something out." He slipped off to sleep.

The next he heard was an alarm clock going off. He knew that the alarm was jut a guarantee that Ruby would be up in time. He knew she usually woke early on her own. He shifted slightly, feeling rather stiff, and then he dozed back off again, not needing to get up quite as early as she was. Marcus would wake him when he needed to be thinking about being conscious.

He smelled coffee, and he heard some soft noises in the hallway, the sounds of people waking up for the day. Rosaria must be delivering coffee trays, and he thought he heard Carlo talking to someone in Italian baby gibberish. Had to be Caprice. Carlo was very likely going to change her diaper and take her downstairs for breakfast.

"Ru," he said, far more asleep than awake, "in the top dresser drawer, in the left corner, there's Italian money. Take it if you need it. Simone will want to pay anyway, but take what you need."

Ruby chuckled qnd hummed she agreed " all right" she said sleepily and drftrd off to sleep. Next thing she knew the alram was going and she felt Angus move she opened her eyes and smiled kissing his cheek she sat up and saw the coffee , smiling as she took it and blew across its top." I am so going to miss rosaria, Thank you Angus" she said softly .

Now finished her coffee she placed the cup on the tray and slipped fron the bed to shower ready to head to the hairdressers with the girls for pampering, dressed in a light shirt and trousers with slight heeled shoes she walked to the girls room " hey, girls you up?" she asked knocking on the door smiling as she saw Carlo with Caprice

Angus was glad Ruby was enjoying Rosaria's little pampering touches.

"We're up," Ginger called back sleepily. "We'll be down in a minute."

Marcus, Edward and Simone were dressed and downstairs and were drinking coffee. Carlo was feeding Caprice oatmeal and a pureed berry blend. Rosaria was packing a white cardboard bakery box with breakfast pastries for the girls to take to the salon with them in case they got hungry before they got back. Edward was finalizing instructions on four floral arrangements--one for Basil and one for Gloria from him and Simone, and one for Basil and one for Gloria from Angus, Ruby, and the kids. It was something that Edward and Angus had not honestly thought they would do, and Edward had changed his mind. He was ordering them to do the right thing. If Basil's children destroyed them, that was their issue, not Edward's or Angus's.

"Morning, Ruby," Simone said. "Do you need a bit more coffee before we go? We have just a few more minutes. Carlo has brought around a car, and he said he'll drive us so we don't have to worry about parking it. Then when we're ready, he'll come back and get us."

"Take umbrellas," Edward said. "It's supposed to rain off and on all day. You don't want to spend all that money on great looking hair to have it all ruined in the rain. Where's that layabout of mine? Is he sleeping in again?"

"I'll get him up in a few minutes," Marcus said. "Robert added a bit extra to his sleeping potion, so he's getting a few more minutes this morning."

"Oh. I didn't realize it was for that. Alright. Well, just so he's up shortly," Edward said. "You're leaving the baby with us, right, Ruby?"

Ruby heard the girls and chuckled "Okay see you downstairs" she said heading down to see Marcus, Edward and Simone along with Carlo with Caprice who was happily eating her breakfast "You know me so well" she said chuckling to Simone as she offered more coffee. "I'm not human until I've had two cups, at least not this early in the morning" she smiled and took a cup of coffee from Simone.

Jessie woke and washed and shaved making sure his bag was by the bedroom door as he walked down to get breakfast" Morning all" he said " I know it's early but I need my coffee and run." he said and sat with his cup " might ask Anise if she wants to go for a run... nope bad idea, shes got the hairdressers this morning." Jessie answered his own question making Ruby chuckle.

"yep his brain doesn't work unless it's caffeinated and fed." she said chukaling making him a cup and floating it over to him so he could take it and take a sip.

"I should have gotten you up when I ran," Marcus told Jessie. "I ran at 3:30 so I could be back by 4:30 and showered and dressed by five. My apologies. I didn't think anyone would want to get up that early with me."

The girls came downstairs in their jeans and some simple boatneck tees and sneakers. Ginger had the hairstyle magazine with her.

"We're ready," Anise said.

"Did you pick out any styles you liked?" Simone asked.

"Maybe these? What do you think?" Ginger showed them what she and Anise were thinking about.

Ruby walked over to them and looked at the pictures she smiled showing Edward, Jessie and Marcus " I think those are perfect Anise, Ginger " she said and moved to show them teh pictures they ahd showed her.

Jessie looke at Marcus and pulled a face "Man you a vampie or something?" he asked " running that early should not be aloud, nope not for me man" he said chukaling as he teased Marcus " I'll run if we find that werewolf" he sipped his coffee again then saw the pictures and smiled " those are very grown up, and they will suit you too." he smiled at Ginger and Anise.

