A Birth day

Ruby followed agngus as he spoke up to their room and listened as he continued " yeah , I feel bad for Marcus and those kids but glad he's now doing something about it, Im sure he'll find some one like himself, look at you, you never thought you'd find some oen to be with and here you are" she said smiling at him as she changed her clothes to her PJ's before moving to the bed.

Sitting down she chuckled at him saying Marcus needs to swear off romance or be satisfied with some one night stands for a while. " maybe so" she said " who knows what will hapen" she said as she laced the covers obver herself and lay down next to him " good book?" she asked looking up at him.

"Well, you're right," he said, knowing he hadn't been looking for anyone when Ruby came into his life. Perhaps Marcus would eventually find a strong woman, but right now, his life really wasn't conducive to having a steady relationship anyway.

"It's a mystery novel I bought to read after my shoulder surgery and I just never got to it. It's a story about a murder of a wizard who was on a treasure hunt for a legendary chest of gold. I just started it, though, so I don't have a lot of suspects yet."

He only read a chapter and then closed the book because he had found the first chapter to be rather dry and tough to get any real interest in. He had decided to give it another chapter or two but if it didn't pick up, he was going to give up on the book. He yawned and then turned out the light.

"Guess we should try to sleep since it's going to be a really long day tomorrow," he said. "'Night, Ru."

Ruby chuckled at hearing what the book was about. " hum a true life drama then" she said and chukled again as she cuddled closer to him once he'd put the book down. " night my love" she said softly and smiled as she fell asleep next to him.

Next morning she woke and slipped out from next to Angus letting him sleep a bit longer while she started breakfast and readied verything for the kids to make the picknic together. She smiled seeing Jessie and Cris walking over to them " morning Chris and Jessie" she said softly " Angus and the house are still sleeping " she chuckled " you ready for today?" she asked as Jessie chuckled and showed a tote bag all packed with swim wear and towels.

Angus hadn't expected to sleep. He had fully intended to be awake early to make Abbey's favorite breakfast for her--pink pancakes that were flavored with chopped raspberries and strawberries and had a homemade strawberry syrup. It was something he had created for her when she was just starting to be old enough to eat a pancake, and they'd fed it to her in little tiny bites that she could pretty much just let dissolve in her mouth. Angus seemed to think Abbey hadn't been all that much older from what Caprice was now.

Cris came in and watched Jessie show Ruby a tote bag. Cris had tucked a few of his own things into the bag--things he believed were essential to go much of anywhere with him, beach or otherwise. He didn't see Angus yet, so he simply went over and started to browse through the books in the bookcase.

Marcus, in the meantime, had gotten up and had gone for a run and had showered and was dressed for the day. He had gotten a reply from Jeffrey, and he was out on the deck with a cup of coffee, reading the reply and preparing to write some sort of return response. He had also gotten a reply from his dad, and they were going to come and bring the kids in late morning, once the kids had done their chores and had had some breakfast. That was fine with Marcus.

The teens had gotten dressed for work and had come to the kitchen to get coffee, make their lunches and find something to eat for breakfast.

"Oh, hi, Ruby," Sam yawned, opening the fridge. "We gotta get some groceries. There's nothing in here to make a brown bag lunch with. I guess I'll just take an apple." He sighed, frustrated and closed the fridge.

"There has to be something," Ginger said. She opened the fridge, looked, and closed it again, as frustrated as he was. "Suppose we have time to order out for lunch?"

"I dunno," Sam said, pouring himself some coffee.

Ruby chuckled at the kids reatching into the fridge she took out four brown bags "Here you go, I made a Panuozzo sandwichs for everyone" she said " these are pizza-inspired sandwiches for you all, along with some deserts." she said and handed them each a bag " remember were going to the beach this afternoon." she said looking at Chris as she made some pancake batter and adding soe strawberrys to it making it turn a light pink ready for when Angus came down and Abby came over for breakfast. Ruby even made strawberry smoothies for her too " she realy does like strawberrys." she chuckled as Jessie had looked stunned at the pinkness of the pancakes.

Ruby made breakfast for every one and placed it on the table " I thought it would give Angus's shoulder a break , I do know how much he loves cooking but he does need a break to heal" she said to Sam and Victor.

"You will be," Sam said. "We won't. The four of us are working, remember? We don't have the day off. Go have a good time, and if you decide to stay for supper, let us know, won't you? We could take the girls and go into the Three Broomsticks or into Sparks for supper while you're out."

"Thanks," Angus said, seeing Ruby had remembered the pancakes for Abbey.

"Hi, Rooby!" Abbey said, wide awake and excited. "Is zat berries?"

"I think it's pancakes," Angus said.

"Aggie!" Abbey ran to him and flung her arms around his legs. He scooped her up, and she planted a kiss on his cheek. "I not seen you in forever."

