A Birth day

"That's fine. We can wait," Anise told her.

"How old is this cafe?" Ginger asked.

"There's a date in the menu someplace. Oh. Built in 1887."

"I bet it looked quite grand when the Victorian ladies wore those beautiful long dresses."

"Some of them are still here," Anise said.

"You see them?" Ginger asked

"I see dead people all the time. Every place I go," she shrugged. "I always have."

"You never told me that," Ginger said.

"Because if you see people that other people can't see, people think you're nuts. So I don't talk about it. But, for me, they're everywhere."

"Come eat, if you haven't, Jessie," Simone said, seeing Jessie arrive.

"Yes. There's enough to feed an army," Edward said.

"You might have to give me the recipe for this," Marcus told Simone. "My kids would love it."

"I'll send it to her," Simone smiled. "I like your parents. They're lovely people. Haven't met your kids yet, but I look forward to that. How old is your youngest?"

"That would be Poppy. She's eleven. This was her first year," Marcus said. "She's not quite like the other kids. She's really shy."

"That won't last around some of these kids," Angus laughed. "I bet she'll take to Evie and Faith and our girls. Where is Evan anyway?"

"He and Sergio and Ana went into London for a night out. Evan wanted to get to know them, so he's taking them to a steakhouse and then they're going out to a live theater production of something or other in Piccadilly Circus. They won't be back til late, probably," Simone replied.

Ruby listened to Anise and Ginger, when Anise said she saw ghosts of the dead she looked up at her and smiled " you know if they get too much you can talk to Khaat or Kate , even Jess, Jacks wife is a seer too" she said " and I don't think your nuts." she said " except when your in your were form, then your just scary " she said and chuckled to them both.

Jessie looked over at Simone and smiled nodding his head as he walked over and took some food " thank you Simone, Yu's doing som work on the barn after an epasode with some green good monster?" he siad " well theres some damage that needs repairing so hes doing that " Jessie said siting down and eating while watching the boys and Caprice who was happy to play with her toy Bowtruckle toy.

"I'm used to it mostly," Anise told Ruby.

"Is that how you found me?" Ginger asked.

"Yeah. There was a guy... well, I guess it was Ruby's dad, that showed me where you were. There was a woman there too, but I don't know who she was."

"Was it Suzanne?"

"No, I'd have known her. This was a ghost woman. Blonde. Very pretty. Had this really lovely perfume that I could still smell. Not that cheap crap Suzanne wears."

"Where was she?" Ginger frowned.

"I only saw her once. She was in that control room, and she was standing between Angus and some of Suzanne's goons that were firing some sort of spell at him. It looked to me like she was trying to shield Angus to keep the spells from hitting him. So was that stinky guy...oh. sorry, Ruby. Your dad. The two of them were trying to shield Angus from all people that were firing at him. I don't know who she was because I only saw her that one time. She was trying to absorb the spells so they didn't hit him."

"I didn't see anybody there, but I trust you. I just know Suzanne was really, really pissed when their spells didn't kill Angus. She kept telling her guys to kill him, but it just wasn't working," Ginger said.

"Oh, the bundimun," Edward said. "Ginger found some of them under the barn floor. She calls them 'snotmonsters' because they look like puddles of green snot with eyes. I like her name better than the real name. But they're acidic, so we should be glad she and Jack got them and tucked them in some of Robert's jars."

Ruby sat and listened to Anise and Ginger talking at one point she looked up at them both "Wait a minute, spell, do you remember what it was they said when they cast the spell" she asked now curious as to what it was " and don't worry he wasn't a nice guy alive, but maybe he's mellowed since he died." she said her mind going to what could have happened with Suzzans men and the spell, but in her mind, she was thinking that if he was alive it must not have been a strong spell. At mention of the woman with the nice smell her eyes went wide the only person she could think of was Caprice his grand mother. " I wonder if it could have been Caprice, his grand mother?" she said softly but loud enough the girls could hear.

Jessie nodded and chuckled " yeah the snot monster, it partly damages some floor suports so he and several men are replacing them, just to be on the safe side." he said as he ate his food with Jack who chuckled at the word snot monster. " and I for one am glad it is safe in its jar." Jessie added chukaling.

"Um...Let me think," Ginger frowned. "Their wands were firing bright red energy, and I'm sure they were all casting the same spell. It apparently had knocked him face down to the floor, and he was down for quite a long time, actually. I didn't think he was going to get up again. I thought perhaps he was done for, and he looked like whatever it was really hurt. He managed to get himself up, and he went straight for Suzanne first, but when he went after her, she slipped out a secret door in the wall. So he went after her goons then. I was no help because I couldn't get to him."

"Well, he was outnumbered nine to one til we got there. Her and her eight goons," Anise said. "The spell, do you remember it, Ginger? It was two syllables, and it was dark. It had dark energy all over it. Seems like it took all of them to cast it because they were all using the same one."

"Crush..cruise...something like that," Ginger said.

"Crucio," Anise finally came up with it.

"Yes. That was the word. We haven't studied that one yet, though, so I don't know what it means," Ginger said.

