A Birth day

Aria looked at Marcus "I'm guessing they're not like this with you?" she asked him "Let me guess pj party?" she said with a chuckle. She glanced over seeing the boys return and with a bag of food. As they were handing out the food containers Aria set them on the table and dished them up while Marcus was talking to the boys "Sounds perfect to me" she said as she gave Poppy her plate and moved to the next.

Soon everyone hand food and was sitting eating. Aria ate and then drank her coffee while she ate quietly. Hearing the plan for the day she smiled " I think I'd like to see that chess board you mentioned this afternoon." she said finishing her food and placing the plate in the bowl to wash.

"Normally, yes, until breakfast is over. Then they get dressed," he said. "I think they're maybe thinking they need to be on their best behavior. We can check out the chess board while we're out hiking. The map of the trail looked like it goes pretty close to the chessboard."

"One of the brochures had a picture of it at night," Poppy said. "The board was lit up and so were the pieces. How do they do that if they're muggles?"

"Probably powered by batteries," Marcus said.

"What's a battery?" Kai asked.

"Well, basically, its a portable power source that's made of a combination of chemicals and wires," he said. "If we get to the camp store, I'll buy one so you can see one. There isn't a whole lot to see, but I can certainly understand your curiosity."

"Come on, Guys," Zane said. "Kai, you make sandwiches. Ezra, you round up some water bottles, and Daria, you find some tin foil to wrap the sandwiches and get an ice pack from the cooler. i'll get a couple backpacks, some crisps and some snacks gathered up. Poppy, you go find the sunscreen, the beach towels and the frisbee. You're all in charge of your own swimsuits, flipflops, and sunglasses."

"Poppy, check my duffel bag, in the outer zipper pocket. There are a bunch of shrunken beach things in a plastic ziplock bag in there. There might be something worth resizing in there," Marcus told her."

"Okay," she told him, heading to the tent. Marcus refilled his coffee and sat down to let the kids get themselves organized.

"You lot might want to consider just putting your swimsuits on under your hiking clothes. That will save us from having to rent a cabana."

"What's a cabana?" Ezra asked.

"Just put your trunks on under your clothes," Kai told him.

Aria sat and listened chuckling as he said they were doing it to be on their best behaviour around her. "Makes sense, but they don't have to," she said softly to him then heard Zane take charge of the others " Now that I recognise your tone," she said and chuckled as Zane told each person what they had to do. " he got your organisational skills?" she asked smiling to Marcus as she sipped her coffee.

Hearing him mention stopping by the chess set on their way to the beach she smiled and nodded "Great, then I can beat you at that" she said smirking over the top of her cup at him.

"Not sure if he got it from me or from my father. One of the two of us," Marcus smiled. "He's my immensely practical kid. Of the two of them, Kai is the comic relief. Daria is my logic nerd. Ezra is insatiably curious about everything, and Poppy is my little ballerina. She loves ballet. They're all so different from one another."

He didn't make any moves to interfere. He let them deal with packing a lunch for everyone and organizing the hiking and beach supplies. Then, while the kids were changing, he went in the tent and put his swim trunks on under his jeans. He put on some sneakers and hung his sunglasses on the neck of his t shirt. He got out his watch that was aligned to link to the magic alarm signals in the kids' watches. He came out of tent, strapping the watch on his wrist.

The girls changed to their tankinis and put on some crop pants over their swimsuit bottoms and loose, unbuttoned gauze shirts over top of their tankini top. That was fine with Marcus. It looked both comfortable and practical. The guys put jeans on over their trunks and each wore a tank top and sneakers. Marcus resized some of the beach toys, and Zane packed them so they didn't risk doing magic in front of the muggles. The last thing Marcus packed was a pocket patch kit--just in case.

"I think we're pretty much ready," Marcus said. "Make sure you've cleaned up the breakfast containers and that you've taken the trash to the big trash. We don't need animals getting into our tent." Marcus quickly washed the coffee pot and the mugs and spoons that they'd used for coffee and tea, and he cleaned up the mess and put the basin against the table. "Are we forgetting anything?"

"Money? Park passes?" Zane asked.

"I've got them," Marcus said.

Aria smiled as he explained each child " yep, I can see those traits in them, each a part of you" she said as she finished her coffee and rinsed it out ith clean boiled water from the kettle. Now as every one went to cange into their swiming suits she headed and changed into her bikini, a black pratical one, then she sipped on jeans a tee shirt and her hiking boots with socks. Returning outside she picked up a towel and shrink it into her pocket.

As she left the tent she chuckled hearing the boys and Marcus reply. " you should know your dads always rady and prepared." she said smiling " well if we're ready we should head out " she said taking Poppys hand in her own as she waitd for him to start walking towards the trails.

They made the hike towards the beach, and when they were near the camp office, he pointed out the chessboard. he estimated the pieces had to be maybe five foot high each.

"it's cool, but I don't know that I could play it, Dad," Poppy said.

"Why not?" he asked.

"The pieces are almost as big as I am," she said.

"Might be a little bigger," Zane said.

"No worries, Pet. If you want to play, I'll move the pieces for you if you need help with it," Marcus told her.

"Really?"

"Really," he laughed.

"It does look like fun. Maybe later, though."

"How far to the beach?" Ezra asked.

