A Birth day

Ruby chuckled and nodded " I remember from when I saw her" she said " makes sense " she said then looked at Angus who said he would spare with Marcus the next day then suggested she spare with Aria " we will, when you two do" she said but paused looking at the floo as Kates voice came threw. She heard Angus and nodded " I agree, best rest up tonight , tomorrow there could be more turning up." Ruby said.

Jess was at St Mungo's she had a bad feeling and spoke to three nurses who agreed to wait for her . Once she was sure her shifts were covered she ported the three nurses to the cottage minimizing where they were . Giving each orders she opened a floo to the main house " Robert we're ready" she said " I have three nurses here each will take a floor and I have covered my shifts for as long as you need me." she told him.

"Got the message, Jess," Robert replied, stifling a yawn. "My apologies. There's an additional layer to this virus. Not only is there a magical layer but they've tried to add a protection layer to keep the average potions maker from being able to tinker with it. I, however, am not the average potions maker, so I will get it, but it is rather like code breaking. I have to figure out how the protection layer works precisely in order to be able to break through it. I'm getting close, though, now. Stay on the cabin, Jess. And keep me posted as to how many you have and their ages. I have these numbers because Kate gave them to me. Marcus is bringing over Angus's menus shortly. Oh, and one more thing. I have ordered a new, large luxury caravan to be brought and parked near the door of the cabin for your nurses. I want them to have someplace warm and dry for them to retreat to if any of them or you need a place close to be able to go to, to get away for a little and maybe get some sleep, get a shower, that sort of thing. When it gets there, do please set it up for them as a nice sanctuary. I trust you can handle that without any issues. We need to keep them healthy because we don't know how long we're going to need them."

Marcus took the menu book over to the cabin. He didn't stay. He just dropped it off and came straight back to the duplex. By that time, Rosaria and Carlo were back, and things were starting to get quiet on Edward's side as they were all tired on that side. Edward was still at the farm, but Rosaria and Carlo and Simone were showered and their rooms reading to unwind before bed.

Angus was settling in with his book, but his eyes were really too heavy to be able to absorb a word he was reading, and he was struggling to not drop the book in his sleep. Marcus got out a blanket for him.

"If you get sleepy, just get some sleep, Mate. You know this house gets started early. No harm in an early night after the busy day everyone's had," Marcus told him. "I'm thinking about turning in myself."

Jess listened to Robert and chuckled when he said he was no average potions master " oh I know that" she said but fell quiet again as she listened to what he had put in place " good idea I'll set up some beds so they can work in shifts should it be needed." she said as the first grounds man and his family were brought to the door and dropped off. " okay we have our first patients" she told Robert " boy of three mother of about late twenties the grounds man early thirty's." she told him and handed two clip boards " full history and details, I want a full work up on them send bloods to Robert so he can formulate the vaccine. " she told the nurses who nodded and headed to show them to beds close to each other with a cot beside it for the little one.

Ruby smiled seeing Angus was tired she stood up and made some fresh tea making a cup for him and placing it by his bed " for if you wake in the night" she said as she watched Marcus place a blanket on him telling him if he was tired to just sleep. " agreed, bed might be lonely without you but rest is important for you right now" she said to him as Finn ran past and up the stairs " and you don't snore like he does." she said with a chuckle as she kissed his cheek " night dear" she said heading to the stairs.

Aria walked around the upstairs making sure all the doors were locked as she glanced out of one of the windows she saw several people arrive at the cottage hospital and sighed. Heading down she saw Marcus " upstairs is all locked up babies sleeping as are the boys too, well I assume since there's no sound from their room, also I saw the first patients go to the hospital cottage, not sure if that's a good thing or bad " she told him.

"Jess," Robert said, "you shouldn't need to set up much in the way of beds because the camper/caravan that's coming sleeps up to eight people. You'll need to just stock either sleeping bags or blankets and pillows. I think you should maybe stock some snacks and drinks, and of course towels, soap, washcloths, that sort of thing. Maybe some books or decks of cards or something for them to do to unwind. It's going to be a very large camper style caravan, and it should be very, very nice."