"I don't think those two could be more different if they tried," Edward laughed. "Anise is the seer, and she's the fighter, all outdoors and all tomboy. And then there's Ginger. She's the domestic. She likes being indoors, cooking, taking care of babies, making lace, sewing, gardening, and her gifts are all about animals and animal healing. She reminds me, in her own way, of Kate."

"I think that's a fair comparison," Angus said.

"I'm going to brew some after dinner coffee for anyone who wants some with their dumpling," Edward said, getting up.

Ruby heard Ginger talk and it was as if her body went cold as she said it had been the Cruciatus Curse that had been fired at Angus. But more so he'd not told her or any one about what had happened. The more she thought about it the more she began to understand that maybe he just didn't want to relive it since it had ben over and if Anise was right Caprice had in her own way saved him from beyond the grave. Now she knew after the funeral of Phoebe she would pay a visit to Caprices grave and thank her for saving him. But she was a little upset he'd not told even her about it. "okay one we eat if you ant o go to another shop we have time, or we can head home" she said smiling best she could.

Jessie heard the mention of tea and chuckled " oh I would love some" he said " and I agree with your discription of the two girls, there deflnatly two individuals." he said chukaling as did Jack. " but you wouldn't have them any other way" he chuckled " and nor would Sam" he chuckled again as he finished his meal.

"I think I have everything I need," Ginger said. "What about you, Anise?"

"I think I'm fine," Anise said. "Do you need any jewelry for your dress, Ruby? Or do you want to get home? I know you probably have to leave early because of the time difference between home and Switzerland. I think we're both fine with heading home, if you want to. Whatever you want to do is fine with us."

Edward made coffee and handed out mugs of coffee while Simone handed out bowls with apple dumplings that she had added a scoop of ice cream to, along some hot caramel sauce to and a little bit of whipped cream.

"Oh my goodness. Two thousand calories," Angus laughed.

"Two thousand calories of deliciousness," Edward teased. "And I'm going to enjoy every darned one of them."

"Me too," Angus said.

"Sam has always been tail over teakettle for that girl from the first moment he saw her," Edward said. "And if you pay attention, every so often Victor will look at Ginger, and he's just as over the moon about her. I think its interesting that those twin boys are excited about twin sisters. Hopefully, we can find a way keep them all at a low roar when the boys get home."

"I've already talked to Robert about that when we knew the girls were going to be staying here too," Angus said. "I refuse to police them around the clock, and since their hormones are already raging, the best I can do is curtail some of the possible consequences from those hormones. I think what we're all thinking is inevitable, and probably sooner rather than later."

Ruby looked at Anise and smiled " I have the set Angus bought me to wear so yeah we could head back now, and yes the time difference is difficult but Jeffery knows about that." she said once the bill was received She took out some french francs and paid the bill with a tip for the waitress that had served them. " all right lets head back" she said leading them back to the alley they had arrived in and took both of their hands with the bags now dangling from them. Porting back they arrived in the yard and Ruby looked up at the duplex.

Jack laughed and nodded as they spoke of the boys "Oh we'll keep them on the straight and narrow, don't worry, by my guessing they will be too busy to think of anything like that yet" he said as he heard porting and looked out the window " looks like the girls are back" he said seeing the bags they held.

The girls had enjoyed their trip but they were glad they were home. They carried their bags inside, and they smelled food, but mainly coffee and dessert.

"I smell dessert," Anise said.

"You smell Simone's amazing apple dumplings," Angus said.

"What's a dumpling?" she asked.

"Well, come sit down, and I'll get you each one. Ruby? An apple dumpling? They're still hot from the oven," Simone asked. She got up and fixed some bowls with dumpling just like she had done the others and set them down on the table.

"How did your shopping go? Did you find what you were looking for?" Angus asked.

"We did," Anise said. "I think Mom would have approved."

"And supper. Did you go to someplace nice?"

"A sidewalk cafe. Cafe de Flore," Ginger told him.

"Well, then she took you to the best," Angus said. "I'm glad. Sounds like you had a good time."

"We did. These are great, Simone," Anise said. "We never got anything like this in the woods."

"Maybe werewolves don't like dumplings," Angus teased. "Maybe that means I should eat yours, and Jessie's and Jack's..."

"I'd be careful," Edward laughed. "They might just eat your arm if you get too close to those bowls, Lad."

Ruby followed the girls inside and smiled "We did have a good time." she said and looked at Edward " could we talk " she asked him moving to there side of the duplex to talk to him.

Once Edward joined her she sat down " Anise lwt slip what happened to Angus" she said softly to him " I understand why he dosn't want to talk about it, she said Caprice was there and stopped the spell they were casting, the Cruciatus Curse they were casting." she paused and looked up at Edwrad "I guess Im asking you , what do I do now I know" she asked calmly as she knew theere was no reason to become angry or upset since it had happened and they were past it now but she wanted some one sles to clarafy her thinking.

Jack and Jessie laughed as Angus said about having there desert " oh nope not getting mine" Jessie said and ate quickly once all gone he smiled to them. Jack just shook his head and ate normaly chukaling at Jessies antics with the bowl.