"Not far, I dont' htink. I'm guessing we're maybe a little less than halfway there."

"Dad, did you pack the sandcastle molds?" Poppy asked.

"Of course," Marcus said. "I'll have to resize them. It'll be a tad tricky doing it so the muggles can't see, but I'll manage."

"Poppy thinks sandcastles are serious business," Kai teased.

"Just because you don't enjoy them doesn't mean I shouldn't," Poppy sighed.

"They're for babies," Kai scowled, and just at that moment, a branch from a tree magically swatted Kai right in the face. Marcus looked back at Poppy and cast her a disapproving look, knowing full well she had cast spell to get back at Kai.

"You do not know what you're talking about," Marcus told him. "There are sandcastle competitions all over the world, and they pay massive cash prizes. They are not just for babies. You really can't listen to him when he gets like that, Poppy."

"Sorry, Dad," she sighed.

"You should be apologzing to me," Kai snipped at her.

"Why? The only thing I'm sorry for is that I didn't hit you twice," Poppy taunted him.

"Alright, time out," Marcus said, stopping. "Kai, you started it by being nasty, and Poppy, you know better. You know this isnt' the place for it. So, if you both don't want to be sent home at once, you'll knock it off. I'm not having it. Understand?"

"Yes, Dad," they both said.

"Let's go," he told them, heading onward towards the beach.

Aria walked with them and then looked at the chess set "Wow I agree those are big pieces" she said as they passed by the chess set and continued to the beach "Oh don't forget the sand mermaids they make too, I hear they make all sort of sand sculptures" she added "The thing I love to do at the beach, is to just feel the sand between my toes." she said then raised her eyebrows as the tree limb hit Kai. She pushed past it and stayed quiet as Marcus spoke to Kai and Poppy feeling he had everything right.

Walking down the path she listened to the sounds around her" I think thats a woodpecker" She said to Marcus " Or am I wrong?" She said " birds are not my thing, even though I am one" She chuckled as she finished.

"They do make all sorts," Marcus said. When Aria said she thought she heard a woodpecker, he listened. "I think you might be right," he told her. "I hear it too."

As they approached the beach, Marcus heard the voices of some of the people who were at the beach. As they got there, Marcus saw there were groups of people there, in small groups, and they were setting up to do something. There were actually fewer people in the water than there on the beach.

"What's going on?' Zack asked Marcus.

"Not sure yet," Marcus said. He walked over to a space he htought was big enough for them all but a few steps away from some of the groups of people, and he and Zack and Kai set out the beach towels on the sand.

"Dad," Daria said. "Look. They've got what looks like some pretty sophisticated sandcastle tools." Marcus looked and saw that was exactly what it was. These were sandcastle artists. Ezra walked over to the group closest to them.

"You making a castle, then?" Ezra asked.

"Nah," a man with long brown hair said. "Everyone does castles. I'm going to try something different. I think I'm going to do a fairy sitting on a mushroom with some flowers at her feet. I need to win this year. I need the money."

"Is the contest today?"

"Next weekend. This is practice to see if I can make my design work," he told him

Aria watched as the boys put down the tools for them to sit on then saw the man talking to Poppy " Marcus?" she said and motioned to the man " I think he's just an artist but.." she left it hanging as she placed down her things and walked over to stand behind Poppy listening to them talking. "I'm sure you'll get a good view from where we're sat with your brothers, dear," she said putting on an act as if she were her mother and placing her arm over Poppys shoulder with a smile on her face to the man.

Moving Poppy back she glanced over her shoulder and saw the man smiling wirdly at them both . Now back at their towels she looked to Marcus " I don't like that man , he gives me the creeps" she said taking off her tee shirt to show her bikini top before she slipped off her boots and jeans to sit on the sand.

Marcus saw that it was actually Ezra who had started the conversation with the man, not Poppy. Marcus didn't get the creepy feeling from the artist at all, but he already been watching the interaction between Ezra and the artist. Ezra had just been curious, and Poppy had only gone a few stepps closer. Ezra, though, had gone right up to the man.

"Calm," he told Aria. "I'm right here. The kids are just curious." He left his jeans and his shoes and his shirt on the towel and walked over to the artist. "So you're a competitor, then?"

"Came in second place in the Hampton Beac competition the last two years. I really want to win first prize this year," he told Marcus. "Gary Anderson, South Beach, Florida."

"If you're from South Beach, what on earth are you doing in Ohio?"

"My wife's mother lives not far from here, and she broke her leg a few days ago. She lives by herself, so, of course, up we came to look after her for a bit. We'll stay here for a few days, til she's given clearance to fly, and then we'll hop over to the Hamptons, hopefully win the competition and go back to South Beach where my mother in law will stay with us until she's mended. Good looking family you have there."

"Thank you," Marcus said.

"So what's a Brit doing so far from home?"

"Kids wanted to do the coaster circuit this summer," Marcus said

"Ah, yeah. We did that a few summers ago, but it was too expensive to keep up. Park prices are murder these days."

"They certainly are," Marcus agreed.

"Say, I'm still working on my design for this year's competition. Do you mind if I usse your little girl's face on my sand sculpture. I can't promise it'll be exact, but it'll be..well, as close as I can get with sand."

"I don't mind," Marcus said.

"Thanks," Gary told him. Marcus went back to the towel and sat down, and the kids headed down to the water.