"Thanks," Angus yawned. "I'm tired enough that I'm not absorbing a single word I'm reading. I just keep reading the same paragraph over and over and still not absorbing it. I think I'll give up reading for tonight. I think we're all tired tonight, so maybe sleep is the best thing for all of us."

"Yeah, I got a message from Kate," Marcus said, changing and getting into bed. "They got their first few patients--three grounds crew members, 2 of their wives, and two children. I think this is just the beginning. I'm sure you'll see Angus or Rosaria upping the nutrition on the menus for us here at the duplex. We don't always have a lot of control over what food is served at the main house but I know Angus will be trying to fuel up our immune systems just in case. I think its actually a really good idea to cram in some extra vitamins where we can." He turned out the light on his nightstand. "Goodnight, Aria."

Jess heard Robert and chuckled " right , campervan" she said correcting her self " okay I'll get on that" she said as she saw another family enter and be escorted to beds " okay that makes two families, two females , two males and one male child with one female child" she said and wrote down their details before handing them to nurses before sending a note to a supplier she knew who immediately sent over what she requested, Jess left it in the crate for when the camper showed up . Witch to her surprise wasn't too much longer. Jack arrived and picked up the crate carrying it to the camper and unloading it placing everything where he felt it should go.

Aria saw Marcus walk into the room and change his clothes as he spoke about the two families and taking more vitamins along with the menus for the cottage hospital. " yeah wouldn't harm" she said as he climbed into bed next to her " a few nutritious meals wouldn't harm any one, especially for the babies, have they had their first vaccinations yet, hope they don't come down with this?" she said and lay next to him holding him close to her as she heard the click of the light being turned off " night Marcus." she said softly as she too fell asleep.

Angus had slept like a rock. He woke up in the same position he had gone to sleep in. The house was silent, and it was still dark when he woke and got up. The clock said it was 4:37. He was tired of the stitches in his shoulder, so he got out one of his knives, the one with the sharpest tip, and he cut the stitches, pulled them out and pitched the threads in the bin.

He enjoyed having some time alone in the kitchen before the sun rose. It had been a long time since he had had the kitchen to himself. It reminded him of good times when there wasn't anyone trying to kill him. He enjoyed the house when it was silent, and he wanted to make breakfast before anyone else got up, with no more lighting than the lights on the bottom of the upper cabinets.

He put on a pot of coffee and one of tea, and he made a batch of scones with some fresh orange juice and orange zest chopped candied pecans, some mini chocolate chips, and chopped candied orange peel. He brushed the tops with egg wash for a nice shine and sprinkled gold sanding sugar on the top to give them a shimmer. They smelled incredible while they were baking.

He used a couple frozen pie shells and whipped up some scrambled eggs and used a few chopped vegetables and shredded cheeses and made a couple different quiches. While that was all in the oven, he made a simple fruit salad.

Angus really wanted to do a sideboard for a change. He liked giving people options to fix their own plates, so he set up part of the kitchen counter as a well-organized sideboard and set warming charms under the quiches and the scones so that people could take what they wanted and however much of it that they wanted. He added a jar of orange marmalade, a jar of chocolate hazelnut spread, and a jar of raspberry jam as alternatives for the scones, along with a jar of clotted cream. With breakfast fixed and sitting and waiting in his improvised sideboard on the counter, he poured himself a mug of coffee, grabbed a scone, and he got the newspapers, and then he sat down in his chair to read his newspaper and enjoy his scone and coffee to let people sleep in or to wake on their own.

Ruby woke to the smell of fresh made scones and coffee, slipping from the bed she slipped on her night gown and headed down as she had seen what time it was. She paused at the kitchen door smiling " those smell wonderful" she said smiling " good to see you back in the kitchen" she added as she walked over and kissed his cheek then pored herself a cup of coffee. " did you sleep okay?" she asked.

