A Birth day

"Yes, we'll be fine," Angus said, taking Caprice from him for the moment.

"You want to take your baby sling with you?" Marcus asked Angus.

"Yes, please," Angus said. Marcus helped him with it, and helped him put Caprice in it.

"Just so you know, I packed formula and bottles but I did not pack any jars of pureed food for her," Marcus said. "I suspect that if I had, Rosaria would have chewed me up good and proper for it."

"Oh, you have absolutely no idea," Angus laughed. "She would not give a baby any commercially prepared food if her life depended upon it. She will swipe this one the moment we arrive, and we won't get her back til we leave."

"Even if she's sick?"

"Oh, lordy, especially when she finds out she's running even a hint of fever," Angus said. She'll have her at lightning speed, and she'll be battling with Simone and Ruby for taking care of her."

"That leaves you free to take care of the rest of the kids," Marcus said.

"I did rather foresee that would be the case," Angus said.

"Angus, should we take something to do?" Sam asked.

"You girls taking your skateboards?"

"Oh! Yes!" Anise said. "And can we get a frisbee too?"

"I'll make sure you have some outdoor things to do."

"Skates," Sam said. "We should have skates."

"Well, don't forget. There's swimming, surfing, biking, hiking, and a host of other things. If you want to be busy, I can keep you busy,' Angus said. "If you want skates, I'll get you all skates. But you'll have to have helmets and pads too. I am not bringing you all back in casts and on crutches. Understand me?"

"Awesome," Sam grinned.

Jessie was happy to give Caprice to Angus and quickly headed to repack his clothes now he knew what not to take. After thirty minuets Jack returned Finnless and smiling.

"okay hes enmpty , and with Robert sleeping off the rest of his berry bindge" he said and chukled as he saw Angus with the sling with Caprice in it. " that brings back memories" he said smiling as he stood watching Marcus fix Caprice into it. Jessie ran back to the duplex bag in hand and smiling .

"okay all done and fixed." he said then heard the boys ask about skates and chuckled " gez I haven't been on skates in years" he said chukaling " bet I fall on my as...ashphalt" he corrected himself making Jack chuckle.

"You? Falling on your arse-fault? Never." Angus teased. He smiled when Jack said the sling brought back memories. "I used to live in this sling once upon a time. I figured it would be so much easier when porting to have her in a carrier. The kids were just talking about things to do when they get there. You know, though, you all might like bocce ball."

"What's that?" Anise asked.

"Rather like playing pool. There's a long narrow court, and a number of balls--and one white ball that is smaller than the other balls. The idea is that you all take turns, sometimes in teams, actually. Someone gets to throw out the white ball at the beginning of play. Then the players take turns bowling their bocce balls down the court to see who can come the closest to the white ball or hits the white ball after everyone has played, wins. It can actually get quite competitive, and there is usually a certain amount of trash talking involved and whatnot. It can be a lot of fun."

"You should be able to play bocce," Marcus told Angus.

"I can. I'm right handed at bocce, so that wouldn't be a problem," Angus said. "I think we should go, though. Grab on, you lot. Let's go."

When they all had taken their places and got their bags and situated, Angus got out his portkey and he ported them to Tuscany, landing them in the front yard.

Jessie slung his bag over his shoulder and walked over to the boys taking Sam's hand he looked at the girls making sure they were ready. " okay were ready" he said "See you when we get back" he said and Jack chuckled waving them off as he stood and watched them operate out of the duplex before heading to the main house.

Jessie caught his breath as they arrived and lent on his knees for amoment " Is Caprice okay?" he asked Angusnot sure how she would take to aperating but having a feeling she would sleep threw it. He saw Rosaria walking over to them smiling broadly as she did. " Angus be prepared to not see Caprice again for a while " he said and chukled .

"She's fine," Angus said. "She's awake, but she's okay. Most little ones don't appreciate being sucked through a wind tunnel, and I can't blame them." He saw Rosaria coming to welcome them, and she gave Angus a peck on the cheek, and laid her hand on Caprice's head as she did. She stopped, looked at the baby, worried, and immediately began giving Angus holy thunder in angry Italian at such a lightning speed that Angus was sure that even very few native Italians would understand her. She had immediately detected the fever and was chewing him out royally for travelling with a sick baby, and telling him that if he was going to be man enough to father a baby, he'd better learn how to take care of one, all while she was snatching Caprice right out of the sling, not letting Angus get one syllable in edgewise. He let her rant at him, and she turned on her heels and started to walk back to the house, chattering to Caprice all the while.

He called to her loudly in Italian and told her it was an ear infection and that she had indeed seen a healer. She didn't seem to hear him and disappeared into the house.

"My name is mud with her for the moment," Angus laughed. "Here's how this goes. I will tell Edward, Edward will relay it to her, and she'll be better then. It'll blow over as soon as Edward talks to her."

Jessie watched as Rosaria took Caprice and talked to Angus , he got the impreshion he was being scolded so stood quiet until Angus spoke again " ah okay" he said and chukled " always the small boy right?" he said smiling as they all walked towards the house. Jessie with his duffle bag over his shoulder and the girls with the boys hands in theirs still.

Reatching the house Jessie went to the same room he'd had previously and placed down his bag on the end of the bed. He quickly changed into something cooler , a tee shirt and shorts then returne downstairs to sit out while the sun was still up.

"Always," Angus laughed. "My other relatives think I'm cursed, and Rosaria thinks I'm perpetually about 8 years old, I think. Come on. Let me show you around." He led them inside, and he saw Rosaria standing in the main hall with Edward and Simone, and she was blasting them as well about how Angus needed to get a clue about how to take care of a baby, telling them how ill Caprice was, and, of course, Edward and Simone were alarmed, laying their hands on Caprice. Edward looked up at Angus.

"Robert's already seen her, already treated her, and I have more potion in my pocket for her. And he's coming. It's just an ear infection," Angus said. "She's going to be fine."

"You're sure?" Simone asked.

"Of course I'm sure," Angus said.

"I'll smooth things over with her," Edward said. "Take everyone upstairs to their rooms, would you, Lad?"

"Certainly," Angus said. "Everyone but the boys have all been here before, so they'll be fine."

"Dang," Sam said softly to Victor. "Look at this place. Did you know that Dad was stinking filthy rich?"

"No. Did you? And Edward too?"

"No. Not a clue," Victor whispered back softly.

"This is Edward's, not mine," Angus whispered back to them, teasing. "Come with me." He led them upstairs, and he gave the boys the room right across the hall from the girls. "Do not make me regret where your room is," he told all four of the kids. "This house still does have a dungeon in the basement, and I know where the keys are." They looked at him for a moment and then looked at each other, not sure whether to think he was kidding or not. "Jessie, you and Marcus have the room next to the guys. So you kids know, Rubys' room and mine is here, and Edward and Simone are right across the hall from me. Pretty much every room has an ensuite bathroom, and if you need anything, let me know. Why don't you get settled and unpacked, and when you're ready, just wander downstairs."

Jessie chuckled at Angus and saw Simone and Edward talking to Rosaria. Standing up he walked over to them " I was there too when Robert checked her over , he did say it ws an ear infection and gave her some drops" he said looking to both of them. " he also said he would check on her later" he added.

" I wondered who the second bed was for, hope you don't snore Marcus" he said teaslingly. He put his clothes awy and slid the bag under the bed out of the way. Opening the door to the bathroom he was glad to see two sinks and he smiled placing his washbag down at one.

"And here I was hoping you didn't snore," Marcus laughed. "I think it'll be fine."

Angus went into his room, putting his bag and the baby's on the bed. He opened his bag and started unpacking their things, one thing at a time, not trusting the unpacking to an enchantment. When he had that done, he was opening the baby's bag, when Marcus came over.

"Why don't you let me..." Marcus began. He stopped short, frowning at the contents of the bag.

"What?" Angus looked at him.

"I know this child's clothing," Marcus said. "And I know what I packed. These clothes are not what I packed. None of them. I've not seen them before."

"Yeah. I noticed. They're brand new," Angus said. "I think Simone came in behind you and repacked for her. It's a good thing she doesn't have two grandmas because I'd have to build another wing on the house just for the baby stuff. They're really cute things, I have to admit, and most of them are summer things. And that's fine, since the summer clothes weren't out anymore when we realized we were having a girl. So Simone's gotten us started, but I am quite sure there are more summer clothes where these came from."

"Would you like me to show the boys around a little?"

"I think you should let the girls do that. They'll take them to meet Evie and Faith and they'll get on like besties. Can we please go get some coffee? I managed one cup this morning, and I really could use another. Then I'll get to work, I promise."

"You're the boss, not me," Marcus laughed. "I'll take a can of formula and a few bottles down to Rosaria while we're going, though."

"Oh. yeah. Good plan. We'll unpack the rest of the baby things after coffee," Angus said.

Jessie laughed and heded down to the outdoor seating area to sit in the warm sun it was now he heard porting and smiled seeing Ruby walking over to the house. " hey Jeffery let you out?" he asked standing and hugging her gently.

"yes, he said Im doing well so a day and half off won't hurt." she said glancing at the window to Angus and her room. " hows Caprice?" she asked " and the girls oh and the boys." Jessie laughed and smiled.

"there all fine, well Caprice has an ear infection but Roberts checked her and given her drops for her ear." Ruby relaxed at hearing Robert had checked Caprice. " the boys are here and the girls are well, so see them your self" he said and motioned to the door.

Ruby entered and headed up the stairs pausing at the door way as she saw Marcus and Angus in the bedroom " hi, I just got here" she said smiling to both of them " I heard Caprice has an ear infection, its good Robert looked at her." she smiled to Angus " your looking better" she finished as she moved to the girls room and knocked.