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?" he laughed. She nodded. "So, Ruby is going to make some cookies today, and I'm going to make some homemade marshmallows. You gonna help us?" She nodded.

"Aggie? How you make mushmewwos," she said, unable to say marshmallows.

"You'll see. I planned on making vanilla and chocolate ones."

"No berries?" she pouted.

"We maybe could make some berry ones while we're at it," he laughed. "And if Gam says you can go with us, you can come with us to the beach this afternoon."

"Yeah!" she was excited.

The teens sat down for Ruby's breakfast of the berry pancakes, and Angus sat Abbey down at the table. Then he poured himself some coffee. He was a little concerned that he didn't see Marcus, but then he looked around and saw Marcus out on the deck writing something. He went over to the french doors and opened them.

"Marcus, Ruby has breakfast ready," Angus said.

"Thanks," Marcus said, putting his letter in an envelope. "I'll be straight in."

Ruby nodded at Sam's words " thats why I made something special for your lunch" she said " I think that would be a great idea if we stay late, though why don't you do that anyway" she said smiling to them all. She saw Abby and smiled to her hearing her call to her " hey Abby" she said smiling as she placed a plate of pink pancakes infront of her " they might not be as good as Angus's but I made them pink just for you" she said and smiled seeing Angus and Abby together she looked over at Caprice sat playing with her binky filld with her food.

She watched Angus move to the double doors and talk to Marcus she made apoint of keeping a plate warm for Marcus along with some coffee. Picking up her own plate she moved to the table and sat next to Caprice who giggled at her and showed her a ty key she had.

"'Sanks!" Abbey said, delighted at seeing pink berry pancakes again. The teens tucked into their pancakes.

"I'm surprised. They're actually good," Victor said. "I honestly didn't expect too much."

"More for me," Abbey teased Victor.

"Nuh uh," Victor teased back. "I'm gonna eat mine and then I'm gonna eat yours."

"Nuh uh," Abbey teased him right back. "You slow." Sam burst out laughing.

"She's got you figured out," Sam laughed. "Okay. So we'll go out for supper. We don't do that every often. It'll be a nice change."

"Do NOT go to any muggle neighborhoods," Angus told them firmly. "You lot are not that experienced in concealing your magic. Stick to Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley. If you decide you want to go to a muggle restaurant, you wait to do that until one of us are with you. And if you get into trouble, you use your doubloons and you signal for us. You understand me?"

"Yeah, we get it," Sam replied dryly. He saw Caprice take her pacifier, squeeze some sort of berry mush out of it and lob it straight into Abbey's little face. Abbey was surprised, and she was not happy at all.

"Ru," Angus said quietly, "would you put a stop to that, please?" Angus got a clean cloth and wiped Abbey's face. "Sorry, Abs. She's just started doing that. We'll teach her to stop."

"She not nice," Abbey scowled at the baby.

"She'll learn," Angus promised her.

Ruby let Angus talk to Sam and Victor and then gasped seing Caprice throw her food at Abby " oh, sorry Abby, Angus is right , we're trying to break her of the habit" she said and took the food from Caprice and fed her with a spoon " you get it back when you stop throwing" she paused and looked to Angus with a sigh as she finished feding her even threw a mini tantrum she was giving but Ruby ignored it and continued. Caprice stopped and ate quietly.

Hearing Angus talk to the boys she nodded " I agree its been some time , but we're trusting you here, don't let us down, kay" she said with a smile. Taking a cloth she wiped Caprices hand clean then enptied the dummy out and gave it her back empty.

"Did Abbey do that?" Sam asked Angus.

"A few times, but she soon quit," Angus said.

"So what did you do when she did it?" he asked.

"Well, when she threw her food, I took her out of her high chair, and put her on the floor with her toys, no matter whether she had eaten her meal yet or not. She soon figured out that if she was hungry, she'd better not throw her food because if she did, her meal was over right that moment, and she wasn't going to get any more food until the next meal or snack. God, she used to get angry with me, but she soon learned not to throw food," Angus said.

"And so you listened to her scream and rant like a lunatic," Sam sighed.\

"Well, as I said, it didn't happen often, but yes. I let her have her little fit and then get over herself," Angus said. Victor got up, took the empty plates to the sink and then all the teens got up.

"Thanks, Ruby," Ginger said, "And thanks for the lunch too. If we get near a market, we can bring a few things home."

"We need food?" Angus frowned.

"The fridge is skint," Sam said, as they all four went out the door.

"What?" Angus frowned. "I have never let a fridge go empty."

"Two things about that," Marcus laughed. "First, you have four hollow teens. And second, if you don't have whatever it is they want in the fridge, it's skint to them."

"If someone makes a list, I'll order it," Angus said, as he continued to eat his own breakfast.