Aria woke and smelled scones , with a slight frown she looked over at Marcus sleeping next to her then dressing in light trousers and one of Marcus's shirts she walked down to the main living room as she heard Ruby talk to Angus in the kitchen.

"I slept fine," Angus said, "but for some reason, I woke up at 4:30, of all godforsaken times. Seemed like a good time to make some scones. They have chocolate chips, chopped candied pecans, and chopped candied orange peel. I liked the idea of chocolate and orange but then I added the nuts and some sanding sugar for some crunch. There's two different kinds of quiche and some fruit salad. Get yourself some breakfast before the kids wake up."

Angus heard the sounds of voices going on over at Edward's, and he heard the word valigia--Italian for suitcase. He got up and put four of his scones on a plate and took them over where he saw Risaria and Carlo with their bags packed.

"Leaving?" Angus asked.

"Well, not the way you mean," Edward said. "Their cooking went over so well yesterday that Robert asked them to take over the kitchen and management of the main house while Shannon and Nicky are confined to their apartment because of Molly's illness. So they're taking over your old room for the duration. Robert has given them a portkey so they can come and go at will."

"Oh. Well, that makes sense. They still have Zoe over there, dont they?"

"Yes. She'll do breakfast as usual, and she'll handle lunch. Rosaria will handle supper and some of the prep work for breakfast and lunch as the menu calls for. Zoe speaks French, and so do Rosaria and Carlo, so they will communicate in French," Edward said, helping himself to one of Angus scones. He took a bite. "Oh my god, those are good," Edward said. He motioned for Rosaria and Carlo to each take one, and they helped themselves as Simone came down and took the fourth one.

"Rosaria wants to make a quick trip back to the house and get more clothes, so she and Carlo can drop the girls off at Evans when they go," Edward said.

"That would be great," Angus said. "Grazie," Angus told Rosaria and Carlo and they nodded. Angus took the empty plate back to his side. He warmed up his coffee. "Seems Rosaria and Carlo are moving over to the main house," Angus told Ruby and Aria, "for the duration of the mumps outbreak to take over running the main house and helping in the kitchen. They'll take the girls this morning because they need to go back to pick up some extra clothes this morning." 

Marcus came downstairs and poured himself some coffee. "Someone's been baking already," Marcus said. "Smells great."

Ruby smiled and nodded "sounds perfect" she said as she listened to him describe the scones. taking one she pored coffee and took a bite "These are fantastic" she said but hearing the voices she walked with Angus to the adjoining door then stood listening as Edward explained and she heard Angus thank them both " yes thankyou" she said smiling at Carlos and Rosaria.

Aria saw Marcus walk down and smiled nodding her head " Angus was baking , he woke too early so baked" she said with a chuckle " now he's over with Ruby talking to Rosaria and Carlos, there helping cook in the main house since there a woman down, you should try one of these there fantastic" she said handing him half a scone. Once he took it she liked her fingers clean of the chocolate from the chips in the scone.

"I'm going to just fix my plate," Marcus said. "Am I the only one eating quiche and fruit with my scone?"

"No," Angus said, fixing a plate for himself. "The quiche on the right has bacon and onion and diced bell pepper and cheese. The quiche on the left has crab, cheese, and onion. I'm having the crab quiche."

"That makes two of us. I can get bacon any time," Marcus said. He put a wedge of quiche on his plate, a scone, and a spoonful of fruit salad, and Angus did the same. Marcus sat down and took a bite of his quiche. "Do me a favor and make this for breakfast more often, would you?"

"Sure. I wasn't sure if anyone else would like it but me," Angus said.

"Crab? Are you kidding? I love good crab," Marcus said, and as he spoke, one of the babies upstairs began to screech, having a temper tantrum. "But not that sort of crab," Marcus sighed. "I was hoping they'd sleep a bit longer."

"Yeah, me too. I'll get it," Angus sighed, getting up and leaving his breakfast on the table to go upstairs. He found Diamond was trying to pull herself up, and she wasn't' having much luck, so she was having a full-on raging temper tantrum. And that had only awakened Caprice who was now having a temper tantrum of her own.