Edward looked at the photos. The looks were pretty dramatic changes for the girls, but he liked them. Despite the fact that they were twins, the girls didn't look that much alike. Anise was a bit taller, and Ginger was finer featured. The fact that Ginger looked more fragile and delicate more than likely came from nearly being starved to death by Suzanne. The ordeal had caused systemic changes in Ginger's body as well. For example, before this had happened, she had been an ash blonde like her sister. Now, she was a strawberry blonde--blonde with a red cast to it. And her hair had taken a lot of damage from the lack of nutrition. Unfortunately, much of her length needed to be trimmed off. She had had the wisdom to see it, though, and the chin length wedge cut she had chosen would do just that. It was also quite stylish. He was pleased with her decision making.

Anise, on the other hand, had no reason to cut the length of her long ash blonde hair. The style she had chosen would be elegant and mature, but it would also keep her hair out of her way. Truly, it was a good choice for a young girl who was a warrior first before anything else.

"I think they're perfect," Edward told them.

"Angus," Anise looked at him. "Your family. Do they know what we are, Ginger and me?"

"Well, Evan knew, so I can only suppose that they know too, but if they treat you badly because of it, they will answer to me. I promise you that. The only thing that is important for them to know is that you are as much a part of this family as if you were born into it." She looked at him and smiled. She and Ginger knew where they belonged but it was sometimes nice to hear the words.

"Thank you," she smiled.

"You lot have a great time this morning," he told them, "and I'm sure Rosaria will have breakfast ready when you get back."

"Well, she's sending some lovely pastries with us so we don't starve," Simone smiled. "Are we ready? Should we go?"

Ruby heard Edward and smiled to the girls " as will I , I know what its ike to have a family member be ostrasized for who they are" she glanced at Jessie who sat quite listening to them talk " but as Angus said they will have to get threw us if they intend any harm to both of you" she said smiling as Simone mentioned pastries, " well I am ready, Im ready to become a new me" she said then looked at th guys " you guys have fun now" she chuckled as she looked to Simone " we driving or porting?" she asked.

Jessie heard Ruby talking and smiled as she talked about having afamily member be ostrasized for who they were and he knew it was about him and his mother and father. " so what we doing while the girls are being pampered?" he asked sipping his second cup coffee.

(angus isn't downstairs. he's not up yet)

Edward laughed gently and got up and took a travel mug and filled it with coffee and handed it to Ruby.

"You really don't function well without a second cup, do you?" he teased her lightly. "Simone just said that Carlo brought the car around and is going to drive you all to the salon so you don't have to find a place to park. It's a muggle salon in a muggle neighborhood, so you really should drive."

"Don't tease," Simone told Edward. "Some of us need a little fuel to get started in the morning. Let's go, Ladies, so we aren't late." She motioned to them, and the girls followed Simone out to the car. Carlo had selected a very elegant black Maserati sedan got into the driver seat and the girls got on the back. Simone got into the passenger seat in the front so that there was room for Ruby beside the girls in the back.

"Angus and Edward are getting a bit of a touch up to their hair and nails while the girls are gone," Marcus told Jessie. "I need to go get Angus up, and then you're coming with me. I'm going to show you where the chapel is and the family plot and then the winery where the reception is going to be so that you have some idea why there would be some security concerns today. It would be helpful if you could be an extra set of eyes today. I'll be right back. I'll go get Angus up, and then I'll be right back."

He poured Angus a mug of fresh coffee and went upstairs to get Angus upstairs and help him dress for the day and make sure his daytime potion was added to his coffee for him. It didn't take him more than just a few minutes to help Angus to get up and dressed. Angus knew it was a very busy day for everyone, and he knew Marcus's habits. Marcus would want to be tending to security from the start and wouldn't want to be doing valet duties any longer than necessary. He dismissed Marcus to get to those duties rather quickly, and then he made his way downstairs.

"Well, he's awake and not naked, so I'm free for awhile," Marcus told Jessie. "Let's go, and I'll show you the layout for today."

Ruby groaned and chuckled at her skatter brain that morning " right, sorry my bad and yeah, two cups minamum " she said as she smiled to Edward then looked at Simone and smiled thanks to her for the suport. Finishing her second cup she placed the cmug in the sink and follwoed them out to the car , she waited for the others to organise them selves then slid in to the back next to Ginger.

Jessie chuckled at Edwards tease knowing he was right about Ruby . Hearing Marcus he nodded " Of course and I'll be waiting here" he said finishing his breakfast